For many generations our family had been devout Roman Catholics. In our home we regularly knelt down together and said the Rosary.
My school days began at the local Convent. After receiving my First Communion, I attended the Christian Brothers’ School. One of the boys in my class was a Protestant. We came from different backgrounds and traditions but were great friends. We had one thing in common: both of us HOPED we would go to Heaven when we died.

I HOPED my Baptism, Confession of my sins to the priest, Communion, Confirmation and regular attendance at Mass would secure a place in Heaven for me.  
My friend HOPED his Baptism, knowledge of the Catechism, attendance at Sunday School, Confirmation and membership of the Protestant Church would get him to Heaven. 
After I left school, I got a job with an undertaker. At both Roman Catholic and Protestant funerals the priests, ministers and mourners were HOPING the departed souls were gone to Heaven. They were all HOPING, but none of them actually knew.
I wondered what would happen to me. I could picture myself on my death - bed, HOPING I would go to Heaven instead of Hell. What a fearful situation to be in when you are dying.

Then, in November 1975, I met a friend who told me he KNEW for definite he would go to Heaven when he died. He said he was NO LONGER HOPING, but had obtained assurance of salvation through believing the Scriptures. He encouraged me to read the Bible for myself.
I read in John’s first Epistle, in Ch. 5 v 13, these words: "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life..."
I was amazed at the words, “that ye may KNOW.” I had been HOPING, but now I could see that according to God’s Word it is actually possible to KNOW that you have eternal life.

But who were these things written to, I asked myself? They were written to those who believe what God said concerning His Son. Verse 11 reads, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. According to the Scriptures, eternal life is in the Person of Jesus Christ and His work on the sinner's behalf. For the first time in my life I was confronted with the fact that eternal life is in a Person, and not in a Religion.

In the Gospel of John, Ch. 14 v. 6, I read: “Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’" I began to  realise the importance of believing in and depending upon this Person. In John’s Gospel, Ch. 3 v. 16 I read: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

“God so loved the world.” But did that include ME? Did God actually love me? I knew I was a sinner, and my sin had to be paid for. I read in Romans Ch. 3 v. 23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” I knew I was certainly included there! But when I read Romans Ch. 5 v. 8, I was encouraged. It says: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Peter, in his first Epistle, in Ch. 2 v. 24, writes, concerning the Lord Jesus Christ: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.." The fact that Jesus bore OUR sins, and gave Himself for US was outlined so clearly in what I had read. But the important question was this; Did God love ME, as an individual?

My question was answered in Galatians Ch. 2 v. 20: “..The Son of God, who loved ME, and gave himself for ME.” 

I could now see that God did love. He loved me so much that He sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross on my behalf. Jesus became my substitute and paid in full the penalty for the guilt of my sin so that I could be forgiven.
 In Titus Ch. 3 v. 4 - 5, I read: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...”.

According to God’s Word, it did not matter what Church I belonged to, what good works I did or what efforts I made to save myself. None of these could save my soul. Salvation was bestowed because of God’s mercy.
In Titus Ch. 2 v. 11, I read: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
These words make it very clear that Salvation is by Grace. It is God reaching down to the helpless sinner, revealing to him that He loves him so much that He sent His Son to the cross. There, He took the sinner’s place by becoming his substitute. He paid the penalty for sin that the sinner should have paid.

The words of Romans Ch. 3 v. 24, summed it all up. They read: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” I could now see that Salvation was given FREELY by God to sinful man. The sinner was not required to work for it.
 
I reached out to God, saying, “Lord, I know I am a sinner, deserving of Hell. I know that dependence upon the Church or my own efforts cannot save me. Thank you for showing me that Salvation is free gift from God to the sinner. Thank you that you not only loved the world, but you loved ME enough to send your Son to die for me.”

I have repented of my sin and have been forgiven. I have put my faith in Jesus Christ and I am trusting Him as Saviour. I am NO LONGER HOPING, but now I KNOW I will be in Heaven some day because I am depending upon what Jesus did on my behalf as He suffered and died as my substitute upon the cross.