If I commit a sin just before I die, and I don't have time to confess it to God or get His forgiveness, does that mean I won't go to heaven? — G.P.

No, it does not. If you have truly given your life to Jesus Christ and are trusting Him alone for your salvation, then He has cleansed you of all your sins—past, present and future. When we came to Christ, "God ... forgave us all our sins" (Colossians 2:13).

You see, your salvation depends on only one thing: what Jesus Christ accomplished when He died on the cross for us. Why did He do that? He did it for one reason: so He could become the final and complete sacrifice for all our sins. He was without sin, but on the cross all your sins and my sins were placed on Him, and He died in our place. As the Bible says, "Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3:18).

Now God offers us salvation as a free gift—a gift that Jesus Christ has already purchased for us. What must we do in response? We must reach out in faith and accept it as our own, and that is what I invite you to do today. God loves you and yearns for you to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Ask Christ to come into your life and forgive all your sins—and He will.

Yes, we need to seek God's forgiveness whenever we sin so our fellowship with Him will be restored. But when we know Christ, we know our relationship with Him will never change. Make sure of your salvation by trusting Christ and receiving Him into your heart and life today.