Have you ever asked yourself, How do I know if I’m going to heaven? It’s a question many people ponder in quiet moments late at night or in confrontations with life and death. In this article, which was inspired by the second chapter of the Forge discipleship resource Multiplying Movements, we’ll explore a helpful visual called the “Four Chairs,” which can help you to prayerfully answer that very question—How do I know if I’m going to heaven?
The Four Chairs: A Powerful Visual for Your Faith
The “Four Chairs” visual paints a vivid picture of the different spiritual states people might find themselves in. Picture four chairs in a room, each representing a different relationship with God. This simple image helps illustrate the answer to whether you’re truly going to heaven.
- Chair 1 represents those who are fully committed to Christ, living out their faith and growing in a relationship with Jesus—this means they will be in heaven with Him.
- Chair 2 represents people who are lukewarm—perhaps they go to church, and they have a limited relationship with Jesus as their Savior to get to heaven, but their hearts aren’t fully in it.
- Chair 3 is where many who call themselves Christians unknowingly sit. They may believe in God intellectually but lack a real relationship with Jesus. This is a dangerous position because these people are deceived into thinking they are going to heaven when they are not.
- Chair 4 represents those who are spiritually lost, having never trusted or known Christ for their salvation.
So, how do you know where you sit? Are you truly going to heaven, or are you sitting in one of the other chairs? Let’s dive into each chair to uncover the answer.
Chair 1: True Salvation
Chair 1 is where you want to be. People sitting in this chair have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. They aren’t just going through the motions of religion—they have a genuine, intimate relationship with God. They understand their need for Him and actively live out their faith. They are crazy in love with Jesus. They go to extremes to show Him how much they love Him. And they are willing to change anything and everything to please Him.
Are you willing to go to extremes to express your love for God? Or are you too concerned about what other people think to show that you are crazy in love with Him?
First-chair Christians have a love for Jesus that shows in all areas of their lives. For one thing, it shows in the way they obey God. They may not understand everything He asks of them, but they willingly obey. Not begrudgingly, but joyfully—as an expression of their love for Him.
Jesus made it clear that love and obedience go hand in hand. He once said, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15, CSB). Do not misunderstand the meaning of this. The key is not obedience. It is love. If you have trouble with obedience, it is not because you need more discipline. You need more love.
First-chair Christians also want to know Him better. That is why they study the Bible and pray. Not because they have to, but because they want to. They want to know Him better, and they have learned that you have to spend time with Him and listen to what He says through His Word in order to know Him.
If you’re wondering, How do I know if I’m going to heaven? ask yourself if you’ve truly placed your trust in Christ. If you’ve surrendered your life to Him, seeking to live according to His will, you can be confident that you’re going to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, CSB).
Chair 2: Lukewarm Faith
In Chair 2, you believe in God, you know Jesus just enough to make Him your Savior and go to heaven, but your heart is not fully devoted. Jesus warned about this in Revelation 3:16, saying, “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of My mouth.”
If you’re sitting in Chair 2, it’s time to talk to Jesus about your relationship with Him. Are you merely going through the motions of relationship, or is your heart truly committed to Him? He wants all of you, AND He wants to give you all He has to offer, all of His care, provision, love, joy, hope, all of Himself!
Would you want a relationship with someone close to you to be purely based on a transaction? Would you want your husband or wife to marry you just because they wanted the tax credit? That’s kind of like entering into relationship with Jesus just to get to heaven. He is the King of the Universe, and He loves you and wants you to be in the first chair with Him so He can give you joy and peace and hope every day.
Chair 3: Intellectual Faith Without a Relationship
Chair 3 is a deceptive place to be. People sitting in this chair may know a lot about God, but they don’t truly know Him. They might attend church, read the Bible, or even serve in ministry, but their faith remains disconnected from their hearts. It’s like saying, “I believe in Abraham Lincoln”—you acknowledge the facts, but it doesn’t change your life. The difference is, when it comes to salvation, intellectual belief without genuine surrender to Christ doesn’t lead to heaven.
Most people in the third chair have been taught things about God and the Bible. They might be interested in God, read about Him, and even ask questions about Him. But in the end, their intellectual knowledge does not lead them into a relationship with God. Often, people in the third chair think they are saved. But they are not. They are deceived.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus warned that many will claim to know Him, but He will say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” If you’re wondering, How do I know if I’m going to heaven? check your relationship with Christ. Are you truly surrendered to Him, or are you just going through the motions with intellectual beliefs? True faith in Christ is more than knowledge—it’s a heart transformed by His grace.
Jesus made it clear that you can do a lot of good things that make you look like a Christian and still not make it into heaven. You can even do powerful acts of ministry and still not make it into heaven. Looks can be deceiving . . . but not to God. You cannot fake your way into heaven!
Chair 4: The Lost and Unaware
Finally, there’s Chair 4. This is where those who are spiritually lost sit. Maybe they have never been told the Good News about Jesus and His forgiveness for their sins, or maybe they have heard about it but never personally accepted it.
Either way, if this describes you, you are wandering on a road that will lead you to destruction—in this life and in eternity. The Good News is that there is a different road, but you have to recognize your need for it.
If you’re sitting in Chair 4, it’s time for a decision. You’re spiritually dead without a relationship with Jesus, but the good news is, it’s not too late. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). If you’re unsure whether you’re going to heaven, it’s time to cry out to Jesus for salvation. Recognize your need for Him, and trust in His sacrifice on the cross to forgive your sins.
How to Move to the First Chair
If you’re not in the first chair already, there’s Good News! You can make a decision today to move to the first chair. It’s not too late. But the choice comes with a cost. It requires that you humbly bow your heart before Jesus, recognizing your desperate need for Him. It requires that you confess your sins to Him and truly believe in Him with your whole life. It requires that you surrender your life to God’s ways and purposes and place your full trust in Him to provide for every spiritual, physical, and emotional need you have. That is what it means to live in the first chair.
Moving Forward: Your Decision
Ultimately, whether or not you’re going to heaven comes down to the relationship you have with Jesus Christ. If you’re in Chair 1, you can be assured of your salvation. If you’re in Chair 2, you can choose today to give Jesus everything. And if you’re in Chair 3 or 4, there’s still time to make Jesus your Lord and Savior.
Jesus is offering you a way out of spiritual death. It’s not about being perfect, but about trusting in the One who is perfect. If you’re not sure where you stand, ask God today. Pray: Do I have a personal relationship with you, Jesus? If not, He’s waiting for you to come to Him.
Romans 10:9-11 says, “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.’”
John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
When you recognize Jesus as Lord, it will change the rest of your life and eternity. If you want to choose to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, you can use the following prayer as your guide, anywhere, at any time. Don’t delay!
Prayer: Lord, I admit that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You sent Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for me and my sins. I believe You are the only way. I accept You as my Lord and Savior and choose to follow You all the days of my life. I want to be in the first chair! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer for the first time, congratulations and welcome to God’s family! If you recommitted your life to Christ, welcome back home! And if you prayed that prayer and are living for Jesus already, great job! Keep passionately pursuing and proclaiming Jesus. We at Forge would love to help you activate the impact of your spiritual decision and empower your purpose!
Visit ForgeForward.org/next to connect with us today.
Don’t wait to make a decision. The sooner you act, the sooner you’ll know for sure: You are going to heaven.
For more discipleship training material like this, click here to access Multiplying Movements—a 12-part Video or Book Study Ideal for Bible Studies or 1-on-1 Mentoring.
