Heaven isn’t just for people who know about God. It’s for people who actually know Him.
That’s the part many people miss. Salvation isn’t about how much you do, how much you know, or what your church taught you growing up. It’s not about performance. It’s about a relationship. It’s about what God has done for you, and whether you’ve truly connected with Him.
In the Gospel of Matthew 7, Jesus talks about something that should honestly shake all of us a little. He describes people who called Him “Lord,” who prophesied in His name, cast out demons, and did powerful things. These weren’t atheists or people who rejected God. These were church people. People who showed up, served, believed, and led.
And yet, He says to them, “I never knew you.”
That word “knew” is important. It doesn’t mean information. It means a relationship. Deep, personal, real connection, where you actually spend time together, not just talk about each other.
You can be religious on the outside and still be completely empty on the inside.
Jesus also said the path to life is narrow. In the Gospel of Matthew 7:13–14, He explains that many people are on the wide road, but only a few find the narrow one. That means this isn’t automatic. It’s intentional.
So the question isn’t, “Do you believe in God?”
The question is, “Do you actually know Him?”
Take a moment and think about it honestly.
When was the last time you sat in silence with God? No distractions. No phone. No background noise. Just you and Him.
When was the last time you helped someone quietly, without needing credit?
When was the last time you sat with someone who was hurting, not because you had to, but because you wanted to show love?
These things reveal the heart.
Jesus told another story in the Gospel of Matthew 25 about ten virgins waiting for a bridegroom. Five were prepared, and five were not. The difference was oil, something internal, something real, something that couldn’t be borrowed or faked at the last minute.
That’s what a real relationship with God looks like. It’s not an external activity. It’s an internal connection.
Then there’s the story in the Gospel of Mark 10, where a rich young man walks away from Jesus because he couldn’t let go of what he loved more. That’s the reality: anything you hold onto tighter than God becomes a barrier between you and Him.
It could be money, comfort, relationships, pride, or even your own image.
In the Gospel of Luke 18, Jesus shows us that the ones who think they’re “in” aren’t always in, and the ones who feel broken and far away are usually closer than they think. Why? Because God responds to humility, not pride.
A real relationship with God produces something. In Epistle to the Galatians 5, it talks about the fruit of the Spirit that brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more.
Jesus said in the Gospel of John 15 that He is the vine, and we are the branches. If we stay connected to Him, we grow. If we don’t, we can’t produce anything real.
It’s like Martha and Mary. Martha was busy doing things for Jesus, while Mary simply sat with Him. And Jesus made it clear, presence matters more than performance.
So don’t spend your whole life doing things for God but never actually being with Him.
The door is still open. But it won’t stay open forever.
So choose ‘relationship.’ Sit with Him. Talk to Him. Listen.
Because in the end, it’s not about what you did, it’s about whether you truly knew Him.