Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? The Bible says there is a way you can have assurance that you will receive a “rich welcome” into heaven. Do you know what it is?

The answer is found in 2 Peter chapter one. Verses 1-10 explain how to gain assurance of a “rich welcome” into heaven. Verse 11 gives the promise itself. By reading verse 11 in several Bible translations, we can better understand what “rich welcome” means.

2 Peter 1:11
NIV   “and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

NASB   “for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”

Other translations tell us that an entrance “will be richly provided” for us (ESV); “a triumphant admission…will be freely granted” to us (Weymouth New Testament); and we will receive a “lavish reception” (Berean Study Bible).

Rich welcome…entrance abundantly supplied to us…entrance richly provided for us… a triumphant admission…a lavish reception. This description is consistent with how God is portrayed throughout the Bible.

The one, true, Living God is ABUNDANT in love, mercy, truth, and grace. He is generous and giving. He is the God of ABUNDANT hope (Romans 15:13).

What will a “rich welcome” look like? Will we be welcomed by God our Father, Jesus our Lord and Savior, angels, and God’s people from down through the ages (Hebrews 12:22-24), including loved ones and friends? Will there be music, dancing, and a banquet, as in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)?

The Bible doesn’t give us details about the welcome we will receive, but we can trust that God is faithful to His Word.   He tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “but just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.’”

God looks forward to our joining Him in heaven when our earthly life is over. He wants us to have confidence and assurance that we will richly received. 2 Peter 1:1-10 explains how we can gain that assurance.

Verses 1-4 assure us that grace and peace will be multiplied to us “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Through Christ, God’s “divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness”. God “has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises.” Why? “So that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

God’s will is that we become like Christ in character (Romans 8:29). Godly character is essential to our being effective witnesses for Christ. It also prepares us for heaven.

God has done His part. He has given us faith and all the grace needed for godliness. Now we must do our part. Verses 5-7 tell us it is our responsibility to apply “all diligence” to develop eight godly qualities.

2 Peter 1:5-7
“5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”

Faith, moral excellence, knowledge (of God and His Word), self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. If we apply maximum effort to develop these virtues, we will have the results listed in verses 8-11.

2 Peter 1:8-11
“8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.”

“10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”

Do you want your life to be useful and productive? Would you like to know that you are pleasing God – and be able to approach Him with confidence? Practice the qualities found in 2 Peter 1:1-11. Your life and relationship with God will be transformed. And you will have assurance of a “rich welcome” into heaven.