Two Very Real Destinations

There is evidence that Heaven and Hell exist, and God wants you to know what to do.

What we know for sure:

1/ Our time in this life is limited.

2/ We all have hope that when we die, we will live on.

3/ And of course, no matter how good or bad our lives have been, our hope is for a peaceful and perfect existence (full of love) for all of eternity.

What studying the Bible does for us:

1/ It teaches us God’s word so we have guidelines under which to live.

2/ It teaches us why God felt a need to send a Savior to the world.

3/ It illustrates to us that God is the ultimate authority, and the Bible is the device in which He communicates his instruction and authority to us.

4/ Three things that are made clear when we study the Bible:  God’s promises to us, His warnings, and His love for us.

5/ God’s word in the Bible shows us why Christianity is an exclusive “religion.”  In it we find that the path to Heaven is narrow and why following Jesus (and no other) is the only right way.

What we risk with unbelief:

1/ Living a mediocre existence – God asks us to live a certain way, not by our own means of salvation (self-righteousness).  Living by our own means is nothing more than an attempt to bypass God’s way of salvation.  It’s tragic when we don’t understand the consequences of not believing God’s way is the best way.

2/ The loss of eternal salvation – this happens when we repeatedly reject God and cross the line of no return (having a hardened-enough heart where we can never believe).   We don’t have the ability to save ourselves and we cannot rely on balancing the good things in our life with the bad.  We are judged (when we die) against the standard of perfection:  Jesus.

3/ Missing out on God’s eternal blessings by not believing in God or His promises – we are the inheritors of His Kingdom if we receive God’s salvation in the way that He has ordained.  It’s easier to reject God than to embrace Him and figure out what we are supposed to be doing.  Jesus was who He said He was, He lived a sinless life because of how He came to earth, and His death was the atonement for our sins (God was satisfied that the death of Jesus and the messages He brought to the world were sufficient to save those who want to be saved).

4/ Allowing Satan and his legion of demons to slide through an open door.  When you are willfully dismissive and obstinately ignorant of the gospel, you are allowing Satan to talk to you.  He will deceive you about God, Jesus, and all of God’s promises of living with Him and Jesus for all of eternity after you die.  This is a huge risk to your eternal place in Heaven.  What you are essentially doing is exchanging an eternity of hope, love, peace, and rewards for a shortened existence on earth in an imperfect body with a dissatisfied soul—and then ultimately spending eternity apart from God.

Why die when you can live?  Accept His atonement for your sin rather than die IN your sin.  The price and consequence will be for all of eternity.  Trust in Jesus as your Savior—it is the only way.

Be aware of the struggle between Good and Evil

Evil will always try to thwart good (i.e. Satan vs. God).  Think about this and know that there is an unseen world in which God will ultimately win in the end.  Be on the good team.  Stop retreating and start fighting.  Do this by discerning the importance of a new direction in your life, especially if you have trouble in your relationships.  Many of life’s problems can be traced back to relationship issues.  Try to understand the Bible and God’s word on how you should be living today, with eternity in mind.  It’s an intentional act for an important decision.  Don’t die in your sins and go into darkness.  Trust Jesus with all of your heart and allow Him to direct your life rather than giving in to Satan and his temporary promises.

4 ways to MISS Heaven

1/ Be self-righteous.  Remember, the Jews mocked Jesus and instead trusted in themselves for eternal salvation, despite all of the messages preached by Jesus against self-righteousness.

2/ Be preoccupied with this world rather than eternity-minded.  Satan currently runs this world because it is opposed to God.  It’s an organized system that has been raised up against the knowledge of God.  Getting caught up in this satanic system of lies and unbiblical thinking delights Satan and will affect you forever.

3/ Be unbelieving.  When Jesus came as our Savior, He was born specifically as a sinless man with God’s imputed righteousness.  He transferred His perfect righteousness to us when He suffered death on the cross.  As Christians, we believe He was who He said He was, and that His death was our atonement to God for our sins!  To believe otherwise will surely send you away from the Father on the day you die.

4/ Reject the Gospel.  When you reject God’s truth, as written in the infallible and inerrant Bible, you are choosing darkness over light as well as an eternity with Satan instead of an eternity with God.  This means you intentionally stumble over the cross and you trample Christ’s blood.  Atheism and agnosticism are blasphemy.  Read the gospel—study it—and go to church for interpretation when you don’t understand something. Make sure you land safely in His arms when you die.