Why am I writing a post about heaven and hell? I attended two funerals in the past week. I’m thinking about death. Death is a reality for all of us. We need to be prepared for our death. Scripture says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; … (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 ESV)
We will be held accountable for our time here on earth. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment … (Hebrews 9:27 ESV)
We will all live for eternity. We will live for eternity in heaven or we will live for eternity in hell. And these (those individuals who have not received the gift of salvation) will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:46 ESV)
Life or destruction are the only two options that we have to choose from. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)
Hell will be horrible.
“And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, …” (Revelation 14:11 ESV)
… those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus … will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 ESV)
… the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:50 ESV)
… hell … the unquenchable fire. (Mark 9:43 ESV)
Heaven will be awesome.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-4 ESV)
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4 ESV)
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, … . (Philippians 3:20-21 ESV)
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43 ESV)
… at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV)
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. (Revelation 21:21-25 ESV)
Will the people attending your funeral be celebrating the fact that you will be spending your eternity in heaven or will they be agonizing over the realization that you will be spending your eternity in torment?
… 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.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13 ESV)
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And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 ESV)
Heaven or Hell? Where will you spend your eternity?
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