The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Many areas of the Bible can a cause debate between those who believe and those whom choose not to believe. One of the biggest areas of debate is the reality of Heaven and Hell. For some the thought of an after life is nonsense. They believe that once you die your life is over and nothing else happens. Others believe that everyone who dies goes to Heaven. You know how I know this to be true. When is the last time you attended a funeral and someone wondered aloud if this person was not in Heaven and instead was in Hell?
As believers we know that both Heaven and Hell are real. Jesus described Hell as a place of constant torment and darkness (Luke 16:22-23, Matthew 22:13). The worst punishment about Hell is not the physical punishment but the absence of the Lord’s presence (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Hell is real. Hell is a place that those who reject Jesus will be in forever.
Believers also know that Heaven is real. Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us and wanted us to be with him (John 14:1-6). Heaven is also a place where death, pain and suffering will no longer exist (Rev 21). The best part about Heaven is that we will be in the presence of Jesus forever!
Our view of this will determine our mindset when we are around people. As believers we have the Gospel (Good News) that can set people free and give them hope. We know that God loves people. He loves them so much he sent his Son to die for the world (John 3:16). So what is your view of Heaven and Hell? Your answer will determine if you really want to see people go from life to death.
If you believe that Hell is real and that those who are not believers will spend an eternity in torment, you will share how God changed your life. You will be compelled to make sure that nobody you know will ever spend a single second in that place. My youth pastor always said that “we should be willing to charge Hell with a water pistol.” However, are we willing to have a conversation with those we know to make sure they never make it to Hell?
If you believe that Heaven is real are you sharing that news with other people around you? As believers we have hope. That hope is to be saved from Hell and our reward is Heaven. But do you really believe that?
Our culture today has a hard time with absolute truth. Heaven and Hell are old, outdated, and for the weak minded. It is fantasy and fairy tale to convince people to believe something that they wouldn’t normally. Culture tells us that faith is personal and we shouldn’t impose our beliefs on others.
So let me ask you, do you believe in Heaven and Hell? If you do it should encourage you to share your faith, with everyone.
We must tell others about Jesus. Today’s culture may not want to hear about Heaven and Hell but that should not stop us from telling them anyway.
So what do you believe? It matters.
