CHOOSING LIFE OR DEATH
The Bible speaks about choosing life or death in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 30:15-19). In the New Testament, it talks about choosing eternal life or eternal death (Romans 6:23; John 3:16-18). Many people today believe God will give people eternal life in heaven. But some question if our God, who “is Love,” will send any people to eternal torment in hell. The Bible provides answers to all questions for people of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
THE SON OF GOD WHO DIED FOR OUR SINS ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL:
JESUS USED A PARABLE OF GOOD SEEDS AND WEEDS IN TALKING TO A CROWD ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL: “Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable(AH) of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.(AI) 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,(AJ) 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest(AK) is the end of the age,(AL) and the harvesters are angels.(AM)
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man(AN) will send out his angels,(AO) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(AP) 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun(AQ) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear” (Matthew 13:38-43).
IN A STORY ABOUT A RICH MAN AND A MAN NAMED LAZARUS, JESUS SPOKE AGAIN ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL:
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.(A) 20 At his gate was laid a beggar(B) named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.(C) Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham,(D) have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’(E)
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things,(F) but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.(G) 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them,(H) so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses(I) and the Prophets;(J) let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’(K) he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31).
OUR SAVIOR AND LORD WANTS US TO LOVE AND TELL OTHERS THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM REGARDING HEAVEN AND HELL.
Our Lord God “is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Except they repent of their sins and believe in the Savior as the Bible says they will perish (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38). He instructs those who have repented and chosen him to pray for and share the gospel of with all people that they might choose eternal salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Jesus died for and gave the Holy Spirit to live in all repentant believers (John 14:15-17). “We love because he first loved us…whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:19-21). If we love God we will love our brothers and sisters, which included telling them the whole truth about the love of God (1 John 4:7-11; Acts 1:8). Telling people what they want to hear might cause them to feel good or like you (2 Tim 4:3). Only the truth can set believers free from sin and deception (John 8:31-32).
Our Lord God “is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He instructs those who have chosen him to pray for and share the gospel of with all people that they might choose eternal salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:1-4). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
