HEAVEN AND HELL?
The Bible tells us God made places for mankind to exist after the resurrection. These places are often referred to as “heaven” and “hell”. People, however, may have different opinions about heaven and hell. How do people’s opinions compare with what the biblical Word of God says? And How might people’s beliefs and attitudes concerning heaven and hell affect their relationship with God?
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL.
Jesus told a Parable about heaven and hell. The Lord said: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. 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, 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.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 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, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ 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).
Evidently the rich man went to hell because did not believe and obey God, as Abraham did; but apparently the beggar went to heaven because he did believe and obey.
TODAY, THE BIBLICAL WORD OF GOD TELLS PEOPLE HOW TO BE SAVED FROM HELL AND GO TO HEAVEN. The Bible advises people to believing in Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead, so that you “should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-3).
Many eyewitnesses of the life and resurrection of Jesus believed in and followed him (1 Corinthians 15:5-7; John 20:30-31). Although Jesus was God’s light of the world (John 8:12), Jesus said that “some people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works [lifestyles] were evil” (John 3:19). Yet, he tells us, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
PEOPLE HAVE SOME UNBIBLICAL VIEWS OF HEAVEN AND HELL. The Bible tells us Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son of God, has told people the truth about heaven and hell and the way to God the Father (John 14:6). But Jesus says many reject and deny the truth in order to continue there “evil” life style (John 3:19).
The Following are some examples of ways people deny and distort the truth of the Bible relating to heaven and hell, and God way of life.
- NIHILISM. Nihilists espouse the idea that there is no life or existence after death. Nevertheless, when an early Church martyr name Stephen was being stoned to death for defending the gospel of Jesus Christ, Stephen looked up into heaven and saw Jesus, who had been crucified, standing at the right hand of God. Stephen cried out “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:54-60). Paul, an apostle who saw Jesus after his resurrection, learned that “ to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).
- ATHEISM. Atheists say, “there is no God. The Bible says :”since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” Romans i:20).
- AGNOSTICISM. Agnostics say, no one can know if there is a God. The Bible says: “Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
- DISTORTION OF GOD’S LOVE. Many new agers say God is too loving to send anyone to hell. The Bible shows God’s supreme love has been manifested through his Son’s sacrificial death (John 15:13). And this love saves whoever repents and believes from going to hell. (John 3:16; Romans 6:23).
- GOOD WORKS. Some people believe their good deeds will earn them a way to heaven.. But the Bible tells us we are saved by believing in the atoning blood of God’s Son Jesus Christ—not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
GOD ALLOWS PEOPLE THE CHOICE OF ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN OR HELL. .. By the Lord sending believers into the world to proclaim the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, people have the choice of spending eternity in heaven or hell. Jesus told his disciple:” “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
At the time of the final judgment, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42). For “he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” .(Matthews 25:41).
But to those who believe and obey, and are caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), “the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34; John 3:16).
Do you now have positive expectations of the final judgment regarding heaven and hell, based on your current relationship with the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ?
