Why is it so important to talk about these two eternal destinations?

Have you heard of the Book of Life?

The book of life contains the names of everyone who humbly chooses to turn from sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ, before they die. They will have everlasting life in heaven.

However, those who choose to reject Jesus Christ and God’s free gift of salvation will spend eternity in hell.

…And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1-2, ESV)

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)

We all have an eternal destiny. It will either be heaven, or hell. There is nothing to fear if you choose to trust Jesus and the Bible:

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5, ESV)

In the chart that follows, you will find a comparison of a few of the most significant differences between heaven and hell. These destinations are real, not because I say so, but because the one true God says so through His Word, the Bible.

    Heaven

    Hell

    Safe in the presence of God and Jesus forever.

    Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.” (Revelation 21:1-3, NLT)

    [Jesus said,] “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.”

    Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:2–4, 6, ESV)


    Separated from God and Jesus forever.

    …when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed…

    (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, ESV)









    No more death, sorrow, crying, or pain.

    He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. (Revelation 21:4, NLT)








    Once a person is in hell, there is no way out.

    In Luke 16:19-31, the Bible gives an example of a man who had died and was buried. In Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off... And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, …for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, …between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'

    People in heaven experience unending fullness of joy.

    You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy… (Psalm 16:11, ESV)

    There is no greater joy than to be in the presence of the true and living God.

    People in hell experience eternal punishment.

    Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:11-15, ESV)

    So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50, ESV)

    And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:46, ESV)

    There is light in heaven, no darkness.

    The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (Revelation 21:23, NIV)

    The Lamb of God is Jesus Christ Himself whose blood was shed to make the forgiveness of our sins possible.

    There is outer darkness in hell.

    Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30, NLT)

    Our natural body is replaced with a spiritual body.

    There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:40, 42, 44, 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, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:20-21, ESV)

    People in hell will know what could have been!

    Access to God is lost. Joy and peace are no longer available. Instead, darkness and unimaginable suffering remain, forever. People in hell will never again have any hope of being loved by God, forgiven by God, or safe and secure with God, forever. This is not because God rejected them. Hell is for people who chose to reject Jesus Christ, and the free gift of salvation God offered them through faith in His Son.

    If you are reading this, it is not too late to repent.

    The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, NIV)

    Jesus loves people. He longs for people to repent and be saved. Jesus came to earth willing to suffer and die in order to save us from God’s wrath, by taking the punishment we deserve.

    But he [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6, NIV)

    [Jesus said,] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV)

    …but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:36, NIV)

    For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment… It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-27, 31, ESV)

    Humbly Turn to Jesus, and Ask Him to Save You

    I end this article by sharing how simple God has made salvation because He loves you and desires to save you.

    When Jesus was crucified, two thieves were crucified with Him; one on each side of Jesus.
    As the three men hung on their crosses dying, two of the gospel writers, Matthew and Mark gave the same eyewitness account as follows:

    Those who passed by derided Jesus. The chief priests and scribes mocked Him. And those crucified with Jesus also reviled Him. (See Matthew 27:37-44 and Mark 15:29-32)

    But listen closely to what another gospel writer, Luke witnessed:

    Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:32-34, ESV)

    Jesus asked His Father to forgive the people who chose to have Him crucified. Shortly after those words were spoken by Jesus, there was a radical change of heart by one of the thieves crucified next to Jesus.

    One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43, ESV)

    One of the criminals held on to his hard heart and continued to angrily complain and reject Jesus. The other criminal humbly chose to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation.

    Which criminal’s example will you choose to follow?

    This article can be found on the website of the ministry, Christlike Dialogue. Here are two additional articles that may be of interest:

    The Biblical Jesus Offers Hope

    Who is Jesus? How to Have Eternal Life

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