Heaven or Hell

WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY: HEAVEN OR HELL?

In the Bible, Jesus told us to, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matt. 7:13, 14).

Since a person must enter heaven according to God's terms, "the narrow gate", it is essential that you understand and consider the following:

God's Perfect Character

The Bible reveals that "God is majestic in holiness" (Exodus 15:11) and that "righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne" (Psalm 97:2). The prophet Habakkuk writes of the Lord, "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, you cannot tolerate wrong." (Habakkuk 1:13). The Lord sits on His throne, high and lifted up, and the angels cry out "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 61-3). "The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power" (Job 37:23). "Just and true are your ways…For you alone are holy: Revelation 15:3,4). Scripture also reveals that "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).

Man's Problem

The Bible reveals God's perfect standard. "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking it all" (James 2:10). The Bible also explains that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). When the prophet Isaiah caught a glimpse of the Almighty he cried out, "Woe to me!...I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty" (Isaiah 6:5). God is just and therefore must punish sin. He says, "The soul who sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4) and …"(I) will by no means clear the guilty…(Ezekiel 34:7). "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement" (Hebrews 9:27). The lake of fire is the second death in which man faces eternal punishment (Revelation 21:14).

We have a serious problem

God loves us and doesn't want to punish us, but He is infinitely just and must punish sin. The "good news" is that God solved man's dilemma for us in the person of Jesus Christ. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

God's Provision

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). The Bible tells us that Jesus is the infinite God-Man, who is fully man and fully God. "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus)…and the Word (Jesus) was God. And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us…" (John 1, 1,14). Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, thereby fulfilling the requirements of God's Holy Law. He then died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. "Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). "God made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus Christ is God's one and only provision for the forgiveness of man's sins. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). "Therefore He (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25).