WHO WILL GO TO HEAVEN?           

 

        "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life (in heaven), but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36 NIV).

 

    There is a popular belief among many today that a loving God will allow everyone into heaven regardless of the decisions they make in this life as long as there is a thread of decency in their  character. It seems that nearly everyone is going to heaven, and hell is reserved for only the vilest of characters like child-molesters, murderers, or other heinous persons including those we just don't like. It's understandable that we are repulsed by the thought of a fellow human being spending eternity separated from God in a horrible place the Bible calls hell -- a place our society says does not exist. It's a terribly unpleasant thought that people could go to such a place.

 

    According to Scripture, both heaven and hell are indisputable realities, regardless of our personal feelings about them. Heaven is described as a blissful place of eternal peace, joy, and comfort in the presence of our Lord. Someone has said, "Heaven is the most beautiful place the mind of God could conceive and the hand of God could create." It is reserved for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior as evidenced by their commitment to serving him and others. Hell, on the other hand, was not prepared for human beings but for the Devil and his angels. "Then he (Jesus) will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels"  (Matthew 25:41 NIV). God does not send people to hell; they go there by choice.

 

    Today, those of us who remain true to God's Word by teaching and preaching the reality of hell are called "radical right-wing wild-eyed extremists" by some. But, be that as it may, we cannot dismiss the reality of hell without dismissing the teachings of Jesus himself. We are reminded that Jesus also was called all sorts of uncomplimentary names when he confronted people with the harsh reality of their sins. He often spoke about hell as the place of eternal suffering for those who willfully and persistently reject his love and free gift of salvation by grace through faith in him. Yes, the place our society says does not exist (except for people we don't like) is a real place that will be inhabited by the eternal souls of real people -- even good moral people who have rejected Christ. This truth should never be sugar-coated, glossed over, or watered down to please those who do not want to hear about or acknowledge its existence.

 

    So, back to our original question: "Who will go to heaven?" Answer: Those who have humbled themselves before God, repented of their sins, and have received forgiveness by placing their faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning death on Calvary's cross. These words are not Jerry Stratton's opinion but the Words of God himself as expressed by Jesus Christ and others in the Bible, God's Holy Word.

 

Have a wonderful day of rejoicing as a heaven-bound follower of Jesus Christ.