“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” – Mark 8:36, KJV
As Christians, one of the most important questions we need to ask ourselves is where we will spend eternity. The Bible has a lot to say about this topic, and it’s essential that we take the time to understand what God’s word teaches us.
The first thing we need to recognize is that our time on this earth is temporary. The Bible says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). We may live for many years, but compared to eternity, our time here is like a drop in the ocean.
So, where will we spend eternity?
The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus
In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The rich man lived a life of luxury and ignored the needs of those around him, while Lazarus was poor and sick, lying at the gate of the rich man’s house. When both men died, Lazarus went to Abraham’s side in heaven, while the rich man was tormented in Hades.
The rich man pleaded with Abraham to have mercy on him and to send Lazarus to bring him some water, but Abraham reminded him that there was a great chasm separating the two places and that it was impossible for anyone to cross over from one side to the other.
This story reminds us that our choices in this life have eternal consequences. The rich man’s love of wealth and lack of concern for others led him to a place of torment, while Lazarus’ faith and perseverance through suffering led him to a place of comfort and joy in heaven.
May we learn from this story and choose to follow Jesus, so that we may spend eternity with Him in heaven.
The Story of the Ten Virgin
In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus tells the story of ten virgins who were waiting for a bridegroom to arrive. Five of the virgins were wise and brought extra oil for their lamps, while the other five were foolish and did not bring enough oil.
When the bridegroom was delayed, all of the virgins fell asleep. But when he finally arrived, the wise virgins were ready with their lamps burning brightly, while the foolish virgins had to go buy more oil and were shut out of the wedding feast.
This story reminds us that we must be ready for the return of Jesus, as we do not know when that will be. We must have faith in Him and be prepared to meet Him, so that we may enter into eternal life with Him.
May we strive to be like the wise virgins, keeping our faith burning brightly and being prepared for the return of our Savior.
The Choice is Clear: Heaven or Hell
The Bible teaches us that there are only two options: heaven or hell. Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 7:13-14).
The choice is clear: we can either follow the broad path that leads to destruction or the narrow path that leads to life. Those who choose the broad path will spend eternity in hell, while those who choose the narrow path will spend eternity in heaven.
But how do we choose the narrow path? The Bible tells us that it is through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). It is only through faith in Jesus that we can be saved and spend eternity in heaven.
This salvation is a free gift from God, but it requires a response from us. The Bible says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). We must confess our sins, believe in Jesus, and follow him as our Lord and Savior.
Once we have made this decision, our eternal destiny is secure. The Bible says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36). Those who believe in Jesus will spend eternity in heaven, while those who reject him will spend eternity in hell.
It’s important to understand that our eternal destiny is not based on our good works or our own merit. The Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our salvation is a gift from God that we can never earn or deserve.
The Love of God: The Foundation of Our Hope for Eternal Life.
“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)
This verse tells us that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we can have eternal life with Him. This is the foundation of our faith and the reason why we can have hope for our eternal destiny.
In John 14:2-3, Jesus tells His disciples, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” This passage assures us that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven and that He will come back to take us there.
Revelation 21:1-4 describes the new heaven and earth that God will create after the end of this age: “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'”
This passage paints a beautiful picture of what our eternal home will be like. We will be with God, and there will be no more pain, sorrow, or death. We will be in perfect communion with God and with each other.
On the other hand, the Bible also tells us about the reality of hell. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says, “Then he 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.'” This passage tells us that those who reject Jesus and His sacrifice for their sins will be separated from God for eternity.
In Revelation 20:10, we read that “the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” This passage describes the final judgment and the fate of those who have rejected God.
The reality of hell may be difficult for us to accept, but it is a sobering reminder of the importance of choosing to follow Jesus in this life. We have the choice to accept or reject Him, and that choice will determine our eternal destination.
In conclusion, the Bible teaches us that our eternal destiny is either heaven or hell. Through faith in Jesus, we can have the assurance of eternal life with God in heaven. However, those who reject Jesus will be separated from God for eternity in hell. As we live our lives on earth, let us remember the importance of choosing to follow Jesus and the hope that we have in our eternal home with Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that I may have the wisdom and courage to choose to follow you and to live my live according to Your will. I ask that You would help me to remember the reality of heaven and hell, and to share the hope of eternal life with those around me. I thank You for Your love and for the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen. God bless you, see you next week.
God bless you.