Hell Is Real

There are some who believe that hell is not real. That's not the case, however. Jesus spoke of hell on numerous occasions, warning people about the torment and permanence of it. I'm not really sure why people dismiss the idea of hell, especially since every single one of us is only one heartbeat away from eternity. Consider carefully Jesus' words in Mark 9 regarding hell:

[42] "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. [43] "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched [44] "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' [45] "And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched [46] "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' [47] "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire [48] "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' - Mar 9:42-48 NKJV

In this passage Jesus references hell three times. Notice what He says about the nature of hell in this passage:

• Hell is real (He references it THREE times, not just once)
• Hell's fire will never be quenched (eternal judgment)
• The worm there does not die (a chilling glimpse at one aspect of hell's torture)

As this culture moves further away from the fear of God, Jesus' small discourse here on hell serves as an excellent reminder that there's more to this life than just seeking our own pleasure. Jesus reminds us (three times, no less) that hell is real, that we are accountable to God, and that people will spend an eternity there if they don't repent. It's time we as a nation wake up to reality, rather than pretending God isn't real and we aren't accountable to Him. It's also time to quit making up our own rules about God, heaven, and eternal judgment and starting listening to what the Bible says about all these things.

You Can't Get to Heaven That Way

I've been thinking a lot lately about what people believe about heaven and how to get there. I would be willing to bet that most people, if asked the question, "How does a person get to heaven?" they would say, "By being a good person." Or maybe they would say, "If your good works outweigh your bad works, you go to heaven."

The problem is, neither of these viewpoints is true.

You cannot get to heaven by being a good person.

The only way you can get to heaven is by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since we as unjust, unholy, sinful, imperfect people cannot stand before a just, holy, perfect God, there must be another way. That way is Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. As He died on that cross, He was taking the penalty for our sins, so that we, through His gift, can once again approach God, and in turn, go to heaven to be with Him forever as the result of His sacrifice.

There is no other way. No one else has died (and subsequently risen again from the dead) and taken our place. We cannot make up our own rules about who God is and how to get to heaven.

The only way to heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ.

So the question remains: What do you believe about Jesus Christ?

This is the most important question you will ever answer in all of eternity. I pray that you give it long, careful consideration.