Heaven or Hell

 

As I look at this beautiful, cool waterfall and the magnificent, peaceful landscape

surrounding it, I find it hard to believe that somewhere below the ground that we are standing on there is a boiling cauldron of lava as we see escaping from the volcano in the next photo. The contrast between these two photos is somewhat equivalent to the difference between Heaven and Hell as described in the Bible, and yet I met a man recently who very seriously voiced the opinion that he didn’t want to go to Heaven. He seemed to feel that he would be lonely there. Which is completely incorrect. However, he apparently does not understand that the only other alternative is for him to go to Hell as there is no third option available. So, just for the record, let us look at some of what the New Testament says about the two places.

Firstly, Heaven is the most remarkable place, to the extent that we cannot imagine how wonderful because there is nothing on earth that is adequate to compare it with. Those who have been privileged to catch a glimpse of it have been lost for words to describe it. For example, in Revelation, John talks of each gate being a pearl and “streets like transparent gold as it were”, and there being no sun or moon there because the Glory of the Lord is its light. Whilst Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, how he heard an abundance of revelations there that were unspeakable and not lawful for a man to utter. Whilst Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for his followers, and there were many mansions there and every reference to heaven is to a place of complete joy and love and perfection.

Secondly, to assume that everyone will go there when they die is completely against what the New Testament says. Certainly everyone can go there, providing that they accept the forgiveness of their sins that Jesus paid for, on their behalf. But it is not automatic: we have to repent and accept that forgiveness because we have all sinned and cannot enter Heaven as we are. It was out of pure love for us that Jesus stood in for us, indeed “It was whilst we were yet sinners that Christ died for the ungodly”. That, of course is the main reason that we should love God and Jesus. You see, to die for everyone means that murderers and all classes of criminals can be forgiven by God because Jesus took on himself all the world’s disgusting sin and paid the penalty awaiting every person. Those who have committed “lesser sins” should be just as grateful because sin is sin and no one with unforgiven sin can enter Heaven.You know if I had never seen the heat inside the earth (displayed by volcanoes and hot springs), I would have been very sceptical of anyone saying it was there.

I don’t know where Hell is but it is vividly described as an awful place with lakes of fire. Jesus told a story about a man who went there and from where he was he could see a person he knew up in Heaven so he cried out asking if that man could bring him a drop of water to “cool his tongue for he was tormented in this flame” (Luke chapter16 verse 24). However, his request was denied because there is a great gap between the two places. It appears to me that Heaven and Hell are another dimension that we cannot see whilst we are in our human bodies. but are as real as the radio messages floating through your room and the lava underneath us. Invisible but there nevertheless.

The man who said that he didn’t want to go to Heaven apparently had no concept of its delights, or the horrors of Hell, because they are the only two alternatives for us when we leave these bodies, and which ever we choose will be our dwelling place for ever. Can you conceive how long “forever” in Hell would be?

The fact that Jesus left the wonders of Heaven and took on a human body so he could be cruelly crucified to pay the price of our sin, in order that you and I could avoid Hell, should give us a fair indication of how dreadful Jesus knew that place to be, and also how he must love us. If we refuse to accept the forgiveness he purchased for us in this way, we are not only condemning ourselves to eternal punishment, but doing so is also the equivalent of spitting in the eye of the one who loves us more than anyone in the world could love us, or ever will.

More “Gluten Free” food for thought, I’m not trying to fatten you with all this “food for thought”. I just want to be sure you join Audrey and me, when your time comes.    I know Audrey will have the equivalent of a lovely Morning or Afternoon tea for you when you arrive. She always made the most wonderful Scones and Slices.                     Best wishes, Tom.