hell, eternity, life after death, soul

Do not go to hell!

Damnation, hell, eternity, life after death, and the salvation of the soul. Take it seriously so you don’t lose your soul

Speaking of hell, many people think it's not true. They just consider it a made-up thing that doesn't need to be taken seriously. They think it's better not to think about the whole thing at all and then, after death, you will see what really happens. Why bother one's head with something about which, however, there is not so much certainty? They also discuss with pleasure many spiritual issues that are not essential for the salvation of their soul (female priesthood, whether God can create a stone so large that He Himself cannot carry it, etc). By them, perhaps, they are trying to fend off a deeper discussion of what will happen after this life.

But does hell truly exist, after all? Is there life after death? Jesus, who taught much about Heaven -- for example, by saying “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” (John 14:2) – also often spoke about hell. He mentioned both things in His speeches, so we should think about whether they are true. How can anyone be one hundred percent sure that the next verses are not true? They indicate that our actions have eternal consequences and that how we live our lives is crucial. If we live our life unrepentant, we will not inherit the kingdom of God. In addition, they show the serious fact that if our names are not in the book of life, we will go to hell:

- (Rev 20:12-15) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

- (Rev 22:14,15) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.

- (Rev 21:3-8) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said to me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

DO WE HAVE HOPE? When we established on the grounds of the previous verses that wrongdoers will go to hell, the next question is: Can we rescue ourselves from this and go to Heaven? Is there hope for a person who has lived deep in sin, led an immoral life, practiced homosexuality or other sins? Is there any answer to this and what the Bible says about it? We look at this issue in the light of the next examples:

Turn to God! Yes, we have hope. Even though we have filled our lives with the pleasures of this life -- fornication, playboy life, witchcraft, or sins in general when looking for satisfaction -- it is good to understand that all sins can be forgiven and we can receive eternal life. Although these things, like sin in general, lead to perdition, the situation changes immediately if we turn to God through Jesus Christ, confess our wrongs to God, and confess that we have been separated from him. We can receive forgiveness of our sins in the same way as the prodigal son in Luke Chapter 15, who squandered his wealth on a reckless life but later returned to his father. Take the same action. Turn to heavenly God and give Him your life. Tell Him that you want to follow Him with all your heart and that you want His will to come true in your life:

- (Luke 15:13, 18-20) And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you,

19 And am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of your hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Life in Jesus Christ. You should understand that the foundation for the forgiveness of our sins is that Jesus died for us. The Bible clearly teaches us that only by believing in Jesus can we enter into Heaven, only through Him can we receive forgiveness of our sins, and only through Him can we hope to approach God the Father. If we turn to Jesus, we will receive these wonderful gifts immediately. Turn to Him and do not reject the gift of eternal life that He offers to you. Then, you may spend eternity with God, and the “heavenly satisfaction” and life in Heaven will certainly be better than anything you have experienced in this life:

- (John 14:6) Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

- (John 5:40) And you will not come to me, that you might have life.

- (Acts 10:43) To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.

- (Acts 13:38,39) Be it known to you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

The prayer of salvation: Lord, Jesus, I turn to You. I admit that I have sinned against You and have not lived according to Your will. However, I want to turn from my sins and follow You with all my heart. I also believe that my sins have been forgiven by Your atonement work and I have received eternal life through You. I thank You for the salvation You have given me. Amen.

REJECTING GRACE. Since everything has been prepared for us, and we can enter Heaven only by the grace of God and through Jesus Christ, it also affects our life. It means that we must also turn to God and receive grace. We must turn to Jesus Christ so that we can be saved and go to heaven. Only by receiving Him in our lives can we enter Heaven one day.

But what if we reject the grace of God and faith in Jesus? What if we take no notice of Him and the coming life? Will any consequences follow? Do we condemn ourselves for eternity?

The answer is that if we reject Jesus and the gift of eternal life, then we must pay for our own sins. If we live on earth without God, we will spend our eternal lives in hell – a place from which there is no escape – because we simply turned our back on the one and only possibility to be saved and to enter into God’s paradise. We have rejected our only possibility to get to Heaven. God wants to save everyone, but we can reject His gift of salvation. Therefore, do not turn your back on God’s call but turn to Him today. It is the best decision you will ever make:

- (1 Tim 2:3,4) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

- (John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

- (Eze 18:23,32) Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? said the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, said the Lord GOD: why turn yourselves, and live you.

Let’s look at the next quote, because this is well illustrated in it. The text tells how we can reject grace again and again and finally pay for it in damnation because we have not cared for grace. It is an indication of how it can happen to us if we take no notice of the coming life and eternity.

Therefore, do not turn your back on God’s grace, but turn to Him in time so that you will not regret the choice you made. You can change the decisions you make now, but once you have crossed the line between life and death, it is no longer possible. You cannot change your place. This is why you must allow yourself to be saved now, so that you will not regret your decision:

"Oh, accursed, wretch! Cursed for all eternity! What a fool I have done to myself! What a foolish folly I was guilty of in choosing the short pleasure of sin at the price of such costly eternal trouble! How often was I told that it would happen! How often was I warned to leave the paths of sin that would surely consign me to the chambers of eternal death! But deaf as I am, I did not incline my ears to those warnings, though they warned so wisely. They often told me that my momentary pleasure would soon be changed to eternal trouble. And now my too sad experience says to me it, it really says, but it is too late to help because my eternal part has been determined for ever.

"Why was I given the chance? Why had I been equipped with an immortal soul? Why did I not care about it? Oh, how my own neglect pierces me so dreadfully and I still know that I cannot and will not die. But to live a deadly life is worse than ten thousand deaths, and I still could have been helped once but I did not want to! Oh, this is the gnawing worm that never dies. Once, I could have been happy; once I was offered salvation but I rejected it. If it had happened only once and I would have rejected it, even that would have been unforgivable foolishness, but it was offered to me a thousand times, and I resisted it as often (so lousy I was). Damn the sin, which with its deceitful enjoyment enchants mankind to eternal destruction! God called me often but I resisted Him as often. He reached out his hands but I did not care. How often did I go against His commands, how often I resisted His reprimands! But now the situation has changed, for now He watches over my misfortune and mocks the loss that has come upon me. He could have helped me then, but I didn't want to. Therefore, these eternal pains are only the reward of my own actions, which I am condemned to suffer." (John Bunyan, Näkyjä taivaasta ja helvetistä [Visions of Heaven and Hell], p. 67)