Who is an expert?

Many deny the existence of hell and heaven, even though they have no experience of what lies beyond. The best expert on matters of eternity is Jesus

Through biblical revelation we receive knowledge about things we would not otherwise know

When we read the Bible, we can learn about things we would not otherwise know: creation, the flood, the existence of God, the origin of sin, salvation, and the future. We could not know about these things except through the revelation that God gave during the Old Covenant, including through the prophets, and in the New Covenant, especially through his own Son, Jesus Christ. In the Letter to the Hebrews it is written:

- (Hebrews 1:1-3) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 Has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
 

One thing that has been revealed to us is also life after death: heaven and damnation. Many people want to believe in the first of these things, heaven, but they deny the existence of damnation and judgment. So-called universalism is one version of this way of thinking. According to this doctrine, no one will be damned, but everyone will be saved. Or maybe damnation doesn't even exist.

   However, people believing in this way should take into account two factors that are essential. These things are:

Man's incomplete knowledge about life after death

First, it is good to pay attention to man's incomplete knowledge. If someone has lived for a few decades and only on earth, such a person cannot know exactly what is beyond the border. He has no personal experience of the afterlife, so it is questionable to trust such a person's certain claims and opinions. If we trust them, it is the same as asking for directions to New York City from a Chinese or African farmer who has never been there. Such a person cannot give correct information because he himself does not know these regions. Such information cannot be reliable.

Who is an expert? Jesus knows and understands life after death

As stated, modern man's knowledge of the afterlife is limited. No one can say exactly what lies beyond the boundary. It is only a question of thoughts and opinions, which should not be given much value.

   However, one person knows and feels the afterlife. He is Jesus, who came from eternity and went back to eternity. He has no doubt about what is beyond the boundary because he is the Son of God and was with God the Father before coming to earth. When looking for an expert, he is certainly the best and most reliable one to turn to. He said the following about himself and his existence in eternity:

- (John 6:38-43,47) For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he said, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Murmur not among yourselves.
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, He that believes on me has everlasting life.
 

- (John 7:32-36) The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
33 Then said Jesus to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go to him that sent me.
34 You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come.
35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Where will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
36 What manner of saying is this that he said, You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come?
 

- (John 8:54-59) Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honors me; of whom you say, that he is your God:
55 Yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like to you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the middle of them, and so passed by.
 

- (John 16:27,28) For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
 

(John 17:3-5) And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have glorified you on the earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify you me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was.
 

- (John 8:23,24) And he said to them, You are from beneath; I am from above: you are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins.
 

So when we look for directions to New York City, we ask someone who has been there and knows the area. Only such a person can provide information that is reliable.

   It is the same with eternity. When Jesus, the Son of God, came from eternity and knows that area better than we do, such information is worth considering. When he repeatedly spoke of heaven and damnation, it should not be ignored. He did not consider either of them to be just words but real places. One of them, damnation, a person will end up in because of his or her lack of repentance. Instead, we can get to heaven if we repent our sins, turn to God and we do not reject God's grace. So consider the following words of Jesus and a few other passages of Scripture that tell us about our destiny beyond the border. They speak of damnation and heaven:

Damnation 

- (Matthew 16:25,26) For whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
 

- (Matthew 5:21,22) You have heard that it was said of them of old time, You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
 

- (Matthew 7:13,14) Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.

- (Matthew 8:11,12) And I say to you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
 

- (Matthew 10:28)28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
 

- (Matthew 25:41,46) Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
 

- (Revelation 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.
 

- (Revelation 21:7,8)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.
 

- (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.

Heaven 

- (Matthew 5:20) For I say to you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
 

- (Matthew 6:1)1 Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
 

- (Matthew 7:20,21) Why by their fruits you shall know them.
21 Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
 

- (Matthew 6:19-21) Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

- (Matthew 19:21-24) Jesus said to him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus to his disciples, Truly I say to you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
 

- (Matthew 18:2-4) And Jesus called a little child to him, and set him in the middle of them,
3 And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
 

- (Revelation 21:1-6)1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 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.

Do we have hope?

If there is a place of damnation and man is condemned to it because of his sins and his unrepentance, is there any hope for anyone to escape from this place and go to heaven? What is the answer to this problem, we will consider in the light of the following two points.

Everything ready – grace and atonement have already come through Jesus 

- (Matthew 22:4,5) Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatted calves are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
 

- (Luke 14:17-20) And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray you have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray you have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
 

First, it is good to know that no one needs to go damnation. The clear teaching of the Bible is that God wants our salvation  (1 Tim 2:3,4: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.)  and has made preparations for it. This means that he has prepared salvation for every person, if only the person himself wants it and wants in his heart to turn to God. This wonderful thing happened when God himself was in Jesus Christ and reconciled the world to himself. He made it possible for sin and deficiency not to lead us to perdition, but for us to get to heaven. The only obstacles are on our part and in that we do not surrender our lives to God and turn to him. It is in our own unwillingness and in that if we reject the grace that is in Jesus Christ.

   Consider the following verses that speak to this matter. They show how through Jesus Christ grace and atonement have already come, and how through him there is a way to heaven and to the Father:

- (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be you reconciled to God.
 

- (Romans 5:6,8,10,11) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
8 But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
   

- (John 10:9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
 

- (John 14:1-6) Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.
5 Thomas said to him, Lord, we know not where you go; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

Turn to Jesus!

When there is eternal life in Jesus Christ, it is natural that we must turn to him in our hearts and put our trust in him. Mere theoretical knowledge of his work for us and that he is the way to heaven will not benefit us at all if we are not willing to turn to him and receive life. So turn to Jesus Christ in your hearts and give yourself to him, and you will be partakers of all things. The following verses are very relevant to this:

- (Matthew 11:28-30) Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
 

- (John 5:39,40) Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And you will not come to me, that you might have life.
 

- (Acts 16:30,31) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.
 

So if you have received him into your life, then you are a child of God, you have eternal life, and you are born again - regardless of your feelings - as the following verses show:

- (John 1:12,13) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
 

- (1 John 5:11-13)11 And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life.
13 These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.

PRAYER FOR SALVATION . Lord Jesus, I turn to you. I confess 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. And I also believe that my sins have been forgiven through your atonement and that through you I have received eternal life. I thank you for the salvation you have given me. Amen.