Read: John 14:1-7"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies." - John 11:25
People who refuse to believe in Christ have an interesting view of life. Many do not believe in heaven nor hell and some do not even believe in reincarnation. They just live and die, and that’s all there is. Some even see the idea of heaven as a mythical utopia that has no merit in truth, but one that is needed by those of us with weak spirits and strong emotional needs.
Many despise the fact that Christians believe in the idea that people end up in hell on the grounds of their unbelief in Jesus Christ. On the other side of the scale, Universalism believes that, without exception, through the mercy of God everybody will be saved and enter into the kingdom of heaven.
In our Christian belief, however, heaven is not a place where everyone goes. Nor is it a place where only "good" people go. It is a place in which, through God's mercy and love, forgiveness is granted to anyone who trusts in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and believes in redemption through His death and resurrection.
The Bible holds to the truth that only those who resist God's love, and who refuse to admit that they are sinners and to repent of their sinful lifestyle, will find themselves in hell. Luke 16:19-31 gives us a vivid picture of hell and its torments. It also describes how mankind throughout the ages refuses to believe God’s Word concerning our eternal destination. 1 Corinthians 15:19 reminds us that, if only in this life we have hope in Christ, then we are to be pitied.
However, since Jesus Christ rose from the dead, it is now possible for those who believe in Him to also share in His risen life for eternity. Heaven is where God is and it is not limited by the constraints of space or time. Psalm 62:8 reminds us that God is our refuge in this life as well as in the next. It also states that we can trust in Him and pour out our hearts to Him. He cares about every aspect of our existence, including the timing of our liberation from this earth and our inauguration into life in the heavenly realm. To believe in life beyond death gives us a promising perspective to the life we live now. It is the key Christian belief that this is not "all there is".
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, there are so many people who believe that if they are good, they will go to heaven. Others believe that if they get baptized or work in the church or serve others that they will go to heaven. Help people to realize that salvation is only through grace by faith in Your finished work on the cross, and not about our good deeds at all (Ephesians 2:5-8) . Thought for the Day:
Satan condemns; Jesus convicts. Satan heaps unforgivable shame; Jesus brings blood bought forgiveness.
