THE TRUTH

The concept of Heaven and Hell is one of the religious believes that is being uphold in all religions; with varieties of teachings ranging from one religion to the other, all believes that life on earth is a temporal one which ushers one into the eternal life where he will be judged based on how he lived this temporal life, hence the placement of a soul in the other world (heaven or hell) will be dependent on how well one lived his life here on earth, earth is therefore a preparatory ground for life in the other world.

Some religious believe uphold that one can still be given an opportunity to come back to life on earth as an incarnate being to live his life in other to accomplish the destiny of his past life which was unfulfilled; this believe is predominant among the Indians, and Africans Traditional Religions a teaching that is contrary to the Christian believe. But the entire concept of Heaven and Hell is upheld by every believe system and the primary teaching is that when one dies, he will proceed on the journey into another life where he will be accessed based on what he has done here on earth.

Christianity as a religion is not exempted from teachings of heaven and hell rather it emphasized and elaborated its reality for the purpose of bringing all human to the complete knowledge of what they are to face after death and the solution made available for mankind.

THE UNDENIABLE TRUTH

• Life does not end here on earth
• We all will journey to the world beyond
• Our position in the world beyond will be determined by how we lived our lives here on earth.

These three-point truth are being taught by all religious group, hence these unanimous acceptances in an echoing manner shows the reality and authenticity of Heaven and earth.

If we know that life does not end here on earth and that we will all journey to the world beyond, then it will be necessary that we prepare for this journey which is inevitable.

Hebrews 9:27 categorically states that ‘it is appointed for people to die once — and after this, judgment’ this then disregards the famous claim that one has the opportunity to come back to life to amend his errors but rather affirms that;

• One has only one life to live
• One must account for this life he has lived
• Judgement will be declared on every soul that has lived depending on how he has lived his life

This simply means that as you live your life on earth, you are expected to make one decision that will determine where you will spend your other life.

Among all the religions of the world, there is only one religion that provides one with concrete information regarding what one must do in other to enter into heaven.

In John 3:3 Jesus categorically states that, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus’s words point to the fact that man must make a decision to be born again in other for him to be a partaker of life eternal in the other world,

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN?

The popular scripture John 3:16 states that “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

• To be born again therefore is to believe in Jesus Christ

Believing in Jesus Christ has to do with you acknowledging his birth, death and resurrection; accepting that the reason why he died is because you were a sinner and needed to be saved from your sins Rom. 5:8;

Deciding to further live your life doing His will as His Holy Spirit will direct you, Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him in John 8:31 “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples”. while 2 John 1:9 states that "Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it, does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son."

WHY DO WE NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN?

In John 3:5 we saw Jesus Christ specifically stating again that ‘unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God'. The kingdom of God which is also referred to as the kingdom of heaven is the eternal home for all who lived their lives in accordance to the will of God here on earth.

Jesus Christ taught that unless one be born again that he cannot enter this heaven, by implication Jesus is saying that if you are not born again, you will have to enter hell; this brings us to asking this important question, why did Jesus Christ focus so much on the issue of the kingdom of God (heaven)?

The much attention paid to the issues of Heaven and Hell by Jesus Christ reveals the importance of this concept to human existence and the need for one to take the decision to live his life in preparation for this eternal home. 

One fact which you must bear in mind is that no matter how long you live here on earth, you will surely die one day or be transformed but dying does not terminate your life rather it transit you into another life of eternity. 1 Cor. 15:51

The book of Genesis gave us crew to the reason why man must be reborn; Genesis 2:16 – 17 states that, “the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” Genesis 3:5 – 7 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So, she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves”.

Man became dead in Spirit the moment he decided to go against the will of God and ate the fruit which he commanded him not to eat. This spiritual death which occurred as the result of eating the forbidden fruit made man unqualified to inherit the kingdom of God instead he became one who is doomed for destruction in hell.

Hell is a place prepared for every soul that lived their lives in gratification of the fleshly desires, Rev. 21:8 States that “the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

• It is a place where fire will be made to burn the unbelieving to the rest of their lives

Matt. 25:46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

• It is a place of eternal punishment for those who chose to live their lives as they will and not as the spirit led.

Rom 8:8 “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” therefore “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength” 2 Thessalonians 1:9

Because man is dead in the Spirit, there is need for Him to be born again, not of the flesh but of the spirit so that he may have part in the kingdom of God John 3:5 – 6 “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit”.

WHY IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL HEAVEN

Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”

God have made only one provision for the salvation of man; this provision is in Jesus Christ for He is the only son of God who laid down his life for us to live again John 10:18. Eternal life is simply knowing God as the only true God and Jesus Christ as the one whom he has sent for men to be saved John17:3.

This is the decision which man must take here on earth before he journey to the other world, the decision to know Jesus and live in accordance to his will is the only qualification for taking part in the inheritance of the father.

Heaven and Hell is acknowledged in all religions which makes it an inevitable truth but only one religion proffers the solution to it which is Christianity…only those that live their lives as Christ did will take part in the kingdom of God for  “I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work…But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Rev. 22:12; 21:8

May we not walk on the isles of the earth only to end up in the flame of fire. Amen