Where do you want to spend eternity?

This week I have been reminded of the importance of knowing where you are going to spend eternity. Do you want to go to heaven, or do you want to go to hell? A lot of people don’t realise that it’s actually a choice. The Bible tells us that we have to make a decision about what we want for our lives here on earth and after we die. We have all been given freewill, God does not force us to love him and follow him. If we want to serve God, follow his commandments and have eternal life – we just need to choose it. Now, I am not saying the journey of growing in faith, staying committed and obeying God is easy; but you can do it if you choose God over everything else.

The Bible says if you want to go to heaven you need to accept Jesus, believe that he died for you, choose to walk like him and obey God’s commands. Romans 10:9 ‘because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ If you choose to walk with Christ and truly do so, you will go to heaven. We can have an assurance that we will spend our eternity in heaven if we follow Christ.

The one warning I will put here is this: Matthew 7:21-27 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Getting into heaven is not just as simple as believing, you must genuinely walk with Christ. This means not only believing but obeying the word of God. Being faithful is a hard job sometimes that is why God says we must walk the narrow path. We are on a tougher journey because we are learning to put away ourselves and put on God instead. If you do your best everyday to walk with Christ, by the grace and love of God you can be sure you will spend eternity at his side.

So, what happens if you don’t choose to walk with Christ. The reality is harsh but true, you will spend your days in hell. Matthew 13: 49-50 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. If you do not believe in Jesus, if you do not obey God’s commands for your life. Then you can be sure your eternity will be in hell. If you reject God, you will not get into heaven. We are all going to be judged, this is why even if you say you are a believer, you need to truly look at your life and see if you really are living for God or not.

So, where do you want to spend eternity? Heaven or Hell? It is time to make a choice, don’t wait till tomorrow, decide right now. We do not know when Jesus will return, do you want to end up in hell because you procrastinated on deciding your entire future…. Your eternity? All it takes is a choice to live for God every day. It may not be easy, but God will be there with you. Do not give up even when it gets hard! The reward of heaven will be so beyond worth it.

So, figure out today – where are you spending eternity?

Faithfully, Becky