The Greatest Question: Where will You Spend Eternity?

Scripture passage: "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:31-36 NIV)

The dividing line is drawn

John declares in no uncertain terms (1) that Jesus came from heaven and spoke with a higher authority than that of earth; (2) that he spoke from observation, not from theory; (3) that he spoke the words of God; (4) that the Father's love had caused him to endow the Son with complete authority to execute his purpose. These qualities made Jesus superior to John the Baptist, though the latter had an important and divinely authorized message. John spoke as one "from the earth." The Son, however, was not merely the messenger of God; he was the revealed object of faith. The believer in the Son has eternal life; the unbeliever will never possess that life, for he is already condemned. The wrath of God remains on him.

The word "wrath" does not mean a sudden gust of passion or a burst of temper. Rather, it is the settled displeasure of God against sin. God is neither easily angered nor vindictive. But by his very nature, he is unalterably committed to opposing and judging all disobedience. The moral laws of the universe are as unvarying and unchangeable as its physical laws, and God cannot set aside either without violating his own nature.

The greatest question ever asked?

The Word of God clearly teaches us that every person in this world will spend eternity either in a wonderful place called Heaven, or an awful place called Hell. We have a great question to answer. No one would want to spend eternity in Hell if they really understood what Hell is like. The word of God tells us that Hell is eternal separation from God, it is a place of fire and brimstone, and it is a place of eternal torments. On and on the Word of God tells us about this awful place.

There are questions that we answer every day of our lives. Some of these questions do not demand a life-changing answer; others do. The most important life-changing question that you will ever be asked is... "Where will you spend eternity?" So many times we have the correct answer to every question in this life, but we forget to answer the question that will affect us eternally in the life to come.

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36). This one verse divides the entire world into two categories: those who are going to heaven, and those who are going to hell.

The good news for mankind

The term "Good News" in a biblical context is centered around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The term "Gospel" itself means "good news" and conveys the transformative message that through Jesus, individuals can experience a restored relationship with God. The Gospel proclaims God's love for humanity, the offer of salvation through faith in Jesus, and the promise of eternal life. It emphasizes forgiveness, grace, redemption, and reconciliation with God.

The Good News represents hope and a call to respond to God's love through faith. The Good News is that we do not have to spend eternity in hell.  We can spend our eternity in heaven if we are willing to be honest with God about who we really are and repent from our sins.

Accept that sin has separated us from God

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-- " (Romans 5:12). We are born with a sin nature, so our natural desire in life is not to please God but to sin against God. Sin is anything that displeases a sinless God. Not only do we have a nature of sin, but we have also made a choice to sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We have made a definite choice to sin against God, and because of this choice, we come short of the glory of God. What is the glory of God? God's glory is that he has never sinned and he is perfect without any thought of sin.  Are you willing to admit that you are a sinner?

There is a price to be paid for sin

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). There is a price that must be paid for our sin, but it is not just any price, it must be the price that God demands. The natural result of sin is death. When the Bible speaks of death in this passage it is not speaking of physical death alone; it is also speaking of spiritual death. When one spiritually dies, they are separated from God forever. Because of our sinful nature and our sinful choices, God's Word demands that sin be paid for and that payment is death in Hell. This is tough, but are you willing to believe God's Word and what it says about the payment for sin?

Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sin

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The greatest question ever asked can be answered with a positive answer if you will believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sin. Although he was sinless, he died for sinners. Although he was perfect, he still loved and died for the imperfect. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin in order for you to have a personal relationship with God. Not only did Jesus Christ die on the cross for us, but he was also buried in a tomb, and on the third day he rose from the dead. He cannot save us if he is still in the tomb, but he can save us because he overcame death and rose from the grave!

Will you make this life-changing decision?

We must put our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We cannot trust in religion, good deeds, baptism, tithing, Sunday Church attendance, or anything else. We must trust Christ and only Christ first when it comes to matters of faith. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). The word of God lays it down with the greatest of emphasis that faith is absolutely necessary. It does not say simply that without faith it is difficult to please God; it says that without faith it is impossible to please him.

The man who professes that it is his duty to worship God must, if he acts rationally, do it on the conviction that there is such a Being infinite, eternal, unoriginated, and self-existent. In simpler words, he must believe that God exists. This is basic. Without it, there is no possibility of faith at all. He must believe that God is the cause of all other beings and they all depend on him for energy and providence for continued existence and life. Then there must also be a conviction about God's moral character, the belief "that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Without such deep conviction, faith in the biblical sense is not a possibility. God rewards those who diligently seek him. He blesses, protects, and saves those who in simplicity and uprightness of heart seek and serve him. Such a faith pleases God.

Faith in God, as facilitated by Christ as the supreme sin-offering, is essential for achieving divine approval and acceptance. There is no alternative to this faith. Place your faith in Jesus Christ, your eternal destiny depends upon it.

Selie Visa