Passages such as Matthew 5:20, where Jesus says, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (emphasis mine) suggests that there will be people who will not get into heaven. "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown them before my Father in heaven. Matt. 10:32,33. So if there are some who don't make it to heaven, where do they go? Are they floating around in some "in between" space? How about roaming the earth as ghosts? Purgatory? Annihilated? Waiting for a certain time to pass before they become 'good enough'?Well folks- there's only 2 choices offered in scripture. Eternity can either be spent in heaven with the Lord Jesus, or it can be spent for eternity in hell- which is as a real place as this earth is. While it is the desire of God that no one spend eternity in hell- not everyone has accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. I have written plenty of times that Jesus is the only way to eternal life in heaven. By no other name is one granted salvation. We can never be good enough on our own to earn our own salvation. Others can not pray someone else into salvation. After someone has died, there is no amount of candles lighted that can help them into heaven if they are not already there. There are no second chances, although that does not mean that you cease to exist, or that you are annihilated. Annihilation means utterly destroyed, and one can not be eternally punished if you cease to exist by being annihilated.
SO- the question remains, if some people will not spend eternity in heaven, is not floating around in the cosmos or in a place of temporary "Time out" as suggested in purgatory, if one is not destroyed that leaves no other conclusion is that they will spend eternity in hell.
Why should we really believe that an all loving God would send people to hell? Why should we even believe there is a place called hell? Because Jesus warned over and over again about hell. And He doesn't send anyone there- they go willingly by not believing on Him.
"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt.8:12"But I tell you that if anyone is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Racca' (empty headed, dull or dimwitted) is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says 'you fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." Matt. 5 22"There they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 13:42"where '"their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:48
There are many, many verses on hell. Jesus talks about hell more than He talks about heaven! If one claims to be a Christian, yet does not believe in a literal place called hell- they do not believe the words of Jesus. If one claims to believe in hell- there must be a belief in sin as well, for if none were sinners, there would be no need for hell. If one believes that ALL people will go to heaven, for God is a loving God- and Jesus is meek and mild, again, they do not believe the very word of Him. If one claims to believe that evil exists- one must also believe in the devil- Satan. You can be sure that Satan and all his demons will be spending eternity in the lake of fire. If you claim to believe in Jesus, but not in Satan- you don't believe in Jesus- who was tempted by Satan in the wilderness before His earthly ministry. If you believe that you can believe in Jesus, but not need to be "saved" from sin- you do not believe the Word- For ALL have sinned and deserve eternal punishment. You do not believe the Word, you are forgiven,go and sin NO MORE.
So, one or the other. It is all our own choice. You don't have to choose hell. You may say, "well, I haven't chosen hell- but I think I'll make up my mind later". My friend, that is the same as choosing hell. If you aren't for Jesus- you are against Him. You can not take His feel good messages only. You must take the whole Jesus- even the one who tells us Whoever believes in the Son is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only begotten Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Why not take the whole Jesus- the one who says, Come tome,all you who are weary and burdened. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
It is your choice.
SO- the question remains, if some people will not spend eternity in heaven, is not floating around in the cosmos or in a place of temporary "Time out" as suggested in purgatory, if one is not destroyed that leaves no other conclusion is that they will spend eternity in hell.
Why should we really believe that an all loving God would send people to hell? Why should we even believe there is a place called hell? Because Jesus warned over and over again about hell. And He doesn't send anyone there- they go willingly by not believing on Him.
"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt.8:12"But I tell you that if anyone is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Racca' (empty headed, dull or dimwitted) is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says 'you fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." Matt. 5 22"There they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 13:42"where '"their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:48
There are many, many verses on hell. Jesus talks about hell more than He talks about heaven! If one claims to be a Christian, yet does not believe in a literal place called hell- they do not believe the words of Jesus. If one claims to believe in hell- there must be a belief in sin as well, for if none were sinners, there would be no need for hell. If one believes that ALL people will go to heaven, for God is a loving God- and Jesus is meek and mild, again, they do not believe the very word of Him. If one claims to believe that evil exists- one must also believe in the devil- Satan. You can be sure that Satan and all his demons will be spending eternity in the lake of fire. If you claim to believe in Jesus, but not in Satan- you don't believe in Jesus- who was tempted by Satan in the wilderness before His earthly ministry. If you believe that you can believe in Jesus, but not need to be "saved" from sin- you do not believe the Word- For ALL have sinned and deserve eternal punishment. You do not believe the Word, you are forgiven,go and sin NO MORE.
So, one or the other. It is all our own choice. You don't have to choose hell. You may say, "well, I haven't chosen hell- but I think I'll make up my mind later". My friend, that is the same as choosing hell. If you aren't for Jesus- you are against Him. You can not take His feel good messages only. You must take the whole Jesus- even the one who tells us Whoever believes in the Son is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only begotten Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Why not take the whole Jesus- the one who says, Come tome,all you who are weary and burdened. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
It is your choice.
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