Heaven and Hell: Where Will You Spend Eternity?

In the eyes of a just and holy God, good and evil cannot coexist. While God is compassionate, He must also discipline sin. This necessity is why Heaven and Hell exist—they represent the ultimate separation between what is holy and what is opposed to Him.

The Origin of Hell

The common belief that God actively chooses people for hell is inaccurate.

• A Place for the Adversary: Hell was established exclusively for the devil and demons.

• A Choice for Humans: People who reject Jesus Christ regretfully go to hell when they die. God wishes for everyone to accept His gift of salvation and spend eternity in Heaven.

What is Heaven?

The Bible uses "heaven" to describe the sky, but most importantly, it refers to the location where God lives—it is His throne and a place of perfect holiness.

• A Real Place: Scripture teaches us that Heaven is a true, everlasting, and beautiful place where there is no sin or pain.

• Eternal Presence: Those who believe in Jesus are made holy and will reside in God's presence indefinitely. Ultimately, those who believe in Christ will reign with God in a superior new Heaven and Earth.

“For we know that if our earthly house, our present ‘tent’, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house no human hands have built: it is everlasting, in the heavenly places.” (2 Corinthians 5:1)

What is Hell?

If Heaven is a life in God's holy presence, then Hell is simply a state of everlasting torment devoid of God’s caring presence.

• A State of Separation: It is referred to in the Bible by many grim names (eternal fire, ultimate doom, blackest darkness) because it is fundamentally a life completely separated from the goodness and mercy of God.

• The Unbeliever’s End: Just as Satan and the fallen angels are sentenced to hell for their rebellion, those who choose to reject the Savior Jesus are condemned to this separation because they are unable to enter God's holy presence.

The Path to Heaven: It’s a Gift

Many believe they can enter Heaven in a variety of ways (being a good person, doing good works), but this is simply untrue.

• A Gift You Cannot Earn: Heaven is a gift offered by Jesus Christ to all who believe. You can never earn it or deserve it in any way.

• The Simple Requirement: To receive the gift of eternal life, you must believe in what Jesus has done: that He is God’s Son, that He died on the cross for your sin, and that He was raised from the dead.

Salvation is that straightforward. Confess with your heart and with your mouth what you believe, and you will receive salvation!