Have you ever really sat down for a few moments and contemplated eternity? One thing is for certain, we are all part of the ultimate statistic. Ten out of every ten people die. Reflecting on that truth should drive us to contemplate eternity and the afterlife.

Many times we tend to approach this topic with various preconceptions, whether they be childhood experiences, television and movies, or works of literature; each working to alter and skew our view to cultural stereotypes of God, religion, and eternity.

You may believe there is no God. You may believe there is no eternity. What if you’re wrong? If God is real, he exists whether you believe in him or not. His existance is not determinate upon your belief in him any more than the fact I have to pay taxes exists despite my best efforts to believe they don’t exist! Truth is truth! And if God does exist, the Bible tells us that there will come a day when you and I will have to face him on judgment day. You will have to whether you choose to believe in him or not.

The question then, as posed originally, is where will you spend eternity?

Will you go to heaven or hell? Have you ever thought about that question?

It’s easy to look around at the world today, see the bad people on the news or in the papers and conclude that we’re “pretty good” and headed for heaven. In comparison to some of the evil done in this world, we sure seem alright. In fact, we’re pretty good people. Are we?

Let’s a take a moment at test that conclusion. The easiest way would be to go through the ten commandements, and see how we do. Ready for the quick and easy ten commandment test? Let’s give it a shot.

• Have you ever stolen anything, at any point in your life? If you answered yes, as I did, then you and I are thieves
• Have you ever lied before? It would seem we all have at some time or another, and so we must admit that we are liars.
• Have you ever used God’s name in vain? If so, you are guilty of blasphemy, which is using the holy name of God as a filth word.
• Have you ever looked at a man / woman with lust? The Bible tells us that those who look with lust are guilty of adultery, which makes you an adulterer.

Now we’ve only gone through only FOUR of the ten commandments. If we answered yes to the questions above then by our own admittance we are lying, adulterous, blasphemous thieves, and we have to stand before God on the day of judgment.

Will you be found innocent or guilty? Just looking above it’s clear we would be found guilty. So where will you spend eternity? Heaven or Hell? Take a moment and answer this question to yourself. It’s worth taking a moment and thinking about.

But isn’t God loving? Doesn’t he forgive? Won’t he see that I’m pretty good most of the time?

It is true that God is a loving, merciful God; but he is also a just, holy, and sinless God. Just as you and I would expect guilty murderers, rapists, and child molestors to be punished in accordance to their crime, we too are guilty and worthy of punishment. The Bible says that we are all guilty, and that there is no one righteous, not even one.

So I’m destined for hell?!

It is necessary that we pay for our sins. We are guilty and deserve punishment. We walk into the courtroom of the living God with a fine to pay, and yet we cannot pay it.

Do you know what God did for you and I? God sent his one and only son, Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life on earth, to die for our sins. Christ stepped into the courtroom of God 2000 years ago and paid our fine for us, with his blood. Those who put there faith and trust in Christ Jesus as their savior have their fine payed, and justice has been served through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God remains perfectly just and holy, and we are cleansed! Pretty amazing isn’t it! What we could not do ourselves God did for us by his love and mercy, wishing none would perish.

Salvation is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, only that which deserves punishment, and instead God has granted eternal life to those who place their trust in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

I pray that you take some time to contemplate eternity, and you’re place with God. It’s not enough to simply live a good life, or be a good person. Without the penalty paid for our sins we have no hope and are destined for hell.

If you ever want to chat please feel free to contact me. There is no more important choice you can make then the one you could make today about eternity and Jesus Christ.

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” - C. S. Lewis