Before I explain heaven and hell, let me explain God. Who is He? He is a Spirit being who exists, has always existed, and always will exist. He exists in the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1 (NIV): “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” John 1:1-4 (NIV): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:1-4 refers to the Son, who is Jesus Christ. John 1:14 (NIV): “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” So, Jesus created everything as it says in verse 3 above. The Holy Spirit was also involved in creation. Genesis 1:2 (NIV): “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
What is heaven? It is the place where God dwells. There are three levels of heaven that we know of and God the Father lives in the third heaven. People who have sincerely received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Hebrews 10:22a (NIV): “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,” 1 Timothy 1:5 (NIV): “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV): “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” Hebrews 10:22a (NIV): “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,” Revelation 21:27 (NIV): “Nothing impure will ever enter it (the New Jerusalem, which will be on the new earth - Revelation 21:1a), nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” 1 Kings 8:27-30 (NIV): “27 But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.” The Lord says in Isaiah 55:9-10 (NIV): “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,”
What is hell? It is a place for Satan and his angels. Matthew 25:41b (NIV): “into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” This is a place where people, who have not sincerely received Christ and what He has done for them on the cross and through the resurrection, will go to the Lake of Fire. Revelation 20:10-15 (NIV): “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
We human beings are all born to live forever. The question is where? Heaven or Hell? The choice is yours. Contrary to popular opinion, God is not the one who sends people to hell. By refusing what Jesus has done for every human being, they send themselves to hell.
As you can tell, this is a very serious topic. Non-believers of Christ should seriously seek Jesus and allow Him into their lives to be their Lord and Savior. Hell is not a place for a party, and it truly exists, no matter what anyone else has told you. There are countless testimonies out there by Christians who received Christ and He changed their lives. Let Him change yours.
Thanks for reading!
Pastor Vicky Conklin-Johnson
Prayer Ministries Pastor