Heaven or Hell: Life After Death*

There have been many discussions lately on social media regarding heaven and hell, and life after death. Statistics tell us that 305,000 people pass into eternity daily. There have been many books written about NDE: Near Death Experiences. Some of those experiences happened to medical professionals, including a book written by our dear friend Dr. Richard Eby. Some of the recorded experiences describe the glory of heaven, and the presence of Jesus Christ, and some of the Near Death Experiences describe the flames and uncrossable gulf of hell. Scripture attests to the reality of heaven, hell, and life after death, although many refuse to believe in their existence. Because of this unbelief, they also immediately reject the evidence of it, such as the Shroud of Turin. We will see examples of this kind of unbelief depicted in scripture as well. Jesus told of a rich man, and a beggar named Lazarus, who begged crumbs from the rich man's table. Both of the men died, but had very different experiences after their deaths. The rich man was in the torment of hell when he lifted up his eyes and saw the poor beggar Lazarus afar off, being comforted in Abraham's bosom. The rich man asked Abraham if Lazarus could dip his finger in water and bring it to cool his tongue in the torment of the flame. Abraham answered that there was a great gulf between the two places, that could not be crossed (Lk. 16:19-26). The rich man then asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house to warn his brothers about this place of torment so that they may repent. Abraham answered: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (v. 29-31). It is the same today. Even though many have returned from the dead with reports, some people find any reason not to be persuaded. Jesus had the sharpest criticism for those who were the most religious. He called them hypocrites. They knew and talked the Word of God, but their works did not reflect it, and were oppressive. Jesus said: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not." (Mt. 23:2-3). These religiouss leaders loved the appearance of righteousness, and enjoyed the honors, titles and privileges given to them. Jesus described the Kingdom of God as being opposite from these things: "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in...Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." (v. 11-13, 15). Jesus called them blind guides - leading others into the same wrong place as they themselves go. These blind guides observe to do the most detailed points of the Law as regards tithing, but fail to do the weightier things of the Law ike judgment (justice), mercy, and faith. Jesus said the first should be done, but without ignoring the second (v. 23). Jesus compared the scribes and Pharisees as being like sepulchres: painted a beautiful white on the outside, but inside, full of death and uncleanness (v. 27). He then said: "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city....Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." (v. 33-34, 36). The Lord differentiates between righteousness and phoniness. Jesus believed in hell, and said that many who thought themselves righteous may end up there. David, in Psalm 51, while saying that all men were born in sin, asked God to cleanse his heart and to create a right spirit within him. This was a man who understood the righteousness of God. We have a choice to make, as David did in Ps. 51. In another place in scripture, Jesus warned against covetousness, and how its presence in a person's life can affect the eternal destination of his soul. He told a parable about a rich man whose ground brought forth a plentiful harvest. The rich man was worried about where he would put all of his bountiful harvest because he had no more room left in his barns. He decided: "This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there wil I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." (Lk. 12:13-19). Often man judges based on how much someone possesses. However, God does not favor someone for their accumulation of riches: "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God." (v. 20-21). We are judged by the things that we do that demonstrate our love of Christ, and Christ said that what we do to the least of those who love Him, we do also to Him. Our earthly accumulations will not change the fact that after physical death, there is an eternal life spent in either heaven or hell. Heaven and hell are not just New Testament concepts. They are also mentioned in the Book of Job: "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?" (Job. 11:7=8). Because Job was suffering, his friends came to him and accused him of sin. God had Job's back throughout his ordeal. The LORD delivered and restored Job, while speaking His displeasure to the friends who had wrongly judged Job. The Word of God continually tells His people to seek Him, to seek His face. Hell was never intended for man, but for the rebellious angels. Man chose to send himself to hell: "The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken...The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion (higayon/haga/hagig - meditate, solemn sound/mourn, study, utter, imagine, moan/fervor of mind). Selah. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Ps. 9:15-17). A person's determination that heaven, hell, and life after death don't exist will not make it so. And a person cannot say that the Word of God did not warn him of it. Jesus warned that when the Son of man returns in His glory, speaking of Himself, with His holy angels, the nations will be gathered before Him and judged. They will be separated - some to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, based upon their love for Him as expressed to those who were in need (Mt. 25:31-40). Others will be forced to depart from the Lord because they had no love or regard for Him, as expressed in how they treated the weak and needy. The Lord will say to these: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels...And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (v. 41-46). Each one of us has a choice. What will you choose? The prophet Isaiah wrote of the coming of the day of God's wrath or vengeance (Isa. 61:2). Jesus told us to pray that we are worthy to escape it, and to stand before the Son of man (Lk. 21:36). In this same prophecy, Isaiah brings forth the vision and Word of salvation: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels...so the LORD God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations." (v. 10-11). Isaiah also wrote the Word of the LORD: "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (Isa. 62:1, see v. 2-12 also). The prophet Jeremiah wrote that God had announced the new covenant that He would make with His people, even though they broke His previous covenant. In this new covenant, God will put His law on our inward parts, and write it in our hearts; "and will be their God, and they shall be my people...they shall all know me...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jer. 31:30-34, excerpt). The holy days of the feasts of the LORD are approaching, beginning this Friday evening with the Feast of Trumpets, then the Day of Atonement, and finally, the Feast of Tabernacles. All of the LORD's feasts have great significance, especially as the return of Christ draws near. There are choices to be made. Is your name inscribed in the Lamb's Book of Life? *Based upon the 9/10/23 message of Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. to the Church. To hear the full message, look for Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. You can contact this ministry at PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. God bless you.