Heaven and Hell: Your Choice
Heaven and Hell are real places: the only two possible destinations for the afterlife. Everybody—no matter who they are or what they believe—will live eternally in either Heaven or Hell. Here’s what you need to know about each of these places:
What to Do to Go to Hell
Nothing.
Seriously.
If a person does nothing in response to God’s love, they’ll eventually die in their sins and go to Hell instead of Heaven. It’s a real place, and it’s forever.
The good news is, God doesn’t want you to go there and we don’t want you to go there. Thank God that, because of Jesus, you don’t have to go there.
The Bible says, Whoever believes in him 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 Son. (John 3:18)
A decision to do nothing is the same as a decision to reject Jesus. Don’t reject Jesus. Don’t go to Hell.
What to Do to Go to Heaven
When Jesus went to the cross, He suffered for our sin (wrongdoings that separate us from God). Even if you’re a relatively good person, you’ve still sinned because you were born a sinner—separated from God—without any way to have a real relationship with Him.
Below are four simple steps to take to ensure that you miss Hell and spend eternity in Heaven.
- #1 — The first step toward Heaven is to admit that you have sinned; that you’re helpless to reach God (or Heaven) on your own
Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory. (Romans 3:23)
Fortunately, God had a great plan to restore us to Himself. He sent His only Son to become a man and suffer the punishment for sin that we rightly deserved. Only Jesus could have done this, because only Jesus lived a sinless life. No one else could qualify to do what Jesus did.
- #2 — The second step toward Heaven is to agree that Jesus is God’s answer for sin, and that He’s the only way to God.
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Notice that God gave His Son. Salvation through Jesus is a free gift that can never be earned by good deeds of our own. We must simply receive Jesus as God’s provision for sin.
- #3 — The third step toward heaven is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You do this by faith by praying a prayer such as this one from your heart:
Dear God, I see that my sins have separated me from You and I repent of sin. Thank You that you loved me so much that You sent Jesus to suffer and die on my behalf, so that I could receive eternal life. I believe Jesus died for me and rose again, and I receive Him as my Savior right now. Jesus, You are my Lord, and I’ll live for You from this day on. Thank You, Father for saving me!
We know He heard us and saved us because we didn’t act on man’s opinion, we acted on God’s holy Word.
Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Congratulations on making the best decision you could ever make!
- #4 — There’s a fourth step we want you to be sure to take. Announce your decision to follow Christ. Find a good church right away and begin to grow in the things of God.
Share with your friends your decision to follow Jesus. They can take the same steps you took—Admit, Agree, Accept, Announce—and receive eternal life too!