We’re all going to die, a fact that may be growing more and more obvious to anyone who may have ever doubted it. We may get 80-100 years on this earth and have it called a “full life,” but eventually we will die. Where are you going to go when your time on earth runs out? Scripture talks of only two possible destinations, so let’s look at what God’s Word tells us about Heaven and Hell.

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)

Both are eternal. Eternity is a measurement of time that we can’t really understand. Time without end, or even better stated, no time at all. Jesus tells us that there are two options for our eternal lives: eternal punishment or eternal life.

“Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” (Revelation 12:7-9)

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.’” (Matthew 28:18)

Hell is often depicted as the anti-heaven; God is sitting on His throne in Heaven, so Satan must be sitting on a throne in Hell. That’s not scriptural. As R.C. Sproul put it in his book Now, That’s a Good Question!: 

“So if you ask me who is in dominion over this world right now, I think the New Testament is perfectly clear on that. The one who is in dominion is the Lord. (…) Even at this moment, as I’m discussing this question, Satan’s authority and power are limited and subordinate to the authority that is vested in Christ. Christ right now is the king of this earth. His kingdom is invisible, and not everybody acknowledges it. People are giving more allegiance to the prince of darkness than to the Prince of Peace, but that is an act of usurpation on the part of Satan. His power is restricted, limited, and temporal. What has happened briefly is this: The power and authority of Satan has been dealt a fatal blow by Christ. The Cross, the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and the Ascension tremendously weakened any power or authority that Satan enjoyed, but it didn’t annihilate him. That will come later, when Christ completes his work of redemption with the consummation of his kingdom.”

Hell isn’t some domain where Satan rules supreme. We too often can give Satan more power than God does. Satan, and all the angels that followed him, were cast down to earth. Rule and authority belong to Jesus Christ.

“Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)

“‘But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.’” (Revelation 21:8)

This eternal punishment at the end of all things is described as a fiery lake of burning sulfur. Satan will not be sitting on some throne holding a hayfork and laughing at everyone else’s misery—he will be experiencing torment day and night, forever and ever.

“And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43)

Jesus described Heaven as Paradise and told the thief they will be in that paradise “today.” There doesn’t seem to be a waiting period between our death and our arrival at our eternal destination. In this Paradise, Jesus is preparing many rooms for His children, and familiar things like rooms, streets, and rivers will be there, but in the most perfect form imaginable. Heaven won’t be totally foreign to us—it is, after all, our natural home.

“‘There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.’” (John 14:2-3)

“The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.” (Revelation 21:21)

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2)

Among the things we read about that will be in Heaven—rivers flowing with the water of life, streets of gold, pearly gates, many rooms for God’s children—we also read a lot about what won’t be in Heaven. This world is all we have ever known and we’ve gotten used to how things are, but we must remember this is a fallen and cursed world. Heaven will not be cursed and there will be plenty of things that we are used to that won’t be in Heaven.

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:3-5)

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’” (Revelation 21:3-4)

So how do we get there? Obviously we have to leave Earth, to leave this plain of existence to get to the next, but what determines our eternal destination? What is the way to Heaven and what is the way to Hell? Lee Strobel wrote in his book God’s Outrageous Claims: Discover What They Mean for You: “Other religious leaders tell people, ‘Follow me and I’ll show you how to find truth,’ but Jesus says ‘I am the truth.’ Other religious leaders tell people, ‘Follow me and I’ll show you the way to salvation’ but Jesus says, ‘I am the way to eternal life.’ Other religious leaders tell people, ‘Follow me and I’ll show you many doors that lead to God,’ but Jesus says ‘I am the door.’” 

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“‘For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.’” (John 3:16)

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Jesus is how we get to Heaven and the gate to get there is very narrow. Jesus said He is the only way we get to the Father. He is the One whom all must pass through in order to reach God. So if Jesus is the only way to Heaven, then what is the way to hell?

“‘You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.’” (Matthew 7:13)

The way to hell is very easy. Its road is broad and the gate is wide; it allows for many things. That highway allows for all kinds of sin and lifestyles and teachings. To put it simply, though, you get to hell when you reject Jesus. We can either accept or reject Jesus’ payment for our sins. God gives us free will of choice: we can choose Jesus and take up our cross daily, repent of our sins, deny our sinful urges, and live for Him, or we can reject Him and live for our sin and ourselves. In the end, we will all be judged, and whether or not we actually repented of our sins, turned away from them, and chose Jesus will become crystal clear.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

As C.S. Lewis put it, this is what hell must be: to be unknown by He who knows all and cast out of the presence of Him who is everywhere. You can either be in His presence for all eternity, accepting His gift of eternal life, or you can be cast out of God’s presence which would be eternal punishment. Our loving Father gives us the choice. So which do you choose: Yourself or Christ? Sin or salvation? Heaven or Hell?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed