Those words brought a passage of scripture to mind: Luke 16:19-31. Luke 16 is a biblical description of what it will feel like in hell. It tells the story of the rich man who ignored Lazarus, the beggar. Here is the account:
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side.He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he
looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham,
have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool
my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.
But Abraham replied,
'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while
Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
And besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed, so that
those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from
there to us.
Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'
Revelation 3:20 says that God waits for us to invite him into our hearts. Revelation 21:8 warns that those who do not believe in God will go to hell.
2 Corinthians 4:4 says that many people do not believe in God because Satan has blinded their eyes. Still many others believe in God, but do not have a personal relationship with him. Part of that reason is because they are repelled by the church and the behavior of people who claim to be Christians. The antidote: Develop a relationship with God that is independent of others.
Life itself is hard, but when you add Jesus to the equation, you can stress less because you can cast your cares on him. Stellar Kart sang a similar refrain in their song, "Life is Good:" "Life is good, but eternal life is better."
You decide: heaven or hell?
RESOURCES:
One Minute After You Die
How You Can Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity with God
Divine Revelation Of Hell
Divine Revelation Of Heaven
23 Minutes in Hell
90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life
Fundamentals of the Faith: 13 Lessons to Grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ
25 Basic Bible Studies: Including Two Contents, Two Realities
Got Questions?: Bible Questions Answered - Answers to the Questions People Are Really Asking
Learn the Bible in 24 Hours
Can Man Live Without God by Ravi Zacharias
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