Lesson #1
Where Will You Spend Eternity?
Our eternal salvation is the most important thing in this life. It doesn’t matter what we have accomplished if we lose our souls in Hell; we lose it all. Jesus says in Matthew 16:26, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" There is nothing in this world that is worth losing our soul.
Our soul is worth more than the whole world and everything in it. Our soul is the part of us that is going to live on forever and ever throughout all eternity. Jesus says concerning eternity, "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:46). Everlasting punishment in Hell and eternal life in Heaven will both be forever and ever, without end. We cannot afford to lose our soul and be eternally punished in the burning fires of Hell, because the punishment will never end.
In eternity we will be placed in only one of two possible places: Heaven or Hell. Heaven is so wonderful, we can’t even begin to imagine what it will be like but Jesus says, "there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:14). Heaven is described by our Lord as containing many mansions (John 14:1-3). In Revelation 21:4, we read, "And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Heaven is indescribable, because "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Hell is the opposite of Heaven. Hell is so terrible that we cannot comprehend how horrible the torment will be with the continual weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). Jesus says "there are many who go in by it" (Matthew 7:14). Those who go there will be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). The person who ends up in Hell will only have himself to blame. He chose to go there.
Both Heaven and Hell will last forever and ever (Matthew 25:46). Both are eternal and everlasting. The vast majority of people are living their lives as though they don’t believe there is going to be an eternity. Satan has lulled people into a state of complacency. Let’s make sure that we avoid Hell and that we go to Heaven. We must be "even more diligent to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10).
If you were to die today do you know for certain, without a doubt, that you would go to Heaven? We will not accidentally go to Heaven. This is a question about which we cannot afford to be wrong, because eternity is very permanent. One day each of us will know the true answer to this question, "For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Romans 14:10). Everyone of us have two appointments that have already been made for us and that we will definitely keep. They are, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). These two appointments: death and judgment cannot be canceled; we will keep them.
The Bible says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12). Our feelings are not a safe guide, but only the Bible is. We must not make an error concerning our eternal salvation in following what "seems right" to us, or that we "feel in our hearts we are saved". We will not have a second chance on the Day of Judgment to make things right. We have to get it right in this life. We are told in Amos 4:12, "Prepare to meet your God". On Judgment Day we will be either prepared or unprepared. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. We cannot hope or wish our way into Heaven.
The Lord doesn’t want anyone to be lost. God "desires all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 2:4), but the majority of people will be eternally lost. Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:13-14 to, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." This is not a pleasant thought, but it gets my attention. Jesus says the vast majority of people will end up being eternally lost in Hell and only few will be saved. Sadly, the majority of people are walking the wide road into eternal damnation and don’t realize it. We must take this warning from God very seriously.
Jesus says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). Our number one priority in this life must be to go to Heaven and be with the Lord forever. Nothing is as important as this. We cannot afford to miss Heaven. But all of us will make the choice as to where we will spend eternity. The only way, to even grasp how long eternity will be, is to think that after we have been in Heaven or Hell a billion years, eternity will have just begun.
For a child of God, sin in our life will keep us out of Heaven. Due to unrepented sins, our name will be taken out of God’s Book of Life. Revelation 22:19 says, "God shall take away his part from the Book of Life and from the holy city." Is your name in God’s Book of Life? If it isn’t then this is a very serious matter. Revelation 20:15, "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." God wants to forgive us. As a Christian, how do we get our name put back into the Book of Life? "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Jesus has promised, "Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of Life" (Revelation 2:10).
If you are not a Christian, how do you get your name into God’s Book of Life, so you can be saved and go to Heaven? Our Lord says in Luke 13:3, "Except you repent you will all likewise perish." Jesus also says, "Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will confess before My Father who is in Heaven" (Matthew 10:32). Our Lord then tells us, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Then we must continue to be faithful to God and His will if we expect to go to Heaven.
Questions Lesson #1
Where Will You Spend Eternity?
(Click on the button of the answer of your choice)
1) (Matthew 16:26) What can one give in exchange for his soul?
One million dollars.
One billion dollars.
Nothing, our soul is worth more than all the wealth in the world.
2) One’s soul is not worth more than the whole world.
3) (Matthew 25:46) How long will the punishment of the lost in Hell last?
Everlasting.
One year.
A billion years.
4) Only the saved will go into eternal life in Heaven.
5) (Revelation 21:4) In Heaven there will be
Crying.
Pain.
No crying or pain.
6) There will be sorrow in Heaven.
7) (Revelation 20:10) The torment of Hell will last
Only a short time.
Until one is burned up.
Day and night forever and ever.
8) Hell is described as a lake of fire and brimstone.
9) (Hebrews 9:27) What two appointments do we have already made for us?
We have no appointments.
Doctor and Dental.
Death and the Judgment.
10) Our appointments with death and the Judgment can be cancelled.
11) (Matthew 7:13-14) How many people will go to Heaven?
All people, no one will be lost.
Most people.
Only a few.
12) The majority of people will go to Heaven.
13) (Matthew 6:33) What should we seek first in this life?
Fame and fortune.
Heaven.
To enjoy life.
14) Our number one priority in this life must be to go to Heaven.
15) (Revelation 22:19) God's Book of Life contains
The names of all people.
Only those who are obedient and faithful to God's word.
There is no Book of Life.
16) One's name can be removed the Book of Life is he is not faithful to God.
17) (Revelation 2:10) To go to Heaven we must
Be faithful until death.
Do as little as possible.
There is nothing we need to do to go to Heaven.
18) One does not have to be faithful until death to go to Heaven.