I always thought I’d go to heaven when I die. Maybe it was because I was raised going to church every Sunday, and even if I didn’t really understand how it was Jesus died for my sins, at least I knew who He was. I didn’t go around breaking the Ten Commandments and I tried to be a good person. For some reason, I never questioned my final destination or even wondered if I could possibly be wrong. It only took one Beth Moore Bible study—Beloved Disciple: The Life and Ministry of John—for me to realize I’d been wrong. It’s only by the grace of God that I now know where I’ll go when I die—and that He allowed me to live long enough to accept His gift of salvation.
Last week, I picked up Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven, for the second time. I bought it several years ago, but never finished it. Something, or Someone, compelled me to start reading it again. In it, Alcorn raises the question of one’s salvation in chapter three—Is heaven our default destination…or is hell? And follows it up with a quote by C.S. Lewis: The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
This got me wondering if I ever questioned my salvation before I became a Christian. The sad truth is, I can’t remember. How many people today are in that position—believing that they’ll one day go to heaven, but basing it on nothing more substantial than what someone else has told them, or a belief in a God who is too loving to send anyone to hell? Does it make sense to trust anything but God’s word with something so important as your eternal life?
The days goes by so quickly. It seems as if this past year has been on some crazy time warp, because I swear last December was only a few months ago. We get caught up in the busyness of life—raising our kids, achieving “success,” and spending time with family and friends. I would imagine that someone like Paul Walker (of The Fast and the Furious fame) didn’t think he was missing out on much. But now what? He dies a senseless death at a young age and people morn the loss of such a “great guy.” Every time I open up Yahoo on my Internet browser, there are articles posted about Walker’s secret acts of kindness. And it’s wonderful that people remember him for his generosity, but what does that translate into for him now? Good works aren’t going to get him into heaven.
But then, maybe that’s not all there was to Paul Walker. A friend of mine sent me a link to an interview he did with Christian Post Entertainment after she read this original post. I’ve included it for anyone interested in reading it. It blessed me, so I thought it might bless you, too. There was obviously more to this man than the Hollywood cliche. Whether his final destination is heaven is between him and God. The sad truth is, there are many people who fill the pews of Christian churches who will not be allowed through those narrow gates.
Why would anyone want to leave their eternal life to chance? According to the Bible, we will all live eternally—some of us will go to heaven, but a more substantial number of people will go to hell. Matthew 7:14 says, small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be one of the few with a one-way ticket to heaven!
Comments 2
Great post, Jennifer! It is so easy to avoid sharing the whole truth that God presents in His Word, so easy to side step around the hard truth. But, if we do that, we’ll miss out on sharing the glorious offer of eternal salvation that is freely given through Jesus Christ. We don’t know if Paul Walker knew the Lord. He very well may have. Only God knows our hearts. He can save us the second before we breathe our last breath. That is how amazing our God is! The sadder truth is that many people who go to church and read the Bible truly do not believe in God as He reveals Himself in the Bible. Many people don’t “know” God because they don’t accept what they cannot explain. He will reveal Himself to us and help us with our unbelief. He is the author and Perfector of our faith! I’m so glad we’re not left to our own strength as we seek to know and follow Christ in every aspect of our lives. I pray we will love, in word and deed, and share God’s truth with courage and gentleness. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
The sobering reality in your post comes at a perfect season for change. Nicely done! Thought provoking.