“Heaven Is For Real” is the book now made into a movie containing the report of a young boy who according to his story had a near-death experience where he supposedly visited heaven during an emergency surgery. I personally haven’t read the book, but I’ve read summaries of what he claims to have happened. Whether the experience was truly him visiting heaven or just a dream, we can’t really say – since we didn’t experience it. I personally have my doubts about it, but discussing the book/movie is not my reason for writing this.
There have been several people who claim to have experiences like this boy, and who claim to have visited heaven in a near death experience and then came back to life to tell about it. But, the title of this book caught my attention more than anything. “Heaven Is For Real!”. Yes, heaven IS for real. And one day those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will be in heaven where we will spend eternity. And all sorts of people like to talk about what heaven will be like, and how they look forward to being in heaven. I too look forward with great anticipation to that day when I will see my Saviour Jesus Christ face-to-face and experience the joys of heaven.
The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “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” And, heaven WILL be an AWESOME and AMAZING place for all who truly have trusted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. HOWEVER, just as Heaven IS for Real – HELL is ALSO for REAL!!
Revelation 20:13-15 warns us, “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
We all like to talk about heaven, and we should, but how much do we warn people about hell? All people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ are doomed to spend eternity there. What are we doing to WARN them? What are we doing to reach others with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Many people argue, “Oh, well it’s not my job to tell others about that!” But, when you stop and think about it – people are dying and will be doomed for all of eternity, and we have the ONLY answer that will save them – a REAL PERSONAL FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! Why would we NOT want to warn them?
Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Now, obviously we can’t force people to believe in God, but we can share with them the realities of heaven AND hell, and how God sent Jesus Christ into this world to die for them so they wouldn’t have to face the torment of a REAL Hell.
Yes, Heaven IS for Real – and SO Is Hell! What a terrible shame it would be for someone to die and go to hell simply because we were too afraid to tell them about Jesus Christ. What are we doing to warn others?