May 9, 2020

What Jesus Really Said About Heaven and Hell

Time Magazine interviews Bart D. Ehrman, a professor who claims Jesus never taught on Heaven or Hell. I guess the guy hasn't read the Bible. Let's cut to the chase- Jesus says, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) Keeping reading for more proof Jesus did speak about eternal judgment and a real Heaven and Hell.

Mr. Ehrman was also interviewed on NPR on March 31 of this year, and ends his interview admitting he is an atheist. (Read the transcript here.) Guess there's a bit of an agenda. Here's the truth about what he claims:

As far as heaven goes, Jesus speaks several times of both heaven and hell being real places. Heaven is the physical destination for those that love and follow Jesus, and Hell is the physical destination for people that reject him and the offer of eternal life he made for every person that would choose to believe in him and follow him. Many of his parables also point to it. 

Matthew Chapter 25 says a lot about Hell, particularly the last 15 verses or so. In the book of John, Chapter 14, Jesus says, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me". In context of everything else he said, that means we have to choose to believe He is god, died for our sin because we are all separated from God, and was raised from the dead after being crucified. He says if we believe that, then Heaven will be our home after we die.

The Bible says, "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment". (Hebrews 9:27) No second chances. You've got to make up your mind about what you believe before you're dead.

If you want to go farther. Think about this. The last three chapters of the last book of the Bible, Revelation (Chapters 20-22), talk about judgment for every person. Again, Hell (a real place with a lake of fire that never goes out) to Heaven (a place of joy and peace where tears will never be a part of human existence again.)

the Bible's last book, Revelation, also ends with this warning- "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Chapter 22 verses 18-20.)

Bart's just promoting his book, Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife. But he's preaching a falsehood which too many people are willing to believe. By claiming this, he is playing with literal fire. As always, read the Bible for the truth.

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