Many ministers have fallen prey to the erroneous belief that "it doesn't take all that" to get to heaven, or that no matter what your religious belief or lifestyle, you have access to eternal life with God.

Nothing could be farther from the truth!

Jesus Himself said that the only way to heaven was through Him and that a man must be born again to inherit the kingdom of heaven (John 14:6; John 3:7).

Contrary to what some believe, heaven and hell are not fictitious places manufactured out of the figment of some religious person's imagination. Neither are they the result of mere tradition passed down through the years.

The Bible is very clear on the point that heaven and hell are both eternal locations in the spirit realm—one being the final destination for those who have made Jesus the Lord of their lives and the other for those who have rejected Him. Eternal life with God in heaven should be the ultimate goal of every person.

Unfortunately, the enemy has seduced many into believing that they can live their lives without God and still go to that glorious place. Not so. The Bible says that without holiness (thoughts and actions that are in agreement with God and His Word), a man will not see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).

Hell was not created for man, but for the devil and his angels. However, if man chooses to ignore God's Word and refuses to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, hell will be his eternal destination after he dies.

God loves everyone, and He doesn't want anyone to go to hell; however, because He created man to be a free moral agent with the right to make his own decisions, God will not violate his decision to go to hell.

In Deuteronomy 30:19, God has set before you choices: life or death, blessings or curses. He urges you to choose life with Him. The rich man in Luke 16:19-31 made a wrong choice and paid dearly for it in the afterlife:
...the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
(vv. 22-24)
In hell, this man could feel everything, from the pain of the flames to his intense thirst. He begged for help, but nothing could be done; it was too late.

Don't let the tragedy of the rich man become your story. Make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life by confessing your sins, repenting and asking God to forgive you (1 John 1:9). Then confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God, believing that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9-10).

He is the only One Who is able to eradicate your sins and give you access to heaven. Invite Him into your heart today and be assured of your final destination.