We make decisions every day. Most decisions are trivial, ike what to eat for lunch. Some decisions are more important, such as which vocation to pursue. And some decisions are life-altering, such as whether or not to get married. But you and I both know the most important decision we will ever make is where to spend eternity.
In Matthew 25:46, Jesus described the two eternal destinations: “[The unrighteous] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” After death, everybody will live forever in either heaven or hell. There’s no third alternative, which makes this the most consequential decision of your life.
At some point, you chose to follow Jesus Christ and spend eternity in heaven. But what about the people you know and love? They also must decide their eternal destination before it’s too late. How can you help them choose eternity in heaven?
In Matthew 7, Jesus used three sharp contrasts that illustrate this crucial choice:
1. There are two paths: one leads to life; the other leads to destruction. Jesus said, “The gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (vv. 13–14).
The fact that every person who isn’t a Christian is on the wide path leading to hell is difficult, especially if that includes our friends or family. That’s why most people today—including over 60% of evangelical Christians—embrace Satan’s lie that there are valid ways to heaven other than faith in Christ alone.
But Jesus was clear: few people will enter heaven, while many will enter hell. The only way to heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). There are two paths, Jesus said, but only one leads to heaven.
2. There are two followers: one obeys God; the other pays God lip service. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father … will enter” (v. 21).
Simply saying Jesus is Lord doesn’t necessarily make somebody a Christian. It’s possible to profess faith in Christ but not possess faith in Christ. So who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus said it’s the person who does God’s will.
In John 6:40, Jesus said, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life.” God’s will is that you trust in Christ alone for salvation—but that’s not the end of it. There’s an inseparable connection in the Bible between belief and obedience. Good works don’t produce eternal life, but they prove that there is eternal life.
3. There are two houses: one is built on rock; the other is built on sand. Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. … Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Matthew 7:24–27).
When storms come into our lives, they reveal the true nature of our faith. For those who build their lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ, the hope of heaven stands secure. But those who chose to build their lives on any other foundation don’t have that hope, so when storms come, they are swept away.
These examples from Scripture can help people understand the enormous choice before them: heaven or hell. There’s no time to lose. Our friends, family, and neighbors must make this decision about eternity, so let’s help them choose heaven!
