Heaven and Hell are words of discrimination.
Discrimination is defined as: “The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.” Heaven is a definite place even as the earth is a definite place. How can these words be discriminatory?
Many take offence when we reference Heaven as the place where Christ dwells and is inhabited ONLY by those who have Christ as their savior. The scripture is crystal clear on this topic. For the believer, the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” It is said of the Lord Jesus in Luke 24:51, “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” This teaches us that Christ is in Heaven and when a Christian dies, he is immediately in the presence of the Lord in Heaven.
Many take offence when we reference Hell as the place where unbelievers will spend eternity. Again, the scripture is crystal clear on this topic. We have the words of the Lord in Matthew 25:41, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Revelation 20:15 tells us, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Let’s be clear. The entrance to Heaven is open to all. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Yet, He sadly pronounced in John 5:39-40, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And YE WILL NOT COME TO ME, that ye might have life.” The Lord also proclaimed in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT.” It’s not that the way to Heaven is hard to find, but when people reject the Lord and try to find some other entrance into Heaven, they cannot enter in.
Heaven and Hell are not words of discrimination. They are words of reality. Heaven is real. Hell is real. Every person ever born will spend eternity in one or the other. The choice is yours. 1 John 5:12 states clearly and emphatically, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” To those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus, He says in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” That is true life. That is true security. That is truth! Do you know where you will spend eternity? (318.2)