Where Do We Go From Here?

Luke 16:19-23

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."

Many have tried to explain away these scriptures and others like it, but the truth is this, Heaven and Hell are REAL literal places where the souls of the righteous and unrighteous go after bodily death. The righteous souls will rest and be comforted in paradise or Heaven to await the first resurrection from the dead, and the unrighteous souls, (those who die in their sins without Christ) will enter into Hell a place of darkness, torment and separation from the presence of God to await the great white throne judgment, where they will be judged according to what they have done while IN the body. If their name is not found written in the Lamb's book of life then they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, this is called the 'Second Death'.

Revelation 20:6

"Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."

Matthew 25:41-46

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

A few things to take note of in the above scriptures is: One, Jesus Himself is speaking, Two, the fire that the cursed souls will enter is everlasting (and it means what is says!), Three, the devil and his angels are immortal spirit beings, so what does that tell you about the fire and our souls?

Look at what happens to those souls who take the mark of the beast.

Revelation 14:9-11

"Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

It amazes me how many professing Christians say the bible is the infallible, inerrant, and authoritative word of God, but yet don't believe what the scriptures say about Hell or a Righteous God casting unrighteous souls into the lake of fire to be tormented forever, but that's exactly what the scriptures say! Do you believe it?

In Jesus,
Tyrone