What Happens When You Die?
You've asked that question.
It's probably kept you up at night at some point in your life. Probably after scrolling past another celebrity death or the passing of a friend or family member.
Probably while calculating whether you've been good enough to make the cut.
The answer is no.
So who gets to heaven?
You measure yourself against other people because it's easier.
"I'm not as bad as that guy. I'm better than her. I go to church. I donate. I'm basically a good person."
Cool.
But when you die, you're not standing next to Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer hoping God picks from the "not-as-bad-as-them" line.
You're standing alone. Compared to perfection. And every lie you've told, every selfish thought, every moment of pride, every time you've used His name in vain...it's all there. Exposed.
But honestly? You already know this.
That's why you can't sleep some nights.
Did You Think God Was Loving?
He is.
That's WHY He judges.
If your government announced tomorrow that murder, rape, and theft would have no consequences, would that be loving? Or would that be chaos? Justice requires judgment.
A good judge punishes evil. And if God is good, and He is, then He can't just shrug at your sin and say "boys will be boys."
So yes, hell is real. It's the place where God's justice falls on people who rejected His mercy.
And you're headed there.
Right now. Today. This moment.
Unless....maybe...
Can you Pay the Fine?
"Okay, so I'll just be better from now on. I'll stop lying. I'll volunteer. I'll actually read my Bible."
Here's the problem: You're in court. The judge reads your charges. Guilty. The fine is $10,000. And you stand up and say, "Your Honor, I promise from this moment forward, I will obey every law perfectly for the rest of my life."
Does he dismiss your case?
No. Because your future obedience doesn't erase your past crime. The fine is already on the books. Someone has to pay it. Either you or someone willing to pay it for you.
Same with your sin. Even if you could live perfectly starting right now (you can't), you'd still be guilty of everything before this moment. The debt is already owed.
And you don't have the currency to pay it.
You're trying to buy your way out with Monopoly money.
And God doesn't accept it.
The GOOD NEWS
Two thousand years ago, God did something about it.
He sent His Son. Not a prophet. Not just a teacher. Jesus, the eternal Word of God made flesh.
He got hungry, got tired, bled when cut. He lived the perfect life you were supposed to live and couldn't. Never lied once. Never lusted once. Never had a proud thought. Not once.
Then He volunteered for your hell.
Jesus walked to a Roman cross and let them nail Him to it. He absorbed every ounce of God's wrath that was meant for you. The punishment you earned, He took it. The hell you deserved, He drank to the bottom of the cup. And when He said "It is finished," He meant it.
Then, just so you'd know it worked, He walked out of a tomb three days later. Very much alive. Very much victorious.
The fine is paid in full. The gift is sitting there. But a gift rejected might as well not exist.
You have to take it.
You Have a Choice
Choice 1: Reject it
Decide you don't need Jesus. Maybe because you think you're good enough. Maybe because you're offended by the exclusivity of it. Maybe you think it sounds too easy. Maybe you just don't buy it. Either way, you take your own punishment. Death.
Choice 2: Trust it
Believe that Jesus took your hell so you don't have to. Not because you're good enough. Not because you did enough. But because He did everything. You bring nothing to the table except your sin. He brings everything you need. That's it. That's the whole transaction. You trust that His death paid for your sins. Done.
Clock is Ticking
Can you guarantee you'll wake up tomorrow?
No.
Are you sure car accident won't claim you in the morning?.
No.
Aneurysm? Heart attack? Doesn't really matter.
Death doesn't send a calendar invite.
And if you die tonight without trusting Jesus, you'll spend eternity in the place you chose. There's no second chance after death. No do-overs. No "I wasn't ready."
Still reading? Then decide.
What are you waiting for? More proof?
You have a universe screaming "Creator." You have a conscience screaming "guilty." You have a cross emblazoned with "paid for."
Change of Heart
People might mock you if you trust Jesus.
They'll call you weak, brainwashed, judgmental. Let them. Their approval lasts 80 years if you're lucky.
Eternity is slightly longer.
Here's what happens if you trust Him:
You're saved. Forever. Can't lose it. Can't earn it. It's done.
You'll want to pray. Not out of obligation, but out of relationship.
You'll want to read the Bible.
You'll want to find other believers.
You'll want to tell others. Because if this is true (it is), then this is the best news you've ever heard.
Last Question
You can close this tab and go back to pretending you're probably good enough.
Keep counting your good deeds and hope for the best.
Or you can stop and drop the act.
Admit you're not okay. And take the gift with empty hands.
The fire is coming. Jesus already walked through it for you.
What are you waiting for?
