Why I Believe - Why I Believe in Life After Death, Part 2

Do you believe in heaven and hell are the real places are just concepts.

Is there any real evidence that points to a literal heaven in a literal hell and if so, what will they be like want to know. Stay with thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping trips or Bible international discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians live like Christians were in the middle of trips series why I believe all of the targets of this program is really important and potentially change your life for all of eternity. So if you happen to miss a portion of food you can catch up. Chip Ingram. It's a great way to listen to Living on the Edge anytime else we join Chip for the second half of his talk he continues revealing what the Bible says will happen when we die.

So let's get started. See, God doesn't judge people on the basis of their intentions for their emotions. Jesus is fair and loving and kind, and no one is going to get a real deal and he also will respect the dignity of every human being. So your deepest yearnings and desires, your real ones. Whether it's more of God, or none of God. He says in eternity.

That's what you gonna get the fourth major truth is that every person will spend eternity in heaven with Christ and fellow believers are in hell separated from God forever.

Matthew chapter 25 Jesus ends a parable talking about the sheep and the goats and he says to those who refuse him they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life not God does not desire that any parish but these are facts you don't hear this very often. Jesus talked about hell a lot.

He talked about heaven a lot. He talked about judgment a lot and I'm not sure why but we don't talk about it. Hardly at all. And yet we all had this inner sense this God awareness that were going to have to give an account what I want you to know is that it's not God's desire that any would parish that the apostle Paul would say Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Jesus would say, verily, verily, that's the old King James, I love it. Verily, verily I say unto you, he that hears my voice and believes on him that sent me, has present tense eternal life, and doesn't come to judgment but is passed from death to life.

What I want you to know is that there is a real judgment and this judgment will be for ever and ever and ever ends based on how we respond to the Lord Jesus like you to just pause for just a minute want that to sink in, confess to you, I don't think a lot about heaven and hell myself, I may not near as much as I need to. But even as I was reviewing and praying through this before. I wanted to share with you. There was one line in my notes speaking to myself was what would happen.

Chip if you actually believed that heaven was as real as it is, what would that do to your priorities.

Chip will how many of the distractions in the media and the Facebook and the stuff that just gets me distracted. I think that's so trivial and what would happen if I believed what would happen if we believed that there is a heaven and there's a hell and that our neighbors and our friends and our family. There is a judgment coming. I mean this same Jesus that has sent us coming to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, the same Jesus that were trusting and we know that he is our Savior and his forgiveness has been so real. He's the same Jesus that says depart from me. I never knew you like. If you would even as I continued to speak to think about that one person that you know doesn't know Christ and make an internal commitment inside that you're going to pray and then you're going to initiate some level of relationship to communicate the love of Christ, regardless of how they respond okay now you want to get to the good news because this is this is a great message you want to know what heaven is going to be like, I can only give you a snapshot and I'll give you a quick snapshot about what hell is going to be like and then as I promised for some of you, you, squirming inside you and I can feel it right now and you have the sense that while we men. This is heavy and I think I know what I need to do and I want to respond in Lotta thoughts are going through. You just relax. God cuts going to speak to you in here in just a couple minutes after I describe heaven and I describe hell I want to give you a chance to put your faith in Christ to know that without a doubt, you will spend eternity with him forever never solely based on what Christ is done for you. So let's get a quick preview of heaven.

This is very exciting. First, all we know that God is there.

I mean, and that makes it awesome. Chapter 21 of Revelation you want to hear little bit what it's like.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea ice all the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. Listen to this. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order has passed away.

He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new right this down for these words are trustworthy.

Heaven is going to be a place that has warmth and beauty and light is gonna be a place where relationships are wonderful. Can you imagine no comparison, no envy, no jealousy incredible accommodations right.

Jesus is preparing a place get a fresh start to get a new nature not no more struggling with guilt, or I should have done this. I shouldn't of done that a new nature, a new body a new vocation unit at the very end of chapter 22.

It talks about commerce in cities and works in you know I believe there's going to be music and culture and jobs. I mean it's not like floating around on cloud sipping iced tea. Heaven is a very real place.

Think of what the garden of Eden would've been like if there was never any sin, and then think of putting that on spiritual steroids if you will. And heaven is going to be everything that God originally planned except exceedingly better because you will have tasted and known what it was like on a fallen earth. You have purpose and rest and protection and commitment, and peace. Unbridled joy, celebration and worship and laughter. You'll learn you grow you have friendships, you explore the infinite majesty of God in a to go on forever and ever and ever.

There's banquets, there's meals, their celebrations, there's family reunions, there's adventure. There's purpose.

Are you ready there's fulfillment.

At the deepest level. That's what happens can be like, you know that's a lot to look forward to. And as I read through those men and women that have made the greatest impact in the world. They have this very clear picture of the very real heaven with very real rewards that really matters. And they have the sense that how they live every single day of their life has a direct correlation to the quality of their experience in heaven and I'm not there yet, but I want to get there. I want to get to where I really think about heaven and eternity, more and more, and God would grant me an eternal perspective is when you have that a lot of temptations not very tempting.

What is hell going to be like will first and foremost, God is not there. Second Thessalonians, 19 punishment and torment varying degrees of punishment based on people's culpability in response to the truth. Words like outer darkness, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and it's forever know some of these for sure are metaphors you can have fire with light and darkness, but some of you some of you have lost a child. It's a sorrow like no other. Some of you have been betrayed by a mate gone through horrendous divorce. Some of you had a great job opportunity and decided not to take it and then it turned out awesome what you realizes regret regret regret some of you have been clinically depressed and life was so dark and it felt like there's no hope.

Those are the kind of emotions that are typical of hell. Hell is not a place where people are, you know, hey, you got a Bud Light. Let's watch a movie, hell is not a joke. Hell is a place that God, in response to the dignity of your individual choices said if you want your own way you can have it. I think CS Lewis aptly said there are some who say to God that I will be done and there's others who God says that I will be done. God does not desire anyone to spend eternity apart from him.

In fact, he did not want that so much that Jesus came to die in our place to pay first-in and the Holy Spirit, moment by moment. Even at this moment is moving and drawing and convincing in convicting and saying come, come, come, let me forgive you. Let me love you get on a path of life with me. Hell is like missing the last train taking the wrong turn, making the big wrong decision and then beating yourself up for ever by yourself alone, let me finish with.

I think an important question that needs to be asked and answered. Why must there be a hell first man's dignity and freedom. God will not force you to be in company with him.

Love always requires that I have the opportunity say yes the opportunity to say no and hell is a place that God has reserved to say I so respect your individual choice that if you reject me, though it breaks my heart. It is a place where you can go to be a part for me. Second, God's holiness and justice demand. Hell you say what you mean by that ship. Here's what I mean by that is that we we get soft in our thinking. Can you imagine a heaven where Mother Teresa and Hitler. It's the same place for both of them that there's there is not a loving God. If is not justice but can you imagine for those of us that have a family or think of your top three closest friends.

Someone walking into the room and going Bam Bam, Bam, and shooting them and then you are in the courtroom and they come before the judge and you're expecting they have to pay for this and the judge because you know you know it's okay.

I just think they had a bad day and you would say where's the justice what kind of person are you see, God has to judge sin. And there has to be a place for sin to be judged. And that's hell. The third reason is sin a series of demands a hell sin is like a cancer that hit the planet through the human race.

Sin brought about death. Are you ready sin actually caused the son of God to have to come to live a perfect life be rejected by the father die rise from the dead, sin was the reason that God's great love had to be demonstrated price tag for sin is super ultimately infinitely high and so the judgment for sin is eternal. Finally, there had to be a hell because evil must be defeated and the need to be a place for those who been defeated. The Scripture says that Satan and the demons were thrown into the lake of fire, see the real question for every single person on the earth is not just is there life after death. Most cultures science Bible anthropology.

There's a lot of evidence that when we die, there is an afterlife. What the Bible is very clear on is that you either be judged and spend eternity with your heavenly father or you will be judged by your own behavior as rejecting God be apart from him forever. So here's my question. Were your eternal future be a blissful adventure or a horrible choice. I have to believe I have to believe for many, many, many right now you wanted to be a blissful adventure. And if you're asking how can I have that can ask you to bow your head right now and bow your heart and I want to pray for you, but this is between you and God and saying words after me does not make a Christian. This is a moment where you say in your heart of hearts I have sinned against a holy God. I've done things wrong and I'm gonna own that right now I'm gonna ask him to forgive me and cleanse me and make me his son or daughter solely based on what Jesus did on the cross in my place and if you want to do that right now and you don't know exactly what words to use. You can use mine and repeat after me from your heart dear father, I confess to you right now, I have sinned.

I've missed the mark. I know I've done lots of things wrong. I actually deserve to be punished, but I thank you that you sent Jesus to take my punishment today. I believe that he paid the price for my sin on the cross and I believe that it's true because he rose from the dead. I am asking you will you give me the free gift of eternal life. I choose to trust in him. I ask you to fill me with your spirit right now I want to follow you all the days of my life in Jesus name. What I want you to know is that God if you could picture him leaning over the edge of his throne. That's what he's doing. There's a party going on in heaven because many many many many people have prayed that prayer with me and you minute sincerely in your heart to let me encourage you tell the best Christian you know what you've done get into God's word and find a great church that teaches the Bible and walk with him with all your heart, you have an amazing future. Today an even more amazing one in the days ahead.

God bless you present thing else in today's broadcast.

I want to pause. I don't want to go anywhere. I don't talk about anything else I want to talk to you heard me as I was teaching this group, give what's called the gospel it's good news. I explained to them that they could have eternal life if they would repent. Have a change of mind and turn with all their heart to Christ admit that they have sinned and fallen short of God's glory and ask him to forgive them and come into their life based on Christ's work on the cross and his resurrection, and you know I saw people come to know Jesus as their personal savior and begin a brand-new life and I want to give that opportunity to you right now if you have never received Christ.

I want you to bow your head if possible and close your eyes. If possible and if not then listen very, very carefully, and say to him, Almighty God, you've made all that there is an you made me and I confess today that I've certainly done many things wrong that I'm not perfect and so I fall short of your glory. I believe I put my faith in Jesus today that he died on the cross to pay for my sin, but he rose from the dead to prove that it's true.

And I ask you Lord Jesus be my Savior. Forgive me come into my life right now. Your word promises as many as received Christ to them. You give the right of eternal life, I believe, and I receive you right now into my life. Thank you for forgiving me and help me follow you all the days of my life. You know it's a simple prayer but it's a life-changing decision. We all make certain decisions that change the whole course of our life sometimes is the decision to get married or sometimes it's decision to have a child, but this is a decision that changes your eternal future.

You are a brand-new spiritual baby what the Bible says is spiritual. Babies need milk to grow and they need a family to support them.

The milk is God's word and we want to encourage you right now to go to LivingontheEdge.org where we have some resources to help you get into God's word and understand what's happened to you. Second, let me encourage you to text or call the best Christian you know and tell them today. This is what I did. I just prayed to receive Christ. They will be thrilled. And then this weekend find a Bible teaching church and go to it.

He won't understand everything at first but that's okay. Babies don't know a whole lot, but what you need is a lot of love. Welcome to the family and God bless you by strip and before we go on let me take just a quick second and talk a bit more about the resource trip just mentioned. It's called starting out right and it's absolutely free. This tool will help you gain a clear biblical understanding of what it means to put your faith in Jesus and that's our whole mission here Living on the Edge helping Christians really live like Christians. So let us help you get started in your faith journey. You can request this resource by calling AAA 333-6003 or by visiting LivingontheEdge.org and clicking on the new believers button that's LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003 will check before we go. You were telling me earlier about a story you heard not too long ago that really challenged you to be more intentional about witnessing to others so as a placed in this program. Would you mind sharing that story with our listeners. I'd be glad to Dave I saw a video recently that literally blew my mind. It was the Penn Gillette of the Penn and Teller you probably seen them on TV that you know the magicians and he does this.

This video that is astounding.

He's an avowed atheist, but a man came up to him after one of the shows and said how much he enjoyed it is about the way of really been praying for you and then he pulled out a small New Testament and gave it to them and it goes. I hope you will be offended and then Penn has this amazing response, he goes offended, absolutely not.

And then he made this comment. He said if you actually believe that you have the truth. If you actually believe there is a God.

And if you actually believe that is the only way to heaven, you would hate me.

I mean, how much would you have to hate me to not tell me, as I said, I took the New Testament and I think the guy and I thought to myself, is that an amazing the clear logic of an atheist who would say if we actually believe that Jesus is the way for us not to share that with people.

His phrase, how much will we have to hate them. And that really struck me. And what I've watched and I'm sure I've experienced it as well is I think we have a generation of Christians that we want to be so sensitive and maybe sometimes we get so much flack when we say were Christian or start to share our story or share our faith.

We actually aren't telling people, or maybe the bigger reason is were afraid they can ask us a question and were going to look dumb or narrow or bigoted effect us all some research recently about millennial Christians and the percentage of them that honestly feel like it's wrong to share their faith because it might come off as being judgmental.

It is is just a tragic shift of what's happened in our culture. Here, Living on the Edge we have created a resource is been a big part of my journey called why I believe it's a book so small group study that we have put together so that ordinary regular people like you can talk about your faith in a way that is nonjudgmental in a way that's actual that's clear that simple. This articulate where you can intellectually hold your ground and where in a way that you can say this is what I believe and why.

And here's my question. How much would we have to hate people to not prepare ourselves to give an answer for the hope that sent us and I don't.

I'm not trying to cast some a layer of guilt across the US our listeners, but what I am saying is we have to come to grips with the command to go to all the world to share Christ to love people and if you can't say why you believe in that hold you back. All I want you to know is we want to help you fix trip will you get your hands on the why I believe book or the small group study visit LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003. These tools will not only help fortify your own convictions, but will help you pass them along to the next generation to and during the series with discounted chips book and the study guides.

So take advantage now again to order these resources call AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org app listeners to have special offers. As we wrap up I want to thank those of you who make this program possible through your generous financial support.

Your gifts help us create programs. Purchaser time and develop resources to help Christians live like Christians. Have you been blessed by the ministry of Living on the Edge you consider sending a gift today.

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