“So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” -John 8:21-24
Our world generally thinks in evolutionary terms: the past is dark, we are improving, and the future of humanity is bright. Conversely, the Bible teaches that humanity began good and walking in the light, but chose sin and has since descended deeper and deeper into darkness.
Jesus says the same thing when teaching that He came down from the Kingdom of light to bring light to this dark world. Furthermore, Jesus says that everyone will either die in their sins or accept that Jesus came to die for their sins. Jesus’ words negate six popular false conceptions about what happens on the other side of the grave.
One, naturalists or materialists do not believe that we have a soul and that once our body dies that we cease to exist as there is no life after death. Conversely, Jesus and the Bible frequently speak of “eternal life”.
Two, universalists believe that somehow someday God will save everyone. But, the Bible speaks of “hell” often, and Jesus speaks of hell more than anyone else in the Bible.
Three, reincarnationists teach that people live multiple lives and return to repay their debt of karma. But, Hebrews 9:27 says there is only one death and then judgment, “…it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
Four, annihilationists teach that after death people suffer for a while and then cease to exist. But, Daniel 12:2 says, “…those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Five, some believe in purgatory where you suffer for a bit to repay sin and then are allowed to enter heaven. But, on the cross Jesus told a guilty man who only believed in Him for minutes before dying, “Today you will be with me in paradise”.
Six, some believe in soul sleep where the body and soul lie in the ground until the resurrection. But, 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “…we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
Jesus is clear. He came down, we killed Him, He killed death, and unless you are with Him you cannot go up to Heaven with Him.
Are you certain what your fate will be upon your death? Have you trusted fully in Jesus?