“Heaven is for Real” is the title of a 2010 book detailing the story of a young boy’s near death experience, where he went to heaven and back while undergoing emergency surgery. Many have read the book, or seen the movie, and been greatly encouraged by the notion that heaven is a real place.
I do not know the particulars of this story, and have no reason to doubt the validity of this journey. While I have not ever taken a similar trip, I believe with all of my being that heaven is (indeed) for real! Our lives (whether we live 1 minute or 100 years) are all “short” compared to eternity . . . and I see plenty of evidence in the Scripture that Jesus has saved us and invited us into an “eternal life.” That life will be spent somewhere, and heaven is certainly a part of that eternal geography.
While we are affirming the reality of heaven, however, the Bible also affirms the reality of another destination . . . though this one as awful as heaven is awe-inspiring. This is the reality of a literal “hell.” This hell is not just an expletive or a fake red hued house . . . it is an “eternal fire” where “eternal punishment” is experienced by people who once lived on the face of this earth.
The Bible does indeed support the notion that “Heaven is for Real” . . . but it also asserts that “Hell is for Real” as well.
This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will be wrapping up our sermon series “Tomorrow” by looking at part 6, focusing on Matthew 25:31-46. In these verses Jesus talks about the judgment that comes at His second coming, and the fates that await two different groups of people: groups He calls the “sheep” and the “goats.” Join us this Sunday as we see what Jesus says about Heaven and Hell in the conclusion of our sermon series. See you Sunday in our 9:45 or 11:00 services!