We talk and think a lot about our life here on Earth - but the truth is, this is just a fraction of what we’ll experience when it comes to eternity. But when we think about life after death, it’s easy to get tripped up by what we think we know about it. It’s important to make sure we’ve got the right information when it comes to Heaven and Hell - check out 6 common misconceptions and the truth behind them.
Misconception: Heaven is boring
Here’s some great news: Heaven will not be boring! We don’t know exactly what it will be like, but we know it will be better than Earth (Revelation 21). God created this earth and all of the good things in it, so we can imagine that the things we enjoy in this life will be present in Heaven. It could include ice cream, animals, sports, amazing scenery - we know that it will be all of the good and none of the bad, and definitely something to look forward to!
Misconception: Hell isn’t real
Hell is a real place, and we know that because everything we read about Hell in the Bible describes it that way (Matthew 25:46). Jesus himself talked about Hell as a real place - so we can trust that it is.
Misconception: In Heaven, we turn into angels
Humans and angels are actually two different beings - we don’t turn into angels when we die, even if we go to Heaven. We are told that we will receive a new, heavenly body - not completely unlike the bodies we have now (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).
Misconception: Hell is filled with red demons with pitchforks
The truth is, we don’t know exactly what Hell will be like. The Bible describes it as a place where there will be weeping, gnashing of teeth, darkness, and flames. All of these images tell us that Hell is a place that is full of suffering and pain. Hell is eternity separated from God. And, because all good things come from God, there will be no good in Hell. (Matthew 3:12, Matthew 13:41-42, Revelation 14:11)
Misconception: I can go from Hell to Heaven
Hell is forever, which means you cannot switch from one place to the other. The choice you make now, in this life, will affect your eternity. If you choose to trust and follow Jesus, you will spend eternity with God forever in Heaven (John 3:16). If you choose to do things your own way, choosing to not follow Jesus, you will spend eternity apart from God in Hell (Thessalonians 1:9).
Misconception: You can get to Heaven by being good enough
You can never be “good enough” to get into Heaven. All of us are affected by sin - and sin is anything we do that goes against God’s best. We all mess up and make mistakes. No one is perfect, and we’re told that the penalty for our sin is death apart from God (Romans 3:23). However, because God loves us, he sent Jesus to this world to save us from sin and death (John 14:6). Jesus died and rose again to rescue us from sin, and it’s only by placing our trust in him that we can spend eternity in Heaven ( Romans 6:23).
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If you have more questions about eternity or Heaven and Hell, your LCBC location staff would love to have those conversations with you. Let us know your questions and we’ll get the conversation started!
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LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!