HOPING FOR HEAVEN, LIVING FOR HELL

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Heaven is such a beautiful place as testified by every single person who has been fortunate to visit there through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In fact, the Holy Bible uses these Words to describe heaven in 1 Corinthians 2:9, But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].

 Looking again at the above Scripture, one thing we observed is that heaven is for those who love God, promptly obeying His commands in the Bible and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed.

This clearly means heaven is not for everyone but only for those who qualify.

Some argue that there is no heaven but they are not the focus of today’s message. My focus today is for those who are hoping for heaven but living for hell.

By this I mean anyone who believes in God, who believes there is a heaven and a hell and who believes he or she is living right and therefore would make it to heaven at the end of the short stay here on earth.

If you ask the average person who falls into this category what makes him or her think or believe s/he is qualified to enter heaven, the most common answer would be that s/he is obeying God’s commands.

If you ask further by what yardstick s/he thinks God would use to qualify or disqualify people from entering heaven, you may not get a ready-made answer.

But the answer to this question, just like the answer to every other question in life is found in God’s Word in the Holy Bible.

We are told in 1 John 3:2-4, “Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He (Jesus Christ) comes and is manifested, we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.


3 And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).

4 Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God's law by transgression or neglect–being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will).”

This simply means the individual who hopes for heaven must not practise sin as a habit because that disqualifies him or her.

We are further told in 1 John 3:22-23, “And we receive from Him (God) whatever we ask, because we [watchfully] obey His orders [observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us] and [habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him.

23 And this is His order (His command, His injunction): that we should believe in (put our faith and trust in and adhere to and rely on) the name of His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and that we should love one another, just as He has commanded us.”

Dear friend, this further makes it clear that not only must those who hope for heaven obey God, they can only receive whatever they ask God for in prayer when they put their faith and trust in the name of God’s Son, our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
Finally, the individual hoping for heaven must love his or her fellow human being with the love of Christ – unconditional, unselfish love.


Dear friend, no one has an excuse not to do these things because they are not difficult to do if we really love God and are willing and ready to obey Him for He releases His grace (unmerited favour) to help anyone who is serious in following Him.

It is only those who follow this route that would end up in heaven. Malice, immorality, unforgiveness, anger, slander, cheating, indecency, etc disqualifies people from entering heaven because they are defiled by these vices and nothing defiled shall enter heaven as God’s Word tells us in Revelation 21:27.


Do you want to go to heaven? Today and now, you know what it takes to get there for it is God who in His infinite mercy has made it possible for you to see this message.
Are you yet to know Jesus Christ and receive Him into your life as Messiah and as a result you doubt this message as you read it? This may just be your last chance God is giving, for tomorrow or later may be too late.

Please reconsider while you are alive and take the right step and right decision before it is too late.

May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.

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