It’s always a privilege and a joy to hear the testimonies of those being baptized—such powerful encouragement for my heart, and I’m sure it is for yours as well. Ultimately, in the ministry of the Word of God, the most important thing we do is preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The central message we share is simple: there is a heaven and a hell, and every person will spend eternity in one of these places. The good news is that there is a guaranteed and final way to heaven—an assured escape from hell. Heaven and hell are eternal, which is why this is the most crucial message anyone can share or hear.

Every human being is eternal. After this life, we will live forever, consciously, personally, and intelligently, fully aware of every detail of our existence. In eternity, we will experience every moment without distraction, with full understanding, and without ever being unconscious. Our minds and bodies will function at their fullest capacity. We will feel, think, and emote at levels far beyond anything we can experience in this life. The life to come will be limitless, unrestrained, and unrestricted.

The Bible describes hell as a place of endless remorse, guilt, sorrow, regret, isolation, and suffering. It’s a place of relentless torment, where there is fire, darkness, and eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth. In stark contrast, heaven is described as a place of unending joy, peace, and bliss, with no pain, sorrow, or suffering. The choice between heaven and hell couldn’t be clearer—heaven is the place to be.

The most important decision you can make is to choose heaven. Sadly, many believe they’ve made this choice, but they’re mistaken. They think they’ve secured their place in heaven, but they haven’t. Let’s turn to Matthew 7 and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, who is Lord of both heaven and hell.

In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father. Many will say to Me, ‘Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and perform miracles in Your name?’ And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

“Therefore, everyone who hears My words and acts upon them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. When the rain came and the floods rose, the house stood firm because it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears My words and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. When the rain came and the floods rose, the house collapsed, and great was its fall.”

These words should be the most serious consideration for anyone claiming to follow Christ. Jesus warns that many people, not just a few, will be mistaken about their eternal destiny. He stresses the futility of empty words and hearts that are not aligned with His will. It’s a sobering reminder that it’s not enough to simply profess faith with words; true faith is demonstrated through action.

I understand that some reject religion and the gospel, heading toward hell. But it’s far more sobering to realize that many who claim to know Christ—who may have even worked in His name—will be turned away from heaven. This is a call to examine our hearts and our commitment to Jesus Christ.