Scripture makes one truth unmistakably clear; the moment you die, your eternity begins. In other words, immediately after your last breath on earth you will wake up in one of two places: heaven or hell. There is no pause, no waiting room, no do-overs and no second chances. Death doesn’t offer delay – it delivers you directly to your eternal destination.
In Hebrews 9:27 the writer tells us: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
You may not believe in an afterlife or even want to accept it, but what if you’re wrong? Why take the chance?
(Read: What if God is Real and I Don’t Believe)
The Reality Jesus Described
In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus tells the story of two men – one rich and one a beggar. The moment they died, their destinations were revealed. There was no waiting period, no limbo, no crossing over at a later date. Their eternal residence was immediate.
“The beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off.” (Luke 16:22–23)
Both men opened their eyes in eternity – one in paradise, the other in the pain and torment of hell. This parable Jesus told wasn’t about wealth; it was a revelation about eternity. His parable exposes the sobering truth that death instantly separates the saved from the lost, the comforted from the condemned. Once that line is crossed, there is no coming back.
(To Learn More About Eternity, Click Here)
For the Believer: Eternal Presence with Christ
For those who belong to Jesus, death is not the end, it is the beginning of paradise. The moment your spirit leaves your body, you are in the presence of Almighty God. The Apostle Paul writes about this in 2 Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
In addition, Jesus gave this same immediate assurance to the thief on the cross: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
For the believer, death is not loss, it is gain. It is the instant awakening to a joy so complete and a presence so holy that every pain, tear, and sorrow of this life fades away forever.
For the Unbeliever: Eternal Separation from God
For those who reject Christ, death seals the choice made in life. There are no do-overs, no prayers from the grave, and no second chances. The soul that dies apart from Christ enters eternity separated from Him, fully aware of what has been lost.
Jesus says in Matthew 10:33 “…whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” This means that those who deny Jesus or reject Him, will also be denied by Him.
So it’s Heaven or Hell, Light or darkness. The moment you die, the choice you make on earth becomes permanent. For the unbeliever, that permanence means a conscious eternity without God in a place where mercy no longer reaches and grace no longer calls. Trust me, it’s a place you want to avoid at all costs.
(To Learn More About Hell, Click Here)
By the Way, God Does Not Send People to Hell
One things needs clarification – God does not send people to hell. When God created mankind, He gave us the ability to make choices. He gave us free will. Jesus died for all of us, but we have to make the decision to either accept the free gift or reject it. It is our choice in this matter as to where we will spend eternity.
The fact is, God wants all of us to live for Jesus and does not want anyone to choose hell. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” God wants all of us to spend eternity with Him, but it is our choice whether we will or not.
The Moment You Die There Are No More Chances
C.S. Lewis described the moment after death with sobering clarity:
“There will be God without disguise: something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late, then, to choose your side… That moment will not be time for choosing. It will be the time when we discover which side we have really chosen whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever.”
The moment after you die, your choice is revealed. It’s too late at that point to make a decision.
The Urgency of Now
If the moment after you die determines your eternal location, then what you do right now matters most. Every breath you take is a gift from God, but even more than that, it is one more opportunity to surrender to the only Name that saves – Jesus Christ.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
There is no neutral ground where Jesus is concerned, you are either with Him or against Him. Again, there is no second chance once death comes – eternity begins immediately. The question is: where will you end up when your time comes?
(To Learn More About Being Neutral & Not Making a Decision for Jesus, Click Here)
Again, what if you’re wrong about eternity? Why take the chance?
You have everything to lose if you reject Jesus… and everything to gain if you choose Him now.
Don’t wait for a tomorrow, it may never come. Your forever begins the moment your heartbeat stops, and you take your last breath on earth. Make sure you know where you’ll be when you open your eyes on the other side of this life on earth.
A Closing Call and Prayer
Eternity is only one heartbeat and one breath away. The choice you make about Jesus is the most important decision of your life. God is not waiting to condemn you; He is waiting to save you. His arms are open, His mercy is available, and His invitation is personal. Don’t wait for a more convenient time; surrender your life to Christ now and secure your eternity forever with Him.
Prayer regarding eternity:
Heavenly Father, I know that life is brief and eternity is certain. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again so that I could live with You forever. Today I turn from my sin and place my faith in You alone as my Savior and Lord. Forgive me, cleanse me, and make me new. Fill me with Your Spirit and help me to live for You from this day forward. Thank You for the promise that when my time on earth ends, I will wake up in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Blessings,
Amy
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