Many times over the years, I have heard people express the belief that everyone will go to Heaven. They generally base this on the fact that God is love and, therefore, wouldn’t send anyone to Hell to suffer eternally. While I understand the attraction people have to this belief, there are scriptures which directly contradict it.

            My first response to the above is an affirmation: God IS love (1 John 4:8). I would also agree with the statement that God would never SEND anyone to Hell – he never has, and will not in the future. In point of fact, each person has a free will, and consciously chooses where they spend eternity; many scriptures support this fact.

            Proverbs 16:9 tells us that “The heart of man plans his way”. In Joshua 24:15, the people were told to “choose this day” who they would serve; the true God or false deities. Jesus himself said in John 7:17 that “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” Even in the first book of the Bible (Genesis 3), Adam and Eve CHOSE to disobey God, and eat from the one tree which He had forbidden. The fact of free will is something which cannot be argued against.

            So, what choice must a person make to go to Heaven? The book of Romans contains all of the information needed to answer this question. A person must realize that they are a sinner (Romans 3:23), that there is a price for remaining in sin (Romans 6:23), that Jesus has already paid their sin debt, resulting in salvation for any who trust in him (Romans 5:8, 6:23), and that receiving salvation through him is a conscious decision (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

            Without trusting and following Jesus, there can be no eternity in heaven. But, there is good news! God never turns ANYONE away, when they choose Jesus! John 3:16 says anyone who believes in him will be saved! You can be saved TODAY, if you trust in him!

Mark Nickles is a husband, father of three, and a pastor in Northeastern Oklahoma. Copyright, Mark A. Nickles.