What Is the Alternative?

The subject of Judgment Day is an uncomfortable one, even for Christians. It’s easy enough for us to talk about heaven, but hell? How does a place of never ending anguish fit with a God who sacrificed his own Son on behalf of the human beings he created?

But what is the alternative? If there is no such thing as a final accounting of each person’s life, what is the point of human life? If a person can “get away” with doing horrible things all his life and then not be held accountable, something is very, very wrong. That kind of thinking seems to contradict every sense of justice and fairness which exists in us.

For as horrible a concept as hell is (and Jesus spoke of it more than anyone else in the Bible), it literally screams out to us, “What we do is of the greatest importance! It matters for all eternity!”

It’s easy to just kind of stumble through life trying to be happy, avoid pain as much as possible and live comfortably. Judgment Day explodes that kind of thinking by demonstrating that our daily actions have consequences which will last forever.

We can only imagine the pressure a professional quarterback is under as he takes the last snap of the Super Bowl with his team down by 5 points and on the opposing team’s 10 yard line. The NFL championship rests on his shoulders. What could be more important? How about some little kid giving another little kid who is thirsty a cup of water? Do you think God is worried about who wins the Super Bowl or how the people he created live?

There are only two things we can be sure of: we have today to live and eternity is waiting for us. If the choices we make today will determine where we will spend eternity, wouldn’t you agree your life is pretty important?

And remember, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, there is absolutely no reason – no reason at all anyone should be in hell. He died for the sins of the world. Believe it and Judgment Day changes from a day to fear to a day to look forward to.