Does Heaven Threaten You?

© 2016 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Last week we attended the annual conference of a Christian missionary organization dedicated to preaching the Gospel of Christ. Their work takes place in various European and African countries. Some of these countries increasingly threaten Christians with hostility. Christians there risk death from many sources including disease, terrorism, and murder.

There was one missionary at the conference I’ll call Nivek. He and others presented pictures and narratives of great poverty and dangerously filthy conditions. Because many of these areas have no clean water, Nivek and others try to help by providing wells, water filters, and medical aid. Their primary goal, however, is to tell these suffering people about their need for Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners.

During discussions that took place, some conference attendees were curious about the fear of death that would accompany such missions. Nivek’s response was striking and encouraging. With a smile on his face, and a chuckle in his voice, he said, “You can’t threaten me with Heaven!” Then he explained that, for a Christian, death is the doorway to heaven where he longs to be.

The Lord Jesus Christ presented a closely related thought when He said,

“…fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

God the Son, Jesus the Messiah, suffered death by crucifixion to save His people from their sins. Three days later He rose again in fulfillment of Scriptural prophecy. Before all of this took place, Jesus spoke the following words of comfort and encouragement to His beloved disciples.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).

Almost all of Christ’s apostles endured violent deaths at the hand of those to whom they presented His Gospel. They are now with their Lord who loves them.

When death threatens you, will your destination be Heaven?

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