Thoughts inspired by a bumper sticker

The other day, I saw a bumper sticker that said "imagine: no Heaven, no Hell."  While this is not really a new sentiment (John Lennon's song entitled "Imagine" mentioned this idea back in the 1970's), I have been thinking about the implications of such a thought. 

To try to be fair, I must admit that it's not really clear to me whether the creators of this bumper sticker are proposing that there's no afterlife at all, or if we Christians were supposedly wrong about the afterlife all this time.  Regardless, for me to imagine there's no Heaven isn't comforting.  Let me explain.

Pardon me for being a bit morose, but the moment we are born, a looming problem casts its presence over us like a large shadow: death.  We don't like to talk about death or think about it.  Pardon me for being a bit morose, but the fact is death is inevitable.

As God as my witness, let me declare this to you: As a Christian, I don't fear death.  Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, "Until you are ready to die, you aren't ready to live."  This doesn't mean that I relish the thought of leaving this Earth.  I love life and I want to live as long as God will allow me to live.  That said, I'm not dreading death.  Why?  Because there is a real, literal Heaven and it is awaiting every Christian who has put their faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus Christ.  Hebrews 2 says that Jesus' death "frees those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" (verse 15).  You say, "OK, so Heaven is real, and it is comforting to think about.  I'm with you on that.  What about Hell?"

First of all, let me say I don't like to think about Hell; it's not a pleasant topic.  But if a guilty party went to a trial in our judicial system and went off scot-free, we would think, "where's the justice?"  That's my response to those imagining that there's no Hell: where's the justice?  You see, God is just and holy; He despises sins with a holy hatred.  Every human is a sinner and thus deserves Hell.  That's the bad news that the Bible presents us with, but that's not the end; the Bible continues.  
   
The good news is this: Jesus Christ died on the cross to atone, to pay for, the sin of every man, woman, boy, and girl who ever lived.  This doesn't mean that every human will now go to Heaven.  Rather it means the opportunity is now present to be right with God and to one day be with Him in Heaven.  Romans 10 emphatically declares "whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Saved from God's holy wrath against sin.  Saved from Hell.

Kevin