If you are a Christian this is your “hell” while awaiting heaven. If you are not a Christian this is your “heaven” – after which, you’ll spend eternity in hell.
Gary Lewis
♦
“No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” [I Corinthians 2:9 ESV]
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” [Revelation 21:8 ESV]
If Jesus lives within your heart, persevere just a while longer. All of Heaven awaits your arrival. With open arms, they stand ready to rejoice and welcome you home. If Jesus does not live within your heart, please ask him to come in and make you brand new, to give you eternal life. This life is our one chance to prepare for eternity. Is earthly life your heaven or is it your hell? The choice is yours alone to make.
Truth Behind Reality 
Rev. 21:8 with 22:14, have much to say about our sexual immoral behavior! We must crucify/mortify and subdue the flesh, Gal. 5:24. This goes for both married and single men, btw. Here “flesh” is that fallen sinful desire. It must be put to death daily! In Christ, we have the power and victory over the sinful nature.
LikeLike
I appreciate you supplying these scriptures Fr. Robert. As a single man, it can sometimes feel daunting, to say the least, trying to keep my thoughts pure. It is so comforting knowing that all I need do is call on Jesus’ power to keep my mind from wandering into the gray areas and beyond. Thanks.
LikeLike
I’m reminded of the old Framm Oil commercial. Their slogan was: “You can pay now, or pay later.”
This is a universal truth that applies to so many things. Great post.
LikeLike
What a great statement, Lance, truly the essence of this post: give your all in this life and subsequently, in the life to come, reap the reward of eternal life; or, give your least in this life and consequently reap an existential eternal death when this earthly life is over.
LikeLike
## “Is earthly life your heaven or is it your hell?”
I would have to say it is neither.
Both heaven and hell are LITERAL PLACES which defy description and certainly cannot be compared with anything in this life.
Although some people may describe this life – or parts of it – as living hell, it would only be as a drop in the ocean when compared with the actual. There cannot be a comparison.
LikeLike
We can make contrasts, but the eternal loss of God, will certainly be hell! Holy Scripture calls it ‘the Second Death’! (Rev. 20: 14, etc.) Only God knows the depth of this, as perhaps by degree the lost.
LikeLike
@ irishanglican
The eternal loss of God would most certainly be hell – for me and for anyone who has known the reality of a relationship with Him. (Praise God I’ll never experience that loss!)
However, if I spoke of the eternal loss of God to anyone who does NOT know Him, the expected response would be “So what?” It does NOT speak of hell to the non believer.
I believe in a literal hell – just like Jesus spoke about and warned about – and there can be no comparison with anything in this life.
LikeLike
@meetingintheclouds
Yes, only God can redeem the human soul & spirit, and In Christ keep it! But we must also “press” or pursue the upward call of God in Christ. (Phil.3:14) A work of grace & glory!
LikeLike
True, Angela, but try to see the allegory/reality where the context renders it such. This statement is not meant for stirring up controversy or for creating a new theology. It is simply the means for explaining to a non-Christian that this life is as good as life can get before dying an agonizing eternal death. It is also meant for reassuring Christians that our hope is in heaven, not earth, and that this life on earth is as bad as life can get, afterward we will spend eternity with Jesus.
LikeLike
## “This statement is not meant for stirring up controversy or for creating a new theology”
I realise that Todd and I do not mean to introduce controversy.
Yes, I can see the allegory, but I consider it like comparing chalk with cheese. There is too much of a contrast to try to make a comparison.
LikeLike
There really is no attempted comparison made here. In other words, if I were to tell a non-Christian that this is your heaven, I am not saying that this life is literally heaven, or another version of it. I am telling that person that this life is the most pleasure he/she will ever get, and afterwards, he/she will experience eternal existence in indescribable agony apart from God. Also, if I were to tell a Christian that this is your hell, I am not saying that this life is literally hell, or another version of it. I am telling that person that this life is the most agony he/she will ever experience, and afterwards, he/she will experience eternal life in the presence of God.
This is a play on words that states a very real truth in everyday words; nothing more, nothing less.
LikeLike
Pingback: Are Heaven and Hell Real? « Earthpages.org