Let’s suppose for a minute, you do not believe in God. You think there is no truth in the Bible and what it says is, to say the least, all untrue. At the same time you also believe this life is all there is. In other words, you are sure there is no life after death. You believe that when you die that is the end. Your body will be put in a coffin, it will be buried in the ground, and your life finished - forever.

On the other hand let’s say, before you die, a Christian friend, comes to you and, in a very matter-of-fact way, tells you what he believes about God, life and life hereafter in Heaven. This friend does not try to force you to believe as he does. He merely explains. He tells you what he believes to be the truth about life now and life after death. In fact, what he says to you will probably include many statements and ideas you’ve heard down through the years – but you may choose not to believe any of what he says to you.

Why, you wonder, would the Christian friend even bother to explain what he believes to you, a known non-believer? Here is why. Your Christian friend knows that while you are alive, you still have the opportunity to make a choice, an important decision about what your future will be like– after your death. In addition, he knows, as you know, that should you die as a non-Christian, it will be too late for you to make decisions of this kind ever again.

Let’s say you have listened courteously and carefully to all that your well-meaning friend said, but you are still not willing to accept the beliefs of this Christian as truths you can agree with.

But, on the other hand, do this, imagine for a minute, what may happen to you if what the Christian tells you is actually true? Then, even though doubtful, you may say to yourself: “ I think this Christian friend of mine is merely full of wishful thinking and ideas about life after death that I just don’t believe, but because I like and respect him, I’ll try to seriously consider his point of view.”

At that point in your thinking, you have to make one of two choices about all of this. The first choice is this: suppose what the Christian told you is wrong. In other words, after all he explained to you, you still believe that when you die it is – the end. But, your second choice can be to try to accept that what the Christian told you is the whole truth, and life of another kind really does continue after your earthly death.

As your friend the Christian may have told you, you do “go somewhere” after this earthly life. You go, not merely to the grave, but you go either to Heaven as a Christian, or, you go to Hell as a non-Christian. So again, you have a choice to make before you die. You can accept what the Christian told you as being the truth and go to Heaven. Or you can pay no attention to what he said and go to Hell.

As you know from past experiences, while we are alive here on Earth, we often need to make what are sometimes big, life-changing decisions. You understand the importance of those kinds of decisions because you have probably made many of them throughout your lifetime. So, if you decide your Christian friend is right and you are wrong, you are now ready to make one of those important life-changing decisions.

While you are considering all of this and perhaps still feeling doubtful about finally making the decision to accept what your Christian friend said about Heaven and Hell, he may look you in the eye with loving concern and say: “My advice to you is to choose the benefits of Heaven instead of the tortures of Hell. After all is said and done - what do you have to lose?”

Terry Weber

www.originalsbyweber.com