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by Pastor/Evangelist Greg Laurie
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
—John 11:25–26
Everyone is immortal. Everyone lives forever. Whether you are a Christian or an agnostic or an atheist, you live forever. Every Buddhist, every Hindu, and every Muslim lives forever. Every person lives forever. We won't stop existing.
But the question is where will we live forever? Let's say that I bought you a one-way plane ticket and told you, "I am going to send you off on a journey next week." You get excited and start packing your bags. But before you get excited, the thing you need to be asking me is, "What is the destination for this one-way plane fare?" If the destination is Siberia, don't be too excited. But if the destination is Maui, then get excited.
In the same way, the issue is not whether we will live forever as much as it is where we will live forever. And according to the Bible, there are only two options: heaven or hell. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you go to heaven. And in a sense, you don't die.
Jesus said. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25–26). I am not in denial. I understand that the body breaks down and sometimes shuts down quickly—unexpectedly, even. I understand that when we die, we are placed in a grave.
But I know that in another sense, we don't die. General MacArthur, in his famous televised speech in April 1951, stated, "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."
Well, we could also say, "Old Christians never die; they just move away." And where do they move? They move away to heaven.
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
—John 11:25–26
Everyone is immortal. Everyone lives forever. Whether you are a Christian or an agnostic or an atheist, you live forever. Every Buddhist, every Hindu, and every Muslim lives forever. Every person lives forever. We won't stop existing.
But the question is where will we live forever? Let's say that I bought you a one-way plane ticket and told you, "I am going to send you off on a journey next week." You get excited and start packing your bags. But before you get excited, the thing you need to be asking me is, "What is the destination for this one-way plane fare?" If the destination is Siberia, don't be too excited. But if the destination is Maui, then get excited.
In the same way, the issue is not whether we will live forever as much as it is where we will live forever. And according to the Bible, there are only two options: heaven or hell. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you go to heaven. And in a sense, you don't die.
Jesus said. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25–26). I am not in denial. I understand that the body breaks down and sometimes shuts down quickly—unexpectedly, even. I understand that when we die, we are placed in a grave.
But I know that in another sense, we don't die. General MacArthur, in his famous televised speech in April 1951, stated, "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."
Well, we could also say, "Old Christians never die; they just move away." And where do they move? They move away to heaven.