ARE WE ALL HEADED FOR THE SAME PLACE?
by: Ivie Powell
It isn’t unusual to hear people from different religious group’s state, "It really doesn’t mater where you go to church, we are all headed for the same place." There are several places that everyone is headed: the grave (Heb. 9:27), the resurrection (Acts 24:15), the judgment (2 Cor. 5:10) and eternity (Matt. 25:46)! As to, "Are we all headed for heaven?" the answer is clearly set forth in the word of God. Only those who obey the gospel, and live faithfully will enter into heaven. "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from haven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on then that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2 Thess. 1:7-9). The Lord exhorts the church at Smyrna, "…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).
Two questions are of paramount importance, What must one do to obey the gospel?, and to what church must one belong? One must believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Jno.8:24), repent of his sins (Luke 13:3), confess Christ to be the Son of God (Matt.10:32), and be immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:47). Thus one becomes a member of the same church that Peter, James, John, Paul, Apollos, Aquilla, Priscilla, Lydia, etc. were members of – the Lord’s church, the church of Christ (Rom. 16:16). Having done that, one is to faithfully serve the Lord that heaven may be their home (James 1:12). Beloved, where are you headed?