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What Determines a Person’s Eternal Destination?

The Bible teaches that every human being will spend eternity somewhere, either in heaven or in hell (Mt 25:46). Heaven is a place where God is present and His people abide with him in joyful worship. Hell is a place of separation from God — a place of agony, where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt 13:50).

Ultimately, God is the sovereign judge of the universe, and He determines where a person spends eternity. As a holy and righteous judge, God has every right to send each one of us to hell because "we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Ro 3:23). But because of His great love for us, God sent Jesus Christ into the world to die on the cross as payment for our sins (Ro 5:8-9). In doing so, God provided a way for all people to enter into eternal life (Jn 3:16-17).

The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms what determines a person’s eternal destiny: believing in and obeying the Son of God. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them" (Jn 3:36). Heaven (eternal life) or hell (eternal damnation) is not determined by good works or church affiliation but by our relationship with Jesus. Those who trust in Him as Savior and sin-bearer will spend eternity with him in heaven.