Why So Many Miss Heaven

“The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.” (Matthew 7:13b NLT)

When I was in college, I worked part time at the local newspaper, where I met a young man about my age, whose nickname was “Garb.” That seemed a little odd, so one day I asked why he was called that. The person’s response was: “because he’s constantly swearing!” Okay.

One day I needed a ride home and “Garb” offered to take me. We chatted casually, but when we got to my dorm, I asked him if I could talk to him about something. He agreed, so I shared how Jesus had come to earth to live a sinless life and die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. I told him how much God loved him and wanted to forgive him and give him new life in Christ.

After I shared for a few minutes, I asked him if he had any questions. At first, he was quiet, then he asked: “Why hasn’t anyone ever shared this with me before?”

The Lord brought that conversation to mind as I was contemplating this post. We’re so prone to believe that people just don’t want to hear about Jesus, that they’re content to live in their sin. But I believe a major reason so many people are going to miss heaven is because no one ever took the time to tell them what Jesus has done for them.

That’s one of the reasons I often go over the basics of the Gospel in my posts. Ignorance, which simply means a lack of knowledge about a given subject, is keeping people out of heaven.

Another reason that brings delight to Satan and blocks the ears and hearts of those who are without a saving knowledge of Jesus is hypocrisy in the lives of people who are professing to know Jesus but living like the devil. My brother-in-law, who is now in heaven, for years rejected invitations to come to Christ because of a relative who claimed to know Jesus but cheated him in business dealings.

Another very common reason people miss heaven is because we think they have more time than they do. I gave a ride to a boy I knew in high school, more by reputation than through friendship, but after I let him out of the car the Lord laid on my heart to speak to him about Jesus the next opportunity I had. There wasn’t to be another opportunity. He drove his car into the river the next day, taking his own life. He seemed to have everything, but obviously, he didn’t.

That’s a major reason I started this blog. It grieves me to think about people who would literally jump at the chance to know Jesus if they just understood who He is and what He’s done for them.

When I was first in ministry, I visited a family of seven – mom, dad and their five children. Often when I made visits the parents would send the kids to their rooms, but not this time. We sat in a circle, so we were face to face as I shared the words of life about Jesus. When I finished, I asked each one, starting with dad, to the youngest child: “Would you like to receive the gift of eternal life Jesus offers?” And each one, all seven, said “Yes!” They became fruitful servants of the Lord as they lived out their faith.

If you know the Lord, please don’t miss an opportunity to speak life and love into the heart of someone you meet or someone you know hasn’t yielded their life to the Lord. We never know when we’ll be seeing them for the last time. We must be about our Father’s business of sharing the life He’s given us with everyone we possibly can.

Blessings, Ed 😊