Why Not Everyone?

When a death occurs, it’s customary to comfort family members by saying, “They’re better off now that they’re in Heaven.”

Let’s get serious about death for a moment. Death occurs when a person’s body yields up his or her departing πνεȗμα (PNYOO-MA) spirit or “ghost” (Matthew 27:50; Acts 5:10). “The body without the spirit is dead” (James 2:26).

When the spirit departs the body, the body goes to the grave or crematorium, or if not found, decays wherever it is. The spirit continues to live, according to Jesus Christ, either in Paradise (Luke 23:43) - a place of comfort, or in a place of hellish tormenting flame (Luke 16:24-26). Not every spirit leaving the body in death actually goes to Heaven.

Yəhohwah (yeah-hoe-wah) Father God, in his infinite wisdom, doesn’t force anyone to serve him or his son, Yeshua (yeah-shoo-ah) Jesus Christ. Every human being has to make that choice for himself.

Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). That “drawing” or magnetic attraction towards Christ the Savior comes to individuals in many ways and circumstances. A person may feel God’s Holy Spirit tugging at him during a church service. Or maybe while visiting a sick friend. Or while attending a funeral. Or while reading a Bible or Christian literature. Or watching a Christian movie like “Ben Hur” or “The Passion of the Christ.”

A magnet only attracts pieces of iron in its proximity. The best way to avoid being drawn in to Christ is to stay as far away from him and his Spirit as possible.

Many who “accidentally” get exposed to God’s Spirit turn away when they feel God tugging at their conscience. They avoid church. They dare not make friends with Christians, and shun Christian relatives. They avoid reading the Bible.

While surfing through TV stations for something of value to watch, they quickly reject any Christian broadcasts. While visiting friends at the hospital, if they feel that Spirit tug, they run outside for a smoke or a snack in order to get away.

“Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). The Lord’s name is Yeshua (yeah-shoo-ah) Jesus Christ. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Saved? Saved from what? Saved from having your eternal spirit go to tormenting hell when you depart from your dying body! Saved so that instead, your spirit one day goes to Heaven, absent from the body, and present with the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Why doesn’t everyone go to Heaven when they die? Why do many go instead to tormenting Hell? Because they avoided exposure to the drawing magnet of God’s Holy Spirit. And when they did feel that tug, they rejected Christ. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:17-19).