THE IMPORTANCE OF SALVATION
As Christians, we must understand that salvation is the most significant matter in the entire universe (Ezekiel 18:32; 33:11). These two biblical passages reveal that the Lord Jehovah takes no pleasure in seeing human beings confined eternally in hell. Some, failing to grasp the nature of this punishment, might argue: “If God is unhappy about this, why doesn’t He simply let everyone into Heaven?” Such a line of reasoning is flawed. If God were to allow everyone—regardless of their state—to enter Heaven after death, that realm would merely become a second version of this world, fraught with the same suffering, hatred, deceit, sorrow, and despair that characterize life on earth today. As the God of infinite wisdom, the Lord would never perform such a futile and irrational act—which would, in effect, render the mission of Jesus Christ—His suffering and death on the cross—pointless by turning Heaven into nothing more than another earthly realm.
It is precisely for this reason that hell exists: to eternally contain those who are unworthy or who do not wish to enter Heaven, thereby ensuring that God’s Heaven—and those who have been saved—can exist in eternal peace and joy. God acts this way to protect those who have received salvation; otherwise, salvation would have no value. The Bible verses cited above indicate that God takes no pleasure in seeing human beings confined to hell; yet, He must also reward those who attain salvation, granting them a life far better than any they experienced on earth (Luke 16:25). For this reason, the salvation of humanity is the most significant matter in the entire universe, as it directly concerns the joy or sorrow of the Creator (Proverbs 19:12, 20:2). Jehovah is the King of the universe. Because of His immense love, He rejoices when people receive salvation, while He is deeply grieved when they are consigned to hell.
Furthermore, as the righteous God, He must separate humanity into two distinct realms, ensuring that heaven remains a place far superior to this world (Revelation 7:17, 21:4). By looking at the realities of life, we can understand why Heaven and Hell must exist. In human society, there are always wicked, violent, and deceitful people. Despite laws in every nation, human vices cannot be entirely prevented. Consequently, nations establish prisons to confine those who harm society, thereby allowing law-abiding citizens to live in peace. In the same way, for God’s Heaven to remain eternally peaceful, those who are unfit for it must be confined to an eternal Hell.
In this world, corruption, abuse of power, bribery, and the wickedness of governments can lead to the use of prisons to threaten, persecute, and incarcerate honest, sincere individuals who seek justice—while simultaneously allowing criminals, especially violent offenders, to run rampant, as is currently the case in some cities in the United States. However, because God is a God of justice, He will not permit such a situation to occur in the spiritual realm, where human existence continues eternally. Since human beings possess the “breath of life” from God (Genesis 2:7), they possess a soul; and because God is eternal, the human soul is also eternal. After the death of the physical body, a person does not cease to exist; rather, their soul persists forever. Given this, if God were to allow the wicked to live freely in the afterlife, the suffering of humanity would be millions of times greater than the suffering experienced in this world. God would never allow that to happen. That is why He established hell—to eternally confine the wicked and those who do not wish to enter Heaven.
Someone might argue, “I am not wicked, yet I do not desire to enter Heaven; therefore, God should grant me the freedom to go wherever I please.” Such a statement reveals a misunderstanding of the Creator’s laws. Throughout the entire universe, every place is governed by its own specific laws. Consider this: families have their own internal standards; schools have their disciplinary codes; workplaces have company policies; parks and recreational areas have their own sets of rules; national laws govern society at large; and even political parties or criminal gangs operate under their own codes. If someone claimed that human society has too many rules and decided to live in the wilderness, they would still be subject to the “law of the jungle” and the laws of nature—there is simply no escaping such order. Therefore, it is entirely irrational and ignorant to suggest that a human soul could exist eternally while rejecting God’s established order regarding Heaven and hell.
We must remember that, although God is the God of love, He must also protect those who dwell in Heaven; thus, the creation of hell became a necessity. Nevertheless, the Bible reveals that the Lord (Jehovah) takes no pleasure in seeing human beings confined to such a place.
It is precisely for this reason that we affirm to you that human salvation is the most critical issue in the universe—it touches upon the joy and sorrow of the King of Glory, the Almighty God. This is neither a mere religious theory nor simply the tenet of a particular faith, as many—especially critics of Christianity—often mistakenly assume. To grasp the broader significance of this subject, consider the following: Jesus Christ had to be born into this world to die in our place. He is God, yet out of love for humanity (John 3:16), He endured humiliation, suffering, and death for mankind. Many who do not yet believe often mock this, dismissing the death of Jesus Christ as a mere fabrication. However, historical reality confirms it; one need only examine historical records to find the evidence. While we will not delve into the historical details here—as that subject will be addressed in a separate article—we can point to one highly accessible and concrete piece of evidence regarding the death of Jesus Christ: the Bible. Throughout history, from the time it was first written until the present day, there have been persistent attempts to destroy the Bible, yet all such efforts have failed. To this day, the Bible remains the most widely printed and distributed book in human history.
The Bible’s existence shows that God has preserved His Word throughout the ages for humanity’s salvation. The Bible reveals how one may attain this salvation. In a separate article, we will explore the extraordinary, marvelous nature of the Bible—a quality unmatched by the scriptures of any other religion.
A third factor that underscores the importance of salvation is the reality that all human beings must die. With the exceptions of Enoch and Elijah, every person—whether powerful, exceptionally gifted, or ordinary—must pass through the gateway of death. Everyone, regardless of their wishes, must eventually confront this undeniable fact. It is a profound tragedy when humanity fails to prepare for or seek to understand the reality of death—a tragedy with eternal consequences (Matthew 24:30). This very regret constitutes the enduring anguish of hell, as described in the Bible (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28).
Many argue that death is the absolute end—that nothing exists beyond it—and therefore, there is no need to trouble oneself by thinking about it. Yet this perspective is merely a deception; the lives of those who espouse it reveal that they do not truly believe what they preach to others. In reality, they are often the very people who fear death the most. We will have the opportunity to discuss this theory and perspective in greater depth; for now, we wish to briefly touch on the distinction between human life and the lives of animals. This difference lies in the fact that human beings possess a soul, whereas animals do not (Genesis 2:7; Job 27:3; Ecclesiastes 12:7). It is precisely because humans possess a soul that there is an afterlife, and it is for this reason that salvation—that is, eternal life—is of such profound importance.
This is revealed throughout the Bible; from Genesis to Revelation, Scripture addresses humanity’s salvation and the means by which it may be attained. Human salvation is one of the Bible’s three central themes. We intend to explore in greater detail the conditions—or elements—God has established so that we may reflect further on this vital subject. While all Christians know how to receive salvation, the Word of God contains many other significant details that Christians sometimes overlook or fail to notice. This is why we wrote this piece: to share these insights with you.
The first condition—or element—for receiving salvation is BELIEVE. Every Christian knows this, and even those who have yet to believe often do as well, since we frequently speak of it when sharing the Gospel or engaging in evangelism. However, it is worth noting that Christians sometimes assume that believing in the Lord is the ONLY condition for receiving salvation. Yet thinking this way—or declaring it to others—contradicts God’s Truth as revealed in the Bible. While salvation is important (as we briefly outlined above), if a Christian fails to meet ALL the conditions God requires, we will certainly NOT receive that grace. Before delving further into the meaning of the word believe, we must address two significant issues related to it: the nature (or meaning) of salvation and the desire for salvation. Once we understand these two aspects, it becomes clear why God has established such a comprehensive set of conditions.
(to be continued)