The reality of eternity in heaven is something everyone should be excited about. Imagine a place where time does not matter, where there will never be any sadness or sickness and no death. Paul spoke of it in this manner, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:” (Phil 1:23).

Paul was prepared to take the journey into eternity. He had not always been ready.

While making a trip to arrest Christians, Paul (then called Saul) was told by Jesus to go into the city, and he would be told what to do. Ananias the preacher told him to, “Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins…” (Acts 22:16).

Notice Saul had to follow the command of Jesus in order to be saved. He then lived a life for God, so that he was able to say, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

All must realize that they will not live forever on this earth, so one needs to prepare even as did Saul, to live in eternity. God’s word has been given to man so that man can come to understand God’s love and God’s terms for forgiveness.

James wrote, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22). Those who refuse to listen and obey God now will find one day that God will not listen to them. “Therefore, it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: (Zech. 7:13). Luke tells of one who ignored God during his lifetime and realized too late what he had done. “And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence” (Luke 16:23-26). God’s word cannot be ignored. Each person one day will give an accounting. On that day it will be too late to change what we have done.

Man will not live forever.

God’s word explains in the book of Acts how all men can make the same preparation that Saul made. One must have faith (Heb. 11:6), repent of their sins (Acts 17:30, 31), confess the name of Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 10:32, 33; Rom. 10:9, 10), one must be immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and then live a faithful life for God (Rev. 2:10).

If one does this, they can look forward to eternity.