The 6 Questions that Heaven and Hell Depend

I’ve read the two diagnostic questions from Evangelism Explosion by James Kennedy.  They went kind of like this “If you to die today where would you go?”  If you answered Heaven they would ask “Why do you think you would go to Heaven?”  Then you might say “Because I am a good person.” and they would begin explaining faith in Jesus.

Here are 6 questions given in Matt 25:34-40

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

The Holy Spirit is Love

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'  NIV

The 6 questions are:

1)       When did we see you hungry and feed you?

2)      Thirsty and give you something to drink? 

3)      When did we see you a stranger and invite you in?

4)      Needing clothes and clothe you?

5)      When did we see you sick?

6)      In prison and go to visit you?

Now I know there will not be 6 diagnostic question when we get to the Pearly Gates but it makes you think.  I used to think “Well this doesn’t apply to me because I’m saved by grace through faith in Jesus.”  So I tried to make it all fit.  I surmised “Maybe if I had done some of these that would cover it? What a relief now off the hook.”

Now I realize this is a short and incomplete description of the sacrificial, crucified love generated by the Holy Spirit.   We can expect this from ourselves regularly, because that is who He is.  Because the Spirit is love and is full of grace for the broken.

I left off the damnation part.  I didn’t want to scare anyone.