After death – what?

Imagine asking an auditorium of 1,000 people to say where they expect to spend eternity – heaven or hell. (Of course, a number would refuse either option, preferring to think they will be annihilated). But I would imagine, out of the 1,000, maybe one person would admit they deserved hell. In other words, basically no-one ever seriously believes they will end up in hell. How about you?

Most religions have beliefs about life after death; it seems our human psyche requires some sense of justice being done in an ultimate divine assessment of our lives. The problem, of course, is to get anywhere further than a vague unfounded hope.

Some think that the idea of hell comes from the Old Testament with its God of fiery fury and righteous wrath. Interestingly, the Old Testament has only sparse allusions to anything like hell; for the most part its notion of the afterlife is hazy. Daniel 12.2 refers to the end-time possibilities of “everlasting life” and “shame and everlasting contempt”.

It was Jesus who spoke a lot about “eternal life” and the alternative that he called hell. He warns of being “cast into hell” (Mark 9.47), and in the Sermon on the Mount of those “in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5.22). He describes it as a place of torment – “a fiery furnace – in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13.42). The lost, he says, “will go away into eternal punishment” (Matthew 25.46). While some of the dead will be received into God’s presence along with Abraham the father of the faithful, Jesus describes others as being “in torment”, and “in anguish” (Luke 16.23-25).

This is so often overlooked because we consider Jesus as being essentially kind and ready to forgive: but for Jesus it was an act of kindness to warn us that there is a hell to avoid and yet an eternal life that can be ours after death.

How can we know truth in this hidden domain? God only knows, ultimately. But Jesus affirmed that he, the incarnation of God, had “come down from heaven” to “bear witness to the truth” and to say “whatever the Father told him to say” (John 6.38, 18.36, 12.49-50).

Ultimately God alone knows what will happen to us after death. But in Jesus, he came down to tell us. More, he came to warn us – for hell is not merely for those guilty of committing the most horrific crimes. Hell will be the righteous punishment meted out to all sinners, “according to their works” (Matthew 16.27). And since the Bible clearly teaches that we have “all sinned” (Romans 3.23), it invites us all to be saved from hell by finding forgiveness and receiving the gift of eternal life, which Jesus promised to those who repent and believe in him.

Jesus came out of heaven not just to warn us of hell: he gave his life on the cross to make salvation possible. On that basis he promises eternal life to those who entrust themselves to him as Lord and Saviour. “To him all the prophets give witness, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10.43). This is how to avoid hell. Jesus said, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life; he does not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life” (John 5.24). “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish [in hell] but have eternal life” (John 3.16).

Clive Every-Clayton

August 4, 2025 0

You are loved

One of our most fundamental needs is to be loved. Oh the joy of knowing you are loved! You can put up with anything if you know you are truly loved. How our heart hungers and longs for love! “Love is (almost) all you need”. But a plaintive song in “Half a Sixpence” laments, “Where is love?” How many hearts are burdened by lovelessness! We appreciate any kindness shown to us, but oh! the deep personal longing to love and to be loved! And what anguish when relationships break up and love is lost!

One of the huge blessings of the Christian faith is to know that God loves us, and it is uniquely satisfying because his love is eternal, faithful, strong, forgiving, never-ending. God’s love starts in eternity past – before the creation of the world: “I have loved you with an everlasting love” he says. What comfort that gives the believer! “Underneath are the everlasting arms”: his love enfolds us in a warm eternal embrace.

How do we know? Jesus came from “the bosom of the Father” to tell us, and even to show us how great is his love. The Bible tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4.8) and love radiates unceasingly from God as the warmth radiates from the sun. As the children’s song says, “You can’t stop God from loving you”!

Most people think that God would love them if they were really, really good people, but they know they aren’t so they’re afraid God is against them. But Jesus teaches us that God even loves people who he calls sinners. Jesus’ self-giving on the Cross, for us unworthy sinners, is the great demonstration of how much he loves us. “God proves his love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8). “Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13). “I am the Good Shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10.11). God has shown how much he loves you by sending his Son to die on the Cross, so that through his sacrifice your sins may be forgiven, and you may be welcomed into a loving relationship with him forever.

The amazing thing about God’s love is that you do not have to earn it. You just have to believe it and turn to him, opening your heart to receive him as your Lord, your Saviour, and your Friend.

This is how Jesus stated it: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3.16). God’s love is a giving love: he gave his Son up for us; the Son gave up his life for us; on that basis, God is eager to give you eternal life as a “free gift” (Romans 6.23) if you will come to the risen Christ and receive him. “He who has the Son, has eternal life” (1 John 5.12).

How do you receive Christ? You do that by praying to God, right where you are; he hears you as you tell him you are sorry for your sins, you are turning away from them, and you want him to come into your heart to make you a true child of God. He will answer, because he loves you and desires to save and forgive you. If you are sincere, you will see how he answers that prayer, changing your life profoundly as you become a follower of Jesus.

Clive Every-Clayton

April 4, 2025 0

Answering the problem of suffering (part 1)

Many atheists think that the problem of suffering is sufficient to prove that a good God doesn’t exist. They are wrong again here, and I will tell you why.

Firstly, let’s think about a “good” God. Goodness is not only kindness and compassion, but also uprightness, justice, decency, holiness. The good God who exists is both loving, and holy. His wisdom leads him to regulate human conduct by his commandments which issue both from his holiness and from his love. This means that the holy human life, keeping God’s commandments, is actually the happiest; it is the best way for human beings to enjoy life and find fulfilment. It follows that sinful behaviour is not the way of true happiness.

Secondly, God has put his creatures in a context where they are answerable to him for the way they behave. He is discontent with human disobedience and sin but in his kindness, he warns people (by their conscience as well as by his Word) that their evil deeds will be sanctioned. This is an inescapable element of our reality. God did not create us all so we could harm people and wreak havoc with his creation with impunity. He is and ever will be the ultimate Master of all his creation and the judge of all his creatures. This is an element of the Christian position that is seldom raised in dealing with the atheist’s objection concerning the problem of pain and suffering, but it is essential to the biblical answer.

Thirdly, punishment is not nice. By its very nature it must hurt, or it is no penalty at all. The ultimate punishment for unrepentant sinners is eternal hell, and this is depicted as terrible suffering. Indeed, it is so awful that biblical prophets, apostles, and the Lord Jesus himself warn everyone most earnestly to turn from the way of wickedness and find the full and free forgiveness that God in his grace offers them, through the work and promises of Jesus. The fact that forgiveness and acceptance and eternal life is graciously offered by our Saviour shows that God is no monster – he is glad to forgive and welcome the sinner who repents and turns to him. But the Christian cannot escape the difficulty by saying that all will go to heaven in the end: what the believer can say is that God will judge rightly. The biblical expression, “God will render to each one according to his deeds” enshrines the principle of exact justice: no one will be punished more (or less) that they deserve, according to the light they received and their actual behaviour.

Now no warning that God might give about this eternal suffering would make any impact – nor could even be understood – if there was no such thing as suffering in this life. God therefore allowed suffering to be a part of our experience, so that we can correctly understand what eternal suffering would be like, in order to avoid it. He has chosen not to make our present suffering correspond exactly to our misdeeds; if he did, we would rightly complain that he is forcing us to be good. He desires that our obedience should be disinterested as far as our present circumstances are concerned. He even warns his children that they will suffer for being good in an evil world. He encourages them to be holy not for the gain they will get, but to give pleasure to their Master. Many of Jesus’ apostles suffered for their faith, and the holiest person ever – Jesus – suffered worst of all!

Clive Every-Clayton

January 20, 2025 0

Do not be fooled!

There’s good news and there’s fake news: it is important to discern which is which!

Christmas commemorates the messengers from heaven announcing “good news of great joy that will be for all people” (Luke 2.10). The incarnation of the Son of God was – and is – “good news”. And it is universal truth, “for all people”. And it’s a source of “great joy” – deep happiness and human fulfilment.

Though “fake news” seems to be a modern concept, there have always been purveyors of falsehoods, and their fake news is folly that leads people astray. Fake news is actually bad news because it’s false, so people believe a lie.

In previous blogs I have insisted that only God knows all truth; only he can communicate that absolute truth to us; he sent his Son into the world to tell us the truth that he wants us to know; and that hearing Jesus’ teaching “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8.31-32). There alone is the source of real truth, good news, not fake.

It is not polite to call another person a “fool”, but twice in the Bible God uses this word to describe two types of people. Two of our perplexing questions are: “Does God exist?” and “What happens after death?” It’s vital to obtain true and reliable answers to these fundamental questions. God himself both gives the answers, and condemns as “fools” those who think differently. Concerning the existence of the Creator God, Lord of the Universe, Maker of all things visible and invisible: to deny his existence is a big mistake: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14.1). This is a foolish belief-statement for several reasons: first, it would require an exhaustive research of the entire universe to be able to make such an affirmation. As that is impossible, the statement merely expresses one person’s belief, or lack of belief. Secondly, it fails to consider seriously all the pointers to God’s existence in the amazing creation we observe all around us with its glorious beauty, the mathematical precision of its physical constants, and human beings themselves who, despite our fall into corruption, still reflect much of the personality of the God in whose image we were created.

So don’t draw the hasty and false conclusion that “There is no God”; if you haven’t found him yet, that’s no proof of his non-existence. Study the life and teaching of the One who came down to earth from Him at that first Christmas: you will see he is believable.

The word “fool” is also used in one of Jesus’ parables concerning the second big question – life after death. A farmer gets richer and richer until he no longer had enough space to keep all his goods. He decides to tear down his barns and build greater ones, saying to himself, “I have plenty of good things laid up for myself for many years; I will take life easy, eat, drink, and be merry”. Then Jesus adds: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul will be demanded of you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” (Luke 12.16-21).

Here is the folly of not preparing for eternity and the Day of Judgment that we must all face. Don’t believe the fake news that “when you’re dead you’re dead”. The Bible warns us: “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9.27).

Please, for the sake of your eternal soul, don’t be fooled!

Clive Every-Clayton

January 8, 2024 0

The book of answers

You may have seen some books of puzzles, quizzes, and brain teasers; normally they have the explanations and answers at the end section of the book. Where is that final explanation of the whole puzzle of human existence?

The Bible is an amazing book. Penned by about 40 authors over more than a millennium, who would have thought it could contain a unified message about the most abstruse issues imaginable? But that is what the Bible is and does. And it’s not just a boring book of religious theories; it is the most wonderful love story ever written, recounting the infinite love of God for the most undeserving of species – lost humankind. It’s story has a beginning in paradise, a drama of human rebellion, a development of divine love searching for unfaithful people, the revelation of the most superb person who ever lived, Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, his life and teaching, his unmerited condemnation to death and his astonishing resurrection, complete with explanations as to how his coming can bring us the forgiveness of our sins, a new life here and now, and an eternity in God’s glorious heaven.

This worldwide best-seller is God’s Book of Answers. All other attempts to write such a book pale in comparison with the Bible’s elevated tone and divine authority. No other book offers such beautiful truth, such elevated moral teaching balancing holiness with peace and self-denial with joy, and furnishing us with such satisfying answers to all of our deep existential questions.

“I the Lord speak the truth” God himself declares to his prophet (Isaiah 45.19). “I made the earth and created man on it… There is no other god beside me” (Isaiah 45.12, 21). Here we are at the very source of true information about all the big issues that concern us!

When the Gospel of John starts with the affirmation, “In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word was with God and the Word was God… All things were made by him” (John 1.1, 3) this echoes the first lines of the Bible where God is revealed as the almighty Creator. But further on, John, an apostle of Jesus, continued: “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth”. The eternal Word, the creator of all things, came to earth in Jesus, who said “I have come down from heaven” (John 6.38); “I speak what I have seen with my Father… the truth that I heard from God (John 8.38, 40).

Christmas celebrates God the Creator coming down among us – indeed, he was walking on this earth exactly 2,000 years ago, in Palestine, communicating eternal truths that are the answers to our profound questions. Is there a God? Yes, “I came from God and I am here”; it is “the Father who sent me” (John 8.42, 16). You know him? Yes, “I do know him and I keep his word” (John 8.55). Are you telling us the truth? Yes, “He who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him” (John 8.26).

Apart from telling us truth, why else have you come? “I came that people might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10.10). “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life” (John 5.24).

Rightly did another apostle, Peter, exclaim: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed” (John 6.69).

Clive Every-Clayton

November 26, 2023 0

Is there any hope?

Hope is the confidence that a positive outcome will occur. The reason many are hopeless today is that they see no reason to expect a good outcome in the world in which we live. I’m not going to list all the horrors that we may fear – I think we know them all too well. The question is rather, how can we have any hope that things in the future will be better than the present?

The difficulty is that human nature does not essentially change. We will always be that mixture of good and evil. If good people prevail in government, peace and prosperity might come; if evil people rule, we may suffer the opposite. And when you study history, you may well conclude that there is little hope that life will be peaceful and things will go better.

Some trust in the advances of science, and we must be thankful for every progress in the field of medicine, in particular, that will improve our well-being. But still we will all face death. Others look to Artificial intelligence (AI) with great expectations, while many fear what such “intelligence” may do. It all depends on who wields and guides that AI – for good or for evil. And as the very notions of good and evil are disputed and twisted, the future still looks bleak.

These blog posts deal with “authentic hope”: how can hope be authentic? When we wonder who can tell what the future holds, the answer is – only one person: God. He is not bound by time, as we are: he is eternal. He sees the end already. He knows where everything is headed, and indeed, he has the almighty power necessary to ensure that his ultimate good purposes will be fulfilled. As he is Lord over all creation, he alone can give us authentic hope for the future (as well as true hope for answers to our existential questions). He, and he alone, knows the future. In fact he holds the future in his hands.

The Bible speaks a lot about hope. There’s a text in the Bible that speaks of people “without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2.12). If God alone can hold out hope for our future, then those without God are without any solidly grounded hope.

Not many people realise that God has unveiled the future of our human existence. The greatest element in the biblical hope is that the world will end with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in power and glory. “He will come to judge the living and the dead”: that phrase of the Christian creed sums up what lies ultimately ahead of us all. No evil-doer can escape the final judgment of God. If there was no ultimate reckoning, then all justice is meaningless. But God has inscribed the presentiment of just judgment in the conscience of every human being. This serves to prevent many horrible crimes and atrocities, but those who bypass the restraints of conscience should realise that they will nevertheless face ultimate judgment.

Now this, of course, for all of us, is not exactly joyous hope! We would not like a God of absolute holiness to examine the details of our lives and administer justice according to our misdeeds. While that is not “good news”, there is wonderful good news in the message of the Gospel of Christ. Through faith in our Lord and Saviour, we may be absolutely delivered from the condemnation due to us on that judgment day. This good news gives real hope, as I will share further.

Clive Every-Clayton

November 14, 2023 0

The unmentionable

No-one in polite society ever talks of death – yet everyone, deep down, is afraid of it. Howard Inlet in Collateral Beauty expressed it: “At the end of the day, we long for love, we wish we had more time. And we fear death”.

When I was an adolescent I remember one night lying awake at night thinking about death and the great Beyond. I was so perturbed I finally got out of bed, crossed the landing to my brother’s room (a year and a half older than I) to try and get some reassurance. It was only some years later that the true answer came to us both and ultimately made us into workers for the Gospel.

One Bible verse I did know in my teens was, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6.23). The Bible, right from the beginning, makes it clear that death comes as a punishment for sin; we all die, because we are all sinners. God is kind enough not to inflict the penalty immediately when we sin; he allows time for people to remain alive and repent and find forgiveness.

The “death” that is the “wages of sin”, however, is not merely physical death. It is also what the Book of Revelation calls “the second death”, which is hell. This is described by Jesus as a place of “torment” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth”. There are sobering warnings throughout the Bible of the awful reality of eternal punishment; there are also wondrous depictions of eternal bliss and eternal life for those who have found mercy, obtained grace and been forgiven.

It is because “the soul that sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18.4) that the atoning work accomplished by Jesus had to take the form of his death. The sinner must die – so justice will be done; but if a representative bears the penalty in the place of the guilty, they may go free. That is why Jesus died: he said he would “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10.45). “Christ also once suffered for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3.18). “He himself bore our sins in his body” on the cross (1 Peter 2.24). He came to deal with our sin problem, “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9.26). It was the supreme demonstration of his love for you and me: “Greater love has no-one than this”, said Jesus, “than to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13). “I am the Good Shepherd”, he said, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10.11).

If you ever doubt that God loves you, look with the eye of faith at the cross where Jesus bore your sin and your death penalty, to save you from eternal death. This is the great message of the Gospel: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8).

This loving service, indispensable for our forgiveness, was accomplished by Jesus in human history, at Jerusalem, almost 2,000 years ago, and its value is such that on that basis any sinner may turn to Christ in faith and find salvation.

Our response must logically be that of thankful faith. Once we grasp what Jesus did for us, how can we but turn from sin and open our hearts in grateful love to such a Saviour? Once we do that, we need no longer fear death: the verse that begins, “The wages of sin is death”, ends, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”

Clive Every-Clayton

September 10, 2023 0