Where Do You Want to Spend Your Eternity?

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Human existence is not confined to time and space. Every person must wrestle with the ultimate question: Where will I spend eternity? Christianity and Islam provide radically different answers, shaped by their distinct understandings of God, salvation, and human destiny. The Christian message, grounded in the love of God revealed through Jesus Christ, stands in sharp contrast to the Islamic narrative centered on human submission to Allah.

In Scripture, the God of the Bible is revealed as love itself (1 John 4:8). His divine initiative toward humanity is not driven by compulsion but by grace. Before we were formed in our mother’s womb, God knew us (Jeremiah 1:5). This profound truth emphasizes that our lives are anchored in divine love and purpose. In the fullness of time, God demonstrated His love by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and grant us eternal life (John 3:16). Salvation, therefore, is not earned through works, rituals, or human striving—it is a gift of grace received by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). In this way, Christianity proclaims a God who does not demand that His followers die for Him but rather a God who died for His followers.

Islam, by contrast, presents a fundamentally different picture. The Qur’an does not portray Allah as one who loves humanity in a personal or sacrificial way. There is no passage where Allah declares His willingness to die for Muslims. Instead, the call of Islam historically has often involved fighting and dying for the sake of Allah. Muhammad himself is depicted as one who fought to establish his faith by the sword, while the God of the Bible established salvation by the cross. This stark divergence underscores two theological paradigms: one rooted in divine self-giving love, the other in human submission without assurance of eternal security.

The question, therefore, is deeply personal: Do you want to entrust your eternity to a God who demands your life, or to the God who gave His life for you? The Christian gospel invites every person to receive freedom and eternal life in Jesus Christ. As He Himself declared, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). The Christian hope is not built upon uncertainty but upon the finished work of Christ, who conquered sin and death and offers eternal fellowship with God to all who believe.

This is not merely a theological debate but a call to decision. Eternity is real, and the path one chooses now determines one’s eternal destiny. The God of the Bible, revealed in Jesus Christ, offers not only salvation but also love, purpose, and assurance that extends beyond this life into the age to come.

At Shimba Theological Institute, we affirm and proclaim this eternal truth: God is love, and His love is fully revealed in Jesus Christ. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The invitation is clear, the promise is sure, and the hope is eternal.

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