It is vital that Christians understand what the gospel is and what one must do or believe to be saved. This is the foundational doctrine of evangelical Christianity. It is the most important decision in your life, and it is the primary decision that shapes all other aspects of life.

The gospel (or good news) of Jesus is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”. The kingdom of heaven isn’t a reference to a purely spiritual realm or a place where souls go after death. This a reference to both a present reality and a future culmination. This is a tension that is often described as already and not yet. Framing the gospel only on the afterlife misses out on the already part.

Heaven is the realm where God’s will is done. God defines what is best for humans as they are his creation after all. Humans that want to live an everlasting life with God, give their allegiance to God as King. They live according to his will. This starts in the here and now and continues in its culmination with the resurrection. It then continues for eternity.

If we redefine paradise as the realm where God is King and people willing submit to his will, then this wouldn’t be paradise for everyone. This isn’t just the absence of evil; it is the presence of God. This paradise is open to everyone, but God isn’t going to force it. It is a decision we all need to make