I was at a doctor’s office the other day and looked up and saw a sign on the wall that got my attention. It read, “When it’s a matter of life or death, it matters where you go.”

I realize it meant that if you have a medical emergency that was a matter of life or death, you would want to go to a doctor who knew what he or she was doing. As I pondered on this statement, however, I saw a spiritual message within it. Physically, we all will face matters of life or death, and there will be a time when death will win out. But spiritually, that is not the case. Spiritual death is a reality, and the end result is eternal separation from God in a place the Scriptures call hell. Spiritual life also is a reality, and the end result is eternity in the presence of God in the place the Scriptures call heaven.

Where a person ends up depends on where a person goes to deal with this issue. In other words, it matters where you go. Some go to false religions, while others go to cults to try to find eternal life. Some believe their own goodness will lead them to eternal life, while others aren’t really sure that eternity even exists. The Bible tells us that there is only one way to eternal life, and that is through trusting in and making a decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ. John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

The good news is that even though where we go matters, we are all invited to come.