I've read all about Heaven and Hell in the Bible, but I've always wanted to know if there's an easy, accessible way to explain the concepts of Heaven and Hell to someone who isn't a Christian.

This is a question I get brought up to me a lot. All throughout the Bible, different descriptions of Heaven and Hell are used. Heaven is often described in terms of a paradise, with singing angels, and animals that on Earth are natural enemies lying down beside one another. Hell, on the other hand, is described as a lake of fire with weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Perhaps the best way, though, to explain Heaven and Hell that I've ever heard is a parallel between these concepts and a scene from the movie Aladdin. All who have seen it know that there is a great palace in which the king and his family live. Just outside the palace is the alleyway where there are a lot of hungry and homeless people.

Picture Heaven as that palace. A huge, wonderful place where nobody is in want and their every desire is met. And Hell is that alleyway behind the palace. Now here is the thing. In order to get into the palace, all it takes is a key to the gate. Now you'd think, since some people are in the palace and others are outside cold, hungry and miserable that only the people inside were given keys. However, if you look, you see that everyone in that alley is sitting, crouched and huddled for warmth, each holding their key. One would think, naturally, that if they have a key it would only stand to reason that they would use it, right? However, upon question the people outside have varying reasons for not using the key. Some don't want to be in the palace because of the type of people they think are there. Others don't think that the key will really get them anywhere....they don't believe the palace exists. Still others say that they won't take a hand-out and that if they are going to be in such a wonderful place, they would rather have to work for it.

For the purpose of this illustration, we were not talking about a physical key here. The key was a symbol for grace. Grace is given to everyone, not just for some. Jesus died so that ALL might have eternal life. People may think that it is God who determines whether someone goes to Heaven or Hell. Not so...we determine that. It is out choice – to take the key, accept the grace and enter into Everlasting Life, or to choose to remain separated from God. The choice is ours, and we hold the key.