2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Why Do We Need the Gospel?
We as humans are fallen beings. That means that we have a sin nature, and cannot help but sin. Because God is holy, He cannot be in the presence of sin. If God can't be in the presence of sin, then where do sinful human beings go after death? The short answer is hell. But God did not create hell for humans but for Satan and his angels who rebelled against God.
What Is Sin?
Sin is basically what God is not. God is holy and pure, which means sin is evil and corrupt. The Bible says that sin causes death (Romans 6:23, James 1:13-15), and that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). God defines sin plainly for us in Exodus chapter 20, the ten commandments. We are not to steal, kill, lie, worship any other god than Him, make an idol, commit adultery, murder, use His name in vain (saying OMG), dishonor our parents, or covet. In Matthew 5 Jesus elaborates on the nature of the ten commandments by saying lust (sexual desire for anyone other than your spouse) is adultery (Matthew 5:27,28) and hate is murder (Matthew 5:21,22). Therefore even thinking about sinning is sin. Sin starts in the heart before it comes out in actions.
Why Do We Have Sin?
When God created everything in 6 literal days, everything was perfect and God dwelt with man on earth. God told man that he could eat of any of the trees in the Garden of Eden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God also said that, the day when they disobeyed his command, they would bring death to creation as well as physical and spiritual death to the human race. Then Satan, in the form of a serpent, cast doubt on God's word, saying, "You shall not surely die," so Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:1-7). Because of their disobedience, God cursed creation and man. This is why we have sin, death, disease, pain, weeds, etc. But God, in His love and mercy, covered their shame and nakedness, and promising to bring salvation to the world, that man and God may dwell together again. (Genesis 3:15)
How Can I Avoid Hell?
Thankfully for us God was not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), but that He loved the world enough to give His own Son Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16). Because the wages of sin is death, our sin has to be paid for with death. Jesus, by His death on the cross, took the punishment for all of our sin, and He rose from the dead on the third day, showing His payment was accepted. We just have to accept His payment on our behalf by repenting (turning from our sin 2 Timothy 2:19) and trusting in Him for our salvation.
What Happens To Those Who Reject His Gift of Salvation?
God, out of love, has given us a choice between accepting His gift of eternal life or rejecting it. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) The Bible is clear that all those who reject His offer of eternal life until the very end will go to hell. The Bible calls hell, "The Lake of Fire," and a place of eternal torment, which we deserve because of our sin. Don't wait to the last moment to accept Jesus Christ's offer of eternal life. You don't know when you will die, only God knows (Psalm 139:16). For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? - Matthew 16:26
What Comes After Salvation?
After you turn from your sin and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, God promises to dwell in you, as the Holy Spirit, who acts as God in us and draws us nearer to Him in love. The Bible also says that we enter into a loving relationship with our Creator, Jesus, and will be free from Satan and his will. When you have been saved by Christ, you have full confidence of your salvation, and you will avoid the eternal torment of hell. Your desires will also be changed. Instead of desiring to do things that are sinful, you will want to be righteous and do non-sinful things. Last but certainly not least, you will be able to fully understand what the Bible says.
The Hope of Those Saved By Christ!
God also gives us great hope for the future, even beyond being saved from hell! God says, that one day, He will pour out His wrath on all those who have not repented of their sin, when the day of judgement comes. The hope here is: because we are not appointed to God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9,10), we escape the wrath of God on that day when Jesus takes us to heaven for seven years while the earth is being judged! In heaven, we will be experiencing nothing but joy and love from our God, and we will get to rejoice that we have eternal life! After God's wrath on the earth is over, Jesus Christ will set up His kingdom on earth, which God will restore to perfection, for 1000 years, where we will rule and reign with Jesus! The best part of all is: after Christ reigns for 1000 years, He will send Satan and his angels to the Lake of Fire forever; and He will create a new universe with a new earth, both perfect, for us to live in and enjoy forever!
Hebrews 6:17-19
17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it [is] impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before [us]. 19 This [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the [Presence] behind the veil.