The Coward will NOT enter Heaven.

If I'm being honest, I haven't personally met many men in my Christian walk who were remarkably courageous. And here I'm not talking about worldly courage—which is also important and equally uncommon in our day—but Christian courage, which seems even rarer.

It has always stood out to me that in Revelation 21:8, John lists “the cowardly” among those excluded from the New Jerusalem: “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” And not only does he mention them, but he lists them first.

In the biblical context, “cowardly” doesn’t refer to those who crumble under natural fear or timidity but to those who shrink back from Christ under pressure—who fear man more than God, deny the faith, or refuse to persevere when following Jesus is costly. It’s a moral and spiritual cowardice that refuses to confess or obey Christ when it leads to suffering.

Many people think that the state of religious liberty we live in hides cowardice, but I think it’s almost the opposite—it reveals it. If you are not faithful and courageous in times of relative peace, how much less will you be when the true war comes? And there are always good excuses. This is the coward’s specialty. They call their compromise wisdom. They call their peddling with the Word of God love. They call their moral and mental weakness vulnerability. They call their fear of speaking the truth empathy. They call their unwillingness to step up caution. God gave Adam the responsibility to name things, but cowards use that power to rename sin and hide behind lies.

Courage, in Scripture, is a mark of true faith. As Jesus said, “Whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:33). When Jesus appears, the excuses and false naming will not stand.

So, repent—and be courageous.

Find a church that calls you to courage.

Find friends who will challenge you to stand firm.

The coward will not enter heaven.

Remember this every day.

Nino Marques