Romans
6:22 But
now being made free
from sin, and become
servants to God, ye
have your fruit unto
holiness, and the
end everlasting
life.
6:23 For
the wages of sin is
death; but
the gift of God is
eternal life through
Jesus Christ our
Lord.
I got into a
discussion with a
friend of mine who
seems to be confused
about the doctrine
of sinners and their
destination of an
ever burning hell.
In talking with this
person, I was aware
that he didn’t
believe a loving God
would ever send any
one to an eternal
torment known to us
as hell, or Gehenna.
Is he right? Is a
loving God unwilling
to send anyone to a
terrible place
called in the bible
in 53 different
passages, hell or a
place burning with
fire and brimstone?
Is the concept of a
eternal hell a
figment of some
minister’s
imagination or a
denomination’s
attempt to force
people to the altar
for fear of being
cast into hellfire?
First, let me quote
a minister that
doesn’t believe in
an eternal hell and
that God is a God of
Love,
“For centuries, many
ministers have been
preaching "hellfire
and brimstone"
sermons and
promoting a religion
of fear by teaching
that the unsaved
face an eternity of
torture. The common
teaching is that
incorrigibly wicked
people will be
tormented forever in
some fiery, macabre
manner in a
terrifying place
called hell. This
horrible fate
usually conjures up
in people's minds
visions of an
ever-burning
hellfire where
sinners are
continually roasted
on spits, and a
devil with horns and
a tail runs around
sticking his
captives with a
pitchfork.”
It is hard to
convince some folks
that God is not only
a God of love, but
also the God of
judgment. He is a
God of justice, a
God of consuming
fire, and a God who
will not allow sin
into His presence.
Are we talking about
the same God?. Do
you mean the same
God that told the
Israelites when they
entered
Canaan
to not spare man,
woman, or child from
the sword, but to
slay them all? Do
you mean that God?
If it’s the
same God of the
Bible, what did He
say about it?
When Jesus spoke of
the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus
being separated by a
huge gulf and the
rich man being in
torment, was He just
telling a story? Was
He stretching the
truth, just to make
a point? Let’s look
at the passage. This
is Jesus speaking.
Luke chapter 16:
16:19 There
was a certain rich
man, which was
clothed in purple
and fine linen, and
fared sumptuously
every day:
16:20 And
there was a certain
beggar named
Lazarus, which was
laid at his gate,
full of sores,
16:21 And
desiring to be fed
with the crumbs
which fell from the
rich man's table:
moreover the dogs
came and licked his
sores.
16:22 And
it came to pass,
that the beggar
died, and was
carried by the
angels into
Abraham's bosom: the
rich man also died,
and was buried;
16:23 And
in hell he lift up
his eyes, being in
torments, and seeth
Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his
bosom.
16:24 And
he cried and said,
Father Abraham, have
mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, that
he may dip the tip
of his finger in
water, and cool my
tongue; for I am
tormented in this
flame.
Since our Lord
was sinless and only
told what is true,
it would make sense
that He would not
tell a falsehood,
just to make a
point. Jesus spoke
of things spiritual
that were being
played out in the
natural realm. Do we
think that He was
just joking and He
didn’t mean it as He
spoke it, and
exactly as we take
it?
Some denomination
and well meaning
Christians believe
that hell is a
synonym of the
grave. They go to
great lengths to
prove that Hades,
the grave, and hell
are all the same
thing. Then why does
so many Old
Testament and New
Testament writers
under the guidance
of the Holy Spirit
make so much about
the wages of sin and
the eternal
destruction of the
soul in hell? Let’s
take a journey to
look at some of the
scriptures that
point to the fallacy
of not believing
that the penalty for
not having Jesus
Christ cover your
sins with His own
shed blood is an
eternal home in
hell’s unquenchable
fire.
King David spoke
of it in Psalms
9:16 The
LORD is known by the
judgment which he
executeth: the
wicked is snared in
the work of his own
hands
9:17 The
wicked shall be
turned into hell,
and all the nations
that forget God.
Proverbs
23:13 Withhold
not correction from
the child: for if
thou beatest him
with the rod, he
shall not die.
23:14 Thou
shalt beat him with
the rod, and shalt
deliver his soul
from hell.
If you punish your
child, you will not
save him from the
grave. We all will
die, but what is
spoken of here is
delivering yourself
from something
beyond the grave. We
call is Hell!
Isaiah
5:14 Therefore
hell hath enlarged
herself,
and opened her mouth
without measure: and
their glory, and
their multitude, and
their pomp, and he
that rejoiceth,
shall descend into
it.
5:15 And
the mean man shall
be brought down, and
the mighty man shall
be humbled, and the
eyes of the lofty
shall be humbled:
Isaiah spoke of a
place where man will
be brought down and
will be humbled. We
all die, so it’s not
speaking of only the
grave, but something
beyond the grave.
Isaiah when he
spoke of the final
destination of
Lucifer because of
his sin against God,
he wrote these
words:
14:12 How
art thou fallen from
heaven, O Lucifer,
son of the morning!
how art thou cut
down to the ground,
which didst weaken
the nations!
14:13 For
thou hast said in
thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my
throne above the
stars of God: I will
sit also upon the
mount of the
congregation, in the
sides of the north:
14:14 I
will ascend above
the heights of the
clouds; I will be
like the most High.
14:15 Yet
thou shalt be
brought down to
hell, to the sides
of the pit.
14:16 They
that see thee shall
narrowly look upon
thee, and consider
thee, saying, Is
this the man that
made the earth to
tremble, that did
shake kingdoms;
14:17 That
made the world as a
wilderness, and
destroyed the cities
thereof; that opened
not the house of his
prisoners?
Understand
that hell and the
Lake
of
Fire
was designed for
Lucifer and his
demon angels that
fell because of
rebellion. It was
never designed for
mankind that was
made in the image of
God. Satan had to
attempt to thwart
God’s judgment on
himself. If he could
get man to fall,
then it possibly
could thwart God’s
perfect creation and
maybe judgment on
Lucifer himself. But
God knew that to
redeem what had been
stolen by Satan, a
perfect sacrifice
had to be slain, and
Jesus was slain from
the foundation of
the world. So God
sent His only Son
into the world to
redeem mankind, as
the kinsman
redeemer. But it
would cost Him His
life, because sinful
man is worthy of
death. So Jesus paid
the penalty for all
who believe on His
name and follow His
example.
Satan wants you
to disbelieve in a
place called hell.
Satan wants to
deceive you, and
blind you to this
Biblical truth.
Satan knows
it is his final
destination and he
will not go down
without taking
anyone and everyone
he can, with him. He
has tried for many
thousands of years
to thwart the
judgment of God and
make Him somehow, a
liar and to make
void his sentencing
to a devil’s hell.
Jesus spoke of it
further in
Matthew
5:22 But
I say unto you, That
whosoever is angry
with his brother
without a cause
shall be in danger
of the judgment: and
whosoever shall say
to his brother,
Raca, shall be in
danger of the
council: but
whosoever shall say,
Thou fool, shall be
in
danger of hell
fire.
If you
search your
concordance for the
word hell, verses
before this one in
your bible, does
give you a feeling
that hell in some
scriptures, not all,
depicts the
grave and some point
to beyond the grave,
but this is where
the Lord of Creation
identifies what hell
means. There is no
fire in the grave,
but of a place
beyond the grave
where the wicked and
the sinner may end
up. Hence it spoke
of it plainly in
Lazarus and the rich
man Through the
gospels, and I won’t
quote each and
everyone of them for
the sake of brevity,
Jesus makes an
analogy of removing
the sinful and
offending part from
you so that you will
not be cast into
hell. If it be the
grave, then all
parts of the
departed end in the
grave. Jesus speaks
of something more.
Then there is the
time when Jesus in
His righteous anger
railed against the
Jewish authorities
for the iniquity
in dealing
with the people:
23:31 Wherefore
ye be witnesses unto
yourselves, that ye
are the children of
them which killed
the prophets.
23:32 Fill
ye up then the
measure of your
fathers.
23:33 Ye
serpents, ye
generation of
vipers,
how can ye escape
the damnation of
hell?
How much
more plain can Jesus
be? Did He not give
enough clues to the
final destination of
all who are not
redeemed by His own
shed blood?
The kicker for me
is found in
Revelation chapter
14, that speaks of
the reward of those
who take the mark of
the beast.
14:9 And
the third angel
followed them,
saying with a loud
voice, If any man
worship the beast
and his image, and
receive his mark in
his forehead, or in
his hand,
14:10 The
same shall drink of
the wine of the
wrath of God, which
is poured out
without mixture into
the cup of his
indignation; and he
shall be tormented
with fire and
brimstone in the
presence of the holy
angels, and in the
presence of the
Lamb:
14:11 And
the
smoke of their
torment ascendeth up
for ever and ever:
and they have no
rest day nor night,
who worship the
beast and his image,
and whosoever
receiveth the mark
of his name.
Now tell me
reader, if this hell
fire is a parable,
and hell is only the
grave and there is
not eternal torment
for the sinner and
the wicked, then why
is the smoke of the
torment rising
before the Lamb and
His holy angels,
forever, and ever,
and ever…sounds like
eternity to me and
proof that there is
a final fiery
judgment on sinful
mankind!!
When I pointed
this simple fact
found in your bible
out to my friend, he
had not an
explanation. No
quick comeback and
no answer to the
Words of our Lord,
written by John the
Apostle.
I fear for
people who don’t
believe the simple
words of your bible.
One denomination
actually believes
that “all will be
saved after the
Great White Throne
judgment.”. This
scenario believes
that all will stand
before the Ancient
of Days, and be
judged, but sentence
will not be carried
out until they have
a “full chance” at
believing in the
name of Jesus Christ
and finding
forgiveness. Now I
can’t speak for God,
as God is sovereign,
all powerful and all
merciful. All that
have not had a
chance at hearing,
God can do what He
wills with them, but
to all who have
heard the gospel and
think they have a
“second chance” at
redemption play the
Russian roulette of
the fool.
Paul makes a
point in Hebrews
that we should take
seriously this side
of eternityl
Hebrews
9:26 For
then must he often
have suffered since
the foundation of
the world: but now
once in the end of
the world hath he
appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice
of himself.
9:27 And
as it is appointed
unto men once to
die, but after this
the judgment:
9:28 So
Christ was once
offered to bear the
sins of many; and
unto them that look
for him shall he
appear the second
time without sin
unto salvation.
You who are
reading this, I
don’t mean to scare
you to the altar
because you fear an
ever burning fire
called Hell !! But I
wish to convey the
harsh reality that
all who are not
found with their
name written in the
Book of Life at the
Great White Throne
judgment will
receive their just
reward, and it’s all
because of their own
will, not Gods.
I propose
Holy Spirit
conviction come upon
you, and you make a
plea for changing
your life and
repenting of your
former life and
living for God for
the rest of it.
Don’t come to the
Lord for the wrong
reason. Fear is the
beginning of wisdom,
but a true repentant
and humble heart is
what God desires.
Revelation
20:11 And
I saw a great white
throne, and him that
sat on it, from
whose face the earth
and the heaven fled
away; and there was
found no place for
them.
20:12 And
I saw the dead,
small and great,
stand before God;
and the books were
opened: and another
book was opened,
which is the book of
life: and the dead
were judged out of
those things which
were written in the
books, according to
their works.
20:13 And
the sea gave up the
dead which were in
it; and death and
hell delivered up
the dead which were
in them: and they
were judged every
man according to
their works.
20:14 And
death and hell were
cast into the lake
of fire. This is the
second death.
20:15 And
whosoever
was not found
written in the book
of life was cast
into the lake of
fire.
But Jesus stands in
the gap. He has paid
he ultimate price
for your sins, His
life and shed all of
His blood to wash
you perfectly clean
and make you
acceptable before
God the Father in
Heaven.
In the closing
verses of the final
book of our bible,
Jesus makes this
final plea:
22:16 I
Jesus have sent mine
angel to testify
unto you these
things in the
churches. I am the
root and the
offspring of David,
and the bright and
morning star.
22:17 And
the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And
let him that heareth
say, Come. And let
him that is athirst
come. And whosoever
will, let him take
the water of life
freely.
Jesus makes an
open invitation to
all who will come
and sit at His feet
and believe in the
only Begotten Son of
the Father, Jesus
the Christ
(Messiah). He wishes
for all to be joined
unto Him and live
forever, but He will
not usurp your own
will. He will not
force you.
He said, “Behold, I
stand at the door
and knock. If any
man hear my voice
and open unto me, I
will come unto him
and
sup with him,
and he with
Me.
“Revelation
3:20.
He desires
that all come to
repentance and to
accept His free
offer of grace. All
you have to do, is
believe in the
One whom God has
sent.
Then become
a new creature in
Jesus Christ and
follow the Lord in
baptism as a first
sign of obedience.
Then live unto
obedience the things
He wrote in His
Word.
II Peter
3:9 The
Lord is not slack
concerning his
promise, as some men
count slackness; but
is longsuffering to
us-ward,
not willing that any
should perish,
but that all should
come to repentance.
3:10 But
the day of the Lord
will come as a thief
in the night; in the
which the heavens
shall pass away with
a great noise, and
the elements shall
melt with fervent
heat, the earth also
and the works that
are therein shall be
burned up.
3:11 Seeing
then that all these
things shall be
dissolved, what
manner of persons
ought ye to be in
all holy
conversation and
godliness,
The Lord is
coming soon, as a
thief in the
night…meaning
suddenly and without
warning. He wishes
you to be with Him
and not suffer what
is coming. Chances
are you will be
counted with the
sinner, as salvation
will be hard to
obtain, and be
easily lost because
of tribulation and
the demonic forces
working overtime for
the destruction of
your soul. Don’t
give Satan a chance
to take you with
him. Make that
decision for Jesus
Christ right now,
while there is still
time. But time is
growing short.
Because my friend,
Hell if for real!!
This is Pastor
Mike Taylor wishing
you well and God’s
love in your life.
If there is anything
I can counsel you on
from our bible, then
drop me a line to
realteam1999@sbcglobal.net.
If you need prayer,
or just a listening
ear, I’m here
waiting to assist
you. Take a moment
and visit me online
at
www.churchofgod-usa.org
for more biblical
instruction in this
the end of days. God
bless you, till we
meet at Jesus feet.