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HELL is TABOO -
A
MYTHICAL OR FACTUAL PLACE?
Why
is that no one seems to mention Hell these days, other than as a
swear word that is! Why is it such a taboo subject? Why is it so
offensive to so many? Quite frankly, if it truly exists, I want to
know! If there is any chance whatever of me ending up in such a
place, I want to know how to escape it! But then, maybe its not such
a bad place after all. Perhaps it is as some say, “A place to
party!” Yet, as always, we must see what our Creator-God has to say
in His Holy Word – the Bible.
MISSING NAMES
First
off, this place called Hell, is also referred to as the Lake of Fire.
This is a place were the fallen angels, including Satan, will find
there permanent home. We are told in Revelation 20:10, that, “The
devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and
sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be
tormented day and night forever and ever.” Further to this, we are
also told that, “If anyone's name was not found written in the book
of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)
To expand on that a little more, it also says, “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.” (Revelation 21:8) I don't know about you, but this
is not sounding like a “party place” to me!
FURTHER DESCRIPTION
How
else is this place described in the Holy Bible? We read it this way
in the Gospel of Matthew 8:12, “Thrown into outer darkness. In that
place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Okay, that does
it! Now I know for sure that this is not a happy “party joint”!
Jesus also describes this place as a “fiery furnace,” in Matthew
13:42. We also read it like this, “Depart from me, you cursed, into
the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew
25:41) Clearly, this is a place of literal on-going punishment for
all the ungodly. Still further, we hear this description, “For whom
the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 13) I
can tell you simply, I do not want to go there! Neither do I want you
there! That is why I write you this, to warn you, in order that you
can escape the eternal punishment of God for your sin.
HOW BIG A DEAL IS IT?
So,
just how seriously does Jesus say we should take Hell? He speaks in
this way to you, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out
and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members
than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand
causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better
that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into
hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30) Is Jesus teaching that we should dismember
our body?! No. What He is showing, is the serious action that must be
taken regarding our sin and its consequences! This truly underscores
just how horrifying Hell is.
A WAY OF ESCAPE
In
light of this dark background, if I told you that there was a way of
escape, you would call it “good news,” would you not? Indeed!
True, there most certainly are consequences for our sin. Yet, the
Lord has also been gracious and provided us with “a way of escape.”
(1Corinthians 10:13)
As
we have already seen, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a)
We would say, the earnings of committing sin is, separation from our
Creator-God, for time and eternity. This is the bad news. Yet, the
“good news” follows immediately in the same verse, “...but the
free gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Now, a “free
gift” can either be thankfully received, or rejected, the choice is
ours. God has given us a free will to choose. God will not force us
to accept His offer. He will never force us to love Him. However, God
has put everything in place that all that remains is for you to reach
out your hands and receive the “free gift” He offers you –
without any strings attached!
So,
you're probably still wondering just how this all works. Well, as you
saw, the consequences of sin is death. This means that either you or
someone else, who would be willing to take your place, must now be
punished by death for your sin. Obviously good deeds on your part, is
not a punishment. In fact, you will look the Holy Bible through in
vain, to find a concept that says that our good deeds can outweigh
our bad deeds. No, sin must be punished. Now, God knew full well,
that there was no way you could rescue yourself. This is the reason
that God the Father sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, born of a
virgin, so that as a human, He could go to the cross and take the
punishment for your sin, which was death. Jesus is your substitute.
He died instead of you. This is your only escape! All that remains,
is for you to trust that what He did for you is enough, that there is
no laws you have to keep, or good you have to do or avoid in order to
be saved, but that what He did on the cross was sufficient, and you
will receive “eternal life” as a “free gift”! This may sound
overly simplistic to you, but it was not for Jesus as He hung upon
that dreadful cross for three dark hours, as He received the wrath of
His Father for our sins!
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Now,
stop and ponder... will you, or will you refuse, to accept this
loving, sacrificial “free gift” that God offers you now? What
will you do with Jesus the Savior, who died for you upon the cross,
who is now raised to life and coming soon to judge the people of this
Earth?
Clearly,
Hell is real, and it is a terrible place where one pays forever for
one's sin. Truly, in the Lake of Fire, all is utterly hopeless!
Indeed, it is true that God is just. That means sin must be punished.
Yet, He loves you so much, that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be
punished instead of you. Consider these words given by God:
“Enter
by the narrow
gate.
For
the gate is wide
and the way easy that leads to destruction,
and
those who enter by it are many.
For
the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life,
and
those who find it are few.”
Matthew
7:13-14
“Jesus
said to him, I
am the way,
and
the truth,
and
the life.
No
one comes to the Father
except
through me.”
John
14:6
“Truly,
truly, I say to you,
whoever
hears
my word
and
believes
him
who sent me
has
eternal life.
He
does not come into judgment,
but
has
passed
from death to life.”
John
5:29
“We
have been sanctified
through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once
for all.”
Hebrews
10:10
“Everyone
who
calls upon the name of the Lord
will
be saved.”
Romans
10:13
Victor J. Reimer
*Scripture
quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV),
copyrighted © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights
reserved.
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