Hell

Most of us prefer to avoid the topic of Hell because it’s not exactly a bring-in-the-crowds kind of subject.

And let’s be honest: who likes to think about a never-ending place of suffering where everyone is separated from God and all that’s good?

I don’t.

Apparently I’m not alone, because a well-known author sparked a firestorm last year when he published a book arguing that hell, at least in the traditional sense, doesn’t really exist.

Part of me wishes he was right.

I’d like to believe that hell is nothing more than a scare tactic created by pulpit-pounding preachers to manipulate their hearers.

But then I read again what Jesus actually said.  Here are some examples:

• And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” For everyone will be salted with fire (Mark 9:47-49).
• And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).
• You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? (Matthew 23:33).
• And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).
• The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes . . . And he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame” (Luke 16:22-24).

The truth is, Jesus taught it, and we’ve got to be very creative to get around it, and then we never really do.

We ought to reflect on what it means to us.

• Hell is somewhere we don’t ever want to go.
  Nothing in this life, no matter how fun or exciting, is worth it. We should remind ourselves of that daily.
• Hell is somewhere we don’t want people we love to go.
  Is there a friend or family member you need to talk to about the Lord? Sure, it may be hard and uncomfortable, but this really, really matters.
• Hell is somewhere we don’t want anyone to go.
  We’ll never regret doing something to help save a soul. Maybe the Lord has opened a door for you to help a missionary, or send correspondence courses, or encourage a soul-winner. How is God leading you to reach a lost person in his name?

Maybe sometimes we wish that we’d overlooked something.

We hope we somehow missed some obscure verse that sheds new light on everything Jesus said about hell, but that verse isn’t there.

No interpretation, no matter how creative or novel, can undo the words of Jesus.  Hell exists.

And really, in the end we have no choice but to submit to God’s sovereign will in all things,

We have to submit even in things that are emotionally and intellectually difficult.

Hell is real

Our view of God ought to include our conviction that he’s prepared a place for those who live and die in rebellion against him.  Let’s decide not be be in rebellion.