Great article. The Holy Spirit led me to read the account of the rich man and Lazarus the other night. The fact that so many are intentionally downplaying the reality of hell lets you know it is a real place.
You are correct about those verses. However I would direct your attention to Revelation 20:11-15 about the Lake of Fire. A sobering reality for all of mankind.
I think many struggle to reconcile a good God with the existence of a place like Hell. But if the common grace everyone enjoys in this life is removed, if everything that reflects God’s mercy, goodness, kindness, love, etc. is separated from a place, what would be left there? Sin, suffering, hate, isolation, and the like would be the result without God having to do any creative work. Understanding that the absence of God would leave the things Jesus described helped me tremendously in mentally reconciling God’s goodness with his final justice and judgment. And given that separation from God is what we all deserve because of our sin against Him, Jesus’s (God’s) self sacrifice to ransom us becomes all the more awe inspiring and affirmative of His goodness.
While we will never know what awaits us after we die, until we die, one thing is for sure. Our faith will save us. Faith that Jesus is the Lord. Faith in loving our fellow human beings as we would ourselves. Faith that we believe in the trinity. Faith that good is rewarded and evil is punished.
As someone who recently had a very close brush with death in a horrible accident, I can say that, it changes you when something like this happens to you on a personal level. You receive God's grace whether you deserve it or not, and it changes you. I will never forget the grace that we received that day, and will be forever thankful.
Accept the grace that is offered by God and it will change your life too.
Thank you for this important item. We are all facing this reality and it is necessary to be reminded about this on a daily basis to be on the right hand of God.
Great article. The Holy Spirit led me to read the account of the rich man and Lazarus the other night. The fact that so many are intentionally downplaying the reality of hell lets you know it is a real place.
I'm sorry, but neither Hebrews 9:27 nor Matthew 8:12 say anything about sinners being tortured in fire.
You are correct about those verses. However I would direct your attention to Revelation 20:11-15 about the Lake of Fire. A sobering reality for all of mankind.
Well played, my friend. Praise Jesus.
I think many struggle to reconcile a good God with the existence of a place like Hell. But if the common grace everyone enjoys in this life is removed, if everything that reflects God’s mercy, goodness, kindness, love, etc. is separated from a place, what would be left there? Sin, suffering, hate, isolation, and the like would be the result without God having to do any creative work. Understanding that the absence of God would leave the things Jesus described helped me tremendously in mentally reconciling God’s goodness with his final justice and judgment. And given that separation from God is what we all deserve because of our sin against Him, Jesus’s (God’s) self sacrifice to ransom us becomes all the more awe inspiring and affirmative of His goodness.
2 Thessalonian 1:8 says we should obey the Gospel to avoid Hell
Thanks for sharing, Jim!
While we will never know what awaits us after we die, until we die, one thing is for sure. Our faith will save us. Faith that Jesus is the Lord. Faith in loving our fellow human beings as we would ourselves. Faith that we believe in the trinity. Faith that good is rewarded and evil is punished.
As someone who recently had a very close brush with death in a horrible accident, I can say that, it changes you when something like this happens to you on a personal level. You receive God's grace whether you deserve it or not, and it changes you. I will never forget the grace that we received that day, and will be forever thankful.
Accept the grace that is offered by God and it will change your life too.
Thank you for this important item. We are all facing this reality and it is necessary to be reminded about this on a daily basis to be on the right hand of God.