Tag: Hell

Hell Yes It’s Real, Part 5

images3JESUS SAID HELL IS FOR REAL

Christ is the Authority on the Subject

Based on the authority of Jesus Christ we have no choice but to believe that Hell is for real.  He descended there for three hours which were the darkest hours known to mankind to date. The place reserved for the lost is prepared. Jesus tells us more about Hell being for real than any other author or speaker.[1] Matthew 25: 31 -43 provides a representative example of how Christ spoke of Hell. 

Jesus knew about Hell first hand and spoke about it the most. Jonathan Edwards didn’t invent the concept of Hell.  John Wesley or Charles Spurgeon didn’t come up with it either. How about Thomas Aquinas or Augustine, did they invent it?  Maybe the reformers of the sixteenth century dreamed it up. No, it was not dreamed up by anyone at all.  It is a Biblical doctrine and pretty close to all that is learned about it comes from the lips of Jesus Christ. The early church took the concept of Hell very seriously and we should as well.  The church today should take the concept of Hell much more serious than they do because of the frequency that Jesus spoke about it.[2]

Jesus often used the images of fire and darkness to describe Hell. The parable of “The wheat and the tares” holds a very terrifying group of words by the Lord.  “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:40-43).  We see the “weeping” while they are “cast into the fiery furnace”.  A few verses later it comes again, “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” Matthew 13:49-50).And again Jesus gives it to us, “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire” (Matthew 18:8-9).  Again we see Jesus using the images of darkness for a description of Hell, “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:11-12).   Just before He died the words were told in another parable, “Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13) and He did it again in another parable when he said, “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).  It is clear that Jesus is describing to us a Hell that is for real and a Hell that includes darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth which are all common Jewish ways to describe Hell. We need to remember this is real to our fellow humans, this is the real deal, and this stuff has real implications for real people that will have real destinies.  This is very important material to consider.  Now, the most alarming statement about the duration of Hell comes in Matthew 25 where He delivered the parable of the Sheep and the Goats.  It was about the rapture and the final judgment.  The sheep represented the believers in Christ and the Goats represented the unbelievers. Jesus divided them up in the two different groups according to how they have lived their lives.  If you have clothed the naked, fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty you went in the sheep group.  If you did none of these things you went with the goats cast into the everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels.[3]

Jesus told another parable in Matthew 13:48-50.  In a very large fishing net were caught all kinds of fish.  The fishermen emptied the nets and separated the good fish from the bad fish.  They discarded the bad fish for they had no value.  “That is another great image of the end of the age.  The angels will be separating the righteous from the wicked and the wicked will discarded into the fiery furnace, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 13;29-50).[4]

In the book of Mark Jesus was talking about sinners getting thrown into hell (Mark 9:43-48) Mark quoted Isaiah’s picture of Hell. The place where worm does not die and fire is not quenched. That devouring worm is eating what is already dead and then helped by the unquenchable fire until nothing remains. Whatever is left lasts for all of eternity. (Mt. 25:46)[5] The choice is yours, do you want life or do you want the fiery punishment?

Jesus is Consistent with the Early Jews

The first-century Jews believed in Hell and had a clear view they described.  Jesus was a Jew.  If Jesus disagreed with the view of Hell provided by his fellow Jews He would have very clearly outlined his differences and place an argument against them.  Jesus was never afraid of going against a commonly held Jewish idea.  The views of Jesus stand in line with the first-century Jewish pictures of Hell.[6]

Hell is described consistently throughout the New Testament by Jesus and also by nearly all the writers God used to pen His words.  Judgment and punishment are consistent pictures drawn by all the writers. Destruction, death, exclusion, banishment, and separation are all words used to describe that awful place. The issue of fire and suffering are included in many of the descriptions, however the predominate and overriding theme is always destruction and punishment.  There are three main pictures of Hell that emerge out of the New Testament writings.  The nature of Hell is described clearly as punishment, destruction and banishment.[7] Hell shown as punishment affirms that sin is recognized by God as a crime. The destruction picture of Hell indicates that sin is a spiritual death and the banishment shows sin as alienating us from God.[8]  The sin is real, evil and wickedness are real, the crime is real, the punishment is real and Hell is for real.

The word gehenna, (translation “Hell”) was used in the Gospels twelve times.  The images of fire and darkness are there along with punishment and judgment.  Jesus believed just like the early Jews that hell was real and the wicked are headed to that a place of punishment.[9]

Join me next time as I bring this to a conclusion…  Click here to go to the next post.

Yes, Hell is for real!

Have a Godly day,

The “Tubthumper”

Click here to go to:  Part 1,     Part 2,     Part 3,      Part 4.

[1] Edward William Fudge, and Peterson, Two Views of Hell, 37.

[2] Sproul, Unseen Realities, 52.

[3] Chan and Sprinkle, Erasing Hell, 76-81.

[4] Edward William Fudge, and Peterson, Two Views of Hell, 40.

[5] Ibid., 44.

[6] Ibid., 73.

[7] Morgan and Peterson, Hell under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment, 142.

[8] Keller et al., IS HELL for Real or Does Everyone Go to Heaven, 605.

[9] Chan and Sprinkle, Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We Made Up, 74.

Hell Yes It’s Real, part 4

New Testament Doctrine of Hellcanstockphoto5818885

Three words are translated to “Hell” from the New Testament. Hades, Tartarus and Gehenna. Hades and Tartarus are Greek and the word Gehenna is the Greek form of the Hebrew words Gee and Hinnom which mean “the valley of Hinnom.”

Hades occurs eleven times and has a meaning of “grave” one time and “Hell” ten times. 2 Cor. 15: 55, ” O death, where is thy sting. O grave (hades) where is thy victory?” An example of a use where it takes the meaning of “Hell” is Rev. 6: 8, “And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was death, and Hell followed him.”

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus provides a good example of hades being used in the figurative sense of depravity, suffering and degradation. The word Tartarus was used only one time and was within the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Tartarus was the place of torment within Hades. It is the place where the rich man was located and was used figuratively. The word Gehanna shows up 12 times always being associated with “Hell”. It is found in the following scriptures: Matt. 5:22, 29, 30, 10:28, 18:9, 13:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5 and James 3:6. It is clear to see the word Gehanna, or Hell, within the New Testament represents anything repulsive, foul and evil with judgment of destruction.[1]

The majority of people today cannot quite grasp the Biblical teaching on the destiny of the lost. Someone you love could possibly end up in eternal punishment because of wickedness.  Now that is a thought and a place where even Christians with generally high views of Biblical inspiration cannot go.[2]

The bible teaches the existence of Heaven where we can end up in a state of joyous eternity and residing in the fellowship of God. It also teaches the presence of Hell which is presented as a state of anguished separation from God. Those decisions are made while you are in this life and once this life ends they become permanently fixed states.[3]

The very first description of Hell in revelation comes in Chapter 14 when John wrote about the final judgment. “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, 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: 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” (Rev. 14:9-11).  This is another very terrifying section of God’s word as it is referring to “God’s wrath” and “God’s anger” all mentioned within the context of “tormented with fire and brimstone” forever and ever.  It does not get any more frightful than this. John sends all a very forceful warning of “Do not oppose God!” He goes on in revelation describing the torment and the lake of fire.[4]

In Revelation 20 and 21 the “Lake of fire” is described as the place where all who choose to turn from Jesus will go as a final destiny.  In Rev. 20: 11-15 the words are clear that the lake of fire is for punishment.  John tells us there will be two different places for believers and unbelievers.  “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Rev. 22:14-15).   If these subjects have not dealt with their sins through the blood of Jesus in this life, “washed their robes”; their destiny will be chosen.  There will be no way to wash your robes when you are in the lake of fire.[5]

The doctrine of Hell is fully supported by the Bible and has been an accepted doctrine of the Christian church from the beginning. Many Scholars such as C.S. Lewis have come to the conclusion that scriptures also are supported by reason.

In the last part of Matthew 25 it says, “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:44-46).  Think about what the Bible is always talking about.  Believe on Christ and be saved.  Believe and have everlasting life.  Be saved from what? It is important to connect with this fundamental issue.  If you believe and have a saving faith in Christ you are then saved from that awful and terrible place in outer darkness.  You will be saved from the wrath of God.  No one wants to experience the wrath of a just God visited upon who ever has been hostile toward Him. You should be seeing the reality of Hell in all this. The most frightful thing anyone could ever experience is the judgment of a holy God.[6]

Tony Evans wrote, “The Bible is clear that at the moment of death, our souls pass immediately into conscious existence in eternity, either in heaven or in hell.  A lot of people think there’s some kind of second chance after death.  God’s Word says nothing about an intermediate state of purgatory after death in which we have a second chance to get our act together, have our sins dealt with and then make it to heaven.”[7]

As mentioned before, this life is no trial run.  It is the only shot we have.  So let us all get our act together so as not to end up in that horrible place called Hell.  Yes, it is for real.

Come back for the next post as we look at what Jesus said about Hell.

  Click here to jump to the next post. Jump to part 1, part 2, part 3, Conclusion.

Have a Godly day,

“The Tubthumper”

 

 

[1] Velarde, Is Hell Real?

[2] David Horton and Ryan Horton, eds., The Portable Seminary (Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2006), 166.

[3] Ibid., 194.

[4] Evans, Tony Evans Speaks Out on Heaven and Hell, 15.

[5] Chan and Sprinkle, Erasing Hell, 33.

[6] Sproul, Unseen Realities, 65.

[7] Evans, Tony Evans Speaks Out on Heaven and Hell, 8.

Hell Yes It’s Real, part 3

Choiceisyours

HUMAN RESPONSES TO HELL

God has always been a God of Life and love. All humans including you were made in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27) He has a high value on human lives and also respects our human ability to choose. God makes His efforts to reach us all and move us to choose His Son to follow and join Him. We all have our entire life to make that choice, however long or short that life may be. Many will reject the truth and choose a path different than what God would desire for them.

Hell is a subject that even the most faithful of humans tend to avoid.  It is an extremely unpopular subject. To think of being permanently separated from God is a much too permanent thought in a world like ours where almost nothing seems permanent. It seems too final.  Everyone seems to think there should be a second chance. But the Bible is clear that this is not a trial run we are in and this life is the only chance we have.  Each person only gets to live life once.  You can use the life you are given by serving God or you can use it rebelling against Him.  God can never be accused of sending people to Hell. People make the choice.  If a person says no to God then they choose to go to Hell.  He doesn’t want them to go there but it is the choice made.[1]

Modern folks are trying to revise the doctrine of hell and to remove the finality of everlasting punishment and one observer asked, “Could it be that the only result of attempts to air condition Hell, however well-meaning they are, will ensure that more and more people wind up there?” R. Albert Mohler,Jr. wrote, “Hell demands our attention in the present, and now confronts evangelicals with a critical test of theological and biblical integrity. Hell may be denied, but it will not disappear.”[2]

Biblical Picture of Reality

We have found in the Bible that Jesus gives us a picture of hell that is truly real. It is awful to say the least and it is forever.  He says it is everlasting. Jesus points out that people should do all they can to avoid it.  With so many people today doubting whether Hell and the anguish and torment it carries are forever and eternal, the teaching of Jesus and His emphasis on the everlasting duration of Hell needs to be highlighted brightly.[3]

The doctrine of Hell is truly an emotional and repulsive thought and everyone is troubled when thinking of someone else going there, let alone the thought of going there yourself.  But there was all this emphatic teaching of Jesus Christ and the authors of the New Testament that we learn from the Bible.  All of these teachers are adamant there will be judgment.  They are all insistent there will be separation because some people will be fortunate and end up in Heaven yet others will be cast into that place where they will exist in weeping and gnashing of teeth.[4]

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HELL

When the Bible says something it is the truth.  God’s word is infallible.  Think about the simple fact that from the beginning of the Bible in Genesis God pronounced the penalty of death on man due to the sin of Adam. Since that time the life of a human being has been limited to a number of years focusing around seventy.  There is no need to assume anything and all you need to do is turn the pages and look at the evidence for yourself.  Research all the history you want and you will find no man, not one, since the fall of Adam has lived forever.  All have died or been taken up. (Like Enoch) No one has ever escaped that penalty that God declared so long ago in that death would be the penalty for sin.  At times in my profession people begin a sentence with, “If anything should happen to me…” and I always stop them to say, “It will, You will die, we both will die because it is the reality.” There have been billions and billions of people that have taken a step on this earth since then and every single one has tasted God’s penalty for sin which is death.  Could there be any better example of the accuracy, power and truth of god’s word?[5]

Old Testament Doctrine of Hell

When we see the word Hell in the Old Testament it will likely be some translation of the word ‘Sheol’. This term occurs sixty-four times with a rendering toward “Hell” thirty-two times, referencing “grave” twenty-nine times and with a rendering toward “pit” three times. With an examination of Hebrew Scripture the determination will be a primary meaning of (the place or state of the dead.). By substituting the word hell in the place of “grave” or “Sheol” you will be better able to understand the scriptural doctrine on the subject of Hell.

Later in the Old Testament there is a figurative meaning to the word “Sheol” and this time is representing calamity and degradation that comes from sin or the judgment of God. When seen in those scriptures it is plain to see that “Sheol” or “Hell” was used during times of suffering, depravity and mortification. There is a reference to this in Psalm 9: 17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”[6]

 “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.  Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.  Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.  The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.  Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee” (Psalm 116:3-7) “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied” (Proverbs 27:20).

Several scriptures in the Old Testament lead us to a view of what will happen to the lost at the end when the world will end.  The wicked will become like chaff or husks of wheat blowing in the wind.   They will look like little pieces of broken pottery.  The wicked will be slain and will exist no more. The evil ones will be become like ashes under the feet of God’s people. In 1 Corinthians we get from Paul that the last enemy that gets destroyed is death itself. “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:25-26).  The annihilation of death is described by John using the lake of fire picture in Revelation 20:14.  For all humans the lake of fire is the second death (Rev 20:14-15; 21:8).[7]

The work of Christ is previewed in Isaiah chapter 11 and this gets echoed in the New Testament.  This is about Jesus work of redemption and gospel ministry to the gentiles.  The judgment to come will provide freedom for some and for others there will be the punishment. Jesus will “strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked” (Is. 11:4) the clear message revealed here is the wicked will be ultimately destroyed.  Yes, Hell is for real. The wicked will not be able to hide or protect themselves when God does “arise”.  The evilness of their own sins will ignite and become a fire that “consumes” them (Is 33:10-11).  They will blaze as easily as “cut thornbushes” and burn so complete “as if to lime” (Is 33:12).  Can any metaphor describe destruction any better than this?[8]

In Isaiah 66 there is a clear picture of what the righteous will see after the wrath of God is poured forth.  The image is food for fire and maggots. “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Is. 66:24). So what the righteous see is corpses and carcasses.  God has executed His judgment and wrath with fire and sword. But the righteous will endure forever and worship God when the wicked are no longer alive. (Is 66:22-23)[9]

This is just a glimpse of what Hell is.. join me next time and have a look at what the New Testament says about Hell. 

Have a Godly day,Choiceisyours

“The Tubthumper”

Click here to go back to part 2.

Click here to go back to part 1.

Click here to jump to part 4.

Click here to jump to part 5

Click here to jump to the Conclusion.

Hell Yes It’s Real, Part 1

HeavenorhelldoorIn the last couple months I have working on a few theological items. Some of the main topics have been Hell, Heaven and Faith along with a few others.  I wrote about Hell previously but this time I did some research and pulled the views of some others into my package of thoughts and knowledge.So I think I will work through these items starting with Hell.

In a series of posts I will show how the authoritative words of Jesus Christ and the clarity of the Bible cause us to have no other choice but to believe that Hell is for real. 

The subject we are considering is extremely heavy as we look at the reality of Hell.  Hell is an awesome thing.  Who could ever possibly take it all in?  To admit that Hell is real is to say that it is possible you or I or both of us might end up in eternal anguish separated from God and separated from other humans to be tormented in darkness.  It is important to know if Hell really exists and it sure would be nice for a lot of people if it didn’t. [1]

There is a very different opinion of Hell now from back at the time when Edwards or Spurgeon were thumping the “Hellfire and Brimstone” from the pulpit.  Any discussion regarding Hell today is sure to bring a rash on someone.  The doctrine of Hell has never been challenged as much as it is now in our time.[2]

Hell is certainly for real and even Jesus Christ went there.  He went to Sheol (Greek Hades) at His death on the cross (Acts 2:27, 31).  He visited briefly because He was resurrected on the third day and came back in victory.  Because of His resurrection from death Jesus has in His possession “the keys to death and Hades” and He will reign over them (Rev. 1:18).  In the end both death and Hades will be cast into the “lake of fire” along with the devil, fallen angels and all the lost sinners (Rev.20:13-15).

The views have changed over time. The doctrine of Hell is almost never addressed in Christian theology today because it is so controversial. You don’t hear any ‘Hellfire and Brimstone’ sermons any more like was part of the ministry of Jonathan Edwards so long ago.  Jonathan Edwards was probably more closely associated with the concept of Hell than any other preacher.  Many called him sadistic because he concentrated on Hell so often.  Jonathan Edwards was a man that truly believed in the reality of Hell. Because he was concerned about the spiritual well-being of his congregation, and he rightly should have, he preached passionately about Hell. He certainly had no desire for any of his people to experience that dreadful place.[3]

The Doctrine of Hell stands alone.  Of course Hell is for real.  The doctrine stands alone based on the history of Christianity.  If you were to take away Hell the entire scope of Christian theology would be altered.  Men and women dreamed of going to heaven and they had nightmares about going to Hell.  Now days there is distaste for hell and it shows up in the watered down sermons. There cannot be any room for doubt on this.  We must make a choice to admit that the endless misery of Hell is real or we need to give up the thought of eternal happiness in heaven.[4]

There is both scientific and biblical evidence that Hell is for real.  Evangelical Christians believe the Biblical sources are the only ones truly reliable to determine what our eternal destinies will be like. They (we) want to seek out God’s truth for the answer.  Evangelical Christians also believe that Hell is for real and any thought of a postmortem second chance or an afterlife is preposterous.  Consequently, evangelicals believe the most horrible fate any human being could ever face is the reality of Hell.[5] 

The views have changed over time.  Regardless of the issue that people do not want to think seriously about hell, everyone needs to be aware.  Human beings need to understand the place that Christ’s death on the cross saved them from.  All unbelievers should be warned of the eternal judgment that will become them if they do not turn to God, repent of their sins and find salvation through Jesus Christ.

This is real serious stuff because we are talking about the eternal future and destination of real people.  People that you and I know and see every day.  People that could spend the rest of eternity in a horrible place.  Anyone persistently rejecting the Lord throughout their life can expect to one day face God in judgment and likely get the verdict to be cast into Hell. Hell is for real.  Anyone ending up in Hell can never come out again and Hell is frightening beyond any human imagination.

Yes, Hell is for real… join me in the next post as I continue with defining hell and getting into the nitty-gritty dirty details.

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2

Click here to jump to Part 3,  Part 4, Part 5, Conclusion.

Have a Godly day,

scan0012

“The Tubthumper”

[1] Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle, Erasing Hell.

[2] R.C. Sproul, Unseen Realities: Heaven, Hell, angels and Demons.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Timothy Keller et al., Is HELL for Real or does Everyone go to Heaven.

[5] Edward William Fudge, and Petersen, Two Views of Hell.

[6] Sproul, Unseen Realities.

DESIRE TO KILL

NewtownIt has been over a week since the horrific killing of all the little children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.  I haven’t done much writing since then.  I knew I needed to write something about it but couldn’t bring myself to face it down until I was ready.

My heart was sick when I saw the pictures of the little children.  Parents thought they were safe in kindergarten class at school.  They should have been safe. They should have been safe like we all were when in kindergarten a long time ago.  Do you remember those days?   These kids were not taken by guns but they were killed by a crazy, selfish, jealous, evil young man.  This man was no different than the very first murderer that bloodied his hands within a short time of the earth’s creation.  His name was Cain and this started a long time ago.  Killing has been a part of our society for ever.

Just to illustrate this is not the first and won’t be the last I submit the story of the “Bath Massacre”.  It was America’s first school bombing and shattered lives just like last week but this was back on May 18, 1927.  That mass killing of 38 children and six adults happened 85 years ago in a very small town in Michigan named Bath. The killing was done by a farmer named Andrew Kehoe, and he blew himself up as well. This man was a school board member; in fact, he was the treasurer and school caretaker.  He was well known and trusted.  He was having financial difficulties and taxes went up so he blamed the school for his problems.  That morning he beat his wife to death and set his farm on fire.  While the firefighters were busy with the fire on his farm he rocked the school with explosives.  When he was seen in his car and people ran over to him he detonated a massive bomb inside his car and shrapnel killed the school superintendent and others.  This was fairly similar to the mass killings last week and remains as the number one deadliest school killing in our nation’s history.

In the beginning, after God had created the earth he rested on the seventh day.  And then, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2: 7).  Then The LORD made the Garden of Eden and put the man there.  You know the story.  The man, Adam, was told that he could eat freely of any tree except the “Tree of Knowledge of good and evil”.  Then the LORD caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took one of his ribs and made a woman.  Then the serpent tricked the woman into eating from the tree of knowledge and she also talked Adam into eating it as well.  God was angry!  He cursed the serpent and kicked them out of the garden and nothing would ever be the same.  Sin and evil became a part of mankind.

In the 4th chapter of Genesis we read that Eve had two children.  The first born was Cain and the second was his brother Abel.  Cain was a farmer and Abel was a sheep herder.  Cain gave an offering to the Lord from the ground and Abel gave an offering to the LORD of the first of his flock.  The LORD respected the offering of Abel but didn’t pay so much respect to Cain for the offering he gave.  Apparently Abel’s offering was one of faith and Cain had no faith.  Cain was beside himself and very upset.  He was wroth, which means angry and irate.  His countenance fell so he was moping around.  God asked him what was wrong and Cain explained.  God’s answer was that He would give Cain a second chance and if he gets it right then it will be accepted.  God also mentioned sin at Cain’s door.  So God knew there was sin in Cain’s heart. So what did Cain do?  He killed his brother Abel.  Just like that! He snuffed the life out of his only brother.  Why? Because he was jealous and he was only concerned with self and he was sinful and did not have the love of god in his heart.  He had little regard for the life of others.  Is that any different than what happened last week?  I don’t think so.

So you see… this killing, this evil, this sin has been with us from the beginning.  It will be with us until God reigns over chaos and evil in the end as written in Revelation.  That day is coming soon.

Since the beginning all civilizations have been trying to figure out why.  They want to know why men are willing to put their own lives in jeopardy to extinguish the lives of others.  This has been puzzled over since Cain slew Abel. The theme of murder is used dozens of times each and every week by television script writers. It has inspired stacks of novels and multiple volume stories. Legal philosophers, sociologists, psychologists and psychiatrists have theorized endlessly to no avail. The cause of murder still remains a considerable mystery to those that do not study God’s word.  But we, the studied Christian’s know.  We know the core of where it comes from. Students of murder can spot only the visible and apparent reasons for it – greed, jealousy, fear, revenge, or a sudden insane anger that seizes a person and, a moment later, blots out all memory of his deed. (Or so they say. There are not any guilty people in prison you know.)  Ted Bundy referred to the killer as “the entity”. No killer wants to take responsibly and he never did. But maybe Bundy was onto something.  Maybe it was “the entity”.

If Bundy was thinking “the entity” was Satan he would very likely be correct.  It sounded kind of strange back in Genesis when a serpent tricked Eve into eating the fruit of that tree.  Was it a snake?  No. The serpent was not a talking snake.  The serpent is identified in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, as Satan himself.  Satan beguiled Eve by taking the form of a serpent and using his evil and clever skill to scam her into it.  We must remember that Satan did not force her to eat that fruit and he didn’t force Adam.  They had to choose to do it.  And we also choose daily between good and evil and between being in the world or of the world.  So how do people get to the place where they can take another human life (or many human lives) simply to benefit some little feeling inside them?  It is when the evil one has taken residence in the person.  Certainly the professionals can put labels upon labels on top of it but at the root it is sin, it is Satan they follow and not God and it is a turning away from God.

In The Mind of the Murderer, W. Lindesay Neustatter remarks, “. . . motive, without the whole background in which it is set, tells little of the criminal’s psychology.” He classifies murderers as the schizophrenic (with delusions of persecution), the hysteric, the mental defective, the paranoiac (victim of a systemized delusional insanity), the epileptic (with epileptic automatism and amnesia), the constitutionally unstable psychopath, and finally the chap who is simply depressed possibly due to low blood sugar (momentary malnutrition).  J. Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist and author of The Psychopathic Mind; and Violent Attachments, says that such crimes occur as the result of a build-up of anger, frustration and planning, which undermines the already-fragile sense of self. They don’t take failure lightly and cannot tolerate humiliation. Having no way to relieve their stress, they let the steam build until it just explodes into violence. Their families are generally the easiest target and they have no inner defense against the flow of rage. Once it’s done, they often return to a sense of equilibrium and if they don’t also kill themselves, they often feel much better.

Jesus referred to Satan as “the ruler (prince) of this world”, (John 14:30).  Jesus also spoke of two masters that people have the choice of serving.  The two he spoke of were God and Mammon, (Luke 16:13).  You see, Satan rules Mammon which is where most of the population put their treasures.  People don’t actually need to choose Satan directly.  Once they choose to serve Mammon as the master then Satan knows he has someone he can get to. Satan is very crafty.  He gets to the weak willed that serve Mammon and takes over their lives.  That is where the seed of this propensity to kill is sown. The origin that it comes from. Without realizing it this person falls into working on Satan’s side without even knowing it because they do not understand Satan’s schemes.

When Satan comes against you, be sure he has no power over you.  He will have no power if he finds the love of Jesus Christ in you and finds you following the Holy Spirit instead of the ways of the world (Mammon).  Follow the world into paganism and you could be the next bomber or shooter.  I know you think I am over exaggerating this.  But am I?  Am I really?

Our land has moved away from the roots of a belief and faith in God. ‘In God We Trust’ is not anymore worth more than the bills it is printed on.  Evil is taking over. Evil is at the heart of these killings.  We know where it comes from.  It was not a gun that killed all those children. It was an evil and sinful mind that like Cain had no faith in God. Put the blame where it belongs.

The gates of Hell have prevailed against the “church” and its leaders today.  The tolerance of sin has made us powerless in this battle against Satan.  Because of this failure we will likely see more of the kinds of things we witnessed last week.  God forgive us.  We need a genuine Holy-Spirit revival that will deliver believers from the love of the world and drive the prince of the world out of our churches.  We need a healing in our land. Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples, “The prince of this world comes and he has no power over Me”, (John 14:30).  He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Next week we celebrate the life of the King. He is the only answer to this issue.

Merry Christmas to all,

“The Tubthumper”  

Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church

What a promise! ROCk

Was Peter the rock that Jesus was referring to?  Was Jesus saying he would use Peter to build His church?  I don’t think so.  I am aware that most Catholics believe that but it cannot be so. Let me share more and you should see it.

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” ,(Mt. 16:18-19).

The basis for my saying I don’t think so is as follows:

  1. Christ was giving Peter some instructions in this passage.  Later on he gave the very same instructions to the other apostles.  Take a close look at John 20:22-23 and compare it with the verse above. 
  2. Christ and Christ only is the foundation of his church.  Evidence of this is strongly posted in Acts 4:11-12; 1 Cor. 3:11; and 1 Peter 2:4-8.
  3. In the New Testament we see Christ and only Christ as the “Head” of is Church.  For reference you can turn to Ephesians 1:20-23; 5:23; Colossians 1:18 and 2:18-19. 
  4. If we use our concordance to go to the Greek meaning of the words we find that Jesus said, “Thou art Peter [Petros, a little stone], and upon this rock [petra, a massive cliff or rock] I will build my church.”  So the church was not built on the “little stone” which is Peter.  The church is built on the “Giant Rock”.  It was built on Jesus Christ. 
  5. We can see in 1 Peter 5: 1-4 that Peter in-fact denies it.
  6. We find in Acts 15:13, 19 that James was the one that officiated at the Jerusalem church and not Peter.

So what, then was Jesus doing when he said that in Mt. 16:18?  The answer lies in Ephesians 2:19-20, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”.

What about that statement regarding the gates of hell?  What did he mean when He said the gates of hell shall not prevail against it?  J Vernon McGee said it best, “The gates of hell refer to the ‘gates of death’.” The word used in this text is hades and sheol of the Old Testament, referring to the unseen world and it means death.  The gates of death shall not prevail against Christ’s church.  The event being referred to is the glorious rapture.  As it is written, “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words”, (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). You can also look at 1 Corinthians 15: 51-57.

The LORD gave the keys to heaven to Peter!   A key unlocks a door and opens something once closed.  Jesus is predicting that Peter will be given the privilege of opening the door of salvation to various peoples.  Peter later did this:  He opened the door of opportunity for any to join the kingdom from Israel at Pentecost, (Acts 2:38-42). And He did the same for the Samaritans in Acts 8:14-17.  He ministered to the Gentiles at the home of Cornelius at Caesarea in acts chapter 10.

In the last of the original passage we are addressing Christ mentions the binding and loosing.  We see in Mt. 18;18 and John 20:22-23, the authority to bind and loose was given to all the apostles and to all other believers.  The actions of a spirit-filled believer, whether positive or negative in nature, will carry with them the awesome authority of heaven itself.  As chuck Smith says “We have power as the children of God to bind the forces of darkness, and to loose the work of God.  God has given us that authority over these spirit forces, these spiritual entities, that as children of God, we do have authority over them.  We can bind these forces and we can loose the work of God. 

UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUID MY CHURCH!

 

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and

righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame.

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ., the solid ROCK, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

— Edaward Mote

ROCK of ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy raven side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure,

Save me from it·a guilt and power.

Not the labors of my hands,

Can fulfill the laws demands;

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears forever flow,

AII for sin could not atone;

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

–A. M. Toplady

God bless you,

“The Tubthumper”

 

Hell, you don’t have to go there!

Part 3 of 3 part series:

God is real. His word is real. His love is real. His working in the world is real.  He is real.  God is near to any who would have Him.  Jeremiah 29:13, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

He wants to offer you a relationship not possible with any person.  Only God!  No one else can offer you forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  No one else can offer you a personal relationship with the divine Creator; only the Creator can do that.  No one else can offer to touch you at the deepest level of your being and bring healing from heartache and despair.  No one else can offer you the unconditional love we all crave. Reach out.  He’s waiting for you.

I want to invite you to make Christ your Lord and Savior by repenting of your sins and calling on Him for forgiveness and eternal life, believing that He died for you and rose from the grave.  The Bible says that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.    That is very good news.  Act on the words of God, will you?

The path to Heaven

1. God loves you and wants a personal relationship with you.

God has a wonderful plan for your life now and forever. The central theme of the Bible is God’s love for you and all people. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

God’s plan: Jesus said, ” The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10; 17:3).

2. We are all sinful and separated from God.

Because of sin we cannot know God personally or experience His love and plan for our lives.  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, (Romans 3:23).  Man (Adam) was created to have a relationship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken.  This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion  or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.

We are all separated from God because of sin.   “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Heaven and Hell are real destinations and the ultimate choice is ours.  There is a hell…but the good news is we don’t have to go there!

 

The diagram above illustrates that God is Holy and we are sinful.  A great gulf separates the two.  The arrows show that man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as living a good life, doing good deeds,  following philosophies, religions, cults etc. The next point explains the only way to bridge this gulf.

3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin.

Through Jesus Christ alone we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. “, (Romans 5:8).

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep” (I Corinthians 15:3-6).

Jesus Christ is the only way to God.  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.

It is not enough just to know the above information.  The next point is the most important.

4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

We must receive Jesus Christ by faith (i.e. by trusting or believing) so we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We experience a new spiritual birth when we receive Jesus Christ.   “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:1-8).

We can receive Jesus Christ by personal invitation. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

Receiving Jesus Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Jesus to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough.  Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience.  We must receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of will.

The two circles below represent two kinds of lives, the self-directed life and the Christ-directed life:

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which circle best represents your life?  Which circle would you like to have represent  your life?

 

5. How you can receive Jesus Christ right now by prayer and faith:

Prayer is talking with God.  God knows your heart and is not concerned with your words.  He is looking at the attitude of your heart.

The following is a suggested prayer.  It is only an example for you.  Dear God/Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned.  I believe You sent Jesus Christ to save me.  I believe Jesus was crucified on the cross, he was buried, raised from the dead, and He ascended into heaven and sat down at Your right hand.  I thank You Jesus for taking away my sins forever.  I believe Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I am now born again and will have eternal life. Take control of my life and make me the person You want me to be. Thank You God, for forgiving me and giving me everlasting life.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, pray one like it right now.  It need not be the same and should be your own words.  If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9). If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all wrong doing (1 John 1:9). Jesus said, ” I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

6. How you can grow as a new member of God’s Kingdom.

Talk to God in prayer daily. Matthew 21:22,”And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”.  Mark 11:24,”Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Attend church regularly.  Hebrews 10:25,”Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Psalm 122:1,”I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Read God’s Word, the Bible, often.  2 Timothy 3:16,17,”All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Obey God always.  John 14:21,”He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Be a good witness and live for God by your life and words.  John 15:8,”Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Trust God for every detail of your life. 1 Peter 5:7,”Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  Trust the Holy Spirit to help you daily.  Romans 8:14, ”For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

*The illustrations were not created by me.  Thanks go out to the artist whom I am unable to identify.

God bless you,

“The Tubthumper”

Life is but a Vapor: Know for sure

Part 2 of 3 part series.

You can know for sure.  That should be comforting.  You can do something about it. This day is rushing toward you.  Make certain of your destiny.

What are you thinking?  Come on… put some thought into this important subject.  I am sure you have done some good and you have done some bad.  You may be thinking God will grade you on a curve like the teachers do in school.  You may think you can get to heaven on your own because you are not as bad as others.  Here is the truth:  If you are going to heaven it is because you repented and embraced Christ by faith.  If you have not done this you are going to hell.  For it is written.

There are people in hell right now. How sad but true this is. What about you?  Hell is predominately occupied by two groups.  1) Those that have never done it (repented and embraced Christ by faith) and 2) those that thought they had but did not.

(Luke 16:19-35- There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table:  moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  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; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  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.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.)

It is written: Hell is eternal torment for the impenitent.

The subject of Hell is obstinately ignored by all.  It is ignored primarily because of a move in our country toward universalism and health and wealth theology.  Most religions won’t touch it because it is not popular and won’t make people feel good.  You need the truth!  Can you handle the truth?  Truth doesn’t always feel good.  Will it be heaven or hell for you?  You can know for sure.  This day is rushing toward you.  Make certain of your destiny.

I have done it, I repented, I could not gain my own way to heaven.  I humbled myself before God.  I embraced Jesus Christ as forgiveness for my sins.  I did not deserve it, but, I got it.  Through God’s grace I am saved from hell.

This is your chance!  Right now! You can turn from sin and embrace Christ and be changed.  Every day is your day of opportunity.

But… when time comes to a close… it is over. Today, if you hear Him… please respond?  I am talking about things eternal.

It is almost impossible today to get a person to think seriously for even a moment about where they are going when they die.  I fear you do not comprehend what a huge deal this is!  We are talking about eternity separated from God!  We don’t want to go there (hell).  We don’t want anyone we know to go there.  We want to keep people from going there!

(Hebrews 9:27- And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment).

(Matthew 8:12- But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

(Matthew 25:30- And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

The Bible gives direct terms of fire, weeping and gnashing of teeth, outer darkness, torment, anguish, isolation and eternal destruction.

Every day of your life God calls out to you!

(2 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.)

He wants all to come to repentance.  God wants everyone rewarded with salvation.  God provided a way out of hell but it is up to you to take up the opportunity!

Hear His voice!  Hear it today! Hell its up to you

You must be sure… the way to hell is wide and easy.  The way to heaven is narrow but not complicated.  Repent and acknowledge you deserve hell.  Embrace Jesus Christ now by faith and ask Him to come into your life and forgive you.  Ask him to save you!

Come back for part 3 and know how to know for sure.

“The Tubthumper”

 

Click here to go toPart 3

Life is but a vapor…

Part 1 of a 3 part series…

This post is about life and death and both are very important.  Have you thought about what happens when your body finally ends up at room temperature?   It will be sooner than you want.

This post is about Hell.

IT WAS JUST AN ORDINARY DAY!

It was just an ordinary day several years ago when my friend Steve and his wife were leaving for a normal Sunday at church.  Steve, along with his wife and two children were driving to church as usual on a normal Sunday morning.  They reached an intersection the exact time as another vehicle hurdled through at nearly 100 mph.  The impact was sudden, powerful and caused the end to an entire family in an instant.  The suspect that was fleeing the police in a high speed chase was virtually unharmed in the crash.  The funeral was difficult with Steve in one casket along with his tiny son and his wife in the other casket with her young daughter.  Four people were taken away in the blink of an eye on an ordinary Sunday morning.  Memorable to say the least!

It was just an ordinary day last year when my friend Aaron (coincidentally in the same family as Steve) went out to prepare firewood to heat his home.  When he didn’t come in for supper his wife went out and found him next to the woodpile.  He had suffered a heart attack.  In the blink of an eye he was gone.

I know, I know, it will never happen to you right?  Well, think again…  It was just an ordinary  bright sunny beautiful  day on September 11 when two planes suddenly crashed into the world trade center killing many thousands.  When they left home that morning they had no idea they would never return home again.  If today is your ordinary day which turns into your last, are you ready?

Hell is what we need to talk about.  Heaven is where we all want to end up.  But most will not.    A loved husband will end up in Hell while his wife goes to Heaven.  Beloved wives will end up in Hell and the husband in Heaven.  Children of parents will go to Hell and the parent to Heaven.  Brother will go to Heaven and sister to Hell. Sister is going to Heaven and brother to Hell.  Think about this!  Mother goes  to Heaven and Father to hell and vise verse.  Some of our loved ones are already in Hell.  This should cause tears to be shed…  Can we let this happen without trying to have us all together in Glory?  God Forbid!

You can find the path to Heaven later after my explanation of Hell.  The path to heaven is narrow and not easy.

The path to Hell is wide and almost like a greased downhill slide. Take heed and please make a wise choice.

Why am I posting on the subject of Hell?  It’s because no one is doing it anymore.  Most clergy and churches nowadays won’t touch the subject because it doesn’t make people feel good.  Most Christians don’t talk about it much either.  Modern church not talking about hell is something I have a hard time understanding due to this one fact.  The Bible has much, much more in its pages about hades and hell than it has about heaven.  That alone should make you think twice about the subject.  Please understand that you and I are no different.  With the things I address on this post we are the same.  We were all born as mortals in sin.  (Romans 3:23-For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God )

No need to post about heaven just yet because heaven is all good and positive with people.  It is Hell that needs to be explained.  Most people have no idea.

LET ME EXPLAIN HELL:

(Matthew 3;11- I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire) (Romans 2:8- But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath) (2 Thessalonians 1:8- In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ)

It is a place of wrath!  God will inflict vengeance on they that do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Hell is not a place I would send my worst enemy.  And that is the truth. Yes, there is a heaven and there definitely is a hell.  For it is written.  And this is of grave importance. (No pun intended.)

Most people don’t want this to be true.  They suppress the truth.  They do not want to answer for what they have done.  No excuse.  God says there is no excuse.

It’s important to examine your life, death, heaven and hell.  How do you live and what happens when you die?

If you are reading this we know you were born so there is life.  You likely have a birth certificate.  I have some stark news for you if you haven’t heard it yet.  You will die.   All that’s left to be determined is when your date of death is stamped on the death certificate.   It may be today or it may hopefully be another but most don’t expect it when it happens.  And for many, when it does, it’s too late.

Nothing on earth is more sobering than a talk about hell.  As real as the hope of heaven is, so too is the reality of hell.  There will be a moment one day in the future that the only thing about you that will matter is your relationship with God.  Your occupation, your good character, your status, sex, or race will mean nothing apart from your standing before God.  What will that moment be like for you?  Are you just hoping that everything will work out or are you confident in what is ahead for you?

“The Tubthumper”

Part 2 is up…Click here and follow…