What About Hell

All who believe God exists tend to focus on His love and forgiveness. Some choose to ignore the Bible as they clamor to keep up with society’s definition of right and wrong. Others, Biblical Christians, stand for Biblical teachings on law and order, abortion, homosexuality, etc. Both groups correctly agree that Jesus preached on loving God and our neighbor as the ideal. Both groups desire and believe they are headed to Heaven, whether it be based on their works or based on their faith.

What Christians of every stripe tend to ignore is the reality of Hades and Hell. Most will acknowledge that they exist in the present (Hades), and for eternity (Hell), but don’t want to talk about that side of God, His righteousness. Biblical Christians don’t want to talk about Hell because it is so polarizing and we all fear so many we know are on the broad road to destruction. Secular Christians don’t want to talk about Hell, ether because secretly they fear their works will not be enough, or are blissfully confident they will be enough to get into Heaven.

Below is a scene from the book, “The Day The End Began” by Mark Fisher, where Pastor Lewis has just realized she is in Hades and, after a horrific welcome by its residents, calls out to Jesus with the question – Why!?

“As she stumbled on, the flesh they’d torn from her body grew back. And the fear that had gripped her a moment ago now increased a hundredfold, becoming a suffocating blanket of terror, a soul-trembling, gut-searing kind of raw horror burrowing deep into her soul. And she now realized what was missing from this world—the love, compassion, and mercy of God. “You are ours, Freya,” they shouted, their words mocking, insistent. “We are yours forever and ever.” “Jesus!” she shouted into the darkness. “Why have you left me here?” A figure of brilliant light appeared in front of her, and the demon-people vanished into the darkness. “Why are you here, Freya Lewis?” came his words, and she sensed such a powerful love mixed with such deep sadness that tears streamed down her cheeks. “You led your flock not to me, but to the Adversary. You knew my words, but you twisted them and refused to listen or obey them. You led your people not into righteousness, but into terrible iniquities of the flesh. And you promoted the murder of little ones yet unborn. I didn’t leave you, Freya Lewis. Long ago, you left me.” And before she could respond, the brilliant light vanished.”

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

As Pastors, teachers, and even writers, be thoughtful about what you share with those you may influence. The Lord is infinitely loving and merciful, but He is also a righteous God who will judge our actions at the end of our lives. Only through the blood of Christ can we avoid the broad road that leads to eternal death (Matt. 7:13), which is something worth talking about, regardless of our resistance to do so.