September 25
Isaiah 45:11-48:11 | PS 68:19-35 | Prov 24:3-4 | Eph 4:1-16
I was speaking to a long time patient of mine who years ago I shared Christ with. She has been reading ever since, and every year we talk about her walk and she generally has a number of questions for me. She recently told me of a woman who leads a number of Bible studies in her area, of which her mother attends one. Among other things this leader teaches that there is no literal hell. She teaches that all go to heaven, and hell is simply a state of mind for the person who chooses to sin, that the hell in the mind is the consequence of their sinful behavior. When challenged apparently she states that the Bible is full of many different interpretations. Though there are divisions in interpretations as to end times and certain other aspects of faith, the reality of heaven and hell is not one of those gray areas. This is like teaching our children when they are young that there is no literal jail. That if they go out and kill someone or steal something that they will simply suffer in the prison of their mind. Just as that murderer or thief will realize that prison is a literal place, so many who choose to not place their hope in Jesus Christ will realize when it's too late that hell also is a literal place. So concerned for us and so determined for us not to go there, Jesus not only preached three times more about hell than heaven, but He also willingly died for our sins so that no one would have to experience the reality of this eternal destination. Concerning another false teaching, the concept of purgatory, which has no Biblical basis, read Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,". Hell might not be a popular topic, but it is a necessary one.
We read in Ephesians 4:8-10, "Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." (Now this, "He ascended" - what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)" Jesus foretold of this reality to the scribes and Pharisees when they desired to see a sign from Him in Matthew 12:38-40, as we see His response, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." In the Old Testament the place for souls after death was called Sheol, in the New Testament this same place is called Hades. Jesus further describes this place in Luke 16:19-31. This story is not a parable, but a real story, as parables do not use proper names. Jesus describes the division in Sheol as a hell-like side of eternal torment and an area called Abraham's bosom which is beautiful and peaceful. The two literal places were separated by a great chasm which cannot be crossed. After death one side or the other was entered and could not be altered. Though Abraham's Bosom was a beautiful place, the captives there were still not yet in the presence of God in heaven. Prior to Jesus, heaven was reserved for God and His angels. After His crucifixion and death, Jesus went down and preached to the captives in Abraham's Bosom. Jesus being the firstfruits of heaven, then led these captives into heaven where they now reside in the presence of God.
So at this time after death, since Abraham's Bosom has been emptied of its residents, there are two options after death: heaven and the hell-like area in Hades. Hell is real, but its first residents will be the Antichrist and the false prophet as described in Revelation 19:20. After the Millennial Kingdom, and the short time when Satan is released the final judgment occurs in Revelation 20:11-15, in which all unbelievers will be judged. It clearly describes in these verses that the literal Hades will be emptied of its captives as they are "cast into the lake of fire", which is a literal hell for the rest of eternity. This understanding of a literal heaven and hell is so important that God sent His Son, Jesus, to come to earth to teach the truth of this reality, then willingly allowed Himself to be sacrificed so that He offered the only way of escape. Those who want to explain away a literal hell must put an eraser to large portions of Scripture. More importantly, they must stand in opposition to Jesus' mission. Jesus means "God is salvation". If hell is not real, what exactly did He come to save us from? For those who like to joke about hell, somehow believing it won't be so bad, read Jesus' recurring description of hell in Matthew 8:12, "...There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The truth of a literal heaven and hell should be a tremendous motivator for Christians to reach out fervently to an unbelieving world. Those who like to state that since God is a God of love He will not allow any to go to hell miss the point. God is indeed a God of love. This love is so perfect that He sent His only Son to provide the way out of hell and into heaven. But this loving God is also a just God who cannot simply overlook sin. Heaven is attained because our sin has been paid for, and those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior have accepted and are covered by this payment. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: