Do you believe in Hell? Jesus does. In fact Jesus spoke more about Hell than anyone in the Bible. He even uses the fear of Hell as a motivator to obey.
42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
47 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, 48 where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9)
Jesus teaches us three things about Hell.
- Hell is Exclusion – to be in Hell is to be excluded from ‘life’ and the kingdom.
- Hell is Perpetual – it’s fires are ‘unquenchable’ and its worms “don’t die”.
- Hell is Punitive – it is the place for all who rebel against God (check out Isaiah 66:48)
The reality of hell is fuel for evangelism, follow up phone calls, rebukes – everything we do. We do not want this reality for our friends, family, neighbours, or even our enemies. Do you believe in Hell?
Denis Oliver