Hell; Jesus Warned the Most...

11-10-11 | Bill Randles

[pastorbillrandles]

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

It has been dawning on me lately that there are many within the confessing church who have already forsaken the biblical teaching on hellfire, and Divine judgment. The heavy message of a God of wrath, who utterly hates all that is evil, false, and degraded doesn’t fit the new “kinder and gentler” humanistic church-growth model adopted by so many.

The popularity of recent heretical books such as Love Wins, by Rob Bell, as well as the rarity of actual teaching on the fate of the wicked even among many evangelical churches have convinced me that this defection is real.

It is almost as though the idea of Divine wrath that underlies the traditional christian teaching on perdition, is seen as a primitive throwback, and somehow beneath the more evolved modern concept of God.

The new and improved evangelicals,(some calling themselves “emergents”) are not only rejecting Hell, but they are repudiating some of the very attributes of the God of the Bible.

This is precisely the meaning of the second commandment’s prohibition against forming our own preferred image of God, rather than worshipping God as He has revealed himself to be. People don’t really reject Hell, they reject God as He has revealed himself to be; Holy, Sovereign, Majestic, Righteous, a a God of wrath against sin as well as a God of mercy.

But most of what we know that is biblical and accurate about hell and judgment comes from the teaching of Jesus himself! He is the one who warns humanity in the starkest terms of the wrath that is coming. More than Peter, Paul, James,Jude or any one else, Jesus warns us of the danger of Hell fire.

How fitting that it is the Saviour and the only Mediator who should be entrusted with this revelation from God.

After all, Peter, Paul, James, Jude, as well as you and I, all fully deserve to go to hell. Jesus alone lived a fully God honoring human life, as the Son of Man. And at the prime of his life He made the offering to God that makes it possible for us all to avoid it.

Furthermore, Jesus, is the one who will actually decide the eternal fate of every human being. Therefore it seems apt that to him also is committed the fullest revelation of the reality and liability of perdition. In scripture we behold him compassionately pleading to all who will listen not to go to hell!

To Jesus, “trivial” sins such as anger, name calling, and mental adultery are so terrible that it would be better (if possible) to maim oneself to avoid them than to indulge them all the way to hell!

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)

Obviously self-mutilation is not the cure of sin, but Jesus is teaching a complete and radical resistance towards indwelling sin, particularly of thought(Eye), deed(Hand), and direction(feet).Those who escape Hell, are at war with indwelling sin!

Jesus also speaks in stark terms about the horrifying level of regret and remorse experienced by those cast out into outer darkness;

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

Notice too his constant warning to the “children of the Kingdom”, in other words the ones who assume they are sure to go to heaven, as though it were some kind of birthright, rather than an indescribable privilege, a precious gift of mercy.

Once again it is Jesus who warned that the end of the age would see a great judgment, a separation of “wheat and tares” and that the Hell would be as a “furnace of fire”;

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.(Matthew 13:40-42)

One of the most frightening images is that of Hell being the place where the “worm dieth not, and the fire is never quenched”,

Notice the urgency of Jesus! His concern that we seriously resist evil, as if all or any of us are in danger of hell fire! I believe that Jesus is the faithful witness to the Truth, the only sure account of eternal reality, He warned more of Hell than he spoke of heaven!

To hear modern preachers and theologians speak of it, you would almost think Jesus didn’t believe in hell. But look at this small sampling from the gospels! This isn’t Dante’s inferno, or some angry fundamentalist, or a medieval monk, these are the words of the Son of God!

It is Jesus who tells us that Hell wasn’t really intended for people, it was made for the devil and his angels…

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:(Matthew 25:41)

But we shouldn’t assume people won’t be going there, because in this context Jesus himself is the one sending people there, no doubt sadly, but surely. Though Hell was made for the Devil and his angels, those who side with the Devil in his rebellion against God, must go there.

Jesus again is the one who specifically warned us of the ultimate disaster, that any should “die in his sin”;

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.(John 8:24)

The worst thing that could happen to anyone, is that the should die in their sin! To die unforgiven, is to face the full liability for a life of unbroken resistance to God, the Infinite,Holy,Personal King of the universe.

Keith Green the psalmist/evangelist once wrote a song called “Alter Call” which said,

Most people don’t find out

till It’s too late,

That someone has to pay the price.

You can pay it yourself (hah) or Let someone else,,/b>

But who would be that nice,

To pay a debt that isn’t his,

oh I Know someone like that,

And he’s your best friend, he Really is, he really loves you.

Most people don’t find out till Their half dead,

that they need another life.

You say you’ve heard everything That’s ever been said About The Way, The Truth, The Life.

You say you’ve heard lot of Preaching all before, so many times,

But did you ever open up your Door, give Him a chance to prove Himself?

Jesus is the one who spoke more on Hell than anyone else, and who did what needed to be dome to save us from Hell, by giving his life to Gd as an offering, a substitute who bore the penalty due us, that God’s wrath might be satisfied. Jesus loves you, flee the wrath to come! Come to him for forgiveness and new life before its too late!

[2ndDivisionVet]

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
By Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevaling.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

3. And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4. That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

[pastorbillrandles]

Thanks Second Division, so true! Also thanks for your service- happy 11-11- God bless.

[Hammerhead]

Word to yo’ mutha Joel Olsteen.

Heed up yo!

[2ndDivisionVet]

I was in the 2nd United States Infantry Division of the US Army, not the Marine Corps. My late father was a Marine from 1943 to 1965, so I joined a different branch to see things I hadn’t as a Marine brat. Plus the Army offered me more options. You’re not the first FReeper who thought I was in the Marine Corps, believe me! LOL

[Inyo-Mono]

God bless you for this very real reminder of our fate without Salvation.

[count-your-change]

Maybe “Pastor Bill” should spend more time with his studies since he confuses and treats different terms as one and the same.

[Saundra Duffy]

“Jesus, is the one who will actually decide the eternal fate of every human being”

Thank God for that! Remember when the Disciples wanted Jesus to call down fire on some group? Jesus rebuked them. The judging is Jesus’ business; He is worthy; He has the authority. I don’t like being condemned to hell by puny humans; I’m funny that way.

[pastorbillrandles]

I was actually wishing you a happy armistice day- God bless you for your service!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Duh! I mixed up today’s Marine Corps birthday with tomorrow!

[brent13a]

Jesus actually referenced Gehenna, the Valley of Gehimnon, in that passage.

And do not have fear of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the Spiritl. Rather, have fear more so of Him who is able to destroy the Spirit and the body in Gehenna.

What's interesting is from time to time I'm reminded that christianity and conservatives like to spout off the phrase "judaeo-christian" like it's going to seal up all liberal arguments. The weird part being that 'judaeo' comes first and is the most disregarded aspect, what with Jesus and his 12 disciples having been zealous Jews and all.
For 5,000 years before Jesus and 350 years after his execution "Hell" never existed. Actually reading the Tanakh (or OT as christians call it) reveals no mention of it or a 'hellfire'. Any translation of the NT worth it's salt also translates what was said correctly without any hellenistic mythology interpolations.
"Hell" didn't exist until the Latin Vulgate and the King James Version was produced by hellenist christians.
Besides the Hebrew Tanakh there are many christian bibles that don't use the mythological iconography as well:
Hanson’s New Covenant, Young’s Literal Translation, Twentieth Century New Testament, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible, Weymouth’s New Testament, Jewish Publication Society Bible OT, Emphatic Diaglott Greek /English Int., Tanakh/The Complete Jewish Bible
to name a few.
She'ol, The Pit, The Abyss, Gehenna, these are not "hebrew terms" for hell, they are names and titles that have specific meaning and have nothing to do with a mythological "hades-realm full of fire".
Reading Tanakh & Revelation reveals that upon the final resurrection at the End-of-the Age His(YHWH's) Wrath will be like a Refiner's Fire sweeping away Death, The Adversary, and all the Wicked forever. They don't go to a mythological hades-realm full of fire, they get burnt out of existence altogether....by YHWH's wrath.
Jesus didn't preach a new religion separate from his Jewish roots, Paul and the Hellenists did that.

[pastorbillrandles]

I condemn no body, I am fortunate that by the cross I have escaped condemnation, the last thing any christian woud want to do is call fire down on anyone. But warnings are valod and needed in this generation-

[patlin]

One must define the word ‘evil’ as our Almighty Father above defines it, not by Greco-Roman-English standards. Doctrine of Christendom is so hell bent on physical immorality, but is that the ‘evil’ that he is most concerned about? (Ex 32-the golden calf incident and Aaron's attempt to appease the people by letting them break a commandment that YHVH had just spoken to them Himself) It's not how we perceive how we worship YHVH, it is how HE perceives it and HE & His Son, Yah'shua our Messiah only gave us one way, the way of Torah through the testimony of Yah'shua our Messiah. Yah'shua kept all his Father's ways are we are to do our best to do so also. Add not & take away not!

Worshiping our Elohyim in a manner that he specifically commanded us not to do is the root of all evil because it shows our contempt for His ways & instructions. It shows our disrespect for Him that bring dishonor to His Name. Since man fell, YHVH has been trying to get His children to turn back to His ways in order to restore His good Name.

The 1st commandment that YHVH gave was in Gen 2:1 - on the seventh day YHVH Alef-Tav rested...and YHVH Alef-Tav sanctified it and made it holy. It is a set apart day for His children to rest from their work and focus their attention on teaching & learning His Word so that they may then be filled with the ‘fuel’ to sustain them while they are out in the world the other days of the week.

Prov 13:24 says to ‘spare the rod’. Greco-Roman-English mindsets tell us this has to do with corporal punishment. In YHVH’s pure Hebrew the word ‘rod’ is literally ‘Sabbath’ which means divine teaching. For nearly 2 thousand years, Christendom has removed the core instruction of YHVH and kept it from His children. The core instruction that teaches one the path to ‘life’.

Want to get the world to ‘turn back’ then teach ‘turn back’ NOT ‘turn away’ from because just ‘turning away’ can lead anywhere but ‘turning back to’ leads one to the true path to life which was proclaimed in the beginning, not 4000 yrs later.

With the aid of the testimony of Messiah and following him by ‘turning back’ to his Father's ways, the light in our hearts truly shines in order to light the true path so we can run that race in pursuit of eternal life & peace & WIN!

[patlin]

thank you for adding your wisdom. Shalom

[American Constitutionalist]

There are many paths to hell, i.e. Religion, self righteousness, but, only ONE way to God, Heaven, Eternal Life, that is Jesus Christ, Yeshua !

Jesus Christ's own words:
Matthew 7:13:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

John 14:6 :
Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.

[American Constitutionalist]

Rock of Ages
Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778


1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.

[patlin]

John 5:41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Deut 32:35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’

Heb 10:15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD(YHVH): I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”[Jer 31:33-34; Dt 30:6; Dt 4:9; Dt 6:6; Dt 11:9] 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin...26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[Dt 32:5] says the Lord. And again, “The LORD(YHVH) will judge His people.”[Dt 32:36] 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Yah'shua Messiah is 'Lord' but YHVH our Elohyim is "LORD" & judge over all and we will be judged by the Words of YHVH as written by Moses, not by what Greco-Roman-English Christendom doctrine teaches as sin.

[patlin]

by the cross I have escaped condemnation

So you teach all your flock to follow Torah over doctrine of Christendom that changed Torah to include pagan worship practices?

[Diamond]

Nice try with that Paul not being a good Jew thing.

Gehenna and Hades are not non-existence, and torment cannot and does not mean annihilation:

Strong's Number:  928

basaniðzw

Original Word		Word Origin
	basaniðzw		from (931)
Transliterated Word		Phonetic Spelling
	Basanizo		bas-an-id'-zo
Parts of Speech		TDNT
	Verb		1:561,96
Definition
	to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal to question by applying torture to torture to vex with grievous pains (of body or mind), to torment to be harassed, distressed of those who at sea are struggling with a head wind

Cordially,

[patlin]

So you teach all your flock to follow Torah over doctrine of Christendom that changed replaced Torah to include in leui of pagan worship practices?