âBut the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liarsâthey will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.â Revelation 21:8
Â
OK friends, todayâs topic is FIRE ⊠no, like LITERALLY. In fact, Iâm straight talking today about HELL đ±
Â
Well, what are your thoughts on it. Letâs be honest. Itâs UNAVOIDABLE đŹ
Â
Itâs popular in some Christian circles today to avoid the topic all together and understandably so. However, what if I told you that hell was a MAJOR part of the early churchâs theology?! You heard me right! If itâs unclear for you just reread our opening Scripture. What does this passage say about the afterlife and the fiery flames that will one day be a REALITY for many people?? Does everyone live happily ever after? Will we all just live in a never-ending Hallmark movie once we close our eyes for the last time?
Â
This verse and others seem to indicate otherwise. Though the afterlife was a little complicated (in modern terms) for ancient Jews, one thing is clear: They believed we would ALL be judged by Jesus and some wouldnât make the cut. The place they would go to is referred to as the âsecond deathâ ⊠YIKES! đ
Â
You heard me right. Thatâs why Jesus talked about hell and so did ALL of the Apostles. In fact, Paul brought up the topic of Jesusâ judgment in his sermon to a bunch of PAGANS in ancient Athens! Talk about rude! Donât believe me? Check out Acts 17.
Â
Hereâs my point. The reality of a LITERAL hell, where unbelievers are punished eternally, is ESSENTIAL to Godâs holy character. Itâs also, quite literally spelled out in the Bible AND the early church REGULARLY spoke about it, even to unbelievers. So, whatâs our problem today? And if weâre NOT talking about it, why? Could we be doing far more harm than good for a world that so DESPERATELY needs to understand the cultural stakes of rejecting God?
Â
No ⊠Iâm not saying you need to wear âhellâ like a new pair of shoes. But I am saying that we should NOT shy away from the threat of Godâs judgment when we tell others about his LOVE knowing the judgment is one of the precise reasons the Gospel smells so sweet! Think about that this week while you serve our wonderful Savior!
Â
Application:
What are your thoughts on hell and why?
Â
Do you think hell and Godâs judgment need to be a more regular part of Gospel presentation in the modern church?
Â
How can learning about hell help the world come to know Christ better? Â
ëêž