Sermon Cloud

Is it a literal place? Who goes there? Why was it created in the first place?

Revelations of Another World – Part 3 Hell

• Explain Series - - series study focused on the unseen world
• Researchers finding out people want to learn about the supernatural
• Unfortunately what they are supplying people on TV and in theaters is far from what the Bible teaches.

Theme verse - Colossians 1:16

This Series

• Angels, demons, heaven, hell

So far covered the topics of angels, demons, and last week heaven.

Tonight as we close this series we will research and cover what the Bible says on the topic of “hell”.

Stats:

August 2008 “Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life”

• 59% of 35,000 surveyed said they believe in a hell “where people who have led bad lives, and die without being sorry, are eternally punished.”
• That’s down from 71% who said they believe in hell in a 2001 Gallup survey done

• For the most part people do not believe they will go to hell --

less than 1% believed they would.

• But those same people when asked about their eternal destiny, about 64% were uncertain about it.

One survey revealed that about 76% of Americans considered themselves Christians

• But of that 76%, only about 7% admitted to a definite life change – that something was different on the inside.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 – definitely speaks of change
• Jesus said  - by their fruits you will know a person

So in light of eternity it is good to know what the Bible has to say about this place called “hell.”

What About Hell?

(Matthew 25:31-46)  - read

Here is one of the rare times Jesus speaks of Himself coming in glory!

• He is to come in His own glory
• All the holy angels are to come with Him
• He is to take his seat on the Throne
• All nations are to be gathered before Him
• The awful separation of the two great classes is to be His doing
• He has the word of decision on both
  • "Ye blessed!" "Ye cursed!"  
  • To the one, "Come!" to the other, "Depart!"
  • You! -- To the Kingdom!' 'To the flames!'

True faith demonstrated by action. It is not, 'Ye had it, in your hearts,' but 'Ye DID it with your hands.' That is your love for Christ

• Shall know them by their fruits

So let’s look at it tonight – the first thing about hell you need to know is that:

1.  Hell is a literal place.

• Originally created for the devil and his angels – note Mt. 25:41
• Became the place of punishment for the rebellious toward God
• Revelation 21:8
  • A place for those whose names are not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Jesus used the word “Gehenna” to describe hell.

• The culture of his day understood that term because there was a valley called the “Valley of Hinnom”. Accursed bec. of Moloch worship. Later where all the trash was dumped. It was continuously burning!

2.  Hell is a dark place.

(Matthew 8:12) “But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

3.  Hell is a tormenting place.

(Matthew 13:42) “They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

• No soul sleep – lk. 18.19-ff; moses & Elijah w/ Jesus on mt.; Sadducees error – God of the living referring to ab., Isaac, & jac

4.  Hell is a permanent place

• Reincarnation Bank
• No annihilation – 2 thes. 2.8; rev. 19.20, 20.10 – same greek words used to describe God’s eternal existence
• Many religions teach ultimate reconciliation where eventually everyone will get out of hell

What about Purgatory?

• All Christians agree that we won’t be sinning in heaven. Sin and final glorification are utterly incompatible. Therefore, between the sinfulness of this life and the glories of heaven, we must be made pure. Between death and glory there is a purification.
  
  
• Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1030–1).
• Three essential components of the doctrine: (1) that a purification after death exists, (2) that it involves some kind of pain, and (3) that the purification can be assisted by the prayers and offerings by the living to God.

(Matthew 25:46) “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

5.  Hell is an avoidable place

• God never intended you to go there
• John 3:16
• The benefits of why Jesus came are great – peace, everyday help he gives to lead us, to bless us and our families, marriages, finances, etc but these were not the primary reason for his coming.
• His primary purpose was to save us from a hell bound condition.

John 3:18 (KJV) – we were condemned already – this was our position before Christ came

• John3:36

It’s not about being good enough to enter heaven or escape hell.

• The question isn’t whether or not people are going to hell – according to the Bible all are – the real question is how I escape going there.
• That’s why Jesus came – to deliver us!

(Hebrews 2:3) asks the right question? “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”

We can’t if we ignore God’s plan of salvation!

• The word “salvation” itself tells us there is something that we need to be saved from.

The Great Escape

1.  God wants everyone to be saved.

• For all
• No predetermination has been made of who will go and who will not go to heaven

(1 Timothy 2:4) “(God)…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 3:9

• The reason the second coming is being delayed so everyone has an opportunity to repent and come to God.
• This answers the question of “Why would a loving God send people to hell?”

He has thrown us the life saver -- Jesus Christ His Son!

• Illus – lifesavers on ships at sea and local swimming pools
• Available to the most wicked and the most moral!

God was so desperate for everyone to be saved He sent His Son as our substitute!

• Could you do that?
• Illus – Man and son – nose injury

God did this for us way before He knew whether or not we would receive His offer!

• God heard the screams but let it happen!
• Why? Thinking of us!
• Again this answers the question of why would a loving God send people to hell

2.  God has provided a way of escape

(Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Some would say that sounds so narrow – you mean Jesus is the only way?

• Yes and here’s why. – because of the hundreds of religions, not one outside of Christianity offered to pay for your sins.

John 14:6 – Jesus said of Himself – “I am the way…”

(Acts 4:12) “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Other religions offer no salvation plan – why?

• They don’t look at it as an issue to be dealt with!
• They look at man in the context of their deeds – whether they are good or bad.
• Religions offer the means for man to be better through philosophies and principles to live by.
• But they do nothing about the inherent problem man has that we refer to as sin.

3.  God invites you to receive salvation.

• Hell is a place people will go if they insist on depending on their good works to pay for their sins.
• The reason ROL exists is to get out this message!
• Let’s make it hard for people to go to hell in Alex City!

• God will not force you to receive His Son
• He will not make you accept His plan of escape,
• He says, “I will knock.”

(Revelation 3:20) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

How do you receive? Confess and believe!

(Romans 10:9-10) “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”