Church Bulletin:
Hell is not a subject we probably choose to think a great deal about. Sometimes however there are unpleasant matters which require our attention. It is in our best interest to be as informed as we can and to give careful consideration of them. If someone was facing an exam it would be foolish for them to keep pushing it to the back of their mind and fail to undertake adequate preparation. If a country was facing an epidemic of disease it would be foolish not to be informed about things like avoidance, symptoms, and response.
I have observed in recent times that descriptions of hell are becoming quite vague. I suspect some preachers and authors feel embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about it – at least talking with any clarity. Hell is often described as little more than being eternally removed from the presence of God. But what does this mean to an atheist? They are going to be removed from the God they don’t believe in, the God they have no interest in, the God they hate. Hell sounds like the kind of place they will enjoy. Hell certainly does mean the absence of God to bless, but not the absence of God altogether. God is present to punish.
Hell is a place of judgement. Biblically hell is described in terms of fire, darkness, loneliness, wailing and eternity (Matt 5:27-3; Matt 25:30, Mark 9:46; Luke 16:24; 2 Thess 1:9; Rev 14:10.). There are numerous reasons why you should maintain a clear perspective of what hell involves and think about it regularly.
- · It reminds us of the seriousness of sin
- · It reminds us of the righteousness of God
- · It reminds us of the blessing of salvation
- · It reminds us of the thankfulness we owe to Christ
- · It reminds us of the peril others are in
- · It reminds us of the need to be urgent in our prayers
- · It reminds us of the responsibility we have to warn others
There is nothing to be gained by vague notions about hell. It is of no benefit to veil the truth – either for you as a believer or for those outside of Christ. “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is power of God to salvation”
Andrew