It's easy to look around us and see how we're already living in those last days that are to precede the beginning of the prophesied end.
I received an email last week about how I am wrong to teach that Hell is a literal place let alone that it will be a place of eternal punishment. Really?
In fact, these lies have their roots in the Garden of Eden with the serpent (Genesis 3:1). Here's Arthur W. Pink commenting on this same problem during his day and age.
But what are we to do? Are we to completely separate ourselves from any contact with such people, lovingly rebuke them and show them the error of their ways, or both?
What if such cases occur at your place of employment? Do you stand your ground for Him and His Word and suffer any consequences as a result, or do you willfully walk away choosing God over job security and money while trusting Him to provide for you and your family in the wake of your obedience?
For starters, see Proverbs 27:17, Matthew 7:3-5, Galatians 6:1, and 2 Corinthians 6:17. Of course, James should be where we derive our immediate response.
That's why it's imperative we start and end there rather than relying on our own circumstances and feelings that are fleeting.
At the end of the day, we need to expect to that we'll run into this sort of thing more and more as we get closer to the beginning of the end, or closer to the fulfillment of the Bible's end times prophecies.
Stand your ground.
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2 Timothy 4:2-5 (ESV) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.Welcome to the days that Timothy warned us about.
I received an email last week about how I am wrong to teach that Hell is a literal place let alone that it will be a place of eternal punishment. Really?
Daniel 12:2 (KJV) And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. [emphasis mine]I also had a conversation last week with someone who told me I need to 'tone down' the Christian rhetoric or else I'll run the risk of failing to appeal and attract non-believers. Really?
Acts 20:27 (KJV) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.As you can see, Satan's False Gospel has infected the hearts of minds of many well-meaning Christians alive today. Sadly, this is nothing new though.
Galatians 1:10 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Luke 9:26 (ESV) For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
In fact, these lies have their roots in the Garden of Eden with the serpent (Genesis 3:1). Here's Arthur W. Pink commenting on this same problem during his day and age.
Boy, if that isn't the truth.
In contradiction to the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of Satan teaches salvation by works. It includes justification before God on the grounds of human merits. Its sacramental phrase is "Be good and do good;" but it fails to recognize that in the flesh there dwelleth no good thing. It announces salvation by character, which reverses the order of God's word -- character by, as the fruit of, salvation.
Its various ramifications and organizations are manifold. Temperance Reform movements, "Christian Socialists Leagues," ethical culture societies, "Peace Congresses," are all employed, perhaps unconsciously, in proclaiming this Gospel of Satan -- salvation by works. The pledge card is substituted for Christ; social purity for individual regeneration, and politics and philosophy, for doctrine and prophecy. The cultivation of the old man is considered more practical than the creation of the new man in Christ Jesus...
The apostles of Satan... are, for the most part, ordained ministers. Thousands of those who occupy our modern pulpits are no longer engaged in presenting the fundamentals of the Christian faith, but have turned aside from the truth and given heed to fables.
Instead of magnifying the enormity of sin and setting forth its eternal consequences, they minimize it by declaring that sin is mere ignorance or the absence of good. Instead of warning their hearers to "flee from the wrath to come," they make God a liar by declaring that He is too loving and merciful to send any of His own creatures eternal torment. Instead of declaring that "without the shedding of blood there is no remission" they merely hold up Christ as the great exemplar and exhort their hearers to "follow in His steps."
-- A.W. Pink, Satan And His Gospel
But what are we to do? Are we to completely separate ourselves from any contact with such people, lovingly rebuke them and show them the error of their ways, or both?
What if such cases occur at your place of employment? Do you stand your ground for Him and His Word and suffer any consequences as a result, or do you willfully walk away choosing God over job security and money while trusting Him to provide for you and your family in the wake of your obedience?
For starters, see Proverbs 27:17, Matthew 7:3-5, Galatians 6:1, and 2 Corinthians 6:17. Of course, James should be where we derive our immediate response.
James 4:7 (KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.The answers can be found in God's Word -- always.
That's why it's imperative we start and end there rather than relying on our own circumstances and feelings that are fleeting.
At the end of the day, we need to expect to that we'll run into this sort of thing more and more as we get closer to the beginning of the end, or closer to the fulfillment of the Bible's end times prophecies.
Stand your ground.
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4 Comments:
I believe hell is a place that currently exists, but not eternally - in Rev 20:14-15:
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. All whose
names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire.
It is thrown into the lake of fire and is destroyed. The wages of sin is death. That's your punishment - the second death. You will no longer exist. Hell is destroyed. This somewhat goes with the not-so illogical statement you sometimes hear of "how could a loving God TORTURE you forever just because you don't believe in Him". He won't. You just won't exist.
When you see the word "forever" in the bible, it usually means "a long time", not literally FOREVER.
-JM
I couldn't disagree more, my friend.
To be clear, we’re concerned here with the nature of Hell, not just its existence. In fact, you can’t escape the reality of Hell or final judgment in Scripture. It’s a topic taken up by every New Testament writer and it dominates the teaching of Jesus. Of the 12 times the Greek word for Hell (Gehenna) is used in the New Testament, 11 come from the lips of Christ. He said the most about Hell, so to deny the existence of Hell is to deny the teachings of Jesus. I'm glad you and I are in agreement on that, at least.
But as we know, false teachers are more subtle than to deny the doctrine outright. They just raise questions. Questions like: "Is Hell really a literal place where unbelievers suffer eternal, conscious punishment, or merely a state of mind? Does Hell really last forever, or will God annihilate unbelievers? Is the fate of unbelievers really sealed forever, or will God give them a post-mortem opportunity to believe the gospel—and escape Hell?" They've learned well (Genesis 3:1).
Perhaps you’ve entertained those questions, but never found definitive answers. Maybe you’ve struggled over the certainty of doctrines like Hell. The answers are not elusive though.
But take care what sources you consult. If you’re seeking answers to your questions about Hell from liberal scholars, post modern, pseudo-Christian pastors, or people claiming to have visited Hell, then your view of hell is certain to be distorted.
I like what John MacArthur said: "Before we survey the biblical teaching on Hell, here are few preliminary thoughts to consider. From the outset, let’s acknowledge that Hell is a hard doctrine to digest—perhaps the hardest doctrine. It stretches our puny human minds to comprehend how divine justice responds to human guilt. We naturally resist the idea of God tormenting human beings in a Lake of Fire for all eternity. If you’ve never struggled with those issues, you’ve probably not thought deeply or seriously enough about Hell. If you have struggled, you’re not alone; some of God’s choicest saints have shared your experience."
There are many reasons why most people reject this reality of eternal punishment, but none of them are Biblical I'm afraid.
In Christ,
Jeff
Yes Hell is a hard pill to swallow, but just as it states in Rev 20:14-15, in plain in English it states that "anyone not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." Also it states in previous verses is where Satan, the Antichrist, and false prophet are and be tormented forever. The thought hurts so deeply,(not Satan in the lake) but that is why we have to warn as many as we can and share the free gift of Grace through Christ Jesus shed blood on the Cross.
We'll have to disagree for now. And I'm basing all my thoughts on the bible - no "scholars" of any kind. Interestingly, our church has just begun a group study on hell. It has just begun and I'm interested to see where they go with it. Maybe it will change my mind, but I think I'm fairly certain at this point.
There are verses such as:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Implying it's either perish or everlasting life.
Then there's the main teaching of
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
AGAIN, perish or everlasting life.
The whole idea is similar to:
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Is Sodom and Gomorrha still burning today? No. The original word means a long time/era, not true eternal and never ending.
I think it's a subtle difference. I believe in eternal punishment (ceasing to exist) rather than eternal punishing (suffering forever).
There are other verses I could hit on, but I need to go to work. I'll try to post a few more in the coming days.
It's a tough issue, to be sure. There really isn't a TON of references in the bible, and those that are there are many times somewhat vague - perhaps on purpose.
-JM
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