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Hell - The Most unpopular subject of today

"It is never true to say that something 'hurts like hell'. Nothing hurts
like hell." - John Blanchard


What is your reaction when you hear preaching on the subject of Hell? Do you
cringe and shut the preacher off? Or do you seriously give heed to every
word that you hear?

We are living in a day and an hour when the subject of Hell, for the most
part, is not mentioned in the pulpits of America. Most preachers will not
touch this topic because it is not popular with the people. It does not
bring in the big offerings, and sad to say, this is what many preachers are
after these days.

When was the last time that you went to a Camp meeting, watched a
Praise -A - Thon, or simply listened to Christian radio and heard a preacher
preach on the subject of Hell? When was the last time that you heard any
preacher preach on this subject?

Pastor, Evangelist, Apostle, Teacher, or Prophet - when was the last time
that you mentioned the word Hell from the pulpit and warned the wicked of
this God-forsaken place? When was the last time that you reminded the saints
to keep themselves unspotted from the world so that they would not end up in
such an awful pit?

Nowadays we are experiencing an "Anything Goes" Christianity. There is not
much of the Fear of God in our Churches, and there certainly is not much of
a true concept of what Sin actually is. Sin is no longer considered to be
the transgression of the Holy Law of God. Rather it is called a mistake. The
God of a Second Chance is pictured as always smiling down on His children no
matter what they do and how they fare. He seems to wink at Sin, look the
other way, and just keep on blessing His dear Ones.

In this message we would like to look at what others have said about Hell,
read some illustrations concerning this controversial subject, examine what
God has to say about it in His Holy Word, and then draw a conclusion as to
where we stand in relation to it.

Someone once said - " 'Too late' is written on the gates of Hell."

Oh! How true this is!
That is why the Bible admonishes us with these words -
2 Corinthians 6:2 - "...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the
day of Salvation."

If there was ever a time to repent, it is Now. No one will be able to repent
once they leave this world and step into eternity!

John Blanchard also said about Hell - "To believe in heaven but not in hell
is to declare that there were times when Jesus was telling the truth and
times when He was lying."

Thomas Brooks said - "The greatest and the hottest fires that ever were on
earth are but ice in comparison of the fire of hell."

Robert G. Lee said - "Exit is not a word found in the vocabulary of hell."

Brownlow North said - "You will be a believer some day. If you never believe
on earth, you will believe in hell."

J.C. Ryle said - "The saddest road to hell is that which runs under the
pulpit, past the Bible and through the midst of warnings and invitations."

Think about what is being said here.

The Lord Jesus spoke about Hell more than He spoke about Heaven.  Were you
aware of that?

There are no "Exit" signs in Hell. Can you imagine a place like this that
has no escape from its awful torment and misery?

Is there a fire on this earth than can possibly come close in comparison to
the fires of Hell?

Those who are having a hard time believing in God and His Holy Word will be
an instant believer the first second in Hell. Who in their right mind would
wait until then to believe all that God said in His Holy Word?

God places every road block imaginable before each individual, trying to
keep every one from this frightful place.

Hell! Hell! Oh! What a Horrible Place it must be!

"A dying girl said to her father, 'Father, why didn't you tell me there was
such a place?'

"What place?'

'A Hell!'

'Jenny,' he said, 'there is no such place. God is merciful. There will be no
future suffering.'

She said, 'I know better! I'm slipping into eternity this moment. I am lost!
Why did you not tell me there was such a place?'

We do not want to be accused one day of not having told others, for that
will be a witness against us."

" 'Oh, you preachers make me sick!' a fellow said to a witnessing Christian
on the train one day. The Christian assured him he was not a preacher.

'I don't care what you are. You Christians are always talking about a man
going to hell because Adam sinned.'

'No,' the Christian said, 'you need not go to hell because Adam sinned. You
will go to hell because you refuse the remedy provided for Adam's sin. Don't
keep complaining about something that has absolutely been taken care of. If
you go to hell, you will go over the broken body of Jesus Christ, Who died
to keep you out.' "

"A companion of a newly converted Christian said to him one day, 'Can you
tell me where hell is?' After a moment's hesitation the young Christian
said, 'Yes, it is at the end of a Christless life.' "
 -  Excerpts from the Illustrations of Bible Truths

"Hell is truth seen too late." - The Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations

What does the Bible say about Hell?

Revelation 20:15 says that it is a "lake of fire."
Revelation 20:1 refers to it as a "bottomless pit."

Psalm 11:6 refers to it as an "horrible tempest." It is likened to a furious
blast of wind that spreads destruction wherever it goes. Like the
suffocating Arabian wind, it is said to bring suffering and then increase
more and more, bringing great confusion and dismay. It is defined as the
"spirit of terrors."

Isaiah 33:14 refers to it as the "devouring fire." The wrath of God against
the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men is likened to a fire that
consumes. The only difference here is that Hell fire is never extinguished
and the worm never dies.

Psalm 18:5 refers to it as a place of sorrows - "The sorrows of Hell." The
word "sorrows" does not refer to an element of sadness. Rather, it is
defined as being cords, cables, or bands. The picture drawn is that of one
who is wrapped in pain with cords all around him and then seemingly dragged
down to lower degrees of torment.

Matthew 8:12 refers to it as a place of "outer darkness" with great "weeping
and gnashing of teeth." The "outer darkness" is supposedly taken from the
image of the Roman dungeons which were constructed underground and shut out
from any light whatsoever. Of course, these dungeons give only a slight
representation of what Hell is really like. It is deep, deep darkness -
utter darkness - darkness in extremity - the highest degree of darkness with
absolutely no glimpse or hope of light. The "weeping and gnashing of teeth"
tells us that it is a place that perpetrates great grief and anguish of
spirit.

Matthew 13:41-42 refers to this horrible place called Hell as a "furnace of
fire." What suffering could be more acute that that of being thrown into
fire? What greater image could express the intensity of extreme  torment
than that of being cast into a "furnace of fire"?

Luke 16:25 and Revelation 14:10-11 refer to it as a place of torment. The
rich man in Luke 16 was in such anguish from the fires of God's wrath that
he simply requested that Lazarus would give him just one drop of water to
cool his tongue for a moment. Verse 11 of Revelation 14 relates that there
is "no rest day nor night" for these suffering ones. Imagine never having an
interval or time from continuous pain. The torture is quite severe.

Matthew 25:41, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9 - Lastly, Hell is a place of
"everlasting punishment," "everlasting destruction," and "everlasting fire."
We must understand that it is a real place with actual suffering, anguish,
torment, and punishment that has no letup, relief, appeal, or end. This
punishment lasts forever and ever. Contrary to what many want to believe,
the soul never dies or is consumed by the fires of torment. It is always
dying , but it never dies.

Hell is everlasting - it is torment that lasts forever and ever and ever and
ever and ever.

Many people cannot imagine a loving God creating such a horrible place. It
was originally intended for the devil and his angels. But when man chooses
to rebel and exalt himself above God as the devil did, then he is sentenced
to the same place to be tormented by the fires of God's Wrath for all of
eternity.

No one ever has to go to Hell. Calvary screams out to all mankind every
waking moment of our days - "You don't have to go to this horrific place. A
way has been made for your freedom and deliverance from Sin. The way out is
the Blood of Jesus."

How should we react to such a message as this one?

First of all, if you are playing with Sin, then you need to realize the
awful consequences that await you unless you turn completely from any and
all Sin in your life. God is no respecter of persons. It does not matter how
many good deeds you have done. Unrepented Sin sends all people to Hell. The
only way to escape this horrendous place of torment is to turn from All Sin
and have your soul cleansed in the Blood of Jesus. God is not joking here.
Don't put it off another moment. Eternity may come knocking at your day
today. Remember - there are no "Exit" signs in Hell. Once you are cast into
this "furnace of fire," no one's prayers or pleas can get you out. You are
there for all of eternity with no appeal or end to your torment.

Secondly, do you have a burden for the lost? Do you spend time weeping and
travailing before God for your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors who
are lost and headed for this place of torment? Why are your eyes so dry? How
can you spend so much time in front of the TV when you have so many family
members who are headed for Hell? When was the last time that you wept before
God for the multitudes of people who are yet without Christ in this world?
Do you care that so many are headed for this terrible place unless they
repent of their sins? Why are there so many Christians at the social
gatherings but very few at the All Night Prayer Meetings? How do we ever
expect our loved ones to come to Jesus unless we do some heavy-duty praying?
Who will pray for them if we don't?

Thirdly, as a Christian, you need to ask yourself if you are doing
everything possible to keep your loved ones, friends, fellow laborers, etc.
out of this God-forsaken place? Are you preaching the Gospel to those whom
God sends across your path? Are you giving out tracts everywhere you go? Or
are you afraid that you might be ridiculed, scorned, and rejected? Perhaps
you might cause some "waves" on the job? What price are you willing to pay
to keep your loved ones from ending up in this horrible place of everlasting
punishment?

Preacher, what does God have to do to get you to start preaching the Truth
from your pulpit? When are you going to start warning the wicked and the
saints of this place of everlasting destruction? What kind of circumstances
will God have to bring across your path to convince you that you have not
been called to a golf course or to a profession? You have a calling from God
to preach the Truth no matter who likes it. You have been called to stand as
a Prophet in your pulpit, delivering the Word from God to the people. You
have been called by God to stand between the living and the dead. You have
been called to warn the wicked and to build up the saints. Nothing edifies
and strengthens the believer like the uncompromising Truth of God's Word.

Do you really believe in a Bible Hell as you say that you do? Then what are
you doing about it?

Hell is a real place. It is not a figment of any one's imagination.

Right at this moment, there are sounds of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Can
you hear them? They are coming from the bowels of Hell.

Don't let the next sounds be those of your loved ones as they are cast into
this place of torment for all of eternity.

For God's sake and for their sake, let's do something about it!

May God Bless His Word.

Connie Giordano