The Misconception of Hell.

Someone once asked me years ago if I thought God would send people to hell, and my answer was that I didn't believe a loving God would be so cruel to send anyone to a place of torment forever and forever. I am glad to say that my position on hell has changed since then. I could give you a million reasons why I have changed my view, but reasons in and of themselves is not sufficient evidence to convince people that there is a hell and the misconceptions that are floating around out there and in and of themselves damning heresies, which were created to give people a light view on sin and to ease there minds about a real place called hell that will be the destiny of all those who are living in their sins.

 I remember a conversation I had with a very devout catholic friend of mine years ago and this is what really started to transform my view of hell as an evangelical. Although catholics believe in purgatory, this catholic had a quite strange doctrine about hell that lined up with the biblical view of hell. I don't remember the details of the conversations but one of the things she said was that there were a lot of people that would perish and she said this out of concern for her husband who was a devout catholic himself, but she recognised and said that he was still in his sins. She understood that for one to be forgiven, they had to repent and receive Christ as Saviour and Lord and at the time I was back slided from my own faith. As a catholic she helped me say the sinners prayer, although I had already received Christ she understood the importance of being saved and not dying in your sins and going to hell.

I have heard of many interpretations of what hell is like and I must say that these are all man's attempt to ease their own conscience and the conscience of others because they are living in sin. Growing up I always believed in a hell, and I think if I was to use my own mind to create something I would be a little more creative. I've hears preachers say they are using the word of God and then go on to describe hell as some kind of vacation place that they themselves would enjoy. I have even heard a preachers say that we can know absolutely nothing about hell, because the word of God is silent.

My goal in writing this blog is not to scare you but to let you know that the word of God is clear. There is a heaven, and there is a hell. If you are scared to got either one you probably will end up in hell. The bible teaches us that only sinners, who have been forgiven will go to heaven. I personally believe hell is a real place, with real fire where people will be in torment forever and forever. And my verse to back that up is John 3:16  and a number of other verses. Disagree if you like, but are you willing to stake your eternity on it?

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

12It is a fire that burns to Destruction^a ;

it would have uprooted my harvest.

13“If I have denied justice to any of my servants,

whether male or female,

when they had a grievance against me,

14what will I do when God confronts me?

What will I answer when called to account?

15Did not he who made me in the womb make them?

Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?

16“If I have denied the desires of the poor

or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

17if I have kept my bread to myself,

not sharing it with the fatherless—

18but from my youth I reared them as a father would,

and from my birth I guided the widow—

19if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,

or the needy without garments,

20and their hearts did not bless me

for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,

21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

knowing that I had influence in court,

22then let my arm fall from the shoulder,

let it be broken off at the joint.

23For I dreaded destruction from God,

and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

24“If I have put my trust in gold

or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’

25if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,

the fortune my hands had gained,

26if I have regarded the sun in its radiance

or the moon moving in splendor,

27so that my heart was secretly enticed

and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,

28then these also would be sins to be judged,

for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

29“If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune

or gloated over the trouble that came to him—

30I have not allowed my mouth to sin

by invoking a curse against their life—

31if those of my household have never said,

‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’—

32but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,

for my door was always open to the traveler—

33if I have concealed my sin as people do,^b

by hiding my guilt in my heart

34because I so feared the crowd

and so dreaded the contempt of the clans

that I kept silent and would not go outside—

35(“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!

I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;

let my accuser put his indictment in writing.

36Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,

I would put it on like a crown.

37I would give him an account of my every step;

I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—

38“if my land cries out against me

and all its furrows are wet with tears,

39if I have devoured its yield without payment

or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40then let briers come up instead of wheat

and stinkweed instead of barley.”

 

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’