Tag: Matthew 25:41

God’s Mercy

On October 28, 2024

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Psalm 103:10,11

Praise the Lord that our Heavenly Father does not reward us according to our sins the way we deserve to be dealt with. Had it not been for our Saviour’s work on the cross, we would all be gonners! But the fact that we no longer have to worry about spending eternity in hell’s burning flames does not mean that it stops there.

A good study on hell and what it has in store for those who are not born again and blood bought is so needful today! I can probably count on one hand the number of times the topic of hell has been the center of conversation in those Christians around me. I have maybe heard two messages in my 26+ years of salvation on the teaching of hell. Why is that? Not only do the lost need to hear where they will be spending eternity but I believe the saved would be more challenged to be soul winners if they had a clear understanding of where these lost souls are going!

What is hell all about? The Bible mentions the word “hell” 54 times. There are three terms that are used to reference hell: Sheol, Hades and Gehenna. Most of Christ’s accounts of hell were referring to Hades and Gehenna. The most popular use of Hades was the account of the rich man in Luke 16:22-24. Here all of the rich man’s natural senses were affected by being in Hades. The account shows that the rich man could see what was happening, he spoke to Father Abraham, he could hear Father Abraham’s response, his mind was clear because he recognized where he was and where Father Abraham was, he cried to him for mercy, he asked Father Abraham to help his family on earth, he felt the pain because he thirsted and asked for water. All his senses were affected, as well as his emotions. He was so aware of his surroundings and what he was suffering that he did not want his family to go through the same thing. He knew he could not escape the torment he was in and it was too late for him, but not too late for his family. It was too late for him to be a soul winner at this point.

Gehenna is another term for hell which refers to the Lake of Fire after Great White Throne judgment. Rev. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. The souls in hell (Hades) will experience a second death at this point and be thrown into Gehenna (the lake of fire). Gehenna’s fires are so real that Jesus warned that it would be better to lose an eye or other part of our bodies than to be whole in the Lake of Fire! (Mark 9:43-48 ) That’s pretty serious stuff – to be told to cut off a part of your own body! Jesus said it is better that we cut off a hand and enter heaven a partial man than to be in that Lake of Fire with a whole body!

Jesus also said in Matt. 18:8 that the flames are everlasting! Have you ever burned yourself on the stove or with a hot iron? The first thing I do is run to get a cold glass of cold water filled with icecubes and dip my finger in it until the pain subsides. But this won’t be an option to the unsaved person who is cast here! Matthew 3:12 also says that the fires are unquenchable. It’s not like a campfire that dies down after a while. These flames keep going.

The Bible shows us that the Lake of Fire will have different degrees of punishment also. God’s punishment will be given out to the lost in same degree that they denied His Word. Luke 12:47-48 describes it well: And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (47) But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (48 ) I also think of Rom. 2:5-6, But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; (5) Who will render to every man according to his deeds:(6)

My friend, all will stand before Christ and give an account of every action we have done. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10) It’s reiterated in Rev. 2:23, And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

I look at it this way, those unsaved who get “few stripes” will burn for all eternity at a level like being burned all over with the most horrible sun burn he’s ever had. The unsaved who gets “many stripes” will be burning at a level of being totally engulfed with fire!! Both will be suffering but at different degrees. However, they will all share equally in hell’s permanence (eternity) and its unquenching flames – there will be no reprieve – there will be no death as a result of these burns. Granted, there is no way for me to know exactly the pain levels the lost will experience – this is just my interpretation which helps me to imagine. Whatever it takes for you to get a burden for the lost soul, do it! This is just my way of keeping myself motivated to win the lost.

The unsaved stand no chance. Luke’s account of the rich man says it all. Once the unsaved dies, it is too late. There is no going back and changing one’s mind. The Hitlers and Neros of this world will suffer greater punishment once they are released from Hades and cast into that Lake of Fire. In my soul winning efforts, I’ve come across people who just don’t see their sin. They can’t be saved if they don’t know they are lost. But upon death, it will be a horrible awakening in a place where the worm dieth not. Christ spoke this statement three times in Mark 9:44-48. Not only is there no escaping hell’s fire for the unbeliever, but the pain and torment of being burned continuously goes on for all eternity. I cannot even begin to imagine what it will be like for a person to be engulfed in flames and to continuously be burned and their body not turning to ash – just continuously burning and burning and burning. Not for just an hour, a day, or a week – but forever!

Christian, have I helped you to realize your need to tell your lost loved ones about where they will be spending eternity if they don’t repent and get saved? Prayerfully, this has renewed your zeal for lost souls! If not, shame on you.

If you are reading this and you are not born again, won’t you reconsider what you believe today? You may not believe in a literal hell. Many may say that hell is here on earth. But Jesus did not preach that at all. Don’t take what others say and make it your belief. Could you possibly be wrong? Have you been right about everything in your life? What if you’re wrong about this?

God created hell for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). It is your choice to remain in the lost condition you are in right now. No one is forcing you to get saved. But admit this one thing … deep down inside you, you’re wondering if what I have said is even remotely true. I would rather exercise my little faith, be saved, and find out when I die that the Bible was true than to ignore my little faith and enjoy life full of sin only to find out that everything about hell was true and now I have to spend an eternity burning, writhing in pain for all eternity.

A wise Senior Saint once told me, “Hell’s fire is too hot and eternity is too long for me to ignore salvation!”

Dear God…
Please open the heart of the one who reads
What You have laid on my heart today
Create in me a burden so heavy and great
That I need to show someone salvation’s way.

Hell – What Is It and What Should I know About It?

By Kate Plourde

On January 11, 2023

In Devotionals, Miscellaneous, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Good morning, Reader! I will be starting a new series dealing with the topic of what excuses people use for not accepting Christ. But before I can start on that series, I feel it’s necessary to explain just what Hell and the Lake of Fire really are and why it’s so important to prevent yourself from going there! Please take a moment and let’s study the matter out together.

What is This Place Called Hell?

Hell is the place where the unsaved go after they die but it is not the place where they will spend eternity. Some refer to hell as the lake of fire but it is not. The lake of fire is the final punishment of all those who were released from hell to be judged at the Great White Throne judgment. (Matt. 22:13, Rev. 20:15) It is not a place where you go to “party with your friends.” There is no joy in hell. It is a place designed for punishment. It is not like prison where you will be provided with three meals a day, television and gym privileges. It is a place originally prepared for Satan and his fallen angels. (Matt. 25:41) But because man with his own evil deeds did not repent, he also will be cast there along with the devil and his demons.

Hell is outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 25:30, Mk. 9:47-48) Those in hell are separated from Christ, who is the Light! They will long to “take back” their rebellious lives and sin; longing to reverse their error in not accepting the Lord’s precious salvation! They will be endlessly crying over their circumstances; they will have inexpressible, irreversible and unending pain! If you’ve burned yourself, even the slightest, you know how painful a burn can be. This will be all over your body – not one spot left untouched.

In hell, the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. This old English term, “worm,” is defined as:

Remorse; that which incessantly gnaws the conscience; that which torments.
Where their worm dieth not. Mark 9.

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

In other words, one just doesn’t fall asleep when he dies. It is clear that the dead in hell will have memories and they will eternally regret not having accepted Christ’s salvation. (Rev. 14:10-11) Each lost soul will remember those times when someone tried to tell them about the Lord and the need for salvation. This soul will be tortured with regret for all eternity. Each soul will remember his family and will beg to have someone go warn them about what awaits them if they don’t repent of their sin. (Luke 16:19-31, specifically Luke 16:27-31)

Hell is a place of torment, not only mentally as we read above, but physically. Think of the worst pain you’ve ever had and imagine it never going away but staying with you for all eternity. (Matt. 25:41, 46) It’s difficult to imagine in our finite minds just how long eternity is. But do you really want to find out in this way? The Apostle James said in James 4:14 that life is a vapor – it lasts but for a moment and then vanishes. When one thinks about eternity past, present and future, our life is just that. Why would a person prefer to live with their sins in this lifetime (which is very short in comparison to eternity), and trade that life in for eternal punishment???

Who Will Go to Hell?

The Bible is very clear about salvation and what will happen to those who refuse to accept it. Everyone not found written in the Book of Life will be in hell. (Rev. 20:15) The Apostle Paul wrote in Phil. 4:3 that his fellow laborers’ names are in the book of life. Therefore, it stands to reason that anyone who is born-again will have his name in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27) But those whose names are not found in the book of life will be judged according to their works which are recorded in books as well (Rev. 20:12). These are not works that gain one entrance into heaven. These are sins recorded that will keep you out of heaven; sins that you refused to repent of and these will be exposed at the Great White Throne Judgment. You will not be able to make excuses at this point. It will be too late.

Anyone who did not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ will go to hell. (2 Thess. 1:8-9) It may astonish you but the fact that you’re delaying salvation reveals that you are willfully rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your delay only goes to show what you think about eternity.

Anyone who doesn’t know God will go to hell. One can “know about” Jesus and yet not know Him personally. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) You may say you know God because you are of a certain religion. I was raised Catholic and I knew about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But I did not know them personally. You thought you knew your spouse when you first got married, but now that you’ve been married a few years, you really know your spouse. It’s no different with the Lord. The unsaved have heard His name and have used it in cursing. But they really don’t know Him at all.

The unjust will go to hell. The Apostle Peter makes it clear that if God can cast the devil and the fallen angels into hell, He will also cast those who did not accept His Son as Saviour. (2 Peter 2:4-9) The word unjust is anyone who acts contrary to the divine law. The just live by faith. (Hab. 2:4, Rom. 1:17, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 10:38) The unjust do not live by faith. They live according to the god of this world who has blinded them. (2 Cor. 4:4)

All the ungodly will be in hell. Much like the unjust, these are people who do ungodly things. Anything that goes against the Scriptures is considered ungodly. We see so much of this now. As well, anyone who did not accept Christ will be punished. Who are the ungodly? Revelation 21:8 outlines it beautifully!

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Notice the first two listed as well as the last one. People have a tendency to categorize sin: the not so bad and the really bad. However, James 2:10 tells us that if you lied, you are guilty of all sins. Even one sin will keep you out of Heaven. That is the whole purpose of Jesus coming to earth and dying for our sins! (Col. 2:14) He knew we couldn’t go a day without sinning. However, once we are born-again and are forgiven of all of our sins, we have the power to say no to sin! So if you are fearful (afraid to receive salvation) because of what your family may think, you will go to hell. If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you will go to hell. If you lie, you will go to hell! The other sins listed are obvious ones and those who do such sins will go to hell.

But there is hope, my friend. Hell is not a laughing matter. You have no idea when you will die. No one knows. You could be in a car accident going home from work and be killed. You could have a heart attack and be gone in a split second! I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!