Chad Holtz, Pastor of Marrow’s Chapel, in North Carolina lost his job because he does not believe in Hell. (He read Love Wins, a book by Rob Bell that discounts the existence of Hell, and he decided he agrees.) So he’s a pastor. Does that mean he checks his brain at the door? I know, all through Christian history people have believed in Hell. But come on! It’s the twenty first century! No one believes in Hell any more! God sending us to Hell would be abuse of power!
I’m right, aren’t I? … Aren’t I? Problem is, so many early Christian leaders believed in Hell. Starting with Jesus. (You know, the guy who founded Christianity?) Paul of Tarsus, (wrote 2/3 of the book professing Christians are supposed to be following), St. John and St. Peter, (Two of Jesus leading staff members. Also wrote parts of the New Testament). In fact, pretty much everybody in the early church believed in Hell. Many of them knew Jesus. Or at least knew someone who knew Jesus. They knew what Jesus taught better than anybody.
The Bible talks about Hell over and over, all the way to the last book. “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15
Jesus himself taught that there was, is, and always will be a real, literal, very unpleasant, Hell. He said so at least 70 times. “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where ‘ Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’” Mark 9:42-44
“The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matthew 13:41-43
Now, some people don’t follow the Bible, they don’t claim to be Christians, and don’t believe in Hell. I can respect that. But anyone who calls himself a Christian and claims to be following Christ really ought to believe the Bible, not be calling the God of the Bible a monster. Jesus said “He who has ears, let him hear!”
You got ears? Jesus said Hell exists!
Want to stay out of Hell? You could try doing it on your own, but we already saw that way is tough. (See Mark 9 above) God has an easier way.
“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9, 10
“‘In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:1-6
I’m going with Jesus. How about you?
