Is hell really real? What do you think? In the old days much was mentioned about hell but not much these days. Does hell still matter? Should we be educated about it? What are your beliefs? Do our beliefs about hell really matter in the grand scheme of things? Well, whether we want to believe it or not the Bible states hell is real. It is a place of eternal separation from God. It is a place of eternal suffering.
You see, when we truly understand what is at stake, that is, what is our destiny without Christ, we will much more appreciate what Christ has done for us at the cross. Jesus said in Matthew Chapter 7 that there are two roads that everyone in the world is on. We are either on the broad road that leads to destruction – or we are on the narrow road that leads to life.
We must never believe for one second that death is the end. Man was given an immortal soul that will live on somewhere for eternity. We will either spend our eternity with God or be separated from Him. There are 162 references to hell and eternal judgment in the Bible – 70 of these were spoken by Jesus Himself. There must be a reason for that. Therefore, our job as Christians or believers or followers of Christ is to rescue people from Satan’s control so that they should not be separated from God for eternity and sent to a place called hell. Every good teacher prepares his students for success and this is no exception.
Jesus often talked about hell because it was important for Him to do so. He also devoted several of His parables to the subject of heaven, hell, eternal judgment, and eternal rewards to make it clear for people at that time to understand. Therefore, it behoves us to do the same today. You see, if it were essential for Him to tell His disciples about such things, then we need to give serious attention to the subject of eternity and what the Bible teaches about heaven and hell as well. Not to do so will be irresponsible.
The Bible makes it clear that there are two elements to the punishment of the unbelievers. It is a punishment without end. Some scripture referred to words such as ‘everlasting’, ‘unquenchable’, and ‘eternal’. It is also referred to as a severe punishment, most often compared to ‘fire’. These terms point to a terrible reality. The Bible clearly teaches that some will be punished more severely than others. The severity of the eternal punishment will depend both on what unbelievers have done in their lives, and on the opportunity they have had to hear and respond to the Gospel.
My friends, the good news is that no one has to go to hell. God does not want any of us to go there. That is why Jesus came to rescue us from sin by dying on the cross. When He did that, He paid the penalty for us. God wants us to repent, to change our minds, to believe Him and trust Christ. John 3:16 tells us, “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.”
You see, God does not want us to go to hell. He has done everything He can to keep us out. He sent His Son to die on the cross for us. He sacrificed His life for our sins. It is now up to us to make the choice of where we wish to spend our eternal life – heaven or hell. The choice is ours to make. Which will you choose my friend?
Remember: Hell is real. Avoid it!
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 3. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
