Hell is Endless

Some Christians believe, as I once did, that hell isn't forever. The cultic house church minister whom I followed taught that everybody would eventually repent and God would then let them out of hell. This doctrine is called Universalism. People like it because they can't handle the truth that most humans will suffer conscious torment for the rest of eternity.

What then does the Bible, our only sure source of truth, say about hell? Those who think their works will save them are in for a rude shock. Christ condemned the ultra-fastidious Pharisees in Matthew 23:33 (BBE) when he warned, "You snakes, offspring of snakes, how will you be kept from the punishment of hell?"

We also learn from Scripture that hell was originally meant for demons. Jude 1:6 (BBE) describes it this way. "And the angels who did not keep to their kingdom but went out from the place which was theirs, he has put in eternal chains and in dark night till the great day of the judging."

But disobedient sinners will also be there forever. Christ warned in Mark 9:43 (BBE) of the endless agonies unsaved people will suffer. "And if your hand is a cause of trouble to you, let it be cut off; it is better for you to go into life with one hand than to have two hands and go into hell, into the eternal fire."

And need I remind those who doubt the eternal nature of hell about Hebrews 9:27 and 28 (BBE), "And because by God's law death comes to men once, and after that they are judged; So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation."

The Devil and all those who don't obey the gospel won't ever escape the agony of hell. As Revelation 20:10 (BBE) reads, "And the Evil One who put them in error was sent down into the sea of ever-burning fire, where the beast and the false prophet are, and their punishment will go on day and night for ever and ever.

And as hell is eternal, so is heaven. Revelation 22:5 (BBE) encourages faithful folks, "And there will be no more night; and they have no need of a light or of the shining of the sun; for the Lord God will give them light: and they will be ruling for ever and ever."

On Thursday, if our Lord hasn't returned, I hope to post about how those we call decent will still face hell.

Saturday Song: Bread, "Everything I Own"

What a touching and poignant song this is. David Gates wrote it after his father died but, as he said in one interview, it's for anybody who's ever lost anybody precious to them.

Listen to the song here:

There's no getting around death. It's waiting for us all. Worse yet, we never know when our lives will end. Even so, those of us who have placed our trust in Christ's payment of our sins on the cross look forward to being resurrected and to be with him in the new heavens and earth.

Whoever wrote the book of Hebrews mentioned that Death is the cut-off point for the grace of Christ. Hebrews 9:27-28 (BBE) states, "And because by God's law death comes to men once, and after that they are judged; So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation"

Jesus also spoke about the judgement in John 5:29 (KJV) that dead people will rise out of their graves, "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Damnation means eternity in hell.

By the way, this doesn't mean two separate resurrections, as some folks claim, but one with two outcomes. My hope is that all my friends will receive the resurrection to life eternal.

So, what do you think of this song and what I wrote? Please sound off in the comment box below.

On Monday, I'll post about real miracles and fake ones.

Saturday Song: Bread, "Everything I Own"

What a touching and poignant song this is. David Gates wrote it after his father died but, as he said in one interview, it's for anybody who's ever lost anybody precious to them.

Listen to the song here.

There's no getting around death. It's waiting for us all. Worse yet, we never know when our lives will end. Even so, those of us who have placed our trust in Christ's payment of our sins on the cross look forward to being resurrected and to live with him in the new heavens and earth.

Whoever wrote the book of Hebrews mentioned that Death is the cut-off point for the grace of Christ. Hebrews 9:27-28 (BBE) states, "And because by God's law death comes to men once, and after that they are judged; So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation"

Jesus also spoke about the final judgement in John 5:29 (KJV) that dead people will rise out of their graves, "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Damnation means eternity in hell.

By the way, this doesn't mean two separate resurrections, as some folks claim, but one with two outcomes. My hope is that all my friends will receive the resurrection to life eternal.

So, what do you think of this song and what I wrote? Please sound off in the comment box below.

On Monday, I plan on posting about how some folks think we need no creeds to live by. There are good reasons for having creedal statements of faith.

Saturday Song: T.Rex, "Dandy in the Underworld"

What a sad day September 16, 1977 was for many fans of glam rock. Early that morning, Marc Bolin died in a car crash. And though he wasn't popular in North America, Fans in the United Kingdom mourned his passing.

And in a bizarre twist of fate, Marc even predicted his death. He said in an interview that he couldn't see himself living past thirty. This came to pass just as he said.

Even more strange was his 1977 album called Dandy in the Underworld. The title song was about a man who was a dandy, U.K. slang for a fancy person, who was stuck in hell. Marc Bolin fit the description in that he wore flamboyant clothing as part of his act and put glitter on his cheek bones.

Listen to this prescient song here.

One line of the song tells of the Dandy crying in the dungeon and trying to repent. But Marc should have known that repentance is impossible after death. Hebrews 9:27 and 28 (BBE), explaining about Christ being the ultimate sacrifice for sins, gives this reminder. "And because by God's law death comes to men once, and after that they are judged; So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation."

So since judgement comes after death, there's no room to repent. Some churches teach wrongly that we can repent after death but that's clearly impossible.

Likewise, there's only one time in which we can be saved. Look at what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV). "(For he (God) saith, 'I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.'"

So, what do you think of this song and what I've written? Please let me know in the space below.

By the way, Monday's post will be about how some folks think Jesus was only a mild-mannered man.