| Hell (Part 1) As I mentioned in the last study, Jesus talked more about hell than heaven! Here are some examples of things Jesus said about this horrible place. It may be shocking for us to think that a God of love would create such a place. But as you read these references be mindful of the fact that hell was created for a very important reason. A reason which we shall examine in great depth in the next couple of studies. So stay with me on this� don�t write me off as hellfire and brimstone and miss this exciting message which I am simply calling, Hell. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (worthless) shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, "you�re a fool" shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:22) You have heard it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: but I say to you, that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if your right eye offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is better for you that one of your parts be destroyed, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:27-29) But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12) And do not fear them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a lake of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth� So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire� (Matthew 13:41-42,49,50) Woe unto you (you are cursed), scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows� houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation� You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? (Matthew 23:14, 33) But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, "My Lord delays his return." And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he does not expect and at a time that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 24:48-51) Then shall he (the Lord) say also to them on the left hand, "Depart from me, you cursed ones, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave me no meat: I was thirsty and you gave me no drink: I was a stranger and you did not take me in: naked, and you didn�t clothe me: sick, and in prison, and you didn�t visit me." Then shall they answer� "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?" Then shall he answer them� "Truthfully I say to you, in as much as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me." And these shall go away into everlasting punishment� (Matthew 25: 42-46) As stated previously, in the next studies we will take a more in depth look at what these scriptures mean and how they might possibly apply to us here in the 21st Century. Here's a hellwork assignment: 1)Are there different levels of damnation? 2)What was hell prepared for? 3)Is there a difference between the fires of hell and the outer darkness? 4)Why would a loving God create a place of eternal punishment? Feel free to write me with your answers. NEXT |