One of the most sobering doctrines taught in Scripture is the doctrine of hell (Matthew 5:22, 18:9) and eternal punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Liberal “scholarship” finds this teaching of Scripture so offensive that they have sought to turn this literal place, where the wicked are punished for all eternity, into a bad frame of mind or a metaphor for having a bad day, or some other tragic experience in life. None of this is true, of course. The holy Bible is filled with references to a place called hell and the reality of eternal punishment for those who reject the gospel of Jesus Christ and refuse to obey Him. As we will see this morning in our study, nobody believed in hell and eternal punishment more than The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He repeatedly warned people about the reality of hell.
Granted, the topic before us today is not a pleasant one at all, and yet we see in Scripture that new converts were to fully understand this doctrine of eternal judgment (Hebrews 6:1-2). Some false teachers have sought to “defend” the goodness and love of God by saying that after a person dies who rejects Jesus Christ, their soul simply vanishes into a state of non-existence. Oh really? That is not what Jesus tells us in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). John the Baptist said to the self-righteous religious people of the day, who came to observe his water baptism, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7).
However, for those who had repented of their sin and believed the gospel (Mark 1:15), and in doing so received Christ as Lord (John 1:12), Paul assured them that they had been delivered from the wrath to come through faith in The Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10). Therein is the heart of God – the redemption of man. The Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14), but particularly for those who believe in Him (1 Timothy 4:10).
Reader, are you born again (John 3:3-8)? Have you repented of your sin and been regenerated by The Holy Ghost (Titus 3:4-7)? The consequences of your answers are weighty and eternal (John 3:36). Look only to Jesus, my friend, for the salvation of your soul. “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, who carry the wood of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save. Tell and bring forth your case; yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:20-22)
