Filled with the Holy Ghost - Part 1

Acts 1:6-8 – “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

In this passage, the disciples came to Jesus and asked concerning the kingdom, and the time in which it would be restored to Israel. I believe that Jesus Christ will reign upon this earth literally. I will not expound upon this truth here, but if it were otherwise so, I believe Christ would have corrected the disciples’ thinking right here. The disciples were looking for a literal kingdom to be restored to Israel, and the Lord did not correct them concerning the literal kingdom for which they were looking. If the disciples were indeed wrong to look for a literal kingdom, and the kingdom was spiritual only, this passage would have been an opportune time for the Lord to correct them. The Lord is always faithful to inform His people that, “If it were not so, I would have told you.”

But the Lord makes no such correction as to the disciples’ expectations of a coming literal kingdom. But the Lord does have a correction to make in regard to the disciples’ thinking. He does not correct them for looking for a literal kingdom, but He does correct them for their infatuation with the TIME in which this kingdom would come. Their question was, simply put, “Wilt thou AT THIS TIME restore the kingdom to Israel?” Christ does not answer their question directly, but states plainly, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.” Know this: there are some things I am not supposed to know. There are some things you are not to know. If preachers would learn this, we would be much better off than we are. Many preachers, when asked questions of certain kinds, often try to piece together an answer of some kind so they do not look ignorant. It is perfectly acceptable for a minister to give this answer to certain questions: “I don’t know.” There are simply some things that we do not know. There are simply some pieces of information that God Almighty withholds from even His ministers. It is not in our power to know everything. We are not supposed to know everything. God knows everything, and chooses to reveal some things to us, and chooses to withhold some things from us.

And one of those withheld truths is the time that the kingdom will be restored to Israel. But the disciples are encouraged not to fret! “The time of the kingdom is in the Father’s power, not yours,” they are told. “But there is something that the Father has put in your power,” Jesus tells them. When Jesus is coming is out of my power. When I will die, or how I will die, is out of my power. When Jesus will restore the kingdom to Israel is out of my power. But there is something that is within my reach, and I am to reach for it! Christ tells them of that which is within their power! He tells them, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The power to initiate the kingdom is out of our hands; but Holy Ghost power is in our hands!

Holy Ghost power is needed within the church today. Many seem to be afraid of the Holy Ghost and His power. Others seem to take it lightly. This precious doctrine regarding the Spirit of God has been abused by many today. But in spite of these abuses, the Holy Ghost is needed within the walls of our churches, as well as outside those walls.

Abuses of Holy Ghost Power
Like all other precious doctrines, the devil has set up counterfeits, mocked the true Holy Ghost, deceived churches into outlawing the Holy Ghost, and have turned off many to the true working of the Holy Ghost. But with all the abuses of this doctrine, I still preach that the church needs a fresh anointing of Holy Ghost power.

In a recent study, the first campmeeting in the United States that I could find occurred in 1801. Crowds ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 were gathered at Cane-Ridge in Logan County, Kentucky. The meeting began with three Presbyterian ministers, namely James McGready, William Hodges, and John Rankin. I may be ridiculed for my upcoming statements, but I will stand by them, and will be ready to defend them if called upon to do so.

In this meeting, it has been documented that there were many manifestations which I do not believe to be Biblical. It is stated that, in this meeting, people were “jerking.” I do not find “jerking” as a form of worship or as a manifestation of Holy Ghost power in the Bible. It is also recorded that people were “laughing in the Spirit.” Grandma may have done it; Gramps may have done it; your preacher may do it, but “laughing in the Spirit” is not found in the Bible. Show me where anyone in the Bible ever laughed as a form of worship, or because they were filled with the Holy Ghost. Sarah laughed because she did not believe what God said. But no one laughed in the Bible because they were in a state of worship. If I am wrong, correct me. At this same meeting, it is also recorded that the people were “barking like dogs.” This is blasphemous. To bark like a dog and associate it with the Holy Ghost is degrading to His person. But these things went on at the first campmeeting in the United States, and they went on in the name of the Holy Ghost (Wisburger, Bernard. They Gathered at the River. pp. 20, 21. New York. ©1958.).

This meeting is a prime example of an abuse of this great doctrine. More modern charismatic revivals have proven to be blasphemous. The Pensacola revival of just a few years ago, there were similar manifestations, including people “barking like dogs,” and “telling jokes in tongues.” All in the name of the Holy Ghost. This is sickening.

The Need for the True Holy Ghost
In spite of abuses such as these, the church is in need of the TRUE Holy Ghost power. Christ thought it so important for the church to be empowered with the Holy Ghost that He went back to heaven and prayed the Father to send the Holy Ghost to the church. Christ thought it so important for the church to be Holy Ghost filled that He clearly instructed His disciples NOT to witness; NOT to preach; NOT to teach; NOT to worship; as a matter of fact, NOT to do anything until they had tarried in Jerusalem for Holy Ghost power. Acts chapter two is the key to the rest of the book of Acts. Souls were saved; devils were cast out; Christians were taught clearly; jail doors opened; sick bodies were healed; and miracles were wrought by the hands of the apostles – all because the church of the book of Acts was a Holy Ghost filled church. As for those who believe that the Holy Ghost ceased to be poured out after the days of the apostles, I have often wondered what they do with Acts 2:39 – “For the promise [of the Holy Ghost] is unto you, and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Then, as I read the rest of the book of Acts, I wonder what they do with the rest of the book! The church in the book of Acts was a Holy Ghost filled church! Their preaching was Christ-centered and it reached the heart of the hearers. Clearly, we need this power in 2011. You say, “Is this power available to us today?” I say, “It better be!” We had better have power to heal, because there is much sickness. We had better have power to see the filthy cleansed, because there is much filth. We had better have power to see the lost saved, the mouths of the skeptics to be shut, the prisoners in bondage to be set free. You may deny that we can have the power of the book of Acts, but you cannot deny that we have the problems of the book of Acts! And it is hard for me to believe that there are problems in our day that the Holy Ghost of our day does not have the power to solve. The power of the Holy Ghost is available to the church today, and we should not be content until are filled with the Holy Ghost.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Rock and the Hammer

Matthew 16:18 – “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Imagine a massive rock, more immense than Gibraltar. Imagine that it is more mountainous than the Himalayas, higher than Everest, more defined than Rushmore, covers more area than the Appalachians, and has within it more power than Mount Saint Helens. There is such a Rock, and it is the Rock upon which the church of Jesus Christ is built. It is the foundation of Jesus Christ Himself. At this point, it is necessary to distinguish between nominal Christianity and the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those who are Christians nominally, but do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who claim to be born again, but have shown no change in their hearts or lives. To them it is written in I John 2:4 – “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.” It is those who claim a faith where there is no change in the life who provoke James to write, “Faith without works is dead.”

While there are those who shame the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are others who prove that there is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ to change lives, transforming them from bondage to liberty; from sin to sanctification; from wickedness to holiness.

Suppose you are witnessing this Rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As you are beholding this great Rock, you notice that a man approaches it. In his hand is a hammer. Though the hammer is small, almost non-existent in comparison to the Rock, the man begins swinging. He angrily swings the hammer, trying to destroy the Rock. After only a few short minutes, beads of sweat roll down his face. He takes a short break, and then proceeds to destroy the Rock. After only one hour, the man, worn out from his vain attempts to destroy the great Rock, swings the last swing from that feeble hammer, the hammer breaks. All that is left in the man’s hand is the handle. After just one hour, he resigns his ambitions and departs. The hammer is destroyed; the Rock remains.

The next day, as you continue to witness, another man comes. He has a different hammer, slightly bigger. He is a somewhat bigger man than the man who was there the day prior. He begins swinging with his hammer at the great Rock. After a few swings, the man is exhausted. Only one hour passes, and the man’s hammer is worn beyond any further use. The hammer is destroyed; the Rock remains.

If you really saw a mountain greater than Everest and a man trying to destroy it with a hammer, you would laugh your way into a padded cell. But the story is true. This very story has been witnessed for centuries. Man has used his efforts, which are no greater than a hammer compared to a mountain, to destroy Christianity. One by one, scoffers have had their turn. Now, more than two thousand years of attacks against the Bible, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the church of the living God, the Holy Ghost, the blood of Jesus, the message of the cross, and all the other tenets of the faith, Christianity still stands strong, while hammer after hammer is broken, never to be used again.

I do not have time to describe every feeble hammer that has whacked away at this great Rock. But I will mention a few. Governments have had their swings at Christianity. At the time of the birth of the church, the Roman empire tried its best to destroy it. The Colosseum was constructed for the murder of Christians in the first century. Christians were fed to the lions for the amusement of the blood-thirsty crowd. In Nero’s day, Christians were used as human torches. Christians died cruel deaths, simply for being Christians. But this did not destroy the great Rock. As a matter of fact, the church grew rapidly during this time of persecution, as it does during all times of persecution. It was a feeble hammer, and after five centuries, the Roman Empire collapsed. The hammer is broken, and the man who swung it is dead. The Roman Empire is gone, but the church of Jesus Christ goes on triumphantly after two millenniums.

Other governments have had their hour of swinging. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and other communist governments have tried to kill the church of Jesus Christ. But these men are gone. They killed themselves swinging the hammer. The mountain remains, but those who swung hammer are gone. Communist China persecutes Christians at this very day. But the church of Jesus Christ that exists in China is strong. The true church there is the underground church. Attending an underground church, if caught, means prison, at best. But even if it means prison or death, those valiant Christians would rather serve the Christ who died for them than to live as a coward in a palace. In spite of the great persecution there, the church is strong. The government is swinging, but the damage done to the church by the hammer in China is not even noticeable!

Philosophers have had their hour swinging at the great Rock. Atheists have had their day, but have resigned. I have talked to people about Voltaire. I ask ordinary people, “Do you know who Voltaire was?” More than once, the answer has been, “No, who was he?” He died fighting the Bible and God Almighty. But, the sorry hammer of atheism is in shambles. After his death, the Geneva Bible Society used Voltaire’s house for the printing and distribution of Bibles!

Madeline Murray O’Hare made her mark in American History. She exhausted herself swinging the hammer to destroy the church of Jesus Christ in the United States. However, Madeline Murray O’ Hare was a tremendous failure. She was an idiot in her thinking, wicked in her living, vile in her conversation, and most of her debate tactics consisted of angry yelling, because she had a sorry argument. But she swung. Maybe her little hammer could bring down the church in America.

But she proved to be a failure. You say, “Wait a minute! Her efforts ended prayer and Bible reading in public schools.” No, it did not. You who think that her efforts ended prayer and Bible reading in public schools are dead wrong. I attended public school until I graduated high school in 2001. Before I was converted, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Pile, prayed every single day over our lunch. Madeline Murray O’ Hare was a failure. From the time I was saved in 1994 until the time I graduated in 2001, there was prayer in public school EVERY DAY without exception. In my high school, Christian students met from time to time for Bible reading and prayer – IN A CLASSROOM. I could not be found on the grounds of a public school without my Bible. Every chance I got to write for an assignment, I wrote about the things of God and the Bible. And, I am not bragging on myself. By far, I am not the only student who carried my Bible in public school. There were students with whom I attended school that I regard as dedicated Christians. And I do not doubt that there are students today who stand in the public school system for Jesus Christ. Madeline Murray O’ Hare swung the hammer as long as she could. But now, her hammer dwindled. She is in existence somewhere, and one thing is certain – she is no atheist now. She is a firm believer. Her atheism was only temporary. It lasted only a short time – an hour, if you will. But the church of Jesus Christ goes on.

There have been many others who have had their swings at the church of Jesus Christ. But the gospel that I preach is built on a solid foundation – the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ. We have an infallible copy of the eternal Word of God, which has outlived every attack against it. Within the church resides the eternal Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, who knows no boundaries. He has gone to the hearts of the bitterest unbelievers, and saved many them by the grace of God. We have a message that has been mocked, but it has and will outlive every message contrary to it. We have the solution for every problem in the world. If the entire world would come to Jesus Christ, there would be no AIDS; there would be no war; there would be no slavery; there would be no crimes; there would be no terrorism from them who worship false idols; and there would be nothing but peace. Some will still fight against Jesus Christ – but their fighting will cease, and the whole world will know – “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!”

Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith’s door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one,” said he; and with twinkling eye,
“The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

“And so,” I thought, “the anvil of God’s Word
For ages skeptic blows have beaten upon;
Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers – GONE!”*

*John Clifford

The Justification of Hell - Part 2

In my previous post, I discussed the justification of hell, or, how a loving God can send someone to hell. I am, in this post, continuing that thought, and concluding this series on hell.

Why a Man Goes to Hell
Jesus, in the book of Matthew, speaks of two roads. The first is a broad way that leads to death and destruction. The second is the narrow way laid out beyond the straight gate that leads to eternal life. It is SIN that puts people on the broad road that leads to death. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” Sin is anything we do that is contrary to the law of God. If it is contrary to the Bible, the word of God, it is sin. Sin is the reason men are on their way to hell. Sin is a destroyer of the body, and a killer of the soul. Sin places men on their death beds, and then drags them to the dark pit of an everlasting, burning hell. People accuse sin-condemning preachers of being full of hate. There is not an ounce of truth to that. Actually, the opposite is true. It is the compromising preacher who is full of hate. Do I hate a child if I rebuke him as he is placing his hand on a hot stove? No, not for a moment. I would have a heart full of hate if I saw a child preparing to place his hand on a hot stove and refused to warn him! And there are hate-filled preachers, priests, and ministers across our country who are watching their congregations plunge into hell, and they fail to warn them! Sin is a killer. It is because of gross sin that we have HIV. It is because of sin that there are sexually transmitted diseases. It is sin that causes many cases of cirrhosis of the liver. And sin is leading the multitudes into hell.

In the previous post, I presented answers to the question, “How can a loving God send someone to hell?” This question only looks at the loving nature of God. “LOVE” IS NOT GOD’S ONLY ATTRIBUTE. God hates sin. Contrary to what religious idiots claim today, Jesus Christ HATES sin. I saw signs around the city of Indianapolis, Indiana some time ago that read, “Would Jesus Discriminate?” The answer is, “Yes, He most certainly discriminates against sin, which He hates.” When He comes back, I Timothy 4:1 tells us that He is coming to JUDGE the quick and the dead. Look at Hebrews chapter 1, a chapter concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God:

Hebrews 1:8, 9 – “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS, and HATED INIQUITY; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

This passage is the account of the Father speaking to the Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hated iniquity! He, according to Hebrews 13:8, is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Jesus Christ HATES sin! If the Jesus you know does not hate sin, then the Jesus you know is not the Jesus of the Bible! If the Bible calls something a sin, an iniquity, an abomination, or a transgression, then Jesus Christ absolutely detests it!

When I understand how much God the Father hates sin, and how much Jesus Christ His Son hates sin, I cease to ask, “How can a loving God send someone to hell?” I then realize the question to ask is, “How can a HOLY God who hates sin NOT send someone to hell?” Hell is what we deserve. The WAGES of sin is death. Wages are what we have earned. They are the payment for which we have worked. They are what are rightfully ours. We deserve hell. If I got what I deserved, I would be in sin or in hell today. Sin must be punished. God cannot, and does not, overlook sin. He cannot even look upon it – He is absolutely holy in the purest sense.

So, man is on his way to hell because of sin. However, man does not go to hell MERELY because of sin. If that were the case, we would all go to hell, because Romans 3:23 states plainly, “For all have sinned.” But there is a group of people who have sinned, and yet are not going to hell. Therefore, it is not correct to say that men go to hell merely because of sin. Sin is definitely why people are on the road to hell, but if they go to hell, it will not be merely because they have sinned.

Now, I do not doubt that some readers are having a fit right now. Some teach very strongly that people go to hell because of sin. To these people, my statement that people do not go to hell merely because of sin seems blasphemous. They are quick to bring up a couple verses of scripture.

I Corinthians 6:9, 10 – “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

“See, there! People go to hell because of sin,” they say. Yes, but finish the quotation. Read the next verse.

I Corinthians 6:11 – “And SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Did you catch what the Apostle said? There will be some in heaven who committed some of those sinful acts. “Such were some of you!” But he goes on. “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus!” It does not matter what anyone has done, people can be forgiven, and have eternal life in spite of any sins they have committed.

God sent His only begotten Son into the world to pay for OUR sins. Jesus Christ did just that. Someone had to die for our sins. Either we die for them, or we trust Christ’s payment for our sins. But a holy, righteous, perfect God cannot overlook sin. It must dealt with. Because God did not want us to die in our sins, He sent Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for us. God provided a way out of hell for us. The escape is Jesus Christ, and He is the only escape. Because there is an escape, people go to hell not merely because of sin; but because they rejected the escape. To illustrate this, let’s say I am on death row for murder. But one day, I get a message. The prison doors swing open and I am told that I can go free because the governor signed my pardon. However, I refuse to go. I tell the guard that I do not wish to be pardoned. So, he closes the door, and I am left in prison. I am now on death row, NOT FOR MURDER, because my murderous act was pardoned. But now, I am on death row because I rejected the pardon. And that is where people are today. Yes, it is sin that put them on death row. But when Jesus died on the cross, He paid the penalty for us. The prison doors have swung open. If you do not accept the pardon, there is nothing left for you do but to die and go to hell. I spoke in my previous post concerning the fact that people climb mountains to go to hell, and this is the greatest mountain of all! It is Mount Calvary that people climb over to go to hell. They climb over the cross of Jesus Christ to go to hell. People go to hell, not merely because of sin, but because they reject Jesus Christ, and therefore they are not washed in the blood of Jesus!

Mark 16:16 – “He that believeth not shall be damned.”

John 3:18, 19 – “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

John 3:36 – “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

John 8:24 – “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

Over and over, we are told by Jesus Christ that we are damned to hell for not believing on Him! People go to hell because they do not trust Jesus Christ to save them from their sins! People are on death row because of sin, but they actually die because they reject the pardon. And in the same manner, people are on their way to hell because of sin, but they actually go there because they reject the pardon – the blood of Jesus.

How Much is the Blood of Jesus Worth?
Hell is the assessment of the blood of Jesus Christ. How much is the blood of Jesus worth? The reader may say, “You can’t put a value on the blood of Jesus.” But God the Father did just that – He put a value on the blood of Jesus Christ. God explains clearly how much the blood of Jesus is worth.

For the sake of emphasis, allow me to state clearly again that a man does not go to hell merely because of sin. Jesus completely took care of our sin. He died to pay for your sin. If you go to hell, you do not go to pay off your sin – your sin has already been paid off. If you go to hell, you will go because you rejected the blood of the precious Son of God.

God has determined that hell is a fair punishment for rejecting the blood of Jesus. Only those who go to hell will know the fullness of what Jesus suffered on the cross. It is no coincidence that the man in hell suffers the very tortures that Jesus suffered on the cross.

First, Jesus suffered PHYSICALLY on the cross. His back was torn to shreds as He who was perfect was whipped as a criminal. His beard was plucked out. The crown of thorns was pressed into His skull as the blood ran down His face. Nails pierced His hands and feet. He was mocked, blindfolded, beaten, and rejected. He suffered physically, and hell is a place of physical torment. The rich man who went to hell cried out, “I am tormented in this flame!” To pay for rejecting the physical sufferings of Christ, it is only right to suffer physically.

On the cross, Jesus was forsaken by all His disciples and betrayed by His very friends. He even suffered something I will never have to suffer – separation from the Father. He suffered that bleak separation so that I may never know what it is to be separated from God. He has promised His children, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Only the soul who goes to hell will know what Jesus meant when He cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!” Hell is a place where, in spite of any prayers directed toward God Almighty, not one prayer will be heard; not one prayer will be answered. It is a place of separation from God!

At Calvary, Jesus Christ suffered thirst like no other man has thirsted. He was not given water, but rather vinegar mingled with gall. No water for the suffering Saviour! He suffered this so that those who trust Him would never thirst! But those who reject Him, when they get to hell, will know how much Jesus thirsted upon the cross. In hell, the rich man cried out, “Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue!” But just as there was no water for the suffering Saviour, there is no water for the suffering soul in hell.

At the cross of Christ on that dreadful day of the death of the Son of God, the sun hid his face. For three hours in the middle of the day, Golgotha was as dark as midnight. We who are saved will never know darkness to that degree. Yes, we may see dark days, but we have a promise that the Day Star would arise in our hearts! But the soul that goes to hell, on the other hand, will experience that darkness, for hell is a place of outer darkness!

When the sufferings of Jesus Christ are examined, we understand clearly that hell is the only punishment equal to the sufferings of Christ that men reject. Let me say again that no one goes to hell to pay off their sins. Jesus paid them off, and if you reject His payment, you will go to hell for rejecting His blood. If men only went to hell for lying, ten years in hell might be enough. If men only go to hell for stealing, cheating, cursing, swearing, fornicating, or other such sins, one hundred years in hell might be enough. I spoke to a preacher who did not believe in hell. He said, “I do not believe that God sends people to an eternal hell for committing temporary sins.” That man is wrong. Men do not go to hell for committing the temporary sins of lying, stealing, and cheating. Men go to hell for rejecting the ETERNAL blood of Jesus Christ, and offending the ETERNAL Spirit of God, and disobeying the ETERNAL word of God, and denying the ETERNAL redemption purchased by the blood of the ETERNAL Son of God, Jesus Christ.

How much is the blood worth? If you reject it, you cannot pay it off by suffering ten years in hell; it is worth more than that. You cannot pay off your rejection of it by suffering a hundred years in hell. You’ll be in hell forever trying to pay off your rejection of the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is worth so much that you’ll never pay it off!

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow.
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!*

*Robert Lowry

The Justification of Hell

Understanding that hell is an undeniable fact simply because the Bible declares it, I will proceed to discuss the justification of hell. Many ministers through the years have attempted to justify the existence of hell. At this time, I will show that hell's existence is certainly justified.

What is Meant by "The Justification of Hell"
By "justifying the existence of hell," I mean that I will endeavor to answer the question: "How can a loving God send someone to a literal, burning hell?" This is perhaps the utmost question asked concerning hell, and perhaps the very question that leads to a person's unbelief in it. It is evident to me that the Bible answers this question.

The Fact of Hell's Existence Needs No Justification
Allow me to begin this discussion by saying that, first and foremost, there is not a hint of justification needed in regard to the existence of hell. There is a literal, eternal hell because God Almighty said so! Period. That ends any needed discussion! God Almighty is certainly not obligated to explain WHY there is a hell, to warn us about hell, or to provide an escape from hell. But out of the eternal mercies of God, He has provided all these things!

None of God's Children Are Going to Hell
Yes, that is the question. It is unfathomable to some that a loving God would cast anyone into a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I have heard of some who ask the question a different way. A friend of mine had a friend to attended a church where they teach the lie that there is no hell. This man asked my friend, "Can any of your children do anything so bad that you would throw them into a fire and let them burn to death?" My friend answered, "No." Then the man continued, "Well, then how can God send His children to a place like that?" I do not know what my friend's response was, but I know that the man who posed the question missed something. God sends none of His children to hell. Perhaps the greatest lie in America today is the statement that we often hear: "We are all God's children." Let us get something straight right here. We are NOT all God's children. Jesus looked at the religious leaders of His day and said in John 8:44, "Ye are of your father, the devil." The children of God are named specifically in John 1:12, where it reads, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." Those who have their faith grounded in Jesus Christ are children of God; those who trust in atheism, Allah, Buddha, commandment-keeping, law-keeping, Hinduism, or any other religion, creed, ideal, or philosophy, are lost, and are therefore NOT children of God. Only those who have trusted in Jesus Christ to save them are God's children. None of God's children are going to hell. But those who are lost are most certainly hell-bound.

People Go to Hell in spite of God, Not because of God
It has often been correctly stated that God does not send anyone to hell. It is not necessary that anyone go to hell. Provision by God Almighty has been sufficiently made. It is not God's will that anyone go to hell. It is amazing to me that God the Father gave His only begotten Son to this sinful world to redeem us from sin and its penalty; and yet God gets the blame for people going to hell. But I can say confidently that, if you go to hell, you will be out of the will of God when you go. Note the following verses:

II Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance."

I Timothy 2:3-6 - "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time."

I Timothy 4:10 - "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of ALL MEN, specially of those that believe."

I John 2:1, 2 - "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD."

These verses clearly show that it is not God's will that any go to hell. It is therefore equally true that those who go to hell go in accordance to their own will. Jesus died to save you. If you do not believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God, it is not because Jesus does not want you to be saved! You only remain lost at your own will. Notice the following verses:

Matthew 23:37 - "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and YE WOULD NOT!"

John 5:40 - "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

Clearly, it is not God's will that you die and go to hell. If you go, it will be according to your own will.

People Climb Mountains To Go To Hell
Allow me to tighten it down a little tighter. Those who go to hell not only go according to their own will; they insist on going. It is God Almighty who tries to keep people from going to hell. God erects mountains in the path that leads to hell, and sinners climb those mountains to go to hell.

Perhaps a reader reading this may ask, "What about those who live in remote places of the earth, where there is little or no gospel message? How can you say that God has tried to stop them?" I say clearly that those who live in the most remote places of the earth are guilty, and they are lost. It may not seem fair to some, but the Bible declares them guilty. Romans 1 deals with those who we may refer to as "heathen."

Romans 1:20 - "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."

You may ask, "How can one be guilty when he has never heard the gospel?" Note:

Romans 10:17 - "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

So, it is clear that the only way one may place faith in Christ is by hearing the word of God. But, finish the quotation. The next verse states this:

Romans 10:18 - "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."

This verse says that they have all heard! "Their sound went into ALL THE EARTH." This includes remote places where there is little or no gospel! How can the Apostle make such a statement? He is quoting from the 19th Psalm:

Psalm 19:1-4 - "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun."

He is speaking of creation, and the voice in its declaration that there most certainly is a God. The heavens declare the glory of God in every language, in every nation, in every dialect, in every culture, in every region, whether the gospel of Christ is preached or not! I do understand that acknowledging that there is a God won't save anyone; the devils of hell acknowledge this, and they are not saved. However, if men would run to whatever light they have, even if it is small, God would shine more light upon their path. Those in remote areas of the world are guilty before God because they will not follow what light they have. When the wise men came to the Christ child, they were astrologers. They were wicked men. But even in their wicked astrology, one star led them to Jesus Christ. I am convinced that if men would follow what light they have, God would send them more light. But because men do not come to the light they have, they are condemned.

John 3:19 - "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Everyone climbs the mountain of creation to go to hell. But if you are reading this, you have more light than those who live in the jungles of the earth. If they are guilty, if you are lost without Christ, you are most definitely guilty. Most people in civilized areas in the world have a lot of gospel light available to them. The Bible is the most printed book to date. You have to climb over the Bible to go to hell. The Spirit of God deals with men to be saved. To go to hell, you must resist the dealings of the Spirit of God. You have encountered preachers who have tried to keep you out of hell. You have ignored them, climbing over their pleadings, and to go to hell would mean going in spite of God's servants who have tried to keep you out.

There is a literal, eternal hell. Men who go there go against the will of God; they go according to their own will; and they climb mountains to get there.

Physical Characteristics of Hell - Part 2

Having looked at some physical characteristics of an eternal, burning hell, I will proceed to examine a few more. I have used the true story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 as a guide this far, but I will look at some other passages to give us some more of its physical characteristics.

“Where Their Worm Dieth Not, and the Fire Is Not Quenched”
Mark 9:43-48
43) And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45) And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47) And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

In this passage, Jesus Christ actually defines “hell” for us. Multiple times in this single passage, our Lord defines hell fire as a place “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” He does not define hell as some unseen state of the dead; He does not define hell as “the grave;” He does not define hell as a circumstance in this life. If you define hell differently than Jesus Christ, then you are dead wrong, and Jesus Christ, as always, is absolutely correct.

The meaning of “the worm that dieth not” has always been the debate of Bible scholars. Whichever explanation you choose to believe, it is not good. Some say that this phrase, “where their worm dieth not,” is relating to a literal worm that will constantly devour the body that is in hell. That is possible, for those in hell are not living in hell; they are dying in hell. The last verse of Isaiah includes the same wording, but refers to the bodies of those in hell as “carcasses.” I have heard it said, “You will live forever somewhere; either in heaven or in hell.” That is not true. You will not live forever somewhere. You will either live forever in heaven, or you will DIE forever in hell. The lake of fire is truly the second death. It is not that you will never die; it is that you are ALWAYS DYING. Hell is not a place of eternal life; it is a place of eternal death. Though your body in hell will never be completely dead, it will be continually dying. For this reason your body in hell is referred to as a carcass. Because the body in hell is referred to as a carcass, it is possible that “their worm that dieth not” may refer to actual worms constantly devouring those carcasses.

Others contend, however, that the phrase, “where their worm dieth not” simply means that the bodies of those in hell will never be completely dead. Some say that there is no literal worm in hell, but rather that the “worm” is simply referring to a person’s body in hell. I must say that this is also possible. In Psalm 22:6, David says, “I am a worm, and no man.” Some say that David was simply stating that his flesh, in the eyes of God, was no more than a worm. Some make the connection to those in hell, stating that their flesh in hell is referred to as a worm, and that it will never completely die, though it is dying continually.

Then, there is the phrase that Jesus used in defining hell fire, “the fire that shall not be quenched.” In my first post on hell, I showed several verses speaking of “eternal fire,” “everlasting fire,” “everlasting destruction,” “eternal judgment,” “the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever,” and other such phrases. These phrases all affirm that punishment of hell is eternal; the fire in hell is eternal; and the conscious torment of those in hell is eternal.

Some say it is scientifically impossible for a fire to burn continually without destroying completely. Science actually disproves this. Scientists say that the temperature of the earth’s core ranges from 7,200 degrees Fahrenheit to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The rock forming the outer core is molten rock. In spite of the extremely high temperatures and the molten rock of the outer core, the earth is not destroyed. Not even the core of the earth is destroyed! If it is scientifically possible for the earth core to be that hot, and the contents there remain; it is therefore scientifically possible for a soul to exist in eternal, hell fire without being completely annihilated.

Outer Darkness
Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13; and Matthew 25:30 all speak of hell as “outer darkness.” Jude 13 describes the punishment for false teachers this way – “…to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” He not only mentions darkness, but “the blackness of darkness.” At the end of the verse, Jude makes it clear that the lost soul in hell will experience this darkness FOR EVER. In addition to eternal fire, eternal punishment, eternal judgment, and the eternal worm, we now have eternal, outer darkness. It is the blackest darkness ever witnessed. The loneliness of those in hell will be magnified by the immense, intense darkness. No artist can paint the darkness of hell; no poet can tell the darkness of hell; no dreamer can dream the darkness of hell; no preacher can adequately preach the darkness of hell; and no lost soul in hell can escape the darkness of hell.

Weeping, Wailing, and Gnashing of Teeth
In five passages of scripture, namely Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30; and Luke 13:28; the Bible refers to hell as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. In Matthew 13:42 and Matthew 13:50, Jesus referred to hell as a place of WAILING and gnashing of teeth.

In heaven, God will wipe away all tears from our eyes. But in hell, tears will continue throughout the endless ages. Tears of agony, pain, and sorrow will prevail in that awful place. Hell is place of weeping. Parents will weep because they did not raise their children to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and helped their own children arrive in that awful place. Religious people will weep because their priests, imams, pastors, teachers, rabbis, and other leaders cared more about money than telling them how to escape the damnation of hell. Some will weep because they missed heaven, and missed those precious loved ones who are in heaven. Many will weep because of the agonizing torture of that dreaded place. Many will weep because they mocked God, mocked the preacher, and mocked blog posts like this one, when they should have taken heed. Hell will be a place of weeping.

Not only will hell be a place of weeping, but it will furthermore be a place of wailing. Wailing is far deeper than weeping. Weeping is the shedding of tears; wailing is the loud, mournful cry of despair. I have seen some almost lie in the casket, crying and moaning loudly. This is wailing, and it will be heard in hell.

Gnashing of teeth will also be a characteristic of that dark place. I have heard ministers refer to “people gnawing on one another in hell.” The scriptures do not speak of this, and more than likely, those ministers are referring to the “gnashing of teeth” that will take place in hell. “Gnashing of teeth” is not the same thing as “gnawing on one another.” “Gnashing of teeth” means that a person grinds their teeth in severe agony or pain. What a horrible place!