"But I will show you whom you should fear; fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" (Luke 12:5)
How timely that I read an article earlier this morning which stated the Muslim belief that anyone who does not ascribe to the Islamic faith burns in the "fires of hell." Well, that is exactly what Jesus teaches about those who reject Him. Jesus mentions Hell more than anyone else in the Scriptures. I confess; much of my praying for the lost is motivate by the Hell reality. Of course, there is peace and joy in Jesus Christ, in our forgiveness of sin, in our redemption, but people find "peace" and "joy" elsewhere in this life. To argue with this is just an attempt to prove we are right and "they" are wrong. Likewise, too many people who deny that anyone can find happiness apart from Jesus Christ are jealous that they cannot indulge in the same kinds of sin. No, my friend, regardless of the joys in this life in Jesus Christ, the Church needs to see the lost as "Hell-bound sinners," nothing but the Eternal, "lake of fire," awaiting them. The "happiness" card deters far too many a Believer in witnessing to educated, wealthy, big house, three car people. They may have what carnal flesh desires, and in that having, have some sort of happiness, but without Jesus Christ they will be, "cast into Hell," as will the uneducated, poor of the world without Jesus Christ. "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."
Jesus said that, "no one comes to the Father but by Me." The converse is, if, "no one comes to the Father," in Jesus Christ, they just do not, "come to the Father;" and if one does not, "come to the Father," there is no eternal alternative but "come to" the, "lake of fire." Wesley said that before he ordained a man into Christian ministry, he would like to be able to dangle him over the fires of Hell for an hour-------- then turn him loose. The implication is clear; a great motivation to win the lost is rooted in their ultimate judgment, rejection, and condemnation to Hell, not some attempt to make them "happy."
"'Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?' says the Lord God, 'and not that he should turn from his ways and live?'" Deliverance is found in, "turn from his ways;" this is repentance. "....And live?"-- this is receiving Jesus Christ in His Cleansing Blood. Jesus is Eternal Life, indeed, "the Life." Physical death is only the beginning of a new dying, a dying which will never end. I can think of no greater motivation to win the lost to Jesus Christ------ "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." (Jesus)
Father, in Jesus' Name, the hymn says of the Cross, "keep its scenes before me." I pray that somehow you keep the scenes of Hell before me. Amen.
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Prophetic News: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
