Good Saturday morning! I have come to the conclusion that we do not all in fact live in a yellow submarine. The song by that name does, however, infect a brain or two from time to time and won't always get out in a timely manner. How cold was it this morning?
It was so cold... we had to get on the roof and chop clouds of frozen smoke off the chimney... which we then stored in the ice house... and used the next spring to smoke hams. (from How Cold is It? Welsch and Fell, 1996)
Do you want to believe that Hell exists? Me neither. I have also hoped to find something in the Bible that shows some limit to eternity in Hell, but I haven't found it. I have read books that trivialize Hell, or put someone in charge of how long a soul must spend there until reformed (thus making the assumption that there is a way to get out). The world has made a joke of Hell with characters telling us how they don't care because Heaven seems so boring. We have even seen a few knuckleheads talk about making deals with the devil to get a comfortable spot in Hell. Does any of that change the reality of Hell?
Sadly, it does not. You and I can try to wish Hell away or even pray that no one goes there. God doesn't want anyone to go there; we read that in the Bible. However, we also read that many will find the easy gate to eternal punishment. The world wants to choose sin without consequences, or worse, have sin and still get an eternal reward. We know from our Bible reading that sin is rebellion against God and His Law. If you rebel against God, how can you expect Him to welcome you into His home in Heaven? We see it all the time though; people who will say that they are basically good and deserve a spot in Heaven. What does the Bible say about this?
We know the answer to that one: for all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Romans 3:23 I believe; yup, that's the one! (Looked it up to be sure) If all have sinned, then all deserve eternal punishment in Hell. That makes me start sweating right here on the spot. However, any time we start thinking or talking about the eternal fires of Hell, we can recall that one, perfect, atoning sacrifice has been made for all of us. Jesus not only made a narrow way to life, but He is that way!
I find it uncomfortable to think about eternity in Hell too. But avoiding the subject is not the way to show our love for one another as Jesus commanded us to do. The earnest desire to see no one spend their eternal life in lonely, burning, and regret-filled punishment is a good example of loving people. Read the story of the rich man and Lazarus that Jesus tells in Luke 16. Read what Jesus says about Hell. Someone we know and love may want to hear of the way to avoid that place.
Have a warmer Saturday in Christ Jesus!
Bucky
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