The disappearance of hell

Hell is almost a non-concept in our culture anymore.  It is like Atlantis or the land of Oz in most people’s thinking.  People today seemingly are not phased by hell.  In large measure, we have forgotten hell.  Twice as many Americans believe in heaven as they do in hell.

Even in the church, hell is forgotten, ignored, or denied.  When a large gathering of Christian leaders  including some who were heads of major denominations were asked how many of them believed in hell, only one hand went up.

One professing Christian leader, N. T. Wright, believes in hell, but thinks there are no humans there.

Culturally hell has become a mere curse word.  Culturally we tend to think that whoever is in hell is a victim.  And since most people don’t believe in absolutes any longer but rather believe in the goodness of man, they can’t imagine a hell.

Theologically, many Christians have abandoned a view of God who will judge based on his power. Most prefer to think of God as a doting grandfather rather than the God of the Bible.

We have come to a point where many people don’t even think evil exists. In our culture of uncertainty, we lack the ability to comprehend moral evil.

And yet, Jesus spoke of judgment and hell more than about any other topic and more than half of his forty parables relate in some way to final judgment.

Just a quick survey of the NT shows us that hell is described in terms of a large rubbish dump or landfill, a prison, a place of darkness, a place of everlasting judgment where people will have total recall of their thoughts, words, and deeds while on earth, a place where there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth, a location of consuming fire and where the presence of God reigns (2 Peter 2:4; Matthew 8:21; Mark 9:48; Matthew 8:12; Matthew 5:22; Revelation 14:10)

One more fact about hell: those who are sent there will remain there forever. There is no biblical support for the ideas of purgatory, annihilation, or reincarnation which would offer escape from hell. Those who are in hell live there forever (Matthew 25:41, 46).  It is never-ending.

Hell has disappeared from our culture.  But hell is still real.

There is one escape route from hell.  Click here to read how to be rescued from hell.

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Proverbs on parents and children

” The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” (Proverbs 1:1-9, ESV).

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs 1:10, ESV).

“my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths,” (Proverbs 1:15, ESV).

” My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,” (Proverbs 2:1, ESV).

” My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.” (Proverbs 3:1-2, ESV).

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:11-12, ESV).

“My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,” (Proverbs 3:21, ESV).

” Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.” (Proverbs 4:1-4, ESV).

“Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4:10-13, ESV).

“My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.” (Proverbs 4:20-21, ESV).

” My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.” (Proverbs 5:1-2, ESV).

“Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?” (Proverbs 5:20, ESV).

” My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.” (Proverbs 6:1-3, ESV).

” My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,” (Proverbs 6:20-23, ESV).

” My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.” (Proverbs 7:1-5, ESV).

” The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1, ESV).

“He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.” (Proverbs 10:5, ESV).

“Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.” (Proverbs 11:29, ESV).

“A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” (Proverbs 13:1, ESV).

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Singing truth to the troubled soul

“By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.”–Psalm 42:8

“Troubled souls become hopeful souls as we sing truth to our souls. The reason we are rarely troubled in the midst of corporate worship is because we are talking to our soul and singing truth to our soul, talking to God, and rehearsing the truth of the gospel and the promises of God to him. And the effect of that upon our soul is hope, joy, affection, an awareness of God, and trust in God. There is an effect.”–C. J. Mahaney

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