No Eternal Punishment?
Isn’t it alarming that so many prominent “Christians” are presenting a distorted view of the truth of God’s Word or outright denial of the truth?
Recent news stories have prompted me to write the truth...
A recent story, published by The Associated Press, about a pastor being dismissed from his church for false teaching was reported by OneNewsNow.com at this URL:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1317582
Apparently it started with a book called, Love Wins, by Rob Bell. This Pastor had publicized his support for this book that offered a criticism of the traditional view of Hell. His congregation took offense and fired him.
I haven’t read the book because I have no desire to read false teachings about the Word. However, after reading the article, I believe the congregation did the right thing.
Here’s why…
Rob Bell criticizes the Biblical truth of a literal Hell reserved for unbelievers. He apparently believes that it is misguided to believe that a few Christians will “spend a life of bliss in Heaven” while others go to Hell for eternity.
One News Now quotes him from his book, Love Wins, to clarify: "This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus' message of love, peace, forgiveness and joy that our world desperately needs to hear,"
Hogwash! This is a sin of presumption, for Rob Bell is disagreeing with God. Guess he thinks he knows better. It is certainly more toxic to withhold the truth of God’s Word from folks, for they will not understand the seriousness of their spiritual condition and the penalty of sin.
This is not a new belief, but it is being discussed by many ill-informed people. The theory is that eventually all will be saved, despite their religious belief. There is no reason for Hell because all will be in Heaven. This is false. The truth is people who reject God will face punishment at Judgment Day.
The Bible says that only those who trust in Jesus for salvation will be saved from the punishment for their sins, no matter how sincere their worship or devotion to other gods. Without Jesus, no one has a hope for a life in eternity with God.
Here are some verses from the Bible about the penalties of sin:
“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10 (KJV)
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:18
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
God decides how mankind must be saved. He has provided a means for all to be saved; that is, Jesus Christ, His Son. Rob Bell has it wrong. There is no Scripture verse that supports his statement. In fact, Scripture supports the truth that man is a sinner condemned to eternal damnation (death). Jesus is the Savior for all who will believe.
“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him, for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” Romans 5:8-11
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9
If you notice in these verses a distinction is made between those who believe what God says and those who don’t. Clearly God is creating a separation.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” 2 Peter 2:1-9
God has a plan for the ungodly. They will be reserved in Hell until judgment. The flaw in Rob Bell’s thinking is that he thinks at judgment those in Hell will be released into Heaven. Not so. The Book of Revelation makes clear their end:
Jesus said in 1:18: “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Then the Apostle John reveals his eyewitness account of future events…
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:10
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:12-15
An understanding of the truth of God’s Word is essential to a Christian’s security of a place with Jesus for all of eternity. Discussions that center around where Believers will spend eternity must be focused on the truth of God’s Word, not on what we hope will happen or think should happen because God is a “god of love”. Let’s not forget He is also just and hates sin. The outcome for the unsaved is dire. We must speak the painful truth so that they will turn from their sin and accept Jesus as their Savior.
Copyright © 2011 Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement
March 24th, 2011 - 19:07
Good article! If Satan can get people to not believe in him and not believe in hell, he’s got it made. Harold Camping teaches annihilation instead of hell. What precisely is the incentive to turn to God from our sins if there is no threat of punishment? What people fail to realize is that hell is where God is not. And removing God means removing hope and any restraint that any demons or evil humans presently have imposed upon them. They will help create their own hell by virtue of non-interference by God. Where is justice for martyred Christians if their murderers were to be welcomed into heaven after living a life of rejecting God and persecuting those who do worship Him. There wouldn’t be any. People fail to realize God is not only love, but He is also justice. If people would read their Bibles they wouldn’t believe this garbage, but sadly, people are too lazy and it is easier to let someone tell them what it says. Unfortunately on Judgment Day that excuse is not going to fly with God.
March 24th, 2011 - 21:49
Hello!
Thanks for chiming in. You are so right! If there is no punishment for sin, then where is the deterrent? Even parents realize that correcting their children is essential to foster a change of behavior. How easily we frail humans can be persuaded to give up all we believe with a simple lie. Folks, you have to read the Word regularly to protect against deception.