Simply Jesus Pt. 7: “Hell, Where Their Worm Does Not Die…”

Last week a cleaning lady came by our house. We usually get the same lady each month, but this time the company sent a different woman. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to always be ready to have a reason for the hope we have in Jesus, and that day I was provided with many opportunities to share.

From almost the moment she walked in, the lady (we’ll call her Shelby from now on) was asking me philosophical, psychological and spiritual questions. Shelby didn’t really get much work done that first 45 minutes, but it was fine with me; we covered a lot of ground. It seemed clear that she subscribed to the New Age movement, because she appeared to subscribe to various beliefs from an assortment of religions.

Two prominent New Age beliefs Shelby ascribed to included: 1) Discovering one’s inherent divinity and 2) Reincarnation. Both of those teachings are attempts to deal with sin, death, judgment and salvation through one’s own strength and merit. Also, both of those teachings seek to completely dismiss Jesus’ clear teaching about hell.

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. – Mark 9:43-48

The main problem in this world is not disunity. It is not a lack of understanding. It is not that the two main candidates running for office are narcissistic, sociopathic, idolatrous, pathological liars who will literally say or do anything to gain more power (even though that's true).

The main problem in this world is that humanity is at war with God. We are in rebellion against the King of kings, and that insurrection is called sin. Sin leads to bondage and death. And for those who reject the forgiveness, redemption and regeneration offered by Jesus Christ, the ultimate just judgment of hell’s eternal fire awaits.

Many preachers today do not want to preach about hell, and they do this at their own peril. 

Not only do they endanger their souls, but is it possible that these American pastors carry a large portion of the blame for the breakdown of our society? Is it possible that their reluctance to regularly paint an accurate picture of both heaven and hell has led millions of Americans to not fear suffering the consequences of their actions? If so, it would probably be good practice for all pastors to read Malachi 2 once every month. 

Unlike modern pastors, the early Christians were neither ashamed of Jesus nor His words about hell.

For all, the righteous and the unrighteous alike, shall be brought before God the Word. … He comes as Judge whom we call Christ. … Those who have done well shall be assigned righteously eternal bliss, and to the lovers of iniquity shall be given eternal punishment. And the fire which is unquenchable and without end awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which does not die, and which does not waste the body, but continues bursting forth from the body with unending pain. No sleep will give them rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from punishment; no voice of interceding friends will profit them. – Hippolytus 225CE, Volume 5, p. 397 [CD-ROM]

God’s judgment comes to the righteous and the unrighteous. Everything we’ve ever thought, said or done will be held up against the standard of Christ. And though non-Christians are capable of doing good things, that’s not good enough. Therefore, even though Cornelius the Roman Centurion was called a righteous and just man in Acts 10, he still needed to repent of his sins and receive forgiveness and newness of life through Jesus Christ.

Over the 36 years I've been alive, my eyes and hands have willfully engaged in sin more times than I can imagine. I’ve valued countless things above God and hurt countless others for the sake of those idols. My eyes deserve to be plucked out and my hands cut off. Worse still, I deserve to spend eternity where their worm doesn't die and the fire is never quenched.

Though the Gospels don’t show Jesus demanding His disciples to cut off their hands or pluck out their eyes when they sin, His words in Mark 9 demonstrate how serious He is about sin. In one sense, Jesus wasn’t using hyperbole. It actually would be better for us to enter life maimed or with one eye than to have an amazing body, not take Jesus seriously, and end up in the unquenchable fire of hell.

There are no second chances after we die. Reincarnation doesn’t exist anymore than purgatory does. Fortunately, there is rebirth and regeneration through the Holy Spirit offered to everyone who will receive Jesus.

Jesus is more gracious, merciful, and patient than you can comprehend. He gave His entire life for you. When you repent of your sins and give your life to Him, He gives His life back into you through the Holy Spirit. As you walk with Him each day, He begins to transform you into a new person and make you more like Him.

That is really good news! The gospel is not just about keeping us out of hell, it’s also about bringing God’s kingdom into our lives. It’s about transformation into God’s image by God’s power. And that means God is writing a tremendous testimony in you, filled with story after story of how your hope in Christ triumphs over the hellish situations you face.

So may you make the most of every opportunity this week to give the reason for the hope you have in Jesus!

The Still, Small Voice in the Silence

How would you react if you heard an audible voice but didn’t see anyone speaking to you?

There have only been a handful of times I have heard an audible voice from God or an angel. This is the story of the first time:

As a junior in high school, I was playing in a band with my brother, who was in his first year at Texas A&M University. Early one Friday, he drove down to Houston, TX in his Chevy S-10 Blazer to pick me up for an important gig we’d be playing the next day in College Station, TX.

It was a long, crazy weekend.

Finally, early Sunday afternoon we started heading back to Houston. My brother was driving, our drummer, Wally, rode shotgun, and I was in the back right seat. Now, you must understand that the SUV was packed to the gills with PA equipment, instruments, and various stands. There was only room for me to sit in one of the back seats, and only one side had a working seatbelt, so I chose the side where I couldn’t buckle up because I was cool like that.

Just before we got on the highway, my brother said he needed to stop by a friend’s house to grab something. He pulled in front of the house, said he would just be a minute, and he and Wally went inside. And just then, there in the silence, I heard it.

In a tone just above a whisper, a voice clearly told me to move all the stuff in the left back seat to the right side, and to buckle myself in the left back seat.

That was weird. Really weird. But, it also made a lot of sense. And, there was nothing in the message I heard that contradicted what I knew in the scriptures. So I moved all the equipment in the left back seat to the right, and buckled myself in the left seat.

About 20 minutes later we were several miles down the highway going about 80mph in the left lane. Unbeknownst to us, the Blazer began to drift off the left shoulder and onto the grass median. I looked up and realized we were about to hit a construction sign.

I yelled, “Watch out!” The Blazer swerved hard to the right into a minivan and began to flip. We flipped over three times across the width of the highway at 80mph. I remember flying around so fast, yet it was as if everything was happening in slow motion.

In a state of shock, we carefully climbed our way out of the side windows of the vehicle. Witnesses came running up to us asking us how we could be alive. The Blazer was a crumpled pile of garbage, and guitars and stands were strewn across the highway. Yet, we were blessed to escape with only small cuts and concussions.

I believe we were being protected throughout that crash. However, I also believe that if I had not listened to that still, small voice, my life would have turned out much different to say the least. 

What would have happened if Cornelius, the Roman centurion, had not listened to the heavenly voice that spoke to him?

Cornelius was, it is said, “a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, giving much alms to the people, and praying to God always. He saw therefore, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying, ‘Your alms have come up as a memorial before God. Therefore send to Simon, who is called Peter.’” … He whom Cornelius had previously feared as God, of whom he had heard through the law and the prophets, for whose sake also he used to give alms, is, in truth, God. The knowledge of the Son was, however, wanting to him. – Irenaeus 180CE Volume 1, p. 717 [CD-ROM]

Cornelius may have never been saved if he had not been obedient to the heavenly word that came to him. Perhaps his household would have suffered the same fate. I don’t know. Regardless, I praise God for being a God who speaks, and I pray that we will listen when He does!

Hearing from God Pt. 2 (Seeing the Word)

If God’s word came to you in a vision, would you be willing to listen?

When Abraham was 75 years old and childless, God came to him and made him some incredible promises. God promised He would bless him and make him a great nation, and that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed.

Many years later, a still childless Abraham was undoubtedly feeling discouraged and disheartened at so many lofty promises remaining unfulfilled. Then, one starry night, this happened:

The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.” … Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him … And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” – Genesis 15:1, 4-5 (NASB)

The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision and literally took him outside to show him the stars.

The word of the Lord. In a vision.

Maybe you’ve been taught that these days God only speaks through the scriptures. But don’t the New Testament scriptures reveal God using visions as a common method He uses to speak to people? (Some examples include Acts 9:10-16; Acts 10:1-20; Acts 16:9-10; Acts 18:9-11.)

In my church’s gatherings over the last couple of months, we have made it a point to build in about 20-25 minutes of intentional spontaneity. 20-25 minutes of intentionally giving God room to operate. Here’s what I mean.

After we take the Lord’s Supper, we get in groups of 2 or 3 and spend 1 minute asking God to speak to us and show us what He wants to teach us. Then, we spend another minute in those groups quietly listening and waiting on God to show us what is on His heart. For the rest of the time, people are free to share what God has shown them. Admittedly, this practice scares me for multiple reasons, but each week God comes through.

One week a woman saw something like a Polaroid picture of her diverse family sitting together united in Bible study. It seemed like God was calling all of us to be extra intentional in discipling our families. God was saying He doesn’t merely want unity in the family, for we can be unified around lies. He wants unity in His Spirit of truth. He wants us unified in Him. That vision spoke volumes to so many gathered that day.

Of course, we need to test any vision we receive and make sure it is in line with the scriptures. But as 3^rd Century Christian writer, Hippolytus, states, God-given visions have been bringing people into relationship with our Creator for thousands of years. “Because of visions, many have come to make their abode with Jesus.” (Hippolytus 205CE, Volume 5, p. 203)

Even today, numerous reports keep surfacing of Muslims coming to faith in various countries due to having visions and dreams of Jesus. An older Southern Baptist friend of mine, and rock-solid man of God, has a similar testimony that occurred right here the good old US of A. His vision of Jesus did not take Him from Islam to Christianity, but simply from a state of unbelief in Jesus to belief.

http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/06/15/report-isis-jihadist-converts-to-christianity-after-seeing-jesus-in-his-dreams/

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/tag-prayer-updates-post/after-dreams-of-jesus-imam-renounces-islam/

So, will you join me this week in praying for an outpouring from the Holy Spirit of visions from Jesus? Will you join me in seeking to hear from God like Abraham and so many followers of Yahweh have?

“And it shall be in the last days,” God says, “That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” – Acts 2:17 (NASB)