Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 04.03.2000
Eternal punishment
If an evil man would assure me of that I am in danger to be thrown to hell, I hardly would believe him. When perfectly good Jesus Christ warns me against eternal punishment, I want to take it seriously. If you feel that a warning scares you, it is the same as you would think that the warner lies. This warning of your eternal destiny is so important a thing that consider it carefully before you turn your back to Jesus.
Eternal punishment or life
You stand in a high place and see the lake of fire. You look at the flames and see there the devil and his angels. They cry out with pain and wriggle with distress. In your horror you turn your head away from flames and you see by your side an angel of God. He grasps you and throws you into the eternal fire.
Or.
You stand before the throne of God and you see Him face to face. You look at His glory and are delighted at His wonderful being. You are happy and look around you and see angels of God and the great multitude of God's people. Together with them you start to praise God. You feel that it's not until now that you live - and forever.
You stand in a high place and see the lake of fire. You look at the flames and see there the devil and his angels. They cry out with pain and wriggle with distress. In your horror you turn your head away from flames and you see by your side an angel of God. He grasps you and throws you into the eternal fire.
Or.
You stand before the throne of God and you see Him face to face. You look at His glory and are delighted at His wonderful being. You are happy and look around you and see angels of God and the great multitude of God's people. Together with them you start to praise God. You feel that it's not until now that you live - and forever.
On the way to hell or heaven
Jesus says: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matth.7:13-14 Jesus speaks about the two gates. It is difficult to enter through the one and through the other you go easily, almost unnoticed together with other people.
When you become Jesus' own, you enter through that small gate. When you reject the call of Jesus, you enter through that wide gate. When you are a follower of Jesus you are on the road to heaven. If you are not with Jesus, you are against Him. The road of God's opponents is broad and it leads to the place of punishment that is prepared for enemies of God.
"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matth.25:41 Jesus has died for all people and has so prepared for everybody access to heaven. When He died on the cross He also destroyed the kingdom of devil. The head of the serpent was crushed and the devil and his angels were condemned.
Jesus says very clearly in Matth.25:31-46, how all people will be judged on the grounds whether they have loved Jesus or not. They who will be saved have put their love to Jesus into practice. Whatever they have done, they have done it as for God, not for men. They who will be judged to eternal punishment are accused only of what good they have not done in their practical life - for Jesus. They who have not heard anything about Jesus will be also judged, because they have not worshipped God. They know God through His deeds in nature, but "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him,..." Rom.1:21
Jesus says: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matth.7:13-14 Jesus speaks about the two gates. It is difficult to enter through the one and through the other you go easily, almost unnoticed together with other people.
When you become Jesus' own, you enter through that small gate. When you reject the call of Jesus, you enter through that wide gate. When you are a follower of Jesus you are on the road to heaven. If you are not with Jesus, you are against Him. The road of God's opponents is broad and it leads to the place of punishment that is prepared for enemies of God.
"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matth.25:41 Jesus has died for all people and has so prepared for everybody access to heaven. When He died on the cross He also destroyed the kingdom of devil. The head of the serpent was crushed and the devil and his angels were condemned.
Jesus says very clearly in Matth.25:31-46, how all people will be judged on the grounds whether they have loved Jesus or not. They who will be saved have put their love to Jesus into practice. Whatever they have done, they have done it as for God, not for men. They who will be judged to eternal punishment are accused only of what good they have not done in their practical life - for Jesus. They who have not heard anything about Jesus will be also judged, because they have not worshipped God. They know God through His deeds in nature, but "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him,..." Rom.1:21
Hell is the place of God's wrath?
The Bible pronounces unambiguously that the salvation is prepared for everybody. However someone believes that he is predestinated to the destruction. He feels so because he experiences in his soul anger of God against his sins. In these experiences he can suppose that he has already been condemned to hell, because he doesn't want to humble himself to confess that God's judgement is right. Here on the earth it is possible for you to be moved from God's wrath under His grace. An anguished person needs to understand, why Jesus cried out on the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He tasted on the cross that feeling man feels in hell.
Jesus suffered God's wrath for you so that you could experience God's love and acceptance. Therefore only Jesus can condemn to hell. He is worthy to do it. "The Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power..." 2Thess.1:7-9
The Bible pronounces unambiguously that the salvation is prepared for everybody. However someone believes that he is predestinated to the destruction. He feels so because he experiences in his soul anger of God against his sins. In these experiences he can suppose that he has already been condemned to hell, because he doesn't want to humble himself to confess that God's judgement is right. Here on the earth it is possible for you to be moved from God's wrath under His grace. An anguished person needs to understand, why Jesus cried out on the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He tasted on the cross that feeling man feels in hell.
Jesus suffered God's wrath for you so that you could experience God's love and acceptance. Therefore only Jesus can condemn to hell. He is worthy to do it. "The Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power..." 2Thess.1:7-9
What kind of place is hell?
The destruction is the hell of the abandoned ones. When you now feel God's anger it doesn't mean that He would wish you to hell or that He already would have decided to send you to it. On the contrary, it is His love when He rebukes you. When you are able to sin without the feelings of God's anger, you have become hardened and are near the experience that you will be deserted forever.
Everybody who sins experiences in his soul some degree of God's anger and so he gets to feel a little bit about what it is like in hell. The everlasting destruction is the place of agony. Jesus describes its atmosphere using the image of our earthly feelings: "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth." Luk.13:28 The feelings of oppression in hell are similar to the feelings of a person who wants to commit suicide. Among earthly oppressions an unhappy one decides to commit suicide to get a relief to his pain. Judas Iscariot also thought in this way after he has betrayed Jesus and surely he did not comprehend that he fell from temporal distress to eternal torment.
Jesus says about Judas that he is "the son of perdition." NKJV/ John.17:12 He himself chose his way when he hardened his heart. In the last supper Jesus said, so that everybody heard, that Judas was going to betray Him. How good an opportunity to humble himself before the judgement of God! But even then he did not confess that God's judgement is right, but he held on to his pride. When God's judgement hit to his conscience after the betrayal he killed himself. His repentance was only the agony of failure that the proud heart feels, not the appeal to God to get His mercy. The son of destruction went to his own place. Hell is their place, who rather condemn themselves than surrender to God.
If you have sometimes been so desperate that you have brooded on suicide in your mind, you know a little about the feelings in hell. That agony only continues forever, for Jesus, who died for you, does not lie, when He says: "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matth.25:46
The destruction is the hell of the abandoned ones. When you now feel God's anger it doesn't mean that He would wish you to hell or that He already would have decided to send you to it. On the contrary, it is His love when He rebukes you. When you are able to sin without the feelings of God's anger, you have become hardened and are near the experience that you will be deserted forever.
Everybody who sins experiences in his soul some degree of God's anger and so he gets to feel a little bit about what it is like in hell. The everlasting destruction is the place of agony. Jesus describes its atmosphere using the image of our earthly feelings: "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth." Luk.13:28 The feelings of oppression in hell are similar to the feelings of a person who wants to commit suicide. Among earthly oppressions an unhappy one decides to commit suicide to get a relief to his pain. Judas Iscariot also thought in this way after he has betrayed Jesus and surely he did not comprehend that he fell from temporal distress to eternal torment.
Jesus says about Judas that he is "the son of perdition." NKJV/ John.17:12 He himself chose his way when he hardened his heart. In the last supper Jesus said, so that everybody heard, that Judas was going to betray Him. How good an opportunity to humble himself before the judgement of God! But even then he did not confess that God's judgement is right, but he held on to his pride. When God's judgement hit to his conscience after the betrayal he killed himself. His repentance was only the agony of failure that the proud heart feels, not the appeal to God to get His mercy. The son of destruction went to his own place. Hell is their place, who rather condemn themselves than surrender to God.
If you have sometimes been so desperate that you have brooded on suicide in your mind, you know a little about the feelings in hell. That agony only continues forever, for Jesus, who died for you, does not lie, when He says: "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matth.25:46
Is your place in heaven empty?
Although Jesus is the atoning sacrifice of the whole world, the whole world has not the reconciliation with Him. Your place in heaven will be empty, if you don't allow to reconcile yourself to God. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2Cor.5:20
I understand that it is difficult for you to accept the judgement of God against you, but it is possible for you, if you look at Jesus. All we deserve the fire of hell. If you object to this, it is the reason why you are not interested in Jesus and you are not able to enter through the small gate.
Really, Jesus Christ did not die on the cross for you because of any less reason than to be able to save you from eternal punishment. You are mindless if you do not humble yourself to confess before God that also you need that sacrifice of Jesus. "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Rev.20:15 Is your name in the book of life?
Although Jesus is the atoning sacrifice of the whole world, the whole world has not the reconciliation with Him. Your place in heaven will be empty, if you don't allow to reconcile yourself to God. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2Cor.5:20
I understand that it is difficult for you to accept the judgement of God against you, but it is possible for you, if you look at Jesus. All we deserve the fire of hell. If you object to this, it is the reason why you are not interested in Jesus and you are not able to enter through the small gate.
Really, Jesus Christ did not die on the cross for you because of any less reason than to be able to save you from eternal punishment. You are mindless if you do not humble yourself to confess before God that also you need that sacrifice of Jesus. "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Rev.20:15 Is your name in the book of life?
The Bible version used in references is NIV