The Conditions of Hell

Hell is the subject and the place of eternal torment that will keep me up at night as I ponder this very fact that many people I work with, many people close to me are on a wide path to eternal destruction. Does it keep you up at night Christian? Do you consider the flames that are never ending for many who are being held accountable for their iniquities against a holy and righteous God? O how we should rightly fear our Lord! And let us make no mistake about what it means to be saved as well, for it says in Matthew 7:22

On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Oh yes, the very fact that a professing Christian is ever active in the church cannot keep them out of that terrifying place where the flames never die down nor where the worm likewise never dies. Should we not rightly fear our Lord? If only then that our lives become of no use even to Christ’ observance, what a terrifying thing to hear from our great and powerful Lord “away from me, I never knew you!” The underlying presumption is that this person presumes to know Christ, but clearly it is more right that Christ knows us.

Do you ever consider Christian that the very thing that keeps you away from hell is the Lord’s attribute of grace and mercy? We all deserve hell, we all deserve the full cup of the Lord’s holy and right wrath poured out onto our souls. Paul’s observation of mankind tells us so in Romans 3:10-18 “there is no one good…” And right you are Paul! Do you ask yourself this simple question Christian, “what did the Lord see in me to choose a person like me?” I can tell you the simple truth is this; He saw nothing but a vile wretched sinner that without the working of the Lord’s love upon the cross, none of us would see the light of heaven! This simple and yet extraordinary truth should keep us ever mindful and thankful of the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is this truth that causes division between the believer and the non-believer. Jesus says in Matthew 10:34 “I have come to bring a sword” a sword that creates division between those who adore Christ as Lord and of those who despise Him. Does the topic of hell make you sorrowful knowing many non-believers are headed for this eternal destruction? Hell should keep us sober minded, prayerfully vigilant and ever seeking to obey Christ! It is good to dwell on hell; it is where our minds meet the reality of many under the wrath of God. Let us not be comfortable in this life! Let us continue to pray for and minister to those who are headed for a great and terrifying fate!

O that the church should wake up to this reality! It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God! (Hebrews 10:31) Salvation therefore is not dependant on man’s doing, it is not dependant on a simple prayer (that is, the sinners prayer) but it is dependent on the very working of our Lord. It is He who changes the heart, mind, soul and course of a believer! Knowing our wretched condition before the Lord is to know that all we brought to the table was nothing more than our filthy sin. There was nothing worthy inside of you Christian when the Lord chose you and that is reason to fear the Lord and be ever thankful for His mercies upon us. Let us not treat the mercies of God as something trivial, but something that we should strive to know and strive to push on in telling others of through the power of the gospel! (Romans 1:16)