ONE HEARTBEAT AWAY - PART 43

                                             ONE HEARTBEAT               AWAY

     PART 43

(Mark Cahills Book)


Why Hell?

Some people choose not to believe in the God of the Bible. because they don't like the thought of an angry God Who would punish people eternally in hell. I used to think the same thing before I became a Christian. I didn't know that there were many attributes of God. Most people are familiar with the Bible verse 
"God is Love"  and He is. But He is also just. He is holy. He is righteous. And because of these other attributes , He also has a tough side - and rightfully so.

 God hates sin. Period. None of us on earth can fully realize just how much God hates even the smallest sin. I had not pictured a God Who had this stern side. One day however, I realized that I couldn't just create the God that I wanted. God is not an exercise in imagination, or visualization, or mind projection. He exists independant of my thoughts about Him. But that's what I was trying to do as I ignored what the Bible had to say about God. The Real God is the One I will certainly stand before when I die not my imaginary 
"God."

Since we know the Bible to be true, we also know that the God we will face will be the God of the Bible. So we need to discover and really understand, why He has this wrathful side. And we need to know what to do to make sure that we do not see that side of Him when we die. 

The Bible, God's Word, tells us why we incur His wrath, and how we can avoid it:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleaness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

For which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience: (Colossians: 3:5-6)

We also read in the Bible that:

....the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
(Romans 1:18)

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God: Who will render to every man according to his deeds.

To them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and imortality, eternal life:

But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath.
(Romans : 2:5-8)

So if people face God's wrath and go to hell, it will be because they chose to. The God Who created this universe has given us proof of His existence, yet many refuse to accept it. 

The Bible explains that the "lake of fire"  was originally prepared "for the devil and his angels"  but people who obey these evil beings will go into the lake of fire with them.

Then shall He say unto them on the left hand, depart from Me ye cursed, Into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41)

Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness? (Romans 6:16).

It isn't God's desire that people go to hell, but He gives us the free will to choose.

next post - Tuesday 17th October