The Reality of Hell

The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus The rich man lived luxuriously. Lazarus, a beggar, was full of sores and longed for scraps from the rich man’s table. Lazarus died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom (paradise). The rich man died and was buried, and in hell, he was in torment. The rich man saw Abraham and Lazarus and asked for mercy, requesting Lazarus to bring him water. Abraham reminded him that he had received good things in his lifetime, while Lazarus had suffered. A great gulf was fixed between them, making it impossible to cross over. The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his five brothers. Abraham said they have Moses and the prophets and should listen to them. The rich man argued that if someone rose from the dead, they would repent. Abraham concluded that if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead. The Significance of the Story The story provides an eyewitness account of what happens to an unbeliever after death (before Christ’s death and resurrection). Lazarus went to Abraham’s paradise, which Jesus later emptied when he opened the way to heaven. The focus is on the rich man’s fate and the reality of hell. If someone could return from hell, they would be the best evangelist. The Importance of Preaching About Hell The word of God should inspire zeal to tell others they do not have to go to hell. It’s important to be soul winners and convey the message of heaven and hell. Dying without Christ means rejecting Christ and going to hell. Jesus came to provide a way to avoid hell. It is not pleasurable to declare that lost people go to hell, but it is the truth. Hell was created for the devil and his angels, but those not born again will go there. The world and many churches have stopped preaching about hell. Jesus preached more about hell than heaven because he wanted to keep people out of it. The Need for Saved Individuals to Understand Hell Some saved people do not act saved because they have not considered what they were saved from. A vision of hell should inspire gratitude for salvation. Excitement about not going to hell should be maintained. Hell is Real Hell is not a figment of imagination but the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus cannot lie, and he said the rich man went to hell. There cannot be a heaven without a hell. Many people do not believe in the concept of an afterlife. People often think they are good enough to go to heaven based on self-righteousness. The Bible concludes that all are under sin, but can be made dead to sin through Jesus’ resurrection. The Confusion of the Rich Man The rich man thought someone returning from the dead would cause belief and repentance. There is plenty of good preaching available, but people do not want to escape hell’s flames. People need to believe Jesus Christ, who cannot lie. It is wrong to tell someone to go to hell. The Holy Ghost convinces people of the reality of hell, not just preachers. Example: At nine years old, the Holy Ghost convinced Pastor Tommy that hell was real, leading to fear and repentance. People are leaving the world daily and going to a place they do not believe exists. It is not God’s will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The Reality of Hell One can sit smugly in self-righteousness, but there is a hell. If one is undone without God and not born again, hell will be their eternal home. God calls people to tell the truth about hell so others might hear, believe, and avoid it. Living hell on earth is not comparable to the reality of hell. Hell is Immediate There is no purgatory or holding place after death. The idea of a waiting place is a lie from the devil. When you die, there is no encouragement in scripture to want to die without Christ. Hell is real and immediate; there is no waiting period. A story about a man who believed one does not know where they are going until they are dead is shared as an example of heresy. Confidence in what God did on the day of salvation is essential. When the rich man died and was buried, he immediately lifted up his eyes in hell. God has a blind marked for each person, and when they reach it, they will die. Everyone who has died without Christ for the past six thousand years has gone to a place of torment. The Holy Ghost must get to people, or they will go to hell. Hell is Torment In hell, the rich man lifted up his eyes, being in torments. The torments of hell are beyond comprehension. God sends people to hell if their name is not in the Book of Life. God has done everything possible to keep people out of hell, including sacrificing his son. If one goes to hell, it is not God’s fault. The rich man spoke of the fire in hell. There are no gaps in the flames of hell, meaning no relief. One should not play around with eternity’s truths as if they are in charge. God will not change his mind if someone dies without Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus Christ will be honored, and no one having rejected Christ will escape hell. Graphic Descriptions of Hell If a hand offends, cut it off to avoid going to hell with both hands. It is better to enter heaven maimed than to go to hell with both feet. Hell is a place where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. The fire of hell will never go out; there is an endless supply to keep it going. The worm that does not die refers to the conscious remembrance of a man. There will be constant regret for having rejected Christ as Savior. There will be no relief from the torment. Hell is Unchangeable There is a great gulf fixed, making it impossible to escape. The only change is being pulled out of hell for a moment to be judged before going to the lake of fire. The only chance to escape hell is today, right now. It is foolish to assume there will be another chance. A Message Out of Hell The rich man wanted his brothers to be warned about hell. The message is to tell them it is real, immediate, torturous, and unchangeable. Preachers are called to preach about hell to save people from it. The rich man’s brothers have the chance to get to heaven through Moses and the prophets (the Bible). The world will not know about the Word of God unless someone tells them. Some may learn new things about hell, but it is from the pages of the Bible. The question is not whether one will die, but whether they will go to heaven. Believing in Jesus Christ as Savior is the only way to be certain of going to heaven. Invitation If the Holy Ghost has visited one’s soul, they know they are lost and heading to hell. One should pray, “Lord, save me. I believe in you. Repent of my sins. Save me. I’m lost. Save me.” When fear sets in and the reality of hell is understood, one must trust Christ. Bow your heart to him and ask him to save you. Do not worry about what others think; people in hell wish they had not cared and had bowed in need of Christ. One needs to be saved today if they are lost. No one can come to the Father unless they are drawn. Bow in need of Christ and be saved.