5 Reasons Why Hell Is a Message of LoveSteven Long 9/21/13

Condemnation; judgment; unloving; mean-spirited.

These are the words that usually come to mind when a person hears another talking about the subject of Hell. And these are the first accusations that are laid upon my fellow open air preachers when we attempt to share the Gospel of Grace with them. It seems that most people cannot get past the part of the bad news long enough to hear the good news; that is, that Christ came to save us from Hell!

The sad reality is that most open air preachers have been lumped together with all the other shock-and-awe preachers. We have been labeled and lumped together in this "hate batter" because of the actions of a few other individuals. For example, a preacher and his crew entered a Muslim festival in Dearborne, MI a couple of years ago and walked around with a fake pig's head on a stick! [source 1- their video], [source 2 - pig's head]. They were immediately met with hostility; and no wonder! Of course, you will never see the pig's head or offensive signs in their video but Reuben Israel and his band of "evangelists" (I use that word loosely) are infamous for these kinds of actions. How grotesque! And how do they expect to reach Muslims with the gospel of Christ when they pull stunts like this? This one incident alone may be the cause of Dearborne from truly ever being reached for the gospel for a long time to come. Anyone who claims the Name of Christ at this festival will always be looked upon with suspicion.

This must not, however, keep Christians from preaching about the coming doom of unbelievers. While they may continue to call us haters, bigots, unkind, unloving, and a slough of other things we must not give up hope that God is sovereign and His Word shall accomplish that which [He will] purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which [He] sent it (Isa 55:11).

For this reason I would like to propose to you, believer, 5 reasons why preaching about Hell is actually a message of love. After each reason I will give a few verses in parentheses for further reading and consideration:

Firstly, it warns the unbeliever of pending judgment. Scripture is clear that life after this earth is inevitable. Hebrews 9:27 states, It is appointed unto man once to die; and after this, the judgement. As uncomfortable as it is for you to think or talk about judgment, it is a reality! We cannot escape it. We must all stand before Christ to give an account of our actions. NOT talking about judgment doesn't make it go away. So be bold. Note, that I said 'bold' not 'arrogant.' (2Pe 2:9, 2Pe 3:7, 2Cor 5:10, Re 20:12, 2Thess 1:7-8).

Secondly, it reminds the unbeliever of his/her mortality. The brevity of life is talked about throughout Scripture. It never hides the fact that our lives will one day end. In fact, it often describes our life as "vapor," indicating just how quickly life can end. A year and a half ago I myself was reminded just how quickly life can end. (Proverbs 27:1, Psa 90:12, Psa 104:29, Jas 4:13-14).

Thirdly, it exemplifies the love with which Christ loved the world. Christ came into the world to save sinners; to seek and to save that which was lost; to reconcile men to God. The demonstration and humility in which He displayed this love is insurmountable. Christ, very God, became very man in order to save His people and present them before God. Scripture declares God's love for His people. It describes it as an everlasting love. The cross is the culmination of that love. But how does this tie in with Hell being a message of love? Simply put, as Hebrews 10:26-27 states that once there is knowledge of Christ's sacrifice then there is nothing left to cover sin. In short, a person's only hope is Christ's love demonstrated on the cross (Ro 5:8, John 3:16, Eph 2:4-5, 1Thess 1:4).

Fourthly, it demonstrates God's unwavering justice Justice was done at the cross! It is hard to fathom but nevertheless it is true. But it was not justice in our traditional sense. In our realm the guilty party pays the fine, goes to jail, or otherwise is expected to pay retribution. But in God's world it was the guilty that went free while the innocent paid the price. The dear Lamb of God, perfect, holy, and sinless, was the payment of His people's sin in order to propitiate God's wrath from us. In fact, Scripture tells us that it pleased the Father to bruise His Son for us. And we are clearly told that justice was accomplished on behalf of the elect. God was just in punishing sin but He was also merciful in pardoning the guilty and imputing His Son's righteousness (Romans 3:21-26).

Fifthly, because Jesus spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven. Our culture has turned Jesus into this super nice guy that always loved and never said a harsh word to anyone. This picture has led many to believe that such a nice guy would never condemn anyone by mentioning the 'H' word. But the truth of the matter is that Jesus spoke more about judgment and Hell than He did about Heaven and eternal life with Him. Most critics of this fact would try to point out that most of Jesus' harsh words came to the religous hypocrites. But some of His harshest sayings came to the crowds that followed Him (cf, Luke 14:25 ff, John 6:22 ff). Jesus was clear about what happened in the afterlife. He spoke of those who were unbelievers as being in outer darkness, a place of torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth, and never ending punishment. His words were sobering and a harsh reality for those who only perceive Him as a "nice guy." (Luke 16:19-31, Mt 8:12, Mt 22:1-14, Mt 25:30)

While it may be hard thing to digest talking about Hell is not an unloving thing. In fact, it is the most loving thing that a person can do. If you knew a person was in imminent danger and you refused to warn that person because you were afraid to "offend" him then you would be doing the opposite of loving: you would be hating that person by letting him wander off into his own destruction.

So be brave, Christians and continue to plead with those that are still lost. But at the same time make sure you speak with love and grace, and most of all with a humble spirit. Amen!

Links to Make You Think

Here are this week's links to make you think.

This article from the Cripplegate gives a good explanation of the phrase “He descended into hell” from the Apostles Creed.
Going along with the above article is another post by the Cripplegate entitled “Does the Doctrine of Hell Make God Unjust?"
Here is a post from Liberate on the power of sin by Paul Tripp.

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7 Reasons Why God Does Not Accept the Homosexual Lifestyle

Before I state the reasons let me start by saying that real Christians struggle with the sin of homosexuality. The key word is struggle. They fight against sinful desires in order to obey their Savior. Christians fight sin. Whether it is lust, drunkenness, slander, gossip, laziness, pride, or homosexuality the Christian must fight the evil desires that still reside within, even after being regenerated by the Spirit of God. So in this post I'm not saying their aren't genuine born again Believers who struggle with same sex attraction. That being said, the Bible is clear about it’s position on homosexuality. Here are seven reasons why God does not accept the homosexual lifestyle. Again the key word in the last sentence being "lifestyle."

1.God created man and woman

I know this may sound simplistic but creation itself testifies against homosexuality. God did not create another man for Adam. He created a woman. The command that God gave both the man and woman was to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth and subdue it:
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Two men or two woman cannot multiply. The parts don't fit. God did not design the male body with the capacity to join with another male body in the proper way. The woman was designed for the man, and the man for the woman.

2.God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the sin of homosexuality

"Gay Christian" advocates will say that God destroyed Sodom for being inhospitable to others as well as not aiding the poor. They get this from from Ezekiel 16:49.
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom:she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.
Now certainly these were grievous sins. But what "Gay Christians" do not quote is the next verse:
Ezekiel 16:50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.
The Hebrew word for "abomination" is to‘eba. It's the same word used in Leviticus 18:22 where God calls the sin of homosexuality an abomination- to‘eba: Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination-to‘eba.

3.God destroyed the surrounding nations for sins such as homosexuality

The nation of Israel was commanded to drive out and destroy the inhabitants of the land of Canaan for such sins as, human sacrifice, bestiality, and homosexuality.
Leviticus 18:22-24 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it:it is perversion. "Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean,
Notice homosexuality is one of the abominations for which God is driving out the surrounding nations and giving them to Israel.

4.Jesus only recognized marriage between a man and a woman

Mark 10:6-9 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. ’ ‘ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."
Notice what Christ says- "from the beginning God made them male and female." There was never any intention on the part of God for a male to be with a male or a female with a female. He also said that "the two shall become one flesh." Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman. This is something "God has joined together" and His command is "let not man separate." Gay marriage destroys the covenantal relationship of marriage.

5.Jesus never mentioned the homosexual lifestyle.

This is the common objection by the homosexual. The argument goes like this: "Since Jesus never even mentioned homosexuality you have no right to use Him in your arguments against it." The problem for the homosexual is that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality. Weren't there homosexuals in His day that wanted what homosexuals want in our day, just to be accepted? Since people are supposedly born gay shouldn't Jesus have addressed the issue? Shouldn't He have stood up for the rights of gay people who were obviously treated worse than they are today? And yet He said nothing. Since "sexual orientation is from birth" homosexuals are born the way they are right? And yet nowhere does Jesus even mention it. Which brings us to the next reason.

6.Nothing positive is ever said about homosexuality in the Bible

Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
Romans 1:26-27 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Notice the phrase "and such were some of you." Why would Paul say this if "men who practice homosexuality" were not in sin? "Were" is past tense. These are people who were saved out of the sins listed in this passage which includes homosexuality.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
Jude 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

7. Homosexuality undermines the gospel

How can those in the Church who accept the gay lifestyle as normative preach the gospel to homosexuals, or anyone for that matter, without destroying the gospel? In order to preach the gospel correctly, the way Jesus intended it to be preached, you must preach repentance!
Luke 24:44-47 Then he said to them, " These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, " Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
How can the Gospel be presented without repentance? It can't. The Gospel apart from repentance is a false gospel. Accepting and affirming the gay lifestyle is cruel and unloving. It leaves a person in their sin and will ultimately condemn them to hell.














For more information on this topic, listen to the debate between Michael Brown and Mattew Vines:

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