[Biblemat] A) HELL FIRE

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Friday morn-
ing to each and every one.  May God bless you and yours.  Here
is an article from my files:

HELL FIRE

     Jesus taught, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck
it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you 
that one of your members perish, than for your whole body
to be cast into hell" (Matt. 5:29).  Also, He warned, "And do
not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But
rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell" (Matt. 10:28).

     It is evident that Jesus is not talking about dying and only
going to the grave.  There is more to this than just death and
burial of the body and soul.  If all there is to death is turning
back to dust, then why should we be concerned about an eye
causing us to sin, or One who can destroy both body and 
soul in hell?

     The answer to the above question is revealed in statemen-
ts like "unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12; Mk. 9:43-48; Lk. 3:12)
or "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 8:12; 18:42,50; 22:
13; 25:30) or "outer darkness" (Matt. 8:12; 22:13) or "where
their worm does not die" (Mk. 9:44,46,48, see also Isa. 66:24)
or "everlasting fire" (Matt. 18:8; 25:46; 2 Thes. 1:9).  This
terminology goes to great effort and detail to depict more than a grave or 
becoming dust after death.

     The apostle John received this revelation from Jesus con-
cerning the destiny of those who have done evil and not re-
pented of that evil, "The smoke of their torment ascends for-
ever and ever; and they have no rest day or night..." (Rev. 14:
11; 19:20).

     The description of hell is given in figurative language be-
cause it is a place that is beyond the physical world, as we 
know it.  Jesus speaks of a similar place when He tells of the
rich man and Lazarus in Lk. 16:19-31.  In this reference He
calls the place where the rich man is "torment."

     Knowing these things about hell should cause each one
of us to think soberly about our lives and cause each one of
us to turn to Jesus and His teaching for hope and life after
death.       --------- Ron Drumm
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