Sermon Central
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Hedges Around Hell
Contributed by David Seeley on Nov 30, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: God has placed many roadblocks and warning signs on the road toward Hell. Those that miss Heaven will not do so without passing by and ignoring all the warnings the God has placed before them.
Ecclesiastes 10:8 “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him”
Hedges around Hell
God has placed many hedges around Hell to keep each and every one of us from going there.
Some of them are
1. The Bible
The Bible contains warnings of danger to those who are rebellious against God. It also tells us of the great rewards that will be given to those who know and love God and who walk in obedience to Him.
The Bible becomes a hedge of protection God has put in place to help keep you out of hell.
2. The Plan of Salvation
Those that miss Heaven will have to do so over top of the fact that God has made every provision possible to get them to Heaven. The plan of Salvation is a hedge God has placed around hell to keep you out.
3. The Church
The Church is an organized group of Believers who are here to help you get to Heaven. If you miss Heaven, you will be breaking through yet another hedge God has place around hell.
4. Our parents
Those of us who have Christian parents who are doing their best to train us to follow God are privileged to have them. They are one of God’s hedges put in place to keep us out of hell.
5. Our conscience
God has given you a sense of awareness of the times when you do wrong. That sense of awareness is known as your conscience. You do not have a conscience by accident. God placed it within you to help you know what is right and what is wrong. Thus it is a hedge to keep you from hell.
6. Our Christian friends
The influence of Christian friends can be a very positive force in our lives to help keep encouraged to live the way God wants us to live. Make friends with as many Christians as you can. They will serve as a hedge around hell by influencing you to do what is right.
7. The prayers of those who care for us
Prayer is very powerful. If someone is praying for you, you need to thank God every day. Those praying friends really care about you. Their prayers will follow you throughout life and serve as a hedge around hell that God will use to help keep you out of hell.
8. Your pastor
Your pastor is one who is called of God to teach you what the Bible says about life, Heaven, hell, sin, salvation, and God. God has placed him in your life to become a hedge around hell to keep you out.
All of these hedges are in place to keep you from missing Heaven. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 10:8 “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.”
Do not break down these hedges around hell. Do not experiment with sin to see if you might enjoy it. The Bible tells us that yes, indeed sin does bring pleasure, but it only lasts a little while. After the short-lived pleasure is gone, the serpent of regret and sorrow will bite you.
God in His mercy has placed all these hedges in place to 1. Lead you to the place where you will realize that you have broken the law of God and deserve to be punished.
2. Bring you to the place of acknowledging that you need forgiveness for all of your sins.
3. Point you to the fact that you can only be saved if you confess your sins to Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive you.
If you do these things, you will be saved. If you miss Heaven, you will do so over top of all these hedges God has placed in our way to keep us out of hell.
