For the last couple of weeks you may have noticed that we have talked about Jesus being the only way to heaven and we considered the question “won't all people ultimately go to heaven?” People often question what it takes to get to heaven. People question and wonder what heaven is really like. But you never really hear anyone ask about what hell is like. It makes me wonder if people even realize how real hell is.
If you have ever watched a magic show, you have probably seen some things that you were not really sure were real. Some of the illusions are on a grand scale. And then you have the simpler tricks which deal with slight of hand. It's easy to figure out if something is real if we can see it.
But we have to realize that there are also things that we know are real, even though we can't see them - the wind, radio waves, emotions, and so on. I think many people don't believe that hell is real. After all, we can't see it. But hell is a real place of eternal separation from God. Although it's not a popular topic, the Bible does talk about hell in detail.
So, since we have spent the last two Sundays talking about heaven and how to get there, today we're going to see what the Bible says about the reality of hell and how to stay away from it. I will be using the book of 2 Thessalonians 1 as our passage today. Prayer
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So, is hell real? That's a question a lot of people have a difficult time answering. Maybe it's because people don't want to believe that such a place exists. Or maybe it's the sense that hell is such a bad place that good people certainly won't be sent there. But the Bible is quite clear that hell does exist, and God has provided specific guidance about how to avoid spending eternity there.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 – “We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, we ourselves boast about you among God’s churches—about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions that you are enduring.”
The church at Thessalonica was full of new believers. They were experiencing a lot of persecution and were concerned that they were suffering because their faith wasn't strong enough. So, Paul writes this encouraging letter. Since he was on the outside and looking in, Paul was able to see things that they couldn't see.
Paul lets them know that he could see their faith was growing. They may not have even noticed that fact because they were new believers. They may not have been aware that their faith would be tested. But their faith was growing even in the midst of the suffering that they were experiencing.
That's because of faith that can't be tested is a faith that can't be trusted. God uses trials and times of persecution to strengthen our faith. It's a lot like our physical muscles need to be stretched and exercised to grow stronger. So does our faith. Paul had prayed earlier that the faith of these new believers would grow stronger, and his prayer had been answered.
But Paul lets these new believers in Thessalonica know that their faith wasn't the only thing growing. Their love was also showing. Their love for one another was growing. The testimony of these Christians in Thessalonica was encouraging others because of their endurance and perseverance through times of persecution.
Much like the Thessalonians, when we're in stressful situations or under attack, we can become selfish and think only about ourselves. When persecution comes, we have the opportunity to not only reach out to God for help but also lean on other believers. That's really good news for us. When we feel that our faith is being tested, we should praise God for what He's doing in our life because God is using that to strengthen our faith and our love for others.
2 Thessalonians 1:5-7a – “ It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, 6 since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us.”
In this letter of encouragement, Paul was telling the Thessalonians as well as us today that are faithfulness will be rewarded. As I said, the trials that Thessalonian believers were experiencing are evidence that God was working in their lives. When the day of judgment came, they would be found worthy of God's kingdom.
We have to understand that being found worthy didn't mean they had earned the right to go to heaven because of their suffering. Again I say, heaven can't be earned. We're made worthy because of God's grace given to us through the gift of His Son Jesus.
When we keep our faith and endure these trials and times of suffering, that's what demonstrates that we are worthy. Because believers have Christ in their lives, times of suffering allow what is already on the inside to be shown on the outside. When we allow that to be shown, that brings glory to God.
But Paul also mentions the flip side of it all. God is a just God. There will come a day when He brings judgment on the wicked. All those that we think have gotten away with stuff, all the areas we think have gone unpunished, God will bring to justice. Again, he is a just God.
If God never brought judgment on the wicked and only gave rewards to the righteous, He wouldn't be a just God. And this is a promise for us to live by. We live not for the moment of the present day, but for the eternity that will one day be ours when God's judgment comes to pass.
Scripture never promises us a life without trials and suffering. Nowhere does the Bible tell us that the life we're given to live on this Earth will be easy. We are, however, promised that one day our faithfulness will be rewarded. I am reminded when Jesus said that this world is full of trials and tribulations but take heart He has overcome the world. So, Paul has praised and encouraged the Thessalonian Christians in their walk of faith. But now, he tells of the fate of those who refuse to believe. He begins to describe what hell is like.
2 Thessalonians 1:7b-10 – “This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.
******** 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.”
Paul's words to the believers were meant to remind them that despite the difficulties life brings, their focus should be on eternity. But then he goes on to explain the consequences for those who choose to ignore Christ's offer of salvation. The words Paul uses are quite intense and descriptive. He tells us that when Christ returns, judgment will be handed out to those who reject Christ and choose not to obey the Gospel. They will be out of God's presence for eternity - the worst possible judgment anyone can be given. Eternity without God. That’s hell all by itself.
Paul describes this judgment that is to come. Jesus will return along with his angels and bring with them judgment. No one will be exempt. Judgment will be handed out to those who don't know God and those who have not obeyed the Gospel. Both groups will be punished with an eternity away from God's presence.
The judgment they receive won't just be for a day or two. Neither will it be a judgment that brings about total annihilation. They will know what's happening to them because they will be able to feel the torment of the flaming fire of hell. It will be for all eternity.
I think that many today that refused to believe and accept Jesus Christ think that upon death, even if they go to hell, they will simply die and be wiped out. But that is not true. Just as believers will go to heaven and have eternal life, that is, life with God for eternity, for those who don't believe there will be eternal death. A death that just continues to go on.
Paul said that this day of judgment will take place when the Lord returns to earth. This is the day when He will ultimately be glorified through the lives of the saints who were redeemed through Christ, and whose lives have been transformed as a result. By the way, that is you and me if you have accepted Christ as your Savior.
This will be a day of judgment for the lost and a day for believers to stand in awe of the glory of God. Christ will be glorified in His saints on that day. Paul again brought a word of encouragement to the Thessalonian believers as he affirmed that they heard and believed the testimony brought to them by himself and others.
This is what is so great about being a Christian. This passage assures us as believers and gives us the confidence and hope that on that day, we too will share with those saints from all times. This hope gives us strength to endure when times of trials and suffering come our way as a result of persecution from those who don't know God. The church in Thessalonica received a huge boost of encouragement from Paul's letter. But we too, should find encouragement from it today as well.
So, eternal life awaits those who know God personally. Eternal punishment awaits those who don't know God.
2 Thessalonians 1: 11–12 – “In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
We know that prayer changes things. And Paul wanted the Thessalonians to know that he was praying for them. Paul had been praying for them since he first became acquainted with them, but his prayers were very specific in this passage. He prayed that they would continue to live their lives in a way that was consistent with the calling God had given them.
Paul was specific in his prayers for the Thessalonian believers. But as we look at what he prayed, we need to realize that these same things are what God wants for us as well. He prayed that when the final day came, God would still find them worthy of the faith He had called them to.
He prayed that everything they did and would do the rest of their lives would bring glory to God and spur them on to increase faith in God. Paul reminded them, and we should be reminded as well, that achieving this goal wasn't going to be because of their own strength and power, but the strength and the power that comes from a relationship with Christ.
And here's the truth. God has called every believer to do good. Not only has He called us to do good, but He's also equipped us with the ability to do good. It's only by the grace of God that we're able to fulfill the calling God has given us.
Just like the Thessalonians, God has called and equipped us to live a life worthy of His calling. Prayer plays a vital role in our ability to live the life God has called us to live. Just like Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, and just like people pray for us in our walk with Christ, we need to pray for others. Is there someone in your thoughts right now that you should pray for as Paul prayed?
The book of Revelation can be hard to understand. That's because it's full of symbolism and numbers, but it has a lot of truths that we need to understand. Understand this about hell.
Revelation 14: 9-12 – “And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger.
********He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, 11 and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name. 12 This calls for endurance from the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”
Paul has just told us about the impending judgment that's going to come and the punishment God will bring upon those who rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This Revelation passage describes some of the events that'll take place on that day of judgment. One of those events was proclaimed to be made by Three Angels.
The angel tells of the judgment and the punishment that will come to those who ultimately reject Christ. It's a punishment that will be experienced by those who choose the way of the world, instead of a relationship with Christ and the salvation He brings.
What is salvation? Salvation is being saved. Save from what? When you accept Jesus as your Savior, you are saved from having to experience the judgment that is about to be described. On the day of judgment, God will pour out his wrath without mercy. This description of what hell is going to be like is pictured here as being tormented for all eternity with fire and sulfur in the sight of God and the angels.
There will be no rest for those who receive this judgment. They'll be tormented day and night for all time. When John wrote down what Jesus revealed to him in this passage, he wanted his readers to see a comparison of the judgment that will come for those who reject Christ and those who have a relationship with Him.
But there is good news in this. Prior to this judgment, God will provide many opportunities for people to come to Him in repentance, so that they can spend eternity in heaven rather than hell. People who choose to reject Christ will have no one to blame but themselves for their just reward.
And that brings us to our response time. In a moment the music will begin and we will stand. Everyone in this room will choose one way or the other. Either to accept Christ, or to reject Him. If you have accepted Christ, we praise God together. If you choose to reject Him another time, who knows if you will ever be given another chance before you pass from this world. Choose today who you will serve.
