The Shock and Awe of Going to Hell!

[righteousdude2]

There will many more folks, on judgement day, who thought they had a great chance at eternity, put into a state of eternal shock , awe, and horror as they discover those Christians were right about needing to be born-again and living a life the was holy!

 

[Yeshua1]

There will many more folks, on judgement day, who thought they had a great chance at eternity, put into a state of eternal shock , awe, and horror as they discover those Christians were right about needing to be born-again and living a life the was holy!

All one needs to do is read how Jesus felt it while upon the Cross, as being the sin bearer he felt and experienced for those few hours what sinners will forever!

 

[HAMel]

It will be terrifying!

I have wondered about those folks who have exploded themselves for allah only to open their eyes in Hell. No 72 virgins..., no nothing of what they were told and promised. Sad.

 

[JonC]

Ironic - half way through this post is a naked girl (an ad for some game...I think) that blends in with your graphic.

Anyway....do you think that avoiding Hell is ample cause for salvation?

 

[righteousdude2]

Good question

Ironic - half way through this post is a naked girl (an ad for some game...I think) that blends in with your graphic.

Anyway....do you think that avoiding Hell is ample cause for salvation?

Some one once said, that salvation should not be seen as buying "fire insurance!"

To answer your question, it may be the initial reason some come to the cross, but once there [in the family of God], you can't help but see the real reason you are here and not going there [hell], and fall in love with the Father who bought you back from the hold of hell! :type:

Your question leaves me with an interesting question to ask others in the church, Thanks!

 

[Dr. Bob]

do you think that avoiding Hell is ample cause for salvation?

"Therefore, because we realize how greatly the Lord is to be feared, we are endeavoring to win men"

Fear is a great motivator. See sin, rebellion and worthy of hell . . I ask "who WOULDN'T want to repent and believe the Gospel".

Sadly, most unregenerate don't see their own sin this way and cannot repent and believe.

 

[Yeshua1]

"Therefore, because we realize how greatly the Lord is to be feared, we are endeavoring to win men"

Fear is a great motivator. See sin, rebellion and worthy of hell . . I ask "who WOULDN'T want to repent and believe the Gospel".

Sadly, most unregenerate don't see their own sin this way and cannot repent and believe.

See "Sinners in the hand of an Angry God!"

Seems to work well back then!

 

[saturneptune]

Ironic - half way through this post is a naked girl (an ad for some game...I think) that blends in with your graphic.

Anyway....do you think that avoiding Hell is ample cause for salvation?

No, absolutely not do I think fear is ample cause for salvation. The cause for salvation is the revelation from God that there is a great gap (as wide as the one in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man) between our sin and a Holy God. With that, our heart's desire is to be with Him for eternity, along with serving and worshiping Him on this earth. The fear of hell fire, darkness, loneliness are a concern, but are a byproduct, and do not replace our love for the Lord. Coming to Jesus because of fear is a shallow, human emotion. Love of the Lord in the center motivator. He loved us enough to provide a way of fellowship, even the death of His Son. We come to Jesus over Godly sorrow from our sin, not fear of the consequences.

I heard a sermon once on fear of hell, and in this sense it may be positive. If we could experience hell for ten minutes, every aspect of it, we would get off our lazy butts and get out there and tell others about Jesus.

I do not believe the human mind in our present state can comprehend the torture that Jesus Christ went through on the cross, not necessarily the physical pain, but the wrath of a Holy God putting the sin of man from day one till the end. We cannot imagine the agony of that pain.

 

[JonC]

"Therefore, because we realize how greatly the Lord is to be feared, we are endeavoring to win men"

Fear is a great motivator. See sin, rebellion and worthy of hell . . I ask "who WOULDN'T want to repent and believe the Gospel".

Sadly, most unregenerate don't see their own sin this way and cannot repent and believe.

I was just curious. I do believe that sermons on Hell certainly can motivate. For me the most important aspect of Hell, particularly insofar as being isolated from the blessings of God, is that Hell highlights the limitless extent of God’s own love in the work of the Cross.

I guess my question would be one “believing” only to avoid Hell. It seems that this would be a self-centered and unrepentant (in terms of repenting of our own righteousness and nature) type of belief. Ultimately this type of “salvation” would be motivated by self preservation. But I do see the point that awareness of one’s fate apart from God is a great motivator and it is one of many important doctrines.

 

[Yeshua1]

I was just curious. I do believe that sermons on Hell certainly can motivate. For me the most important aspect of Hell, particularly insofar as being isolated from the blessings of God, is that Hell highlights the limitless extent of God’s own love in the work of the Cross.

I guess my question would be one “believing” only to avoid Hell. It seems that this would be a self-centered and unrepentant (in terms of repenting of our own righteousness and nature) type of belief. Ultimately this type of “salvation” would be motivated by self preservation. But I do see the point that awareness of one’s fate apart from God is a great motivator and it is one of many important doctrines.

Think that illustrates to us that manywant and have Jesus as "fire insurance", and are savd by grace of God, but stay as infants/babes in christ, never attaining that maturity God desires them to have!

 

[JonC]

Think that illustrates to us that manywant and have Jesus as "fire insurance", and are savd by grace of God, but stay as infants/babes in christ, never attaining that maturity God desires them to have!

That’s also something that concerns me. Is one saved who merely chooses to cognitively accept Christ in order to escape Hell? This is not repentance in terms of repenting of your own righteousness. It is also not “doing” the will of the Father – instead it is doing one’s own will out of a desire to save one’s own neck. Matthew 7:22 comes to mind. These people acknowledged Christ as Lord, they acknowledged his divinity. They proclaimed the gospel, worked miracles, and were involved in the ministry. I think the passage lends itself to being understood that these people believed that they were saved. But Christ says that he never knew them – not that they were backslidden or immature believers…he never knew them.

Perhaps I am wrong, but I don’t think doing the right thing out of our own nature and motive constitutes doing the will of the Father. If I am right, then “believing” so that I avoid Hell is a type of self-salvation and centers on the will of man rather than the will of the Father.

 

[Yeshua1]

That’s also something that concerns me. Is one saved who merely chooses to cognitively accept Christ in order to escape Hell? This is not repentance in terms of repenting of your own righteousness. It is also not “doing” the will of the Father – instead it is doing one’s own will out of a desire to save one’s own neck. Matthew 7:22 comes to mind. These people acknowledged Christ as Lord, they acknowledged his divinity. They proclaimed the gospel, worked miracles, and were involved in the ministry. I think the passage lends itself to being understood that these people believed that they were saved. But Christ says that he never knew them – not that they were backslidden or immature believers…he never knew them.

Perhaps I am wrong, but I don’t think doing the right thing out of our own nature and motive constitutes doing the will of the Father. If I am right, then “believing” so that I avoid Hell is a type of self-salvation and centers on the will of man rather than the will of the Father.

Think that it comes down to what is the approach God uses to reach us with good news of jesus, as He casn choose to quicken us"wake up us" by reaching ourminds, as he did me with questions seeking who Jesus was, and what His death meant to me, or can give sinners a "feel" for what being eternally comdemned would be like, or what Love of the father is really like etc!

We ALL get saved by same basis, but he does use different methods to get that message received by us...

 

[JonC]

Think that it comes down to what is the approach God uses to reach us with good news of jesus, as He casn choose to quicken us"wake up us" by reaching ourminds, as he did me with questions seeking who Jesus was, and what His death meant to me, or can give sinners a "feel" for what being eternally comdemned would be like, or what Love of the father is really like etc!

We ALL get saved by same basis, but he does use different methods to get that message received by us...

I think that we, as a whole, need to focus more on that Basis for salvation rather than the methods. I am afraid that there are many professing Christians who will hear the words “depart, I never knew you” because their faith was never challenged or examined – they were just accepted and found affirmation in the local church. I think that we need to do a better job.

 

[Yeshua1]

I think that we, as a whole, need to focus more on that Basis for salvation rather than the methods. I am afraid that there are many professing Christians who will hear the words “depart, I never knew you” because their faith was never challenged or examined – they were just accepted and found affirmation in the local church. I think that we need to do a better job.

We recently in my church went thru a 6 week cell group concerning 'Not a Fan", which basic premise was that jesus did NOT call us to be part of his fan base, byut to follow him as his disciples, and to "take up our cross" and follow him!

 

[Dr. Bob]

I was just curious. I do believe that sermons on Hell certainly can motivate. For me the most important aspect of Hell, particularly insofar as being isolated from the blessings of God, is that Hell highlights the limitless extent of God’s own love in the work of the Cross.

I guess my question would be one “believing” only to avoid Hell. It seems that this would be a self-centered and unrepentant (in terms of repenting of our own righteousness and nature) type of belief. Ultimately this type of “salvation” would be motivated by self preservation. But I do see the point that awareness of one’s fate apart from God is a great motivator and it is one of many important doctrines.

My children were little. I carefully warned them about playing in the street. I said . .

"Believe what I am saying - there is DANGER in the street. STOP playing in the road. DON'T run out after a ball. Cars come by fast and might KILL you. You would be INJURED or DIE!"

They were motivated by fear of death/loss. I didn't say . .

"Don't go in the street because I LOVE you. I want you to LIVE a long time so we can be a family. You would MISS the blessings if you did."

Fear of God's judgment/hell is a great motivator to repent and believe the Gospel.

 

[JonC]

My children were little. I carefully warned them about playing in the street. I said . .

"Believe what I am saying - there is DANGER in the street. STOP playing in the road. DON'T run out after a ball. Cars come by fast and might KILL you. You would be INJURED or DIE!"

They were motivated by fear of death/loss. I didn't say . .

"Don't go in the street because I LOVE you. I want you to LIVE a long time so we can be a family. You would MISS the blessings if you did."

Fear of God's judgment/hell is a great motivator to repent and believe the Gospel.

But one might also be motivated to obey out of love. There are many things that I tell my son - and he obeys - but not necessarily out of fear (except, perhaps "fear" in terms of respect) but that I am his father. There are many things I told my son not to do - and he obeyed. Now that he is older (he's 10) he sometimes asks "why" and I explain my reasoning to him.

The danger, IMHO, of "believe this so you don't go to Hell" is that belief on that front may be ultimately false. It is a cognitive choice, but not necessarily a true belief. Fruit produced may not be genuine, but in reality can be a type of self righteous and works based hope of salvation. (Not that this is necessarily the case - and I do think Hell and God's just punishment is an excellent beginning towards explaining the gospel - I just think that we need to be careful in its presentation).

 

[Yeshua1]

But one might also be motivated to obey out of love. There are many things that I tell my son - and he obeys - but not necessarily out of fear (except, perhaps "fear" in terms of respect) but that I am his father. There are many things I told my son not to do - and he obeyed. Now that he is older (he's 10) he sometimes asks "why" and I explain my reasoning to him.

The danger, IMHO, of "believe this so you don't go to Hell" is that belief on that front may be ultimately false. It is a cognitive choice, but not necessarily a true belief. Fruit produced may not be genuine, but in reality can be a type of self righteous and works based hope of salvation. (Not that this is necessarily the case - and I do think Hell and God's just punishment is an excellent beginning towards explaining the gospel - I just think that we need to be careful in its presentation).

think good to preach/teach BOTH aspects, as to what will happen to us die to us staying in our sins without Jesus, and the sin remedy He supplies!