Judging by sympathy cards, everyone goes to heaven when they die. Who likes to think about a loved one going to hell
at death or after the end of the world? In popular culture, "hell" is a
curse word used for emphasis. Many people believe that hell is here in
this life: things like 9/11 or someone agonizing with cancer.
Unpopular or not, hell is a theme in Bible prophecy.
God's Word says: "The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone" (Rev. 21:8). Jesus said: "Then shall he say also unto them on
the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil" (Matt. 25:41).
Condemned
to eternal fire? Would a just and loving God punish sinners in such a
cruel manner? The truth is we mortals are not capable of answering
that. God alone is the standard of love and justice. By ourselves we
cannot know if there is a hell. Only God can tell us. This is why the
study of Bible prophecy is so important. Seeing that God has always fulfilled His prophetic Word in the past assures us that He will fulfill it in the future.
Jesus
said (Mark 16:16): "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believes not shall be damned." That is prophecy! "Damn" is
another word people use for lack of a good vocabulary. The truth is that
none of us has the prerogative to damn anything or anybody. Only God
does!
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