After Death, Is God's Punishment Eternal?
May 4, 2024 18:49:57 #
Is Punishment Eternal?
There is a growing movement among professing Christians toward universalism: the belief that everyone will finally be saved. One can empathize with those who hold this opinion. Eternity is forever. No matter how just the penalty, endless punishment seems cruelly excessive. The very thought of the Lake of Fire being the eternal abode of any creature, no matter how evil, is humanly repugnant.
Could God who "is love" (1 John 4:8) really sentence anyone to eternal punishment? Would He not find a way, somehow, for all eventually to be saved? The Bible must be our guide. But does the Bible in fact teach that those who leave this life without Christ are lost forever?
Jesus warned of hell repeatedly, referring to it fourteen times. Peter refers to it three times, James once, and the four times it is mentioned in Revelation make up the balance of the twenty-two times the word "hell" occurs in the New Testament. Jesus referred to hell as a place of torment in a "fire that never shall be quenched" (Mark 9:43-48). That sounds like eternal punishment—but for whom?
With one exception, there are two Greek words translated as hell in the New Testament: hades and geenna (gehenna). The word hades is rendered "hell" eleven times and is the counterpart of the Hebrew sheol, the only word for hell in the entire Old Testament. Sheol was where the souls and spirits of the dead went upon the death of the body. Since the same word is used for the abode of all the dead, sheol/hades must have accommodated both the lost and the saved. That this was indeed the case, and that their condition and experience were drastically different, is clear from biblical usage of these words in both Old and New Testaments.
For example, David's prophetic declaration, "thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol" (Psalms 16:10), was quoted by Peter as referring to the Messiah: "thou wilt not leave my soul in hades" (Acts 2:27-31). Thus, sheol and hades were the same place and must have been occupied by the redeemed since the Messiah was there while His body lay in the grave. That the lost were also there, but in a separate area, is clear from Christ's statement that when the rich man died, "in hades he lift up his eyes, being in torment...." That in his torment he could see Lazarus and Abraham in comfort (Luke 16:19-31) further indicates that the redeemed were also in hades yet distinct from the damned. That part of hades, which Christ referred to as "Abraham's bosom," must have been the "paradise" in which Jesus promised to meet the believing thief on the cross that very day (Luke 23:43).
At His resurrection, Christ emptied "paradise" and took those waiting there to His Father's house of "many mansions" (John 14:2). He is presently in heaven at the Father's right hand (Acts 7:55-56; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1, etc.). The souls and spirits of believers who die today are taken immediately into Christ's presence in heaven rather than to the former "paradise." Paul referred to the state of death as being "absent from the body...present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8); he spoke of his own desire to leave this body of flesh and to "be with Christ" (Philippians 1:22-24). Moreover, he declared that at the Rapture, when Christ descends from heaven, He brings the souls and spirits of the dead saints "with him" (1 Thessalonians 4:14). They must therefore have been with Him in heaven awaiting the day when they would be reunited with their resurrected bodies raised incorruptible from the grave.
It is thus clear what Christ meant when He said, "the gates of hades shall not prevail against it [the church]" (Matthew 16:18). This statement is often misunderstood to mean that the gates of hades are somehow on the move, attacking the church—which hardly makes sense for gates. However, it does make sense if the redeemed were within those gates when Christ made that statement. The "gates of hades" could not keep Christ from emptying "paradise" and bringing the church to heaven after purchasing her with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
The other word rendered "hell" in the New Testament is geenna. That this refers only to that side of hades where the damned were confined, and still are, is also clear. Jesus referred to "geenna fire" (Matthew 5:22) and warned that it would be better to remove a hindering eye or hand and to "enter into" heaven than to have all one's body parts "to be cast into geenna, into the fire that never shall be quenched" (Matthew 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-47, etc.). Clearly, only the damned are ever in geenna, which must therefore be that part of hades where the lost are confined.
"Death and geenna" will be "cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death" (Revelation 20:14). There the "devil...the beast and the false prophet...shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). There, also, "those who worship the beast and his image" during the reign of Antichrist "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone...And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever" (Revelation 14:9-11). Thus the final fate of the lost who have been geenna's inhabitants awaiting their "resurrection unto damnation" (John 5:29) is "the second death"—i.e., eternal separation from God and from true life.
Hades was emptied of the redeemed when Christ, the forerunner (prodromos, like the lead runner in the Olympics—Hebrews 6:20), ascended into heaven and "led captivity [i.e., captives] captive" (Psalms 68:18; Ephesians 4:8). As the saved are taken to heaven to "ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17), so the lost will be taken to the Lake of Fire to be separated from God forever.
Surely the Lake of Fire must be what Christ referred to as "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)—i.e., it was not intended for humans. It is thus the greatest of tragedies that any humans go there. However, those who become the followers of Satan are forever with him in the Lake of Fire just as the followers of Christ are forever with Him in heaven. Inasmuch as these same words are used, if "eternal" only means "temporary" for the damned, then it would have to mean the same for the redeemed. Thus, if there were an escape from the Lake of Fire, heaven would not be permanent either.
Having established that just as the Bible teaches eternal bliss for the redeemed, so it also teaches eternal punishment for the damned, let us consider the question with which we began: Why must this be so, and how could a God who "is love" (1 John 4:8) ever allow it to happen?
The "why," of course, is explained in part because, although the body of man is temporal and subject to deterioration and destruction, the soul and spirit of man exist forever. Of man's creation we read that God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). The Hebrew for "soul" throughout the entire Old Testament is nephesh, and for "spirit" is rooakh (ruach). In the Greek of the New Testament "soul" is translated from psuche and "spirit" from pneuma. These words have a variety of possible related meanings, but the biblical meaning is clear from the way they are used.
Man is body, soul and spirit, not just body and soul/spirit: "I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:23); "piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit" (Hebrews 4:12). Lacking space to distinguish between the soul and the spirit, we must be content with understanding that these together constitute the thinking person as distinct from the inhabited body.
The old materialism with its view that nothing exists but matter is no longer tenable even for secular science. Thoughts and intelligence are demonstrably not physical. The body has only been the means whereby the thinking, nonmaterial person living within has been able to function in the physical universe. When the body dies there is no reason either in logic, science or the Bible to suggest that the soul and spirit cease to exist. The fact that, as a thinking and experiencing being composed of soul and spirit, man is nonmaterial requires an eternal destiny from which there is no escape.
That we are eternally accountable to the God who created us and as sinners are separated from God in His perfect holiness is rational, biblical and clear to every person's conscience. Separation from the only source of life brings both physical and spiritual death. Man's only hope is God's love and grace; there is nothing he could himself do to heal this breach between himself and his Creator.
The question then becomes why God, who revealed Himself to Moses (on the very mount where He gave the Law) as "...merciful and gracious...forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7), doesn't just forgive the whole human race and give everyone a fresh start? That question is especially puzzling in view of the numerous statements in Scripture that God sent His Son "that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:17), that He desires "all men to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4) and is "not willing that any should perish..." (2 Peter 3:9).
If God is so loving why doesn't He universally forgive everyone? Love is only part of God's character. He is also infinitely and perfectly just. How can God forgive someone who admits no guilt? How can He forgive those who insist that there is nothing for which He needs to forgive them? And would it not be the utmost folly to do so? If in His mercy and grace God simply passed over human rebellion, would that not be condoning evil and even encouraging it? Would that not in itself undermine God's control of His universe?
God's laws are essential to governing the physical universe. The moral beings who have the power to act destructively must also be governed by laws, or chaos would reign. If He would go back on His moral laws, who could have any confidence in anything else that God has said or would say?
Christ asked His disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Surely that fact indicates that all is not as God desires it to be on this earth. Men are in rebellion against Him. Forgiveness can only be in accord with God's justice.
In fact, God has provided and offers pardon and new life to everyone—but it can only be on a righteous basis. God's love cannot nullify His justice, as we have often reminded our readers and as everyone knows in his conscience. God's justice demands a penalty for sin. Only through Christ's payment of the full penalty on the cross has forgiveness been made possible. Pointing forward to this fact, John the Baptist declared of Christ to his own followers: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Yes, "he is the propitiation [atoning sacrifice]...for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The problem is that multitudes are not willing to accept God's pardon on a just basis but want Him to forgive them unjustly.
Moral laws are even more important and impervious to compromise than physical laws. Every miracle such as the Red Sea opening, Christ walking on water or turning water into wine, the sun standing still for Joshua, etc. flies in the face of the laws of physics and chemistry. However, to override the laws that govern physical events does not affect God's moral character. But God himself cannot override His moral laws because it would be contrary to His very character and Being.
Jesus says, "The Word that I have spoken… shall judge him in that day" (John 12:48). God has spoken and cannot go back on His Word. The problem with rebellious man is that he is not willing to let God be God but insists that the Creator should abdicate control of His creation, renounce His moral character and laws and allow man to take over the universe and govern it his way.
But surely love accepts man as he is, does it not? That is the false and destructive humanistic idea of "love" promoted by the secular world. Those who insist that love should "accept" them as they are know nothing either of love or of common sense. A mother's love causes her to care for her child from the moment it is born. It makes no more sense to imagine that a mother's love would be content with a child's remaining in ignorance because it didn't want to learn, or with the child's love for nothing but junk food as it grows up, than that her love would "accept" her child's desire to destroy itself with drugs, prostitution or criminality.
Yet God is expected to "accept" rebellious man just as he is? "Love" that leaves the loved one in a condition of less than the best is not true love. On the contrary, real love desires the best and corrects those who are destroying themselves. Even of those whom He has redeemed and who have believed on Him, Jesus says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" (Revelation 3:19).
The words "acceptance" and "tolerance" are abused and have become the mantra of those who want to be left alone to destroy themselves. Such is the desire of multitudes; they want God to leave them alone so they can do their own thing. In the end, that is exactly what God reluctantly does. After pleading with them and trying to persuade them to accept His forgiveness (which can only be given on a righteous basis through Christ's payment of the penalty for their sins), He gives them their desire and leaves them alone—for eternity!
That God did not give in to man, go back on His Word, or change His standards of righteousness and justice, but stood by His Word, will eternally be to His glory. Therefore, God will be glorified even in those in hell. That is a horrible thought but one to which we are driven both by Scripture and reason.
Dave Hunt/Originally published April 1, 2001
The Berean Call
There is a growing movement among professing Christians toward universalism: the belief that everyone will finally be saved. One can empathize with those who hold this opinion. Eternity is forever. No matter how just the penalty, endless punishment seems cruelly excessive. The very thought of the Lake of Fire being the eternal abode of any creature, no matter how evil, is humanly repugnant.
Could God who "is love" (1 John 4:8) really sentence anyone to eternal punishment? Would He not find a way, somehow, for all eventually to be saved? The Bible must be our guide. But does the Bible in fact teach that those who leave this life without Christ are lost forever?
Jesus warned of hell repeatedly, referring to it fourteen times. Peter refers to it three times, James once, and the four times it is mentioned in Revelation make up the balance of the twenty-two times the word "hell" occurs in the New Testament. Jesus referred to hell as a place of torment in a "fire that never shall be quenched" (Mark 9:43-48). That sounds like eternal punishment—but for whom?
With one exception, there are two Greek words translated as hell in the New Testament: hades and geenna (gehenna). The word hades is rendered "hell" eleven times and is the counterpart of the Hebrew sheol, the only word for hell in the entire Old Testament. Sheol was where the souls and spirits of the dead went upon the death of the body. Since the same word is used for the abode of all the dead, sheol/hades must have accommodated both the lost and the saved. That this was indeed the case, and that their condition and experience were drastically different, is clear from biblical usage of these words in both Old and New Testaments.
For example, David's prophetic declaration, "thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol" (Psalms 16:10), was quoted by Peter as referring to the Messiah: "thou wilt not leave my soul in hades" (Acts 2:27-31). Thus, sheol and hades were the same place and must have been occupied by the redeemed since the Messiah was there while His body lay in the grave. That the lost were also there, but in a separate area, is clear from Christ's statement that when the rich man died, "in hades he lift up his eyes, being in torment...." That in his torment he could see Lazarus and Abraham in comfort (Luke 16:19-31) further indicates that the redeemed were also in hades yet distinct from the damned. That part of hades, which Christ referred to as "Abraham's bosom," must have been the "paradise" in which Jesus promised to meet the believing thief on the cross that very day (Luke 23:43).
At His resurrection, Christ emptied "paradise" and took those waiting there to His Father's house of "many mansions" (John 14:2). He is presently in heaven at the Father's right hand (Acts 7:55-56; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1, etc.). The souls and spirits of believers who die today are taken immediately into Christ's presence in heaven rather than to the former "paradise." Paul referred to the state of death as being "absent from the body...present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8); he spoke of his own desire to leave this body of flesh and to "be with Christ" (Philippians 1:22-24). Moreover, he declared that at the Rapture, when Christ descends from heaven, He brings the souls and spirits of the dead saints "with him" (1 Thessalonians 4:14). They must therefore have been with Him in heaven awaiting the day when they would be reunited with their resurrected bodies raised incorruptible from the grave.
It is thus clear what Christ meant when He said, "the gates of hades shall not prevail against it [the church]" (Matthew 16:18). This statement is often misunderstood to mean that the gates of hades are somehow on the move, attacking the church—which hardly makes sense for gates. However, it does make sense if the redeemed were within those gates when Christ made that statement. The "gates of hades" could not keep Christ from emptying "paradise" and bringing the church to heaven after purchasing her with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
The other word rendered "hell" in the New Testament is geenna. That this refers only to that side of hades where the damned were confined, and still are, is also clear. Jesus referred to "geenna fire" (Matthew 5:22) and warned that it would be better to remove a hindering eye or hand and to "enter into" heaven than to have all one's body parts "to be cast into geenna, into the fire that never shall be quenched" (Matthew 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-47, etc.). Clearly, only the damned are ever in geenna, which must therefore be that part of hades where the lost are confined.
"Death and geenna" will be "cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death" (Revelation 20:14). There the "devil...the beast and the false prophet...shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). There, also, "those who worship the beast and his image" during the reign of Antichrist "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone...And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever" (Revelation 14:9-11). Thus the final fate of the lost who have been geenna's inhabitants awaiting their "resurrection unto damnation" (John 5:29) is "the second death"—i.e., eternal separation from God and from true life.
Hades was emptied of the redeemed when Christ, the forerunner (prodromos, like the lead runner in the Olympics—Hebrews 6:20), ascended into heaven and "led captivity [i.e., captives] captive" (Psalms 68:18; Ephesians 4:8). As the saved are taken to heaven to "ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17), so the lost will be taken to the Lake of Fire to be separated from God forever.
Surely the Lake of Fire must be what Christ referred to as "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)—i.e., it was not intended for humans. It is thus the greatest of tragedies that any humans go there. However, those who become the followers of Satan are forever with him in the Lake of Fire just as the followers of Christ are forever with Him in heaven. Inasmuch as these same words are used, if "eternal" only means "temporary" for the damned, then it would have to mean the same for the redeemed. Thus, if there were an escape from the Lake of Fire, heaven would not be permanent either.
Having established that just as the Bible teaches eternal bliss for the redeemed, so it also teaches eternal punishment for the damned, let us consider the question with which we began: Why must this be so, and how could a God who "is love" (1 John 4:8) ever allow it to happen?
The "why," of course, is explained in part because, although the body of man is temporal and subject to deterioration and destruction, the soul and spirit of man exist forever. Of man's creation we read that God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). The Hebrew for "soul" throughout the entire Old Testament is nephesh, and for "spirit" is rooakh (ruach). In the Greek of the New Testament "soul" is translated from psuche and "spirit" from pneuma. These words have a variety of possible related meanings, but the biblical meaning is clear from the way they are used.
Man is body, soul and spirit, not just body and soul/spirit: "I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:23); "piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit" (Hebrews 4:12). Lacking space to distinguish between the soul and the spirit, we must be content with understanding that these together constitute the thinking person as distinct from the inhabited body.
The old materialism with its view that nothing exists but matter is no longer tenable even for secular science. Thoughts and intelligence are demonstrably not physical. The body has only been the means whereby the thinking, nonmaterial person living within has been able to function in the physical universe. When the body dies there is no reason either in logic, science or the Bible to suggest that the soul and spirit cease to exist. The fact that, as a thinking and experiencing being composed of soul and spirit, man is nonmaterial requires an eternal destiny from which there is no escape.
That we are eternally accountable to the God who created us and as sinners are separated from God in His perfect holiness is rational, biblical and clear to every person's conscience. Separation from the only source of life brings both physical and spiritual death. Man's only hope is God's love and grace; there is nothing he could himself do to heal this breach between himself and his Creator.
The question then becomes why God, who revealed Himself to Moses (on the very mount where He gave the Law) as "...merciful and gracious...forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7), doesn't just forgive the whole human race and give everyone a fresh start? That question is especially puzzling in view of the numerous statements in Scripture that God sent His Son "that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:17), that He desires "all men to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4) and is "not willing that any should perish..." (2 Peter 3:9).
If God is so loving why doesn't He universally forgive everyone? Love is only part of God's character. He is also infinitely and perfectly just. How can God forgive someone who admits no guilt? How can He forgive those who insist that there is nothing for which He needs to forgive them? And would it not be the utmost folly to do so? If in His mercy and grace God simply passed over human rebellion, would that not be condoning evil and even encouraging it? Would that not in itself undermine God's control of His universe?
God's laws are essential to governing the physical universe. The moral beings who have the power to act destructively must also be governed by laws, or chaos would reign. If He would go back on His moral laws, who could have any confidence in anything else that God has said or would say?
Christ asked His disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Surely that fact indicates that all is not as God desires it to be on this earth. Men are in rebellion against Him. Forgiveness can only be in accord with God's justice.
In fact, God has provided and offers pardon and new life to everyone—but it can only be on a righteous basis. God's love cannot nullify His justice, as we have often reminded our readers and as everyone knows in his conscience. God's justice demands a penalty for sin. Only through Christ's payment of the full penalty on the cross has forgiveness been made possible. Pointing forward to this fact, John the Baptist declared of Christ to his own followers: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Yes, "he is the propitiation [atoning sacrifice]...for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The problem is that multitudes are not willing to accept God's pardon on a just basis but want Him to forgive them unjustly.
Moral laws are even more important and impervious to compromise than physical laws. Every miracle such as the Red Sea opening, Christ walking on water or turning water into wine, the sun standing still for Joshua, etc. flies in the face of the laws of physics and chemistry. However, to override the laws that govern physical events does not affect God's moral character. But God himself cannot override His moral laws because it would be contrary to His very character and Being.
Jesus says, "The Word that I have spoken… shall judge him in that day" (John 12:48). God has spoken and cannot go back on His Word. The problem with rebellious man is that he is not willing to let God be God but insists that the Creator should abdicate control of His creation, renounce His moral character and laws and allow man to take over the universe and govern it his way.
But surely love accepts man as he is, does it not? That is the false and destructive humanistic idea of "love" promoted by the secular world. Those who insist that love should "accept" them as they are know nothing either of love or of common sense. A mother's love causes her to care for her child from the moment it is born. It makes no more sense to imagine that a mother's love would be content with a child's remaining in ignorance because it didn't want to learn, or with the child's love for nothing but junk food as it grows up, than that her love would "accept" her child's desire to destroy itself with drugs, prostitution or criminality.
Yet God is expected to "accept" rebellious man just as he is? "Love" that leaves the loved one in a condition of less than the best is not true love. On the contrary, real love desires the best and corrects those who are destroying themselves. Even of those whom He has redeemed and who have believed on Him, Jesus says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" (Revelation 3:19).
The words "acceptance" and "tolerance" are abused and have become the mantra of those who want to be left alone to destroy themselves. Such is the desire of multitudes; they want God to leave them alone so they can do their own thing. In the end, that is exactly what God reluctantly does. After pleading with them and trying to persuade them to accept His forgiveness (which can only be given on a righteous basis through Christ's payment of the penalty for their sins), He gives them their desire and leaves them alone—for eternity!
That God did not give in to man, go back on His Word, or change His standards of righteousness and justice, but stood by His Word, will eternally be to His glory. Therefore, God will be glorified even in those in hell. That is a horrible thought but one to which we are driven both by Scripture and reason.
Dave Hunt/Originally published April 1, 2001
The Berean Call
May 7, 2024 17:08:34 #
May 8, 2024 06:54:05 #
May 8, 2024 09:05:33 #
Armageddun wrote:
Amen and Amen Good Word.
Christians throughout their 2,000 years of history have believed that because the original writings of the Bible in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, have been faithfully preserved, and the translation faithfully rendered, we hold in our hands the very word of God, exactly what the Creator and Ruler of the universe wants us to know. It is a breathtaking affirmation, and an infinitely important reality.
The Bible puts us in touch with God’s thoughts, - about everything that the Bible addresses, of which God has spoken. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of having the word of God in understandable human language.
The reason we believe that there is such a thing as truth is that we believe God exists and has thoughts about everything, and those thoughts are the truth about everything. God understands everything perfectly, and fully, and His understanding is the truth about everything. And when He speaks, that truth is made available to us. And He has spoken — in His written word, the Bible, and, finally, in His incarnate Word, the Living Logos, our Lord Jesus, whom we can only know because of His written word.
God has created us in His image - with minds that can analyze meaning, understand language and so, be understood through language. He created a material and spiritual universe as the theater of His own self-revelation. And in that theater, He reveals himself through nature and history and Scripture, thus, Scripture is unique — and infinitely of greater spiritual value than anything except the unique Triune Godhood (three in one) Himself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Scripture is unique, because Scripture is God’s own explanation of the ultimate meaning of nature and history. Nature and history are the voice of God’s glory, - the display of his manifold perfection, and Scripture is God’s infallible and authoritative explanation to mankind, as it chronologically, historically unfolds His eternal plan of redemption.
It is impossible to exaggerate the infinite importance of the gift of God's word received in understandable human language. The Bible has often been subjected to distortion, but never has its importance.
May 8, 2024 09:54:23 #
Rose42 wrote:
Great article Zemirah. Thanks for posting. 
Thank you, Rose.
David Charles Haddon Hunt (Dave Hunt) (September 30, 1926 - April 5, 2013), the author of the message, "Is God's Punishment Eternal,?" was an internationally known Christian author and lecturer who left this earth and went home at the age of 87.
He authored over 30 books, of which at least 4 million copies have been sold and have been translated into more than 50 languages.
"The Seduction of Christianity," one of his best selling books, was published in 1985 to reveal the deception that was invading the modern Christian church. He wrote to draw Christians back to the fundamental, biblical teachings of their religion, found only in Scripture.
"To avoid the seduction that is at the heart of apostasy, we must be able to distinguish the voice of Christ through His word from the confusing mixture of truth and error that is spoken in His name," Hunt wrote in his book.
He added, "Those who would escape the growing seduction must get back to the Bible and know what they believe and why, rather than succumbing to the temptation of accepting facile answers provided by 'experts.'"
Dave Hunt founded the online outreach publication "The Berean Call" in 1992 to "encourage spiritual discernment among those who are "biblical Christians."
May 8, 2024 16:15:13 #
JUST A REMINDER: GOOD PEOPLE MAY STILL GO TO HELL
So… how many good people do you know? We all know them. They are our friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family. They would offer us the shirt off their back. Many attend church regularly and even carry a Bible. They are hardworking, honest, dependable, and trustworthy… you know, “the salt of the earth.”
But I want to offer a sobering reminder… merely being good, from a human standpoint anyway, is not enough to be righteous in the sight of the Lord. Romans 3:23 tells us that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Anybody got a calculator? How many is “all”?
The sad reality is that good people, apart from the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in their lives, will die and spend eternity in hell.
Luke presented a “good man” in the Book of Acts. In Acts 10, we are introduced to Cornelius, a good man by worldly standards. His position as “centurion” reveals quite a bit about the type of man he was.
A Roman legion, consisting of about 6,000 men, was divided into cohorts of about 600 men each, which would mean about 10 cohorts per legion. Cohorts were further divided into roughly 100 men each, with each cohort being led by one centurion. So, picture a massive 6,000-man legion, divided and led by only 60 choice men.
Cornelius was one of those men. His was no small rank or position. A man didn’t rise to this status by being a poor soldier. In fact, I should point out that centurions were the backbone of the Roman legion and reached their rank by proving to be strong, responsible, and reliable men. If status or position in society was any metric of one’s goodness, Cornelius had checked that box.
But his worldly goodness went far above just his rank. Luke details a number of qualities displayed in his life in Acts 10:2.
He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. Acts 10:2
In that one verse, at least five things are detailed about the character of Cornelius.
The first: Cornelius was “devout.”
Luke described an extremely devoted religious man. He had abandoned the pagan gods of the Romans and had focused his attention on the God of the Jews. His understanding of the true God was limited at this point, but nonetheless, he was as devoted to God as he could be with the knowledge he had.
The second thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He “feared God.”
Some scholars have pointed to Cornelius’s devotion and suggested he was saved before Peter came to share the Gospel with him. But Scripture doesn’t allow that as a possibility.
After Peter preached in the house of Cornelius, he had to explain to his Jewish brethren all that transpired. He told them an angel had appeared to Cornelius and told him to send for Peter. Why? Because Cornelius needed to hear the “…message through which you and all your household will be saved.”
So, clearly Cornelius was not born again. But one can easily see in Cornelius a man who was seeking God, moving closer to God, but has not yet reached the point of salvation.
The third thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He and “all his family were devout and God-fearing.”
Clearly, he put his belief into action. His longing for God was not something that he kept private but rather something that affected every facet of his life.
Scripture makes it clear that Cornelius had a huge impact and influence on his household and those under his care. This was a man who didn’t shirk his responsibilities within his home. And keep in mind, he was not a man who didn’t have anything else on his plate. Here was a hardened soldier, one who had been through rigorous training, with 100 other men depending on his mind, his ability, and his leadership.
But despite all he had going on. Despite the rigors of being a Roman soldier. Despite the extreme pressure of his superior Roman authorities. He still made time to lead his household… and he did it well.
The fourth thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He “gave generously to those in need.”
Again, his belief led to action, not only toward his family but also in benevolence towards others.
Contrast that to the reputation of many of the other soldiers of that day. Because of their power and authority, and their general disdain for the Jews, many soldiers, far from giving to others, actually stole from others, and there was nothing anyone could say.
But Cornelius, rather than using his position to benefit himself, actually gave of himself to others. Luke even says he “gave generously.”
So, it wasn’t a one-time thing… or resulting from a feeling of obligation… but because he wanted to give. His life was one of generosity.
The fifth thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He “prayed to God regularly.”
This man’s devotion caused him to lead his family, give to the needy, and pray. He truly lived what he had come to believe.
Notice how Luke described his prayer life – “regularly.” In other words, Luke characterized him as a true man of prayer.
So, consider Cornelius. He checked all the boxes that would have characterized him as a “good man.”
• Great position? Check.
• Devotion? Check.
• God-fearing? Check.
• Good family leader? Check.
• Giving to others? Check.
• Praying to God? Check.
But as “good” as Cornelius was, he was still lost.
None of us would argue that the man uttering all sorts of blasphemies and vulgarities needs to be saved.
But it’s a tough pill to swallow to think that our neighbor, our friend, or our loved one will die and go to hell, despite all their good deeds.
Some say:
• But… but… but they are good
• They are moral and decent
• They give
• They pray
• Etc., etc., etc.
It doesn’t matter.
Apart from Jesus, they will die and go to hell. Unfortunately, hell is full of good people. You can take all the goodness man can muster up, and it still falls short of the standard.
Isaiah said, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6). We can never be good enough. But thank God we don’t have to be.
Through simple faith in Jesus, by believing in Him and His finished work on the cross, the Lord will remove our unrighteousness and impute to us the righteousness of Christ.
As Cornelius’s story unfolded, by the providential hand of God, a good man, became a saved man. And I believe this of any person who is truly seeking God.
So why am I sharing this? Because becoming a saved person can happen to people that you witness to today... good or as bad as they may be.
I encourage you tell people that if they don’t know Jesus as their Savior, don’t let them think that being a good person will grant them good standing before a holy God.
It won’t.
Instead, tell them to place their faith in Jesus today, and let Him impute to them a goodness that you will never have any other way.
So… how many good people do you know? We all know them. They are our friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family. They would offer us the shirt off their back. Many attend church regularly and even carry a Bible. They are hardworking, honest, dependable, and trustworthy… you know, “the salt of the earth.”
But I want to offer a sobering reminder… merely being good, from a human standpoint anyway, is not enough to be righteous in the sight of the Lord. Romans 3:23 tells us that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Anybody got a calculator? How many is “all”?
The sad reality is that good people, apart from the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in their lives, will die and spend eternity in hell.
Luke presented a “good man” in the Book of Acts. In Acts 10, we are introduced to Cornelius, a good man by worldly standards. His position as “centurion” reveals quite a bit about the type of man he was.
A Roman legion, consisting of about 6,000 men, was divided into cohorts of about 600 men each, which would mean about 10 cohorts per legion. Cohorts were further divided into roughly 100 men each, with each cohort being led by one centurion. So, picture a massive 6,000-man legion, divided and led by only 60 choice men.
Cornelius was one of those men. His was no small rank or position. A man didn’t rise to this status by being a poor soldier. In fact, I should point out that centurions were the backbone of the Roman legion and reached their rank by proving to be strong, responsible, and reliable men. If status or position in society was any metric of one’s goodness, Cornelius had checked that box.
But his worldly goodness went far above just his rank. Luke details a number of qualities displayed in his life in Acts 10:2.
He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. Acts 10:2
In that one verse, at least five things are detailed about the character of Cornelius.
The first: Cornelius was “devout.”
Luke described an extremely devoted religious man. He had abandoned the pagan gods of the Romans and had focused his attention on the God of the Jews. His understanding of the true God was limited at this point, but nonetheless, he was as devoted to God as he could be with the knowledge he had.
The second thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He “feared God.”
Some scholars have pointed to Cornelius’s devotion and suggested he was saved before Peter came to share the Gospel with him. But Scripture doesn’t allow that as a possibility.
After Peter preached in the house of Cornelius, he had to explain to his Jewish brethren all that transpired. He told them an angel had appeared to Cornelius and told him to send for Peter. Why? Because Cornelius needed to hear the “…message through which you and all your household will be saved.”
So, clearly Cornelius was not born again. But one can easily see in Cornelius a man who was seeking God, moving closer to God, but has not yet reached the point of salvation.
The third thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He and “all his family were devout and God-fearing.”
Clearly, he put his belief into action. His longing for God was not something that he kept private but rather something that affected every facet of his life.
Scripture makes it clear that Cornelius had a huge impact and influence on his household and those under his care. This was a man who didn’t shirk his responsibilities within his home. And keep in mind, he was not a man who didn’t have anything else on his plate. Here was a hardened soldier, one who had been through rigorous training, with 100 other men depending on his mind, his ability, and his leadership.
But despite all he had going on. Despite the rigors of being a Roman soldier. Despite the extreme pressure of his superior Roman authorities. He still made time to lead his household… and he did it well.
The fourth thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He “gave generously to those in need.”
Again, his belief led to action, not only toward his family but also in benevolence towards others.
Contrast that to the reputation of many of the other soldiers of that day. Because of their power and authority, and their general disdain for the Jews, many soldiers, far from giving to others, actually stole from others, and there was nothing anyone could say.
But Cornelius, rather than using his position to benefit himself, actually gave of himself to others. Luke even says he “gave generously.”
So, it wasn’t a one-time thing… or resulting from a feeling of obligation… but because he wanted to give. His life was one of generosity.
The fifth thing that detailed the character of Cornelius: He “prayed to God regularly.”
This man’s devotion caused him to lead his family, give to the needy, and pray. He truly lived what he had come to believe.
Notice how Luke described his prayer life – “regularly.” In other words, Luke characterized him as a true man of prayer.
So, consider Cornelius. He checked all the boxes that would have characterized him as a “good man.”
• Great position? Check.
• Devotion? Check.
• God-fearing? Check.
• Good family leader? Check.
• Giving to others? Check.
• Praying to God? Check.
But as “good” as Cornelius was, he was still lost.
None of us would argue that the man uttering all sorts of blasphemies and vulgarities needs to be saved.
But it’s a tough pill to swallow to think that our neighbor, our friend, or our loved one will die and go to hell, despite all their good deeds.
Some say:
• But… but… but they are good
• They are moral and decent
• They give
• They pray
• Etc., etc., etc.
It doesn’t matter.
Apart from Jesus, they will die and go to hell. Unfortunately, hell is full of good people. You can take all the goodness man can muster up, and it still falls short of the standard.
Isaiah said, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6). We can never be good enough. But thank God we don’t have to be.
Through simple faith in Jesus, by believing in Him and His finished work on the cross, the Lord will remove our unrighteousness and impute to us the righteousness of Christ.
As Cornelius’s story unfolded, by the providential hand of God, a good man, became a saved man. And I believe this of any person who is truly seeking God.
So why am I sharing this? Because becoming a saved person can happen to people that you witness to today... good or as bad as they may be.
I encourage you tell people that if they don’t know Jesus as their Savior, don’t let them think that being a good person will grant them good standing before a holy God.
It won’t.
Instead, tell them to place their faith in Jesus today, and let Him impute to them a goodness that you will never have any other way.
May 9, 2024 12:41:21 #
Thank you, Parky.
What you have reiterated, based on God's Word, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Innately, there are, in His eyes, no "good people," only those who 1) by faith in Christ, give God the glory for the "good deeds" they are empowered to do by the indwelling Holy Spirit,
and 2) the unredeemed, who through self pride and lack of faith, believe they can ascend into heaven through their own good deeds under their own power, - like a dog walking on its hind legs in imitation of its master.
"All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.
Their throat is an open grave; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips."(Roman's 3:12-13)
In John 3:3, Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
"Jesus replied, 'I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'
"If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven?"
"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
"Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been
condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God."
(John 3:3,12,14-18)
What you have reiterated, based on God's Word, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Innately, there are, in His eyes, no "good people," only those who 1) by faith in Christ, give God the glory for the "good deeds" they are empowered to do by the indwelling Holy Spirit,
and 2) the unredeemed, who through self pride and lack of faith, believe they can ascend into heaven through their own good deeds under their own power, - like a dog walking on its hind legs in imitation of its master.
"All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.
Their throat is an open grave; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips."(Roman's 3:12-13)
In John 3:3, Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
"Jesus replied, 'I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'
"If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven?"
"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
"Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been
condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God."
(John 3:3,12,14-18)
Parky60 wrote:
i b JUST A REMINDER: GOOD PEOPLE MAY STILL GO TO... (show quote)
May 13, 2024 19:24:59 #
May 14, 2024 06:52:46 #
May 14, 2024 22:17:34 #
All believers in Christ need to echo Paul's declaration in 2nd Timothy 4:2: "I must proclaim the word of God..."
Rose42 wrote:
Great article Zemirah. Thanks for posting.
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