[Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 002 Iss 018

Sun May 6 08:07:35 CDT 2007

The Messenger

Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ

306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059   731-627-3514

bibleanswers at charter.net                                    www.mainstreetcofc.com

Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan

VOLUME 002::ISSUE 018::May 06, 2007  

ARTICLE ONE: What We Know About Heaven

ARTICLE TWO: What We Know About Hell

Article One: What We Know About Heaven

            John 14:1-6 is a wonderful promise that is comforting, full of hope, and direction. "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." 

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'".

            This perfect place prepared is not here on earth. Many search for the pleasures of such a place here on earth in vain.  Heaven is prepared and waiting for the souls of mankind-a spiritual place. I truly enjoy the feeling of anticipation the   Bible certainly provides plenty of fuel for anticipation of Heaven. This wonderful place called Heaven is painted beautifully in words for us to read and to picture with our mind's eye.  We are going to consider some facts about this beautiful place. We also need to consider our preparation for our journey. 

We Know That Heaven Is A Beautiful Place

            The kingdom of Heaven has great value. Much more than anything that the world may offer (Matthew 13:44, 45-46). The Kingdom of Heaven is spectacular to behold. The structure described in Revelation 21:10-21: The whole city sparkled like Jasper. Twelve gates, three on each side, each a solid pearl. Twelve foundations: All kinds of precious stones: jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, amethyst. These beautiful gems are only the foundations. With the colors of these gems they make an appearance of a rainbow.

            The true beauty of Heaven is not found in the structure. The true beauty is described in Revelation 21:22-27. These points make it wondrously beautiful: No temple-because God and Christ are its point of worship. No sun or moon-the glory of God lights the never ending day. No need to close the gates nothing enters that is not supposed to be there. Heaven is diametrically opposed that place called Hell (Mark 9:43-48). 

We Must Know The Way.

            We need direction. My favorite tool when traveling is my Rand McNally Road Atlas. I need the map because there are times when I do not have the knowledge of which way to go in order to get to my destination.  In the same way I am heading for Heaven and I don't have the knowledge in me to direct my own steps (Jeremiah 10:23). We need to get directions from elsewhere (Psalms 119:101-105). God has supplied the map-the Bible-His word.

            We need to study the word of God to learn the road to travel. We need to make sure that we are following all the directions (Proverbs 14:12). Studying the Bible and following all the directions will lead me to my goal (1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16). The directions are clear, Jesus told us the way (Matthew 7:13-14) Enter by the narrow gate and take the narrow way. We need to travel Jesus' way.  We will only get there through Him (John 14:6) by abiding in His word (John 8:31) and conducting our lives in the light of His doctrine (2 John 9). 

We Know We Must Prepare Today 

            We need to know the requirements of the place that we are traveling to. We do not want to believe, all along, that we are going make it to our destination only  to be turned back in the end. The only thing that will block us from entering Heaven is SIN (Revelation 21:27). We need to take care of that sinful condition today to be prepared. God has set in order a plan through His Son in which we can have freedom from sins.  If we obey that plan and convert our lives to righteous service we will be prepared to go to our destination. 

Conclusion:

            We are all faced with this journey called life.  We have to choose where we will go and that choice will need to be made ahead of time if you want to go to Heaven. There is only one road that leads to eternal life in Heaven (John 14:6).  All other roads lead the wrong way into eternal condemnation.  Are you on the road that leads to life? ~tss

Article Two: What We Know About Hell

There are probably as many concepts or maybe I should say misconceptions of Hell as there is about Heaven. Included among those ideas is the thought they do not really exist. We are clearly told through the scriptures that both Heaven and Hell are real. We are told that we will be habiting one of those two places.  We are also told that where we end up is up to us in this life. We have spoken of Heaven, and its radiant glory, many times in the past. We do this as an exhortation hoping that you will be compelled to go there at any cost. Sharing an understanding of Hell can bring out the same desire. By knowing what Hell is all about we will be compelled to avoid that place. 

What Is Hell?
First and foremost Hell is real. There are more than twenty-five references to the place called "Hell" throughout the text of the Bible. Each place speaks of Hell as a real place. 

Hell is not Hades. The misconception of Hell and Hades being synonymous may well have started with the mistranslation in the King James Version. In the original language there is a distinction that is made between the two places (Hell is Gehenna. Hades is Sheol). Hades is the realm of all the souls who have gone on before. We have a glimpse into the Hadean realm in the record of Lazarus and the Rich man (Luke 16:19-30). Hades is pictured as being divided into two parts (Torments and Paradise) separated by a great gulf. Paradise in this Hadean realm is where Christ was for the time between His death and resurrection. Hades is temporary and will be burned up in the lake of fire at the Judgment (Rev. 20:14). Hell, on the other hand, is eternal. Hell is the ultimate end of those who are separated from God by their own unrighteousness (Matthew 25:41). 

Hell is a place prepared. Matthew 25:41 describes Hell as a place of, "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."  According to the Scriptures it is presently not inhabited. It is not the devil's home. He doesn't want to go there, any more than you or I do. It will be his final eternal punishment (Revelation 20:10). 

Is Hell Really That Bad?
Jesus gave us the most information about Hell. Let's consider some of the points He makes when He speaks of Hell.  Jesus made us aware that to go through life without necessary appendages is better than going to Hell (Matthew 18:8-9). It would be better to be drowned in the sea than go to Hell (Mark 9:42). It is better to go through this life maimed than to suffer Hell (Mark 9:43-48). Hell is further described as a place of eternal worms (Mark 9:44, 46, 48), fire that cannot be quenched (Mark 9:44,46,48) and outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30). Based on those points alone, "Yes, Hell is really that bad."

Will God Really Send Anyone To Hell?

All too many people suffer this delusion-they believe that if you ignore or deny something it will go away. Judgment will not go away. God will judge every soul. He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world (Acts 17:30-31). No one will escape the judgment of God. We must all appear before the judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). 

The judgment is certain and the sentences are eternal. There will be many who go to eternal condemnation. Jesus declared, "Broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matthew 7:13-14). When we are given a foreshadowing of the judgment in Matthew 25 we are told that the righteous and the unrighteous will be parted right and left. The words of the Lord will haunt many an ear in their eternal doom, "I never knew you, depart from Me" (Matthew 7:23).

Conclusion: There are many misconceptions about Hell. The truth is, Hell is real. Hell is terrible. Hell is an eternal fiery prison awaiting the souls who will not hear, believe and obey the will of God. We are allowed to see glimpses of Heaven's glory through the scriptures. Those scenes of beauty should compel us to go there at any cost. The scriptures also reveal certain details about Hell. These details are supplied in order to compel us to avoid that place at any cost.

You can do something about the road you are on. You can become a Christian. There are things that you will need to give up in your life. The things that you will need to give up are useless and not worth holding on to. Especially considering the price we must pay to keep them is eternal separation from God. Why won't you give them up and become a Christian today. If you are a Christian but you have been wandering into sin, ask yourself, "Is what I am doing worth an eternity of condemnation?" Do what you need to do today ~tss 

If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward it to them or send me their email address and I will add it to the list.   Sean

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