5. Heaven without Hell.
When was the last time you heard a sermon about Hell? Granted, it is a very unpopular subject. Yet a gospel message without the subject of Hell loses its urgency in the messenger and the hearer. The fact that I need saving from Hell, should be one of the things that moves me in godly fear towards the Savior. But Hell isn’t mentioned anymore in much of our preaching because it is a very unpopular, unsavory subject.
Today we have denominations that no longer believe in Hell. It is almost as if we believe everyone is going to heaven and all are going to make it in. We struggle to mention Hell and have eliminated this subject altogether in some circles. I believe the number one cause for this is because we have a low view of sin. After all people are basically good, why would a loving God sense decent people to Hell? Yet our view of people as a whole does not agree with the verdict of the Bible. The Bible says, there is none good, no not even one! Romans 3:10. We must remember though we may excuse and justify ourselves, it wont be our judgment that counts. We will be judged by a perfect and Holy God, and if we fail to match up with His perfection none of us will enter in. This is why Jesus said, unless our righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, we will in no ways enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20.
My friend, if we fail to enter heaven, there remains only one other option. The idea that there is some kind of place in between heaven and hell is the invention of the church and cant be found in scripture. This is to make the subject more palatable to our tastes. The truth is when we die there are no second and third options. No baptizing for the dead that will rescue the departed soul. Once we die our eternity is sealed. If we fail to get right with God in this life, there will be no second option of getting right with Him in the next. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord and what is to come, we seek to persuade all men. 2 Corinthians 5:11.
If we focused more on eternity, we wouldn’t be holding on to the things of this world as tightly as we do. The message of the church would also be transformed, as our focus is shifted on the value of a human soul rather than material possessions. After all what would it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul? Mark 8:36. The bottom line is, Hell is a real place, and we would be unfaithful messengers if we failed to warn our hearers about this place. Warning people about Hell still remains a vital part of our message. By the grace of God, may we preach the whole counsel of God!