Getting saved ONLY because you are afraid of going to Hell

I agree there needs to be a balance! I hope it didn't sound otherwise. I think I am reacting to the seeming fear of speaking about hell these days in churches and among Christians. I have to in my ministry because a lot of people ask me outright.

Well, I'm not sure about that because this was your son. Before we know God through Christ, we are not in relationship with God and are not his children. I see your point but I think there are differences.

I don't know. That's why I can't entirely dismiss it, especially looking at what Jesus said, like what I posted above.

Will they want to or can they be reconciled without knowing about the consequences?

 

I am not sure even the disciples of Christ looked forward to heaven let alone fear hell. For the most part, they were looking for an earthly rule of Messiah on earth, someone who would defeat Rome and restore rule to Israel.

Think about the scattering of the disciples at Jesus crucifixion. Remember, it was two women who went to see Jesus' tomb, and met doubting Thomas, who looked for a sign that this was Jesus.

Yes, eternal life was promised, but what did eternal life mean to the people of that day?

The key is that the disciples followed the Man and His way, and never used the prospect of hell as a means to fear and consequent conversion to the Man and His way of life.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I am not sure what the disciples knew and did is a valid analogy for us today. Things are quite different.

 

Tim, when you're searching the gospels for an example of someone wanting to avoid Hell, you don't have much to work with. The Jews of that time didn't have much of a concept of Heaven and Hell, particularly Hell. Jesus, through His teachings, is the first person who really opened up and developed this concept for us to understand. Therefore, it isn't surprising that no one was seeking to avoid Hell. However, it is an extremely important concept. It is one you should preach often, although not to the exclusion of other Christian concepts like faith, hope, love and everlasting life.

I'm not a preacher but if I were and wanted to do a sermon on Hell, I would go to Matthew 25:41-46. It scares the Hell out of me every time I read it.

 

While I agree with you in the above, may I rephrase it to my liking

We need to preach Hell HOT.. and the TRUTH about Jesus - just as 'passasionately'.

I use this word 'passionately' for the reason that I do preach Hell HOT because of my conviction regarding sin and it's consequences. And I truly believe that if we love as God asks of us then we will preach the truth that they may come to the knowledge of truth and be saved. However my passion regarding the preaching of Hell is only a shadow of my passion for the preaching of the one who came to save us from both our sins and the consequences of our sins. So Hell is preached with much fevor but Christ is feverntly preached so much the more.

But let me clarify something here, when I preach on hell it is typically to the saints of God to bring back their rememberance not only where they came from and the destiny attached to it, but also of short time left to those still out there in it. When I will preach hell in a salvational type message for the lost it does not comprise the main bulk of my text (though it will be discussed in a thourgh manner) as it would when I speak to children of God who has seemingly forgotten it exists.

 

We dont't really know 'what' the disciples/apostles preached exactly. What we have in acts is a couple of sermons at best and the Acts 2 one is spoken the Jews who understood that rejection of the Messiah (the one who could save them) was indeed damnation and thus no need to belabor that point with them. Peter stated they had killed him and they knew what that entailed.

The rest of the scriptures are written for the growth of believers and encouragement to continue growing. They did speak of punishment and seperation from God (regarding the lost) but had no real need to into more discourse than what the OT and Jesus has already stated and they taught.

 

There can be no understanding of salvation and the cross without an understanding of hell. This is a prerequisite of even baby faith. I think to many in the church has gotten to used to trying to present a 5 minute gospel that it has gotten diminished to the point of being unintelligible.

As far as what the disciples understood well we can look to their very words:

And what Jesus spoke of:

The disciples clearly understood heaven and was without doubt looking for it:

It takes a lot of work to avoid preaching hell. But not a lot of brains.

 

I think the thought of suffering in hell certainly has something to do with our submission. Comming to Christ isn't something we can do on our own. We are drawn.
MB

 

Just for the record-

When I was 11 I got scared into the prayer and I meant it seriously. I walked the isle and I honestly feared hell. I dont believe I was saved then, based on scripture, Im not sure the reason...

when I was 22 after a long run in a selfish 11 years thing went way down hill for me, drugs, alcohol, 20 cars, caring nothing for God, and the list goes on...... I ended up in church one day to just please my grandma and God drew me in with a sermon that hit home (totally unexpeected as I was just happy on my own). I still wasnt saved then. I went home and did a lot of thinking and honest praying very confused due to my understand from what I was taught in my early years. I literally came to a point where I trusted nobody but God for truth. I, for some reason, bought a bible and got lost in it searching for truth, which was unlike me. At some point within the span of 3 weeks I was born again and had a huge craving and desire to serve God forever. I could write a book on it, but all I know is conviction and realization of sin for me was quit different than it was when I was 11. I would say it was a dramatic conversion, but after that there was an explosion of life that was noticed by all my family and friends in which I didnt really understand yet. There was a whole new life, lifestyle, and reason for living that was centered with God.

before my conversion I feared hell Im sure, but it was more a hatred for sin and my wickedness towards God that i began to see in scripture. I began to be distgusted with myself in a lot of ways. I did also begin to realize how much I needed God, like I never understood before. There were a lot of factors, as I reflect on that time in my life. My honest opinion is it is simply something that is impossible and can only be done by God, and scripture has a lot to do with it.