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The debate over hell still rages. One unscientific poll finds 84% of Christians say they believe in heaven but only 42% believe in hell. Yet nobody can ignore the story Jesus told in Luke Chapter 16. He said a rich man lived in luxury every day. At his gate, poor Lazarus lay, covered with sores, longing for the rich man’s scraps. Finally, Lazarus died and the angels took him to be with Abraham. The rich man also died; he went to the place of the dead. There in agony, he saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. He cried, “Father Abraham, have pity! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.” Abraham said, “Son, remember, during your lifetime you had all you wanted; Lazarus had nothing. Now he is comforted, and you are in anguish.” The rich man said, “Please Father Abraham, send him to my father’s home. I have five brothers; he can warn them so they don’t end up here.” Abraham said, “They have Moses and the prophets—the Scriptures; they can read what they wrote.” He replied, “No, Father! If someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent of their sins and turn to God.” Abraham said, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.” Jesus was quite sure about hell. Polls are interesting, but Jesus has the last word. Faith in Him enables us to miss hell and gain heaven.
The concept of HELL flies in the face of human pride and hubris. We humans do not ever want to be punished for our sins, and the idea that there is a place of everlasting punishment and eternal separation from God is absolutely overwhelming to the human mind. and yet, that part of us that longs for JUSTICE wants the wicked to go there, to be punished for all they did on earth to hurt humanity–murder, slavery, kidnapping, stealing, the skullduggery of politics, the evils of imperialism, war, child molestation and child rape, forced prostitution of women and children, injustice of ANY kind, economic, political and educational disenfranchisement, genocide, etc. We know instinctively there HAS to be a HEAVEN for those who suffered and a HELL for those who made them suffer! THANKS BE TO GOD, Who sent JESUS to die in our place, raised Him from the dead, and liberated us throught the HOLY GHOST to experience ETERNAL LIFE both in THIS life, and in that which follows our existence on earth!
Any parent would only tolerate so much disobedience from their children. Any owner of a business would only tolerate an employee not following the company’s rules or regulations for so long before they dismiss them. God created a perfect world and only asked one thing of mankind and informed Adam of the consequences of not following his command. Throughout the ages the evil of man has been recorded. Why would there not be reserved a place for evil to reside? Why after sending his son to die in order that mankind could once again be in fellowship with our creator. Why would there not be reserved a place for those who reject God’s gift of mercy and grace in the form of the debt paid by Christ on Calvary? Hell is real and those who go there have only themselves to blame for being there. The evil of mankind deserves and requires the existence of a place called Hell.