This will be quite different from my regular posts. More serious, much darker, but it is something that concerns me as I watch people on this road of life. In fact it breaks my heart.
Have you ever heard someone talk about hell in a joking way? I am sure we all have. Some of us have been guilty of doing that before we became Christ followers. You know the sayings. "If you get there before I do, save me a seat". Or maybe, "See you there." Or "All my friends will be there and we will party". And there are many others. I know from my own experience when I was a teen and lost in a world of unforgiveness, that those jokes were just a big show. What they actually showed was that I didn't want to think about the reality of going to hell. Too often what we fear, we joke about. But hell is no joking matter. I know some will say there is no hell, or hell is here on earth. If they truly believe it does not exist, why joke about it. Why address something that doesn't exist? No. There is a hell and it is not here on earth. Some people go through horrible things here, but it is no comparison to what hell will be like. I know the questions too. "How do you know? Have you ever been?" Thankfully I have never been, nor will I have to go. But I am confident there is a hell. Not, Hades, the grave, but Gehenna, the place of fire and brimstone. This is a place that was prepared for Satan and his angels. A horrible place the human mind cannot even comprehend. Then there is the comment, "If God is love he would never send anyone to hell". God is love. He is also just. He does not send anyone to hell. It is a choice each one must make for themselves. Maybe you think, "No one would choose that". Unfortunately many, many have chosen, are choosing, and will choose hell. By rejecting the Christ who died for their sins, they choose hell.
I wonder sometimes what makes a person who once had a soft heart for God decide to no longer believe. Or one who was curious and interested in learning more suddenly become so anti-God. I know many excuses people use. "I was forced to go to church as a child." "Churches are full of hypocrites." "I don't need God to be a good person." I could go on and on with excuses I have heard. Not one of them is going to mean a thing when these people stand before the One True God. And they will stand before Him and they will bow the knees to Him. We are told in Phillipians 2:10 & 11
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". That is not speaking of only Christ followers. It speaks also of all those who reject him.
If you are reading this and are one of those who are rejecting Him, I beg you to open your hearts and minds to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Do you feel a stirring inside, an uneasiness that you can't explain? That is Him calling you. Please don't close you heart and mind and reject him still. Please, for it is no joking matter.
