Proverb 29:1, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
The first surprise for the unsaved when they die will be that Hell
really exists. John Lenin of The Beatles sang, “Imagine if there is
no Heaven or Hell”; but he now knows for certain. So many men and women have
cursed and blasphemed God, challenging His existence and power; but they are
now dead and in Hell. Imagine the horror of waking up in Hell and realizing
it's real. There is a Hell and you don't want to go there when you die.
No madman in his worst nightmares nor delirium could imagine such a horrible place as Hell. No eloquent author nor gifted person could possibly grasp the horrors and torments of Hell. According to God Who cannot lie (Titus 2:1), there is a Hell that burns beneath us for ever and ever and ever, with everlasting flames and darkness, where all Christ-rejecters will spend eternity. There's no way to describe it. Nothing on earth can compare to the realities of Hell. No one can picture a place so utterly terrible. There will be many surprises in Hell for those who go there.
The greatest shock will be the instant realization that Hell was true after all. All the people who called the preacher crazy, and the Bible false, will realize how wrong they were. They will be utterly shocked in surprise as they descend down into the bottomless pit, hearing the screaming, and smelling the stench of burning flesh, feeling the heat, and seeing horrors all around them as they descend into outer darkness. What a horrible thought!
If we truly believed that as Christians it would make a difference in our lives. We would share the Gospel, witnessing to everybody around us. We would give out Gospel tracts, and Gospels of John, and preach the truth. The shoe is going to be on the other foot one day. All the doubters and skeptics will one day learn how wrong they were. If you think Hell is merely the grave, you had better read Psalm 9:17 carefully. Psalm 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” If Hell were merely the grave, then this Scripture would make no sense at all. Why would the righteous and wicked go to the same place? What would be the warning to the wicked if the righteous and the wicked go to the same place in eternity?
Obviously the wicked go to a place called Hell, where the wicked will be tormented. They will be surprised when they get there. They thought their church membership and water baptism would save them. They were very wrong/. They thought the Virgin Mary, the Pope, and their Catholic priest could save them. They were very wrong. No sinful priest can absolve your sins. No Pope can save you. No church can save you. You had better get born-again. It will be a surprise for most people to wake up in Hell, because most people are trusting in a false gospel of self-righteousness. Most people errantly THINK they are saved, but they are as lost as the Devil and will fry like a piece of bacon in a pan when they die.
You'll find out when you die that Jesus meant what He said when He exclaimed in John 3:5, “Ye must be born again!” Some will be surprised and in shock when they realize that they were left out. They were left out. It will be horrifying when you die in your sins and you wake up in Hell, finding out that you were left out of Heaven and all the blessings that God has promised. You had better KNOW that you are saved or you'll be surprised when you wake up in Hell. Their are many preachers in Hell today (Matthew 7:21-23). I KNOW I'm saved (1st John 5:13). Jesus Christ knows me, and I know Him, because I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ which is by faith alone in the blood sacrifice of Christ. Many people will fry like bacon in the blistering fires of Hell. I'm Heaven bound with the hammer down. Many people will be surprised to be there in Hell. It matters not how you were raised, nor what religious denomination you belong to, Jesus said, “Ye must be born-again” (John 3:5).
Most people die at a time when they didn't expect to die. Thousands of teenagers died and went to Hell last night. Death comes as a surprise for most people. Go look in any cemetery and notice the lifespan on the grave stones. You'll be surprised how many people died at an early age, in their 20's, 30's, or 40's.
Many people will be surprised how fast they went to Hell. Proverb 29:1, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Americans have heard the Gospel preached more than any other nation in history; yet, more people reject THE TRUTH of the Gospel here than anywhere else. It is sad.
Some will be surprised at who they find in Hell. There will be priests, great men, movie stars, famous people, friends and family. Their religion could not save them. Your religion cannot save you. Jesus said that man in Luke 16 was in TORMENTS in Hell. Jesus said in John 14:1-2 that if it were not so, He would have said so. Jesus said what He meant. Are you so foolish as to question and challenge the God of the Bible, Who said...
"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." —2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9
So many people think they're in Hell here on earth. No you aren't in hell either. This earth is paradise compared to Hell, I don't care how bad you think you may have it here. You have cool, refreshing water to drink here on earth. You won't receive even ONE DROP of water in Hell. Not one drop, just as the rich man in Luke 16 couldn't receive a drop of water. Do you think God will give you preferential treatment? Don't count on it unless you are calling God a liar. Jesus said in John 10:35 that the Scripture cannot be broken. You think you're so cool and slick, outsmarting God. Satan blinds the minds (2nd Corinthians 4:4) of the unsaved to prevent them from hearing and seeing the truth of Jesus Christ.
Even after one billion years, Hell won't even have begun yet. Think about that. There is no time in eternity. You will be in Hell, where there is no time, meaning no end to your torment, pain, and suffering. You will die the SECOND DEATH (Revelation 21:8). You will be sadly surprised.
You'll find out one day. Some people have commit suicide to find out what's on the other side. Wouldn't it be tragic if someone commit suicide in their sins, having never been saved, and they go to Hell forever? It has happened often. Please don't go to Hell. There are foolish scoffers and mockers everywhere today, who deny the existence of Hell, laughing and bragging that they want to party in Hell with their friends. What fools. What normal sane person would brag about burning in flames forever. I'll tell you what, you go turn on your kitchen stove and place your hands upon the burning coil or into the fire and then tell me that you really want to go to Hell. You will be surprised when you wake up in Hell like the unsaved rich man in Luke 16.
Some will be surprised that God allows the torment to continue forever, it never stops. If you go to Hell, the Bible warns that you will burn in flames for ever and the smoke of your torments will ascend up for all eternity. Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Let your stove turn orange in heat and then place your hand on the coil. Satan has blinded people to where they think Hell is a joke, a way for the rich elite to manipulate the ignorant and gullible masses of humanity.
I've met so many people who believed that religion was only created as a control method, a way to enslave people and control a society. You are a fool if you think that, because we have the Word of God warning us about Hell. The Bible is a miraculous Book written by a miraculous God. The Bible could not possibly have come into existence in the manner it did without divine intervention. God used 40 different authors from different nations, who spoke different languages, and most of them never met each other.
Bible, God's holy Word, teaches that there is a literal place called Hell, which burns with fire and brimstone (sulfur). Most theologians agree that Hell is located somewhere in the heart of the earth, evidenced by numerous Biblical references; such as:
Psalms:55:15 — “...and let them go down quick into hell...”
Ezekiel 31:17 — “They also went down into hell...”
Amos 9:2 — “Though they dig into hell...”
So many people today have been misled by false prophets to believe that a God of love would never send anyone to a place of eternal punishment and torment. Yet we see suffering all around the world, horrible suffering, and no relief for millions of people. Sin is the culprit. Jesus plainly stated that, “...the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). If you believe in God, then you should definitely believe in the Bible, His Word, and take heed to the teachings therein. It is tragic that so many people who profess to believe in God and the Bible, outright reject the plain Scriptural teachings of judgment, damnation and eternal punishment . . . “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Are you really willing to take a chance that God didn't mean what He said?
Here is an excellent quote from the mighty man of God, Dr. Lee Roberson, concerning eternal punishment . . .
“Somebody says, 'The thought of Hell is so horrible.' Well, my friend, so is cancer, so is tuberculosis, so is the grave. Someone said, 'I believe sin ought to be punished, but not for eternity.' That's your view, not God's.
Again another says, 'I don't believe in the wrath of God.' Then you don't believe your Bible. The Bible says the wrath of God abideth on the one who doesn't believe in Jesus Christ. He is lost forever.
Now, these things come to us out of the Word of God. The teaching of eternal punishment should give us a hatred for sin. We ought to hate sin. The reason we have changed so much in this day in all of our churches is that we are not hearing much on this subject. Therefore, we endorse sin. We engage in sin. We camouflage the sin in our lives and allow things to go by, instead of hating sin as God wants us to hate sin . . .
The teaching of eternal punishment should give us a passion for the souls of men.”
SOURCE: Dr. Lee Roberson, from the book, Disturbing Questions... Solid Answers, chapter 16, pgs. 196-198; copyright, Sword of the Lord publishers, 1978
I recently visited a Baptist church. I was saddened by what I saw. They used the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, which is a perverted version. To no surprise, the church had adopted a Lordship Salvation stance on the Gospel, as do nearly ALL NIV churches. The pastor's sermon was weak, lacking substance and it was obvious he didn't want to offend any Catholics in his service. His sermon was about the Gospel, i.e., the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The church is located in a highly Catholic area. The problem with the pastor's message is that every Catholic believes that Jesus died, was buried and rose again. Yet, they're all going to Hell because they've ADDED good works, keeping the Sacraments, praying the Rosary, water baptism and church membership to their faith. It's high time for America's preachers to start exposing Catholicism for what is truly is—a prisonhouse of false religion!
All across the world, churches no longer warn lost sinners about the coming divine judgment against sin—of the eternal damnation promised to those who die in their sins without Christ (Romans 1:32; Revelation 21:8). Eternal damnation is a very unpopular teaching in today's apostate, intolerant and politically correct society. God makes no apologies for His Word and neither should we. The Bible wasn't written to cater to the political agendas of our day. Homosexuality is just as much a sin today as it was 4,000 years ago. Abortion is just as much a sin today as it was 4,000 years ago. Witchcraft is as much a sin today as it was 4,000 years ago. God hasn't changed. The Bible hasn't changed. It is sinful men who have changed for the worse.
The Biblical doctrine of eternal punishment may not be very popular today, but it is God's Word nonetheless. Those who obey the Gospel will be safe, just as Noah moved with fear in building the ark . . . “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Oh, listen my friend, the thought of eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire should scare you deeply. You have every reason to be afraid, greatly afraid. It is a horrifying thought. Think about it for a moment . . . burning in the fires of Hell, separated from Jesus and all your family, being lonely and disappointed for all eternity, knowing that you could have went to Heaven FOR FREE if you'd only trusted upon Jesus Christ and the blood that He sacrificed for your sins . . . “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
You Need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. I beg you, don't wait another minute. Cry out to God now whoever you may be. Acknowledge your guilt of sin. Own up to God that you are a horrible sinner, guilty, and without excuse. Turn to the Lord by faith and trust upon Him in your heart to forgive your sins, place all your confidence in Christ because of His work of redemption, and allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse away your sins, “. . . and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Amen!
“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man...” —Colossians 1:27-28
