Heaven
and Hell
Course Source
Material:
1. D'Souza, Danielle. Ygod.
Ventura,
California: Published Regal From Gospel Light 2012
2. Kumar, Steve. Jonathan Sarfati. Christianity For Skeptics. Atlanta, Georgia: Published Creation Book Publishers 2012
3. Stroebel, Lee. The Case for Faith. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Published Zondervan 1998
Outside Course Material:
- Boice, James Montgomery: Foundations
of the Christian Faith. Downers Grove, Il.
Published
Inter Varsity Press
- Grudem, Wayne. Systematic
Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Published Zondervan 1994
- God, The Holy Bible (King James
Version) Peabody, Mass., Published Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC
4.
God, The Holy Bible (New Revised Standard
Version). Cambridge, England:
Published Cambridge University Press 1997
Heaven and
Hell are two subjects that we as the high point of God's creation know very
little about. We can assume and
say that they are real places.
They exist and all of us at the end of our earthly journey will be sent
to one or the other. There is no
escaping this. There is just not
very much information about heaven or hell in our bibles. So we have limited knowledge but do
have some evidence to know of their existence.
"You
will find all true theology summed up in these two short sentences—salvation is
all of the Grace of God—damnation is all of the will of man."
- Charles Spurgeon[1]
“There
is joy in hell when a saint grows idle! There is gladness among devils when we
cease to pray, when we become slack in faith and feeble in communion with God.”
-
-
Charles Spurgeon[2]
The Reality
of Hell:
One
of the best definitions of hell is from Wayne Grudem in his very fine
systematic theology. It stands out
in today's modern religious atmosphere that defines hell as non-exist ant or at
least only a temporary place of punishment. There are three things in our modern day culture that we do not like to admit, focus on,
or speak about. They are: the effects of sin, hell as a real
place and eternal punishment.
“Hell
is a place of eternal conscious punishment for the wicked.”
- Wayne Grudem[3]
“There
are two points in religion on which the teaching of the bible is very plain and
distinct. One of these points is
the fearful danger of the ungodly; the other is the perfect safety of the
righteous. One is the happiness of
those who are converted; the other is the misery of those who are
unconverted. One is blessedness of
being in the way of heaven; the other is wretchedness of being in the way of
hell.”
-
J. C. Ryle [4]
Scripture
teaches in several passages that hell is a real place. These quotes indicate that there will
be consciousness punishment after the final judgment.
- Mathew 25: 30
- Mathew 25: 41 ( The king will
say to some)
- Mathew
25:46 (parallel between “eternal life” and “eternal Punishment” indicates that both states will be
without end).
- Mark 9:43 (Jesus refers to it
as the “the unquenchable fire).
- Mark 9:48 (“Where
their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”)
- Luke 16: 22-28 (the rich man
and Lazarus)
Luke 16:
22-28 clearly affirms the idea of eternal conscious punishment of
unbelievers.
The Blessed Paradise of
Heaven:
Jesus also
makes it very plain that Heaven is a real place. That heaven is our home. We as Christians are in need of a home. We used to have a home in Eden but
through sin we lost it. We think of Cain, who after killing his brother was
condemned to a life of wandering.
In Genesis 11 we find men trying to create a home, homes in a city but
the men of Babel were in opposition to God so their plans were destroyed. God scattered them and they were made
homeless.
In Genesis
12:1-8 God showed Abram the land he would give him. His home was so important, that God gave him the boundaries
and indicated the specific territory that He would give him (Genesis 15:
18-21). Although our earthly homes
are important they are not significant.
Our true home only becomes significant when we are with Jesus.
“Do not
let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling
places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place
for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there
you may be also.” John 14: 1-3
(NRSV)[5]
Heaven is
where God is. That is all that is
important. It is because God
is there that we are home.
It is not streets that are Golden or Jewels or anything else. It is where God is. That is the key element.
“No it
is not the jasper walls and the pearly gates that are going to make heaven
attractive. It is being with God.”
- D. L. Moody[6]
Heavenly Reunions:
When we die
and go home to be with Jesus will we see family that has passed before us? Will we be reunited again with our
loved ones? Will we recognize
those who we have known during our earthly existence? The answer is yes. The bible gives us plenty of evidence
that this is true. In the old
testament we find the statement over and over again that “he was gathered
to his people.” This does not mean that he was buried
but that he died and was taken to be with God.
- Genesis 25: 8 (Abraham)
- Genesis 25:17 ( Ishmael)
- Genesis 35:29 (Issac)
- Genesis 49:33 (Jacob)
- Numbers 27: 12-13 (Moses)
“Consequently, the phrase, “gathered to his people”
cannot refer to the burial but must refer to the death itself, as a result,
which Abraham joined those who had gone before him. The same thing is true of Moses, who died by himself on the
mountain. The book of Deuteronomy
tells us that “no man knows the place of his burial to this day” (Deuteronomy
34: 6).
New
Testament Evidence that we will recognize those loved ones that have gone
before us.
- Luke 9: 33 (Transfiguration)
- Matthew 8:11
“Many
have lost ones. If we live long
enough, we will all lose loved ones.
Yet we have not lost them ultimately. They are with Jesus, and we will be reunited with them.”
-
James Montgomery Boice[8]
So what can
we do. If we want to be in heaven
with God and our loved ones we need to be with God now here on earth. The closer we are with Jesus the more
we will be transformed to be like him.
The more we are ready to go home.
Be ready!
- Acts 17: 31
- Matthew 25:13 (ten maidens)
- Matthew 25: 24-25 parable of the
talents)
- Matthew 25: 44-45 (the least of
these)
If you wish
to be saved and have eternal life in heaven then make sure you get with God
now. Be ready because he is
coming. (see www.peacewithgod.net)
“The
Hope of the Christian is a very delicate plant. It is an exotic from above: it
is not a plant of natural growth. It is easily chilled and nipped by the cold
frosts of this world. Unless watered and tended carefully, it will soon dwindle
away to a mere nothing, and scarcely be felt or seen. None find this so
painfully as dying believers who have not walked very closely with God. They
find that they have sown thorns in their dying pillows, and brought clouds
between themselves and the sun.”
-
J.C.
Ryle[9]
[1] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon,
http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/26858003-spurgeon-gems
[2] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon, http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/26858003-spurgeon-gems
[3] Grudem, Wayne. Systematic
Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Published Zondervan 1994
[5] God,
The Holy Bible (New Revised Standard Version). Cambridge, England: Published Cambridge University
Press 1997
[6] Boise, James Montgomery: Foundations
of the Christian Faith. Downers Grove, Il. Published Inter Varsity
Press
Published Inter Varsity Press
Published Inter Varsity Press
[9] Ryle, J. C. Old Paths. First Published 1878, Published The Banner of Truth Trust 1999http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=%22gathered+to+his+people%22&t=NASB#s=s_primary_0_1
Addendum to Lesson
The Reality of Hell
J. C. Ryle
There is such a place as hell. Let no one deceive you with vain
words. What people do not like, they try hard not to believe. When the Lord
Jesus Christ comes to judge the world, He will punish all who are not His
disciples with a fearful punishment: all who are found unrepentant and
unbelieving, all who have clung to sin, all who are stuck to the world, and all
who have set their affections on things below. All who are without Christ shall
come to an awful end. Whosoever is not written in the book of life shall be “cast
into the lake of fire.” [Rev 20:15]
I call on all who profess to believe the Bible, to be on their
guard.
1) Some do not believe there is any hell at all.
They think it impossible there can be such a place. They call it inconsistent
with the mercy of God. They say it is too awful an idea to be really true. The
devil of course, rejoices in the views of such people. They help his kingdom
mightily. They are preaching up his old favorite doctrine, “You shall not
surely die.”
2) Some do not believe that hell is eternal.
They tell us it is incredible that a compassionate God will punish people
forever. He will surely open the prison doors at last. This also is a mighty
help to the devil’s cause.
3) Some believe there is a hell, but never allow that
anybody is going there. All people with them are good. As soon as they
die, all were sincere, all meant well, and all, they hope, got to heaven. Alas!
what a common delusion this is!
Summary: If I never spoke of hell, I should think I had kept back
something that was profitable, and should look on myself as an accomplice of
the devil. Beware of new and strange doctrines about hell and the eternity
of punishment. Beware of manufacturing a God of your own: a God who is all
mercy, but not just; a God who is all love, but not holy; a God who has a
heaven for everybody, but a hell for none; a God who can allow good and bad to
be side by side in time, but will make no distinction between good and bad in
eternity. Such a God is an idol of your own.
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