OH, HELL!
OR
FOREVER IS A LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG,
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG TIME TO BURN !!!
by John Roy Bohlen & John 5:30
A LOVING RESPONSE - MAP FOR LIFE!
God is. He gave us the Bible. The Bible is True. You can bet your life on it. It is the Map for Life. Let me ask a question? If you have a map of your state, and want to go from one place to the other, but don't like the map with its mountains, rivers, chasms or deserts, how about taking a pen and changing the map to read however you want it to read. Draw a road, a bridge where there is none. That's how some people do with the Map of Life, the Bible. If they find something they don't like, they will invent new scriptures, or interpret obvious Scriptures opposite from their intended meaning. That's how the Jehovah's Witness Bible, the New World Translation came to be. Once upon a time, there was a man who did not like what the Bible had to say, so he wrote a new bible. For example, he did not like the idea of Hell, so he changed all the verses that talked about Hell. He did not like the idea of Jesus being God, so he changed those verses, too. He did not like the idea of Jesus as God, coming to live inside of us, so he changed those verses, too.
Do you like the idea of Hell? Of a hot fiery place where worms eat and the fire will heat a person for ever? Of eternal torment? Of inescapable pain? If I were the devil, I would make a suggestion to you in your ear, in your mind: I would suggest that you just change and interpret any Bible verse you want, to turn down Hell's temperature and shorten Hell's time.
BAD STUFF IN THE BIBLE
This morning, in my reading through the Bible, I read from Leviticus 24, in which a man is executed for cursing Yahweh in anger. The record would indicate that, though the man was executed by his peers, that his death sentence was given by God. Seems rather strong don't you think? I think so. I also think that Ananias and Sister Saffy were also treated a little roughly, and “if I were God”, I would have cut Moses some slack, when he struck the rock. I would have given Lot's wife a second chance, and those who offered strange fire and the man who touched the ark in the middle of the glory time. But, I am not God.
AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION
It is interesting to me, that the most vile and hateful letters have come to me from people who want Hell to not be so hot, yet the most loving people I know believe that Hell lasts for a long, long time. These loving ones are working to do their best to stop people from going there. The 'Hell ain’t hot' camp are doing nothing to keep people from going there. Yet a major accusation from these “Ultimate Wreck” crowd is that those who believe in hell are cruel and sadistically gleeful about Hell’s heat.
If I were God, I would save everyone. Before this is over you will probably accuse me in your mind's eye of gleefully contemplating the idea of Hell. But, to set the record straight, I believe that Hell hurts, and I do not want you or anyone else to hurt. Not Ananias, not Saffy, nor anyone. I am getting a little older now, and the older I get, the more compassionate I become about killing even little bugs. I found in my bath tub, here on the farm, a spider and a grand-daddy longlegs. So, (this story has a happy ending), I gently took some toilet tissue, wrapped the spider in one section and the grand daddy in the other, and gently put them outside, where they lived happily ever after. The above story is true. Yet I must confess that I still swat mosquitoes, if they are going to raise angry welts on my wife. I may not say “to Hell with them”, but, swat them, I will. Most people who do not believe that God would not send people to Hell, have not read the Old Testament to any extent, or they would see God as He is, as One Who punishes people, Old Testament and New Testament, and as One Who punishes people severely. Some people wishfully think that God does not judge people. But either they have not read the Bible, or they do not believe the Bible. One cannot read and believe the Bible without knowing that God judges people.
I want to assure you that I have really really looked at many arguments in favour of things like: “doing away with Hell”, “lessening the temperature of Hell”, and of “shortening the time of Hell”. And, I must say, the idea of turning down the heat, and of cutting loose the inhabitants thereof “on good behavior” sounds very appealing. I want to also assure you that I wish no ill for you, and that, even if my time were entirely wasted in writing this, that I still love you and that I still respect you, (even if that love and respect were to make no difference to you, or to God).
I tell people that if Hell were an unavoidable prospect even for them, that they should still serve and love God with a fervent intensity, simply because He deserves our love and service. You will agree with me that too many serve Him for the good they can receive and the bad they can avoid, but it makes no difference to me, because God has long since brought me to the place where my motivation for serving and loving Him is for love's dear sake alone, and, of course, because He is worthy. I do not serve God to avoid Hell, but because God is worthy. Yet, Hell is real, and must be avoided at all costs.
Back to Leviticus 24: Just suppose that I disagree with God in His verdict, His decision about Ananias, the people I mentioned that I would do differently, and nearly a zillion other examples of human fly-swatting that God so obviously did. Tell me: will my disagreement with God about these zillion things change even one thing in a zillion? ?
About the validity of the King James: I am presently reading through a Bible called “The Word: The Bible in 26 Translations”. This Bible actually draws from 38 translations! I have carefully read through all of the New Testament, and now, I have carefully completed the Old. In addition to these 38 translations, I have read through, or in, a considerable number of others. Tell me, are they all wrong??? Hasn't God been great enough or loving enough to present me with even ONE half-way reliable record???
Well, suppose He has - now I have in my hand a translation I can trust - But let me ask you a question, a loving question, - Here's the question:
Suppose that I run across something in this new but reliable translation with which I disagree? Suppose I run across a situation that I believe shows God in a bad light, from my perspective. Suppose God does something with which I disagree. Either I think that God should have been more mean, or maybe I think that He should have been less mean.
Tell me, and I ask this in love - Am I going to change the mind of God, or the meaning of the Scriptures by my disagreement??? By having a nervous, or emotional, or spiritual breakdown, can I use this as leverage to change God's mind or the true meaning of Scripture??? I have been angry with God before, many times, and disappointed, when He failed to be God to me on my terms, or did not grant my wish - but I never once changed God's thinking or the meaning of Scripture by my petulance, my humanistic reasoning, my wishing or my disagreement.
I once heard David Hulse say that “Hell exists because we THINK it does”!!! “Sin exists because we think it does”!!! If this 'christian science' stuff is true, then Hell exists - because I think it does. If some one shows me or tells me of a phony translation that has changed their bible to say that “Hell does not exist, and it is not hot, and, besides, it does not last very long! So there.” does this mean that Hell no longer exists?
If a humanist, or a devil-inspired human being comes along and tells me that God is a loser, is not very powerful, not very loving if He sends or allows people to go to Hell for very long, does this somehow magically turn down the thermostat or reduce the time required for purgatory???
Let me propose an old idea: Let's spend as much money as possible to get as many people as possible to think and vote as hard as possible, and if we can spend enough long enough to get people to wish enough - that this will somehow make Hell disappear, or not last as long or not be as hot. If we can get enough people to go on strike, or backslide, or breakdown, or feel sad - that this will somehow magically reduce Hell's length or Hell's temperature or Hell's reality?
Does it come down to this: that if one person believes that, there is a personal devil and hell, that he would thereby invent the “old order christian idea of Hell”, simply by believing it is so???
If I were the devil, I would try to convince people that Hell is not hot, that Hell does not exist, that Hell does not last very long.
I notice a basic inconsistency in the “Hell ain’t hot” camp. They like to mess around with the word “eternal” and make it “age abiding” or temporary, for Hell, but leave it as 'eternal' for the idea of heaven. Convenient, but Hellish. (Heaven exists, by the way, because I wish it to be so, and I wish to go there, so I will!! I wish it to last a long time, so it will! Is this true?) This self interpretation of Scripture to their own convenience is common among this “wish-it-weren’t-so-hot” group. Scripture twisting for convenience is a common characteristic of heretics.
The most militant anti-hell person I know used to be a lovely, loving born-again, Spirit-filled pastor. He prayed for years for his father to be saved. He watched his father get old and sick and then pass out into a Christ-less eternity. He could not bear the thought of his dear old daddy, hurting and contorting and screaming and burning in Hell. So, to take some of the heat and pain away from his father, he tried to turn down Hell’s thermostat, by twisting and “re-interpreting” the Bible, and trying to shorten the length of time his father would have to spend in Hell. At first he was able to ease his mind, by trying to persuade himself and others that Hell would not last very long. The next step for this pastor was to become angry with a God and a Bible and a religion that would allow his dad to go to hell in the first place. But, once a person starts down the slippery slope of re-interpreting the Bible for personal convenience and by wishing it weren't true, so I'll re-interpret it, one can quickly slide down this slippery slope, right into Hell! Today, this brainy ex-pastor is now a brainy militant antagonistic, sarcastic enemy of Christ, the Bible, and Christians.
Another acquaintance of ours had a nervous break-down over the thought of Hell’s heat. The only way he could get peace of mind was to talk himself and others into believing that Hell really isn’t all that bad, does not last all that long, is not really that real, does not hurt all that much. Simply by wishing, he thought he could help. If someone is in danger of dying in a house fire, the way to really help them is by rescuing them from the fire, not in hypnotizing himself or in telling the victim to believe that the fire is really not that hot or does not really hurt that much, or really does not do that much damage - - - .
TWISTING THE SCRIPTURES TO MY ADVANTAGE?
Another classic example of Scripture Twisting is where the anti-Hell folks, quoting from Acts 3:21, where it says, “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things”. The “Hell-Ain’t-Hot” people, or “Universalists”, as they are also sometimes known, stop the quoting of this verse here, and make it to mean that “everyone is going to be restored, born-again, reconciled and saved” since this verse promises the “restitution of all things.”
But this verse has been wrongly quoted and taken out of context! There is not only no period here, nor even a comma. By stopping in the middle of the sentence, they seem to prove a point - opposite to what is actually being said. It should read, “The times of the restoration or restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” This simply means that those things that the prophets said will be restored will be restored, not, everyone nor everything. Stopping the quote in the middle of the verse, one wrongly changes the meaning. For, example, if a pilot asks the tower, “May I take off now?” The tower answers, “Yes, you may take off, but not until the storm is over and we give you the final approval.” It will fatally give the opposite meaning, if the transmission from the tower stops after the word “off”. This is exactly what the “Ultimate Wreck” heretics do with this verse.
There is one consistency in the “Hell don't last very long camp”. They consistently (besides Scripture Twist and take things out of context): They seem to believe that since Hell does not exist, or does not last very long, or is not very hot, that since they are not going to get spanked for stealing cookies from the cookie jar that, yo! “It's o.k. to steal cookies from the cookie jar!”
A brother in the Lord quoted an “Every body’s-gonna-be-saved” pastor man as saying that “if we want to sin - no problem, just go ahead and sin as much as we want!” A lovely charismatic church that we know of, got off into this universalist “No-Hell-trip-into-La-La-Land”. The history of that church is rampant with split marriages, fornication and adultery, children who end up no longer fervently loving God, are backslid, or went to jail. They ate this one up, for their convenience. Adultery, multiple marriages, etc., seem to be at a much higher ratio among the “o.k.-to-steal-cookies-‘cause-you-ain’t- gonna-get-spanked-very-bad” camp. When we minister in Africa, we tell them that in America, we don’t believe in being married to more than one wife (AT A TIME)!!!
Among your “Hell ain't hot” friends, does this seem to be the case? Sincerely, I want to know. Can there be real wisdom without the fear of the Lord? Can there be consistent righteousness on the part of those who believe that there is no truth, -- in consequences??
I could wish that the negative aspects of the parables on Hell weren't so, and that the positive ones apply. I could wish that the five foolish virgins were not, in fact shut out; that the goats went to heaven, that the rich man lived happily ever after, and that he got a cool drink after all. And I could wish that the killing of all the bad guys in the Promised Land did not happen, though it did, or that the whole of Pharaoh's army did not get wet, when they did. And, maybe I could wish that someone would invent a Bible translation that promises me that I can screw around and screw around and screw around, and lie, and steal and cheat and kill and molest and rape and torture and shake my fist in the face of “God” and still live happily ever after. And I could wish that the wages of sin is not death, and that the soul that sins will not “die”, and that “die” really means to “Live” and that “eternal” really ain't eternal, except where it conveniences me. But all my wishing will not shorten Hell’s pain, nor Hell’s time, nor Hell’s heat. My human wishing and Scripture twisting, and faulty reasoning, or sick sympathy will not change reality, will not change the facts, will not change the word “eternity” instead, to meaning “short time”.
Hell is real, whether we like it or not, and it is hot whether we like it or not. Hell lasts a long time, whether we like it or not. I sure as Hell am concerned about all of the dear ones that these heretics are promising a “happily ever after” that won't be, unless they embrace Jesus as the only right now way.
I repeat: If I were the devil, I would want you, and others, to believe that Hell is not reeeally very hot, that it doesn’t reeeally hurt that much, that Hell does not reeeally smell that bad, that the worm reeeally does die, that the fire reeeally gets quenched, that Hell does not reeeally last that long, that Hell does not reeeally exist, and that God is reeeally too loving to send people there. That’s what the Universalist, “Hell-ain’t-hot”, “Ultimate Wreck” people do. And, they think they can change these things, simply by wishing, by twisting the Scriptures.
EACH PAIN-FREE MOMENT!
john roy bohlen & John 5:30, Feb.13, 2005
Pain hurts! And, the lack of pain is nice.
No pain: I will tell you twice.
A pain-free moment, from God, it is a blessing.
From God, a hug, a kiss, the Lord's caressing.
The lack of pain, in one sense, is good.
But dead nerves are bad Am I understood?
If there's no feeling, one can hurt a member.
One needs to feel, from October to September.
Oh, how exciting, to save a soul from Hell,
To thus be used of God, is a life lived well.
Can you imagine, from Hell be spared of torment?
Oh the horror, feel Hell for just one moment!
Are you thankful you're not hurting.
With damnation, some are flirting!
Pain free moments, they're so fine.
This kind of bliss, simply Divine.
Each P.F.M., a gift from Yahweh.
I have no pain, today.
Each moment spent like this,
Is like from God, a kiss.
SCRIPTURES ON HELL
Matt 23:14 “ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of Hell than yourselves.”
Matt 23:33 “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell?”
Mark 3:29 “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath NEVER forgiveness, but is in danger of ETERNAL damnation:”
Mark 12:40 “Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”
Luke 20:47 “Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.”
John 5:27 “And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Rom 3:8 “And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) ‘Let us do evil, that good may come’? whose damnation is just.”
Rom 13:2 “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”
1 Cor 11:29 “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”
1 Tim 5:12 “Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.”
2 Pet 2:3 “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”
HELL!
Matt 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.”
Matt 11:23 “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to Hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.”
Matt 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, ‘That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.’ ”
Luke 10:15 “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to Hell.”
Luke 12:5 “But I will forewarn you Whom ye shall fear: ‘Fear Him, Which, after He hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell’; yea, I say unto you, ‘Fear Him’.”
Luke 16:23 “And in Hell, he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (Look up and read the whole context of the story!)
James 3:6 “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of Hell.”
2 Pet 2:4 “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”
Rev 1:18 “I am He That liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of Hell and of death.”
Rev 6:8 “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”
“FIRE”
Matt 3:10 “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Matt 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He That cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with UNQUENCHABLE fire.”
Matt 5:22 “But I say unto you, ‘That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, “Raca”, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, “Thou fool”, shall be in danger of Hell fire’.”
Matt 7:19 “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Matt 13:40 “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.”
Matt 13:42 “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Matt 13:50 “And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Matt 18:8 “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into EVER LASTING fire.”
Matt 18:9 “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into Hell fire.”
Matt 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 31 When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: 32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats: 33 And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, ‘Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me 37 Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink?’ 38 When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? 39 Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?’ 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”. 41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.’ 44 Then shall they also answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? ‘45 Then shall He answer them, saying, ‘Verily I say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me” ’. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Luke 3:9 “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Luke 3:17 “Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire UNQUENCHABLE.”
Luke 12:49 “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?”
Luke 17:29 “But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.”
John 15:6 “If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (I wish it were not so.)
1 Cor 3:13 “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
II Th 1:8 “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”
Heb 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”
James 3:5 “Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of Hell.”
2 Pet 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
Jude 1:7 “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL fire.”
Rev 14:10 “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:”
Rev 19:20 “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a Lake of Fire burning with brimstone.”
Rev 20:9 “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented DAY AND NIGHT, FOR EVER AND FOR EVER”.
Rev 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
OUTER DARKNESS
Matt 8:12 “But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into Outer Darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matt 22:12 “And He saith unto him, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then said the King to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into Outer Darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
2 Pet 2:12 “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the Mist of Darkness is reserved FOR - EVER.” (Wishing it were otherwise cannot shorten the time.)
Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in EVERLASTING chains under darkness unto the judgment of the Great Day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL fire.
JUDGEMENT
Matt 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:’ 22 But I say unto you, ‘That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:’ and whosoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca’, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, ‘Thou fool’, shall be in danger of Hell fire.
II Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance (so much for the argument that God does not judge people) on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 who shall be punished with EVER LASTING destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; 10 When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. 4 For it is IMPOSSIBLE for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Heb 10:27 But a CERTAIN fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him That hath said, ‘Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense’, saith the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord shall judge His people.’
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Heb 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My Soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
2 Pet 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”
Matt 5:29 “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell.”
Matt 7:13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord’, ‘Lord’, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father Which is in Heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, “‘‘Lord’, ‘Lord’, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity’.”
Matt 13:41 “The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Matt 13:47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Matt 18:8 “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into EVERLASTING fire. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into Hell fire.”
Matt 25:30 "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 31 When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:”
Mark 9:43 “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that NEVER shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into Hell, into the fire that NEVER shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into Hell fire: 48 Where their worm dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched. 49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.”
Rev 20:13 “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”(The “Ultimate Wreck” people here say, “See here? There is an end to Hell, because it is cast into the Lake of Fire!” But, the last verse says that “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
ETERNAL
Matt 25:45 “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 “And these will go away into ETERNAL punishment, but the righteous into ETERNAL life.” (The same Greek word is used for the first eternal as for the last. Why change the meaning of the word for our convenience? Wishful or sympathetic Scripture twisting on our part, cannot turn down Hell’s temperature, nor can it shorten eternity.)
Mark 3:29 “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit NEVER has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”--
II Th 1:9 And these will pay the penalty of ETERNAL destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
HOW TO ESCAPE HELL!
The soul that sins, it shall die.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Yahshua Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
You may KNOW that you HAVE eternal Life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son HATH Life, and
He that endures to the End, will be saved.
Mark of the beast.
Your sins have separated, so that He will not hear.
Ouch! Oww!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee - - - ---
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - - - ---
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo - - - ----
Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee - - - ----
for a loooong, looooooooooooooong time . . . . . . . .... . - - ---
18 October 2001
Beloved Gentle Brother Steven,
First of all, I would like to thank you for writing. Secondly, I want to sincerely congratulate you for wishing terribly hard that Hell wasn’t so hot, and for earnestly hoping that it doesn’t last very long. Truly, and true to form, you are a man of compassion. It is quite understandable that the thought of Hell, as portrayed in the KJV, is unspeakably horrible.
In fact, two of the most ardent promoters of ultimate reconciliation, or universalism, that I know, came to believe that Hell doesn’t last very long, because, their parent died without Christ, and the thought of their parent burning in hell forever was beyond their reason or comprehension, so, they simply changed their doctrine. One of the two had a nervous breakdown over the matter, and the only way of resolve was to reinterpret the Scripture, so that they could have some peace about the whole thing. The other was a charismatic pastor, with really great gifting, calling, ability and talent. He was a precious friend of mine. He was my pastor for a while. His father died without Christ. So, he changed his doctrine for his father’s sake. But, in order to really make sure that his father would not be too uncomfortable, he changed even more and decided for his father’s sake, I suppose, and for his own peace of mind about the matter, he went beyond hating the King James translation, and every other translation that hinted of discomfort in the afterlife, and decided that the other translations were also worthless. He not only decided that the majority of the Christian Church was off track, and that they mostly had been wrong, he went all the way and came to abandon the Bible and Christianity altogether. Then, to really make sure his father would not be uncomfortable, he went even farther, and came to actually fight against Christianity and the Bible. I suppose that by doing so, he would really make sure that he himself also would not suffer in the hereafter.
As to our friend Gary, you did not read his letter that he sent to me. You did not read the whole of my letter to him. You did not know that he took it upon himself to register us on the internet, and that the only information the net has on me is Gary’s anti-Bohlen stuff. You did not know of Gary’s repeated efforts to pick a fight with me, his intimidation, his refusal to leave me alone. You have noted in that letter that I asked Gary to not contact me again. He has not respected that request.
You also brought up the matter of my not being a Berean. Sir Steven, I have been a Berean all my days, and have read the Bible through in many, many translations, from cover to cover, over and over and over and over. I have known about the existence of the “every body’s gonna be saved doctrine” for 40 years, and have listened to, and have read the reasonings of “the other side”. But frankly Steve, I have a problem. My problem is this: As a teen-ager I made a decision to believe the Bible, and to base my doctrines and belief and life style on what I see there. I cannot bring myself to do otherwise. I have steadfastly for 45 years, refused to change my doctrines and beliefs, based on:
humanistic reasoning
convenience
Scripture twisting or taking things out of context
what others tell me
the wisdom of man
what some off-the-wall translation has to say
how I think God should run the Universe
my idea of how I believe Hell should be run
I have consulted and in some cases read all the way through, the Goodspeed, the Philips, the NIV, the Amplified, the Holy Name Bible, the Restoration of the Sacred Name Bible, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible, the NAS, the Word, etc., etc., etc. None of these Bibles hint, insinuate, suggest, imply or state that there is a time or temperature limit on Hell. In addition, I graduated from a Christian College, and from Bible School, and have been a life-long, intensely interested student of the Word. If there ever was a Berean, Sir Steven, thaaaaaaaat's me. But, what about you? Are you willing to be intellectually honest? Are you willing to base your doctrines on main-stream Biblical truth? Or, like some, do you base your thinking on what makes sense to you. The doctrine of the Trinity, for example, does not make sense. It is a mystery that must be taken by faith, on the basis of the Word. The doctrine of eternal torment defies reasoning, it is simply stated. Otherwise is not stated. In order to come to any other conclusion, one must resort to human reasoning, to what would seeeeeeem to make sense, to Bible translations that are twisted and strange, or use regular Bibles and strangely twist them.
Why is it difficult for you or Gary or whoever to simply allow me to take a Scripture at face value, without accusing me of buying into some medieval scheme of the Inquisitors??? Why can’t I be allowed to read a verse (there are many) like “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” In the first place, you or others seem to believe that we should not be so very terrified, and that, on the basis of that holy terror, we should NOT persuade men. If all men will be saved, what is the basis for:
the fear of God?
motivation for evangelism?
right behavior?
the Great Commission?
the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom?
martyrdom for the sake of the heathen?
a zillion other things?
Steven, do all roads lead to heaven? Shinto, Buddha, Militant Islam, Nazi, mass murder, terrorism, child molestation, tailgating and rape?
If you will be a Berean, intellectually honest, a true seeker of truth, then I ask you to read all that I send in this mailing. As much as I love and respect you, I warn you, but with a loving attempt at persuading. If any one come preaching any other gospel or doctrine, than the one I have been preaching, (Paul says) then let him be cursed, damned, go to Hell. The doctrine of Hell being really hot and of its lasting a really long time, is part of the Gospel he preached. If you or Gary or Ted or Bert, or Lee come to me with another doctrine, then I have the same thing to say to him or her as the Bible says to him or her. If you don’t have the fear of God, as it relates to Eternity, then I wish him or her or you all the luck in the Universe. The goats will be sent to an age-abiding and eternal torment, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched, ever.
Human reasoning says, “Come, let us make God and Hell in our image, after our likeness, after our way of reasoning, logic and humanism.”
I have been carefully examining “The Ultimate Wreck” Heresy for about 40 years now, and, as far as I can tell, all of the Scripture twisting, the humanistic rationalization, the Makers of God into something He ain’t’, has had little success in turning down the thermostat of Hell, or in shortening the time spent there.
Stephen, why do the “Wreck” people stop in the middle of the verse, (typical of heretics) and say “until the times of the reconciliation of all things!”?
Why is it that the Wrecks define as age “abiding”, when it comes to Hell, but “eternal”, when it comes to Heaven.?
Etc. I don’t know Steve. This heresy is a tough one. It is like a black hole that doesn’t seem to want to let its victims go. Besides, someone who would follow a pied piper like Chapman off into the desert, and then embrace “Jesus Only”, and then go belly up in the Wreck, I am afraid for you. My last spirit-filled pastor friend who embraced the Wreck, graduated to full blown militant anti-Christ and anti-Christian. He is now an expert out-spoken evil spirit filled champion for atheism.
Mark 9:43 “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Pardon me, I quoted from the King James. Here is the same thing from the NIV, or is the NIV not good either???
Mark 9:43 “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire.”
(NIV)
Or, would you rather have it from the ASV, or is the ASV not good either?
Mark 9:43 “to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.
44 (where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.)
45 And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell.
46 (where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.)
47 And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell; 48 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”.
(ASV)
Steve, you asked me about the King James. I just finished reading the entire “The Word” Bible, that includes 38 translations of the Bible. I have also read entirely, a significant number of translations, besides those quoted in The Word. NONE of these Bibles turn down the heat, nor do they shorten the time in Hell. None of them. Now who is the Berean? The Jehovies W “bible” will side with you. But, I don’t recommend this, or any other “heresy” bible, Berean or not.
I suppose you are to be congratulated for feeling sorry for those who will hurt forever. But if you are truly compassionate, let me lovingly encourage you to warn people not to go there.
I seriously doubt that you have ever read the Bible through in any translation. The reason I say this is that we are dealing with a God Who: killed Moses for losing his temper,
killed Uzza for touching the ark;
killed the entire population of the earth for sinning,
killed multiplied thousands for sassing Moses,
killed whole civilizations because they were in the Promised Land before the Chosen People. Etc, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.
God ordered the complete killing of every man, woman, pregnant woman, old woman and baby of multiplied civilizations. Steve, Jesus talked about hell, and He never hinted at sentencing limits!
Revelation tells us of blood that will run as high as the horses bridles for 200 miles! Tells us of 1/3 and 2/3 of the world’s population being wiped out, of 100 pound hail stones. Now, Sir Stephen Berean, you can put your hands over your ears to blot out their screams, and over your eyes to blot out the sight of guuud and bluts all over the place, over your nose of rotting bodies for seven years straight. And your mind may scream against what you perceive to be a bloody King James’ God. You may come to the conclusion with your human brain, that Hell ain’t hot, that it does not last very long, but not one wish, not one reasoning, not one Scripture twisting will shorten the time in Hell, nor turn down the heat.
Did you hear the story of the woman, (it happened recently) that God took to Hell? On her visit there, she noticed that there were preachers in Hell, too, and the message they were still preaching was that Hell wasn’t going to last very long, nor be very hot. That was the message they preached, that’s why they were sentenced to an eternal, and very hot Hell.
I have taken the liberty, as you did for me, to enclose an article I have written on the subject. Incidentally, did the Jesus Only group you were with believe that membership in their church was also necessary to salvation, (in addition to tongues, baptism in the Name, etc.)? This is a sincere question.
Thank you again for the fly swatter. It has been a reminder of you, and our memories of you have been sweet. Do you recommend that I not use it, for the sake of the flies, mosquitoes and wasps?
I care for you.
john
30 July 1996
Ted Jones
1792 John Street
Thornhill, Ontario
Canada, L3T1Y9
905-886-3922
Precious Ted,
Yes, I have admired you from afar. When you came to Bethany during those years after you graduated, the legend of your walk with God had preceded you, and, though I was a spiritual as I knew how to be, I knew you were in a category above me. So, I would watch you, and respect you, and appreciate you as a young man on fire for God. Now, I have a son like you must have been then. And, yes, I am still joyfully married to Karen Wold, we have 4 children and 3 grandchildren, and I have always loved the Linders.
I want to take this opportunity to say a sincere "thank you" for taking the time to write. Thank you. I have looked to the Lord about if I should respond. As you know, these kind of letters take time. But, I still respect you, and felt that this respect called for a response.
Unfortunately, we do not look at this subject of hell in exactly the same way. One reason for the reluctance to write, is that, when the letters are written, sent and read, that we both will probably be of the same opinion still, and time may have been wasted, feelings stirred.
I sincerely regret that you went through so much (please pardon the expression) "hell" over the subject of hell. Nor would I want to wish more difficulties for you. But, if you really care about my opinion, which you probably do not, though I don't really know, read on. Otherwise, before you stop reading, let me say a respectful "farewell", and, again, thank you for taking the time to write, and, a sincere good luck to you.
CONTACT INFORMATION
You may contact us at:
Great Commission Ministries
9473 County Road D
Webster, WI 54893
Phone: 715-866-4060 email:
Website: www.Great-Commission-Ministries.org
Other books and articles we have written:
How To Rule The World, or Seek 1st the Kingdom of God
The Cult of Cannibals, or, How To Rightly Relate
The Sexual Ministry, or, How To Live Happily Ever After
How To Raise 'Purfect' Kids
The King's Greatest Secret!
FGM, or Female Circumcision
Poetry
Law, Grace and Law
Body Stewardship
The Glorious Church
Apostles: Who, How, What, When and Where
True African Adventure Stories
How To Save Time
What is God's Name?