devil – Hope and Passion Ministries

Misconceptions About Hell

Posted on May 21, 2015 by admin

[This comic strip appeared in the May 20, 2015 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Let’s use a comic strip to get serious about the concept of eternal Hell. “Non Sequitur” is a cartoon, and it is meant to be amusing. As a bird lover, I surely realize the frustration of the near impossibility of outwitting squirrels that are getting into bird feeders! However, as a believer in God and His perfect Word, I take most seriously the issue of eternal destiny. I am asking that you allow us to use this comic strip as a springboard to a deep discussion – one that has everything to do with our souls.

Please read and observe the cartoon carefully, and then ask yourself the question, “What does this comic teach about Hell that is actually incorrect information?” People take much of what they know about Hell for granted. But Hell is an issue of utmost importance. Should we not think it through?
Let’s review a few things about these funnies that may mislead us in regard to eternal damnation.

1) The devil is not in charge of Hell.

Although the picture of Satan standing behind the podium with his pitchfork in hand makes us think otherwise, it is detrimental to our understanding of God to believe that the devil could possibly be in charge of Hell. God is the Creator of all things. Specifically, Colossians 1: 16 (ESV) declares, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him.” All powers – those we can see and those we cannot see – were created by God. Satan is a fallen angel. He is a created being, albeit corrupted, but a created being nonetheless. Satan may have more power than a human does, but Satan has no power compared to the infinite strength of the Lord who made everything that exists out of absolutely nothing!

God and Satan are not equal opposites. God is all-powerful, and the devil is ultimately under His control. Similarly, Hell is under God’s control. In fact, Hell was a place originally prepared for the punishment of Satan and his angels! Jesus announced in Matthew 25:41 (ESV), “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The Holy Spirit tells us through the Apostle John in Revelation 20:9-10 (ESV), “And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” As you can clearly see from God’s Word, Hell is a place of punishment for Satan and all who follow him. Rather than being in charge of what happens in Hell, the devil will be perpetually afflicted there.

Another solemn reminder given by Jesus Christ about God’s sovereignty versus the devil’s temporary power is found in Matthew 10:28 (ESV). In preparing His disciples for the impending persecution and martyrdom they would face, Jesus warned, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” You see here that there are two beings with power, but only One has infinite and eternal power. Satan can temporarily (and under the watchful and sovereign eye of God, I should add) work to destroy bodies through persecution, but only God has power over the body and the soul! Our eternal hearts are in the charge of the Creator, not the devil. The devil will be dealing with his own punishment, not having oversight of souls. The only Person who is in control of your soul is the One Who created you.

2) You are not given a choice of your type of punishment in Hell.

Nowhere does the Bible tell us that people are allowed to choose what type of punishment or what degree of retribution that they will bear in Hell. These are the decisions of God, the perfect Judge. God has full knowledge of our existence, our thoughts, our intentions, our actions, our opportunities, and our rebellion. Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV) makes clear, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

God also pronounces that His perfect Son, Jesus, is the One who will judge all humans. Jesus, the Son, is the One who died for us, and so He is the One to whom each person will answer for their rejection of His sacrifice. The Apostle Paul records in 2 Timothy 4:1 (ESV) “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead …” Jesus Himself declares both the amazing promise of life for some and the horrific surety of judgment for others in John 5:26-29 (ESV), “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judqment.”

After our physical bodies have died, God will still be alive! He exists forever; He is timeless. When our strength is gone, we fall into the hands of the living God of the universe. We will have nothing to say in reply to His perfect judgment of us. He will declare our destiny, and we will receive it. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31, ESV). It behooves us to pray to God now, to read His Word now, and to trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ now.

3) The horror of Hell is nothing to make light of.

While the comic strip jokes of two eternal choices, “being locked in a room with your ex” or “shoveling snow,” the reality of eternal damnation boasts no such choices. These would indeed be coveted outcomes compared to actual separation from every hint of God’s grace, goodness, and hope. In fact, Jesus uses a hyperbole to give us at least a hint at how tortuous Hell will be. In Mark 9:43-48 (ESV), Jesus proclaims, “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” Our Lord is clearly trying to get us to understand that loss of physical function and comfort here is nothing compared to the loss and agony of hell. God tells us in several places, including Matthew 25:30 (ESV), that Hell is a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In other words, people will be in a state of perpetual, painful regret.

As to whether the fire of Hell is literal or figurative, I appeal to both the Bible and our God-given logic. We humans were made as physical and emotional/spiritual. Our spirit is housed in a body. Our body needs our spirit to be who we are. God made us this way. The reality of Heaven includes a new and resurrected body (see Philippians 3:20-21 and all of 1 Corinthians 15). In the same way, the reality of Hell includes a resurrected body. Sadly though, the body of those condemned to Hell by God is a body that is resurrected for judgment (recall John 5:29). Our complete existence in God’s scheme of things is an existence of body and spirit. We can expect that Hell will be a place of both intense regret and guilt, but also a place of physical pain. Even in this life, our guilt and sadness can lead to physical symptoms. Imagine this multiplied to an infinite degree – with absolutely no hope of change.

4) There is no way out of Hell except for Jesus.

Solving the conundrum of door #3 cannot get you out of Hell, no matter what the cartoon implies. In the same way, your own best efforts in this life cannot get you out of Hell, no matter how much our culture or our human nature wants it to be so. Hell is a rejection of the God of the Bible. Hell is a refusal to recognize and/or deal with our own sinfulness. Hell is trust in ourselves instead of our Creator. Hell is a rejection of truth.
The surest thing in the universe (and outside the universe!) is God. What He says of our situation is the truth.

He says that we are sinners by nature – turned against Him. In fact, God is careful to give us the damning diagnosis in order to declare the cure. He says in Romans 3:10-18 (ESV), “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Wow. This is an accurate description of both humanity collectively and each individual person. We are wicked inside, no matter how much we try to sugar coat things on the surface. I know my self-centered and nasty ways. I know my complaining and bitter attitude. I know my tendency to bring ruin and misery to people and situations. I know that I have no peace of my own.

Here is the good news. God brings righteousness to us as a gift. (Righteousness is a fancy word meaning “right functioning” or “the way things ought to be in God’s eyes.”) How does He bring this rightness to us? He does so by His Son, Jesus Christ. All of the Old Testament (the Law and the Prophets) points to Him, and all of the New Testament reveals Him. When we choose to stake our lives on Jesus Christ, we gain the righteousness of God as a gift. Here the words of Romans 3:21-24 (ESV), “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus declared Himself to be “the Way” (John 14:6). He is the Way to God and, thereby, the Way to avoid Hell. To be near to God is to be far from Hell, because Hell is a place of torment where people get their ultimate wish of being away from the God Who clearly revealed Himself in the Bible. If people want to be separated from God, they will be. Sin will stand forever between them and God. Hell is the culmination of rebellion against God and the desire to be our own savior. God dignifies the person who says, “I don’t want You or Your Way,” by giving to them eternal separation from Him. This separation will be Hell.

Jesus, however, is the Way to God. Jesus died on the Cross to pay for our sin, and He rose from the grave to empower us to live in relationship with God.

5) Satan would like you to believe misconceptions about Hell. God wants you to know the Truth.

Please do not allow comics, fiction, or false belief systems to skew your thinking about the very real truth of Hell. The devil is hoping you will be confused and accepting of lies and half-truths. He is counting on the fact that you will not take time to investigate what God actually says about eternity. He is hoping you will just believe culture’s portrayal of Heaven and Hell.

God wants you to know the Truth – that is Truth with a capital “T” – and His name is Jesus.

By Shelli S. Prindle

The Answer to Self-Esteem Issues

Posted on September 6, 2011 by admin

True confidence for living comes only from God, the One who invests Himself in us. Self-esteem is not necessary when a person comes to understand who he is in Christ; for that individual will know Jesus-esteem! She will realize that God, who fashioned the universe, has now taken her up as an enterprise!

Philippians 1:6 (NASB) states clearly, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The Greek root behind “work” in this verse implies “business, employment, that with which anyone is occupied, enterprise; an accomplishment of hand, art, industry, or mind.” Wow! Imagine that a single human being on this celestial orb can be an enterprise of God! You can be an accomplishment of the very mind and hand of the Almighty!

Not only can we be a work of God; we are a “good” work of God. “Good” in this context means “useful, pleasant, excellent, distinguished, or honorable.” When a man comes to Jesus for salvation, his life becomes a good life, in the sense that his life is now honorable and excellent. His life now serves the purpose of bringing God’s ways to the forefront. Our life now brings with it wherever we go the sweet fragrance of grace and the excellence of truth. A woman finds reason to live in the fact that she is useful to her Creator and to every part of the world to which He has commissioned here to take His glory and righteousness.

Amazingly, this good work of God in us will be completed – despite all the troubles of the world and the inconsistencies of humanity. Philippians 1:6 declares that “[God] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The concept of “perfect” implies “bringing to fulfillment or completion.” It is the same root behind Hebrews 12:2, which promises that Jesus is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith. What He starts, He will surely complete. Many a project of man has been left in the dust – to disintegrate and be forgotten. Not so the project of God!

In fact, contrast happily the work of God to the work of the devil. No matter how diligently, methodically, and diabolically Satan labors to bring about his destructive desires; we know that his work comes to an end. I John 3:8 (NASB) is a verse of huge and comforting proportions: “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” The business of Satan is the promotion of sin and its ultimate outcome – death. Well, his enterprise is crushed by Jesus!

When John here tells us that Satan’s work is destroyed by Jesus, the Greek root means, “loosen, undo, dissolve.” Whatever the devil assumes he has accomplished, God absolutely undoes it. The Creator of all reality can dissolve whatever Satan has tried to assemble. A pivotal example is Jesus’ prophetic claim when He spoke of His body as a temple in John 2:19 (NASB), “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” In other words, it is as if God said, “Go ahead, devil, and do your work. It will be undone. I will dissolve your effort and raise mine up forever.”

Thank you, God, that the good work you do in your people will be brought to completion; it will not fail. Conversely, whatever the enemy tries to do will be undone. What an awesome God! And – to think – He works in you and me.

Endure

Posted on April 14, 2011 by admin

“And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” – Matthew 10:22 (ESV)

Reality check: Genuine followers of Jesus Christ will have a rough time of it in this lifetime, and endurance is required. Jesus was speaking to His hand-picked group of twelve apostles when He warns, “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, ESV). Yes, God is brutally and lovingly honest with His own.

When Jesus alerted His followers of the persecution they would surely face because of their relationship to Him, Jesus had already been accused of blasphemy and of casting out demons by the power of Satan. The unbelieving world proved ferocious. The people were determined to discourage and destroy the Son of God, as they were fueled by their “father,” the devil. Certainly, Jesus instructed His disciples that we who follow Him will also come under direct attack of the powers of darkness working through people and circumstances. What is the response we are to have in the middle of this fierce hatred? Persevere to the end, and God will take care of everything in ways unimaginable.

My heart is thrilled by the terms our Savior uses here, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” In other words, the end is not the end; it is essentially the beginning of a real and tangible salvation of our whole being. God saves us now from sin, then we endure through the persecution of the enemy during our brief lifetime, and finally God saves us completely and in all ways from every hint of destruction that sin promotes. As we have been saved from the power of sin, so we shall be saved from the possibility of sin’s damning effects and given the promise of the redemption of the entire universe.

For now, the battle rages. For now, the devil tempts us at every turn. For now, the light in our hearts is scorned by those in darkness. For now, we hear the words of Jesus and realize we must continue to bear up under every evil plot; and we are not alone. When encouraging the disciples not to be fearful in the face of confrontation, Jesus promised that “it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:20, ESV). Clearly, God’s own Spirit residing in us provides the wisdom needed in what to say and the power needed to keep trekking forward through the forest of wickedness. With the Holy Spirit in us, where shall we find excuse to give in? With Jesus having given everything of Himself on our behalf, how shall we claim we are not loved deeply enough to go on? With the Father’s plan prevailing and ready to be entirely revealed, why should we give up?

Endure to the end – to the end of this age, because the end is the beginning of the fullness of God’s kingdom (Revelation 11:15). Persevere until the end – until death or His return. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Can you believe it? There it is, spoken by the Lord of All, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Get a Taste of This Kingdom!

Posted on April 5, 2011 by admin

Weariness. Struggle. Disappointment. Separation. Helplessness. Grief. Illness. Battle. Pain. Regret. Fear. Disillusionment. Sorrow. These are just a few of the words to describe parts of our experience in the kingdom of this world. By “this world,” I mean the aggregate of all things earthly – the entire system of this currently broken cosmos. Temporarily, Satan is permitted to exert influence and humans are free to rebel against God. Hence, the Psalmist notes, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed” (Psalm 2:2, ESV). The apostle Paul also reminds us of the devil who is “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2, ESV). The force of evil rebellion is wielded, and God’s creation suffers.

Enter Jesus Christ. Diving wholeheartedly into the mess, Jesus begins to tread the dirt of this earth two millennia ago. At the inauguration of His ministry, he walked to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee and began preaching some of the sweetest words I have ever heard, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17, ESV). The kingdom of heaven is at hand! Praise God! We can now begin to sense the infiltration of a kingdom ruled by what is right; the invasion of all we have longed for has begun!

Just in case we are questioning what the rule of God’s righteousness is honestly like, Jesus works His way through all of Galilee “teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matthew 4:23, ESV). Did you catch the wonderment of His action? Jesus healed every disease and affliction that broken humans could present to Him. He single-handedly demonstrated the heart of God . . . to cure what ails and destroys us. This heart of God prevails with the kingdom of heaven, so let us go back to Jesus’ prescription for the ushering in of that glorious kingdom.

Jesus exhorted, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The prerequisite for my part in this kingdom is repentance. I must rightfully acknowledge my guilt in the hellish schemes of a sinful heart. I must confess that I am a sinner, and that I desire to be forgiven of my sins. The gist of repentance bids me go further – to agree to turn away from sin and toward God by the power Jesus grants to me. A repentant heart says, “I run to God and away from sin; and I desire to never look back, even though I know the cost will be great.”

You will notice that after calling people to repentance in anticipation of God’s kingdom, Jesus approaches individuals and asks them to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-22) – not just in a walk by the lake, but in a walk of self-denial and God-exaltation. He asks Peter and Andrew to come with Him, and both men left their fishing nets and embarked on a relationship with Jesus Christ. They deemed Him worth the adventure and all that would be asked of them.

After the call to repentance and the invitation to follow in the everyday walk of life, Jesus begins to display the heart of the heavenly kingdom with His miracles. How overjoyed the disciples must have been to begin realizing the momentous nature of that of which they had become a part. God wants things right! He wants our hearts right, our words right, our actions right, our relationships right, our bodies right, and our universe right! Jesus began in that small province in the Middle East to shine forth hints of what the kingdom of heaven is, and what indescribable joy we shall experience when – finally – “the kingdom of the world [becomes] the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (Revelation 11:15, ESV).

Friends, as surely as the words of John 3:16 are true, the words of Revelation 11:15 are true. One day this world’s dark kingdom will be replaced with the kingdom of our Lord. Then we will witness in full what Galileans witnessed in part in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. We will see with our own eyes afflictions disappear, weariness turn to strength, love prevail without challenge, grief be obliterated, fear become trust, sorrow vanish, regret run away, the earth be restored to perfection . . . and Jesus take charge forever.

Get a taste of this kingdom now, and join me one day when we feast together with our Savior!

Troubled by the Tribulation

Posted on April 30, 2010 by admin

Recently a group of second grade students at my school was very much troubled by the tribulation. Some had become fixated on the number “666” as their little minds pondered the end times. A few had actually become afraid of the devil’s work as the day of Christ’s return approaches.

As a principal who loves my students and loves the Word of God, I was happy to visit the classroom personally and attempt – by God’s Holy Spirit – to calm these precious souls.

I emphasized three basic points for these adorable, inquisitive kids:

1) The reality of God’s power and control,
2) The reason for Jesus’ second coming for Christians, and
3) The status of heart Jesus wants us to have regarding the end of time.

I found that the reiteration of these basic, Biblical principles did me a world of good! I hope a brief discussion of each vital concept will lift your heart today.

1) The reality of God’s power and control

Follow-up: No one made God because He is the biggest and most powerful. He had no beginning, and no one can stop Him or His plan!

Question: Who made Satan?
Answer: God.

Follow-up: Though first created as Lucifer, an angel of light, the devil is only a created being. Therefore, He is nothing compared to God, His Creator. He is no match for Jesus in any way, shape, or form! (Even in the desperation of the end times.)

2) The reason for Jesus’ second coming for Christians (based on Hebrews 9:28)

Question: Why is Jesus coming back the second time?
Answer: To rescue us!

Follow-up: We are forgiven because Jesus came to Earth the first time to bear our sins on the cross.

When He comes the second time, He will rescue us from all of sin’s effects and influence.

In the Greek, the word for “salvation” here is equated to “deliverance” or “rescue.”

Jesus is coming back to make us completely safe! No more will we battle sin, no more will people hurt one another, no more will anyone be sick or die.

3) The status of heart Jesus wants us to have regarding the end of time.

Follow-up: When we think about the New heaven and the New Earth that Jesus is making for us, we ought to do so with a heart that is untroubled.

Though Jesus has left the Earth for now, He wants us to know that He is completely trustworthy. He made this world and all its glorious contents, and He is making the next world. The difference is that the world to come will be perfect and complete because God will have His way unhindered there!

In the meantime, do not become unduly focused on the details of the end of time. Rather, become intently focused on the God of all power, Who is returning to rescue us, and Who wants us to be untroubled in the meantime.”

May this response to a second grade concern comfort our adult hearts. God’s Word is beautiful in its simplicity for all!