What is Hell really like?

Has anyone ever told you to go die in hell? My guess is that they were not being as mean as they intended to be...one only wishes they could die in hell; it's torment is eternal. I recently saw a bumper sticker that said, "The party in hell has been cancelled due to the fire". I know a lot of people that are going to be disappointed! Without giving it much thought, we mortals assume that if hell even exists, it is worth going to so that we can have fun while still 'alive'. Many of us believe in heaven but refuse to believe in hell. That's like believing that the Philadelphia Eagles did indeed win the Superbowl, but that the New England Patriots did not necessarily lose. What keeps many souls from buying into the whole idea of hell is that they cannot believe that our loving God would be so cruel. With so much at stake, I say we ask God about it Himself, by opening his word. (Opening the word of God is opening his mouth!)

Could God be so cruel?

Why would our God, who is love, prepare such a place of torment for us? Actually, he didn't. It was prepared for the devil and his angels. "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:" - Matthew 25:41 Then, once sin entered into the hearts of man, our death became certain. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." - Genesis 2:17 Since we are all born in the image of Adam, we are all born into sin and death, and all sin is always directed toward God. Since God is pure holiness and righteousness, He cannot tolerate sin. It is the very wrath of God that burns against the wicked and disobedient that is hell. "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;" 
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Jesus warns us of hell

"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." 
-Matthew 10:28

"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." 
- Matthew 13:49-50

"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: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 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: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 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: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. - Mark 9:43-48 (Note here that Jesus is quoting scripture, from the prophet Isaiah, spoken 700 years prior. "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." - Isaiah 66:24)

God does not want a one of us to suffer

Fortunately for us, it is not God's will that any of us should suffer. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 In fact, He pardons us abundantly! "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." - Isaiah 55:7 What about the people who have never heard of our loving God? He wouldn't send them to hell, right?  "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." - Romans 1:19-21 God will show Himself to everyone! 

As hard as it is to think about hell, it weighs much more heavily on my heart the fact that God sent his only begotten son to it in our place. "Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?" - Ephesians 4:9  Not only did Jesus endure hell while never having sinned a day in His life, He actually became our sin for us. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 The only thing worse than letting Jesus take the fall for us, is letting Him do it for nothing. Right now, Jesus is preparing a very, very special place for us, and it is ours for the asking! "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." - John 14:2 It truly is your choice; you can choose to spend eternity wailing and gnashing your teeth where your worm dieth not in flames, or you can choose to live in the mansion Jesus prepared for you.  Can we call this a no-brainer?! Determine your eternity today by praying this prayer, and meaning it with all your heart:

Heavenly Father, 

I know that I am a sinner, 

and unless I accept your gift of salvation, 

I am lost forever. 

I thank you for sending your son to die for me 

and save me from an eternity in hell.  

I now receive Jesus as my Savior. 

In His holy name, I pray.

Or, if you're in a hurry - 

"Jesus save me!" 

Sidenote: Before you go digging into your bible, it is important to know that the word 'hell' is found in the Authorized King James Version 54 times. All the new translations have it much fewer times. In fact, many have taken it the hell out. 

  New King James Version….......32 times

  New International Version…....…14 times

  New American Standard Bible…13 times

  American Standard Version….…13 times

  New Living Translation………….13 times

  Revised Standard Version…......12 times

  New American Bible………......…0 times!

Although you can learn from any bible, it is in many bible scholar's opinions (and my beginner's mind) that the words in the Authorized King James Version of 1611 are God's preserved words. "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." - Psalms 12:6-7 

Please remember, BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, not a Bible scholar. If something doesn't look quite right to you, dig into God's word. The one thing I promise you is that you won't get bored! Many thanks to my friend Renee Driscoll, who helps me keep Bible Bait Biblically correct.

What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?

Over 1 million couples will file as married on this year's tax form, for the last time. That is, until they get married again, and risk an even greater rate of divorce. More people file for divorce the day after the federal tax deadline than any other day of the year, when the couple's monetary worth is revealed. What is the true measure of a couple's worth? Let's go to the Bible to find out, since after all, marriage is a covenant that we made with our spouse and God.  

The first Bible search word that came to my mind regarding marriage was 'long-suffering'. (Tee hee hee - I couldn't help myself!) Actually, in Ephesians 4 it says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love".  This is the measure of your patience, and the real test of patience is not in the waiting, but in how one acts while he or she is waiting. 

I know I can wait quite patiently when I distract myself by stewing a plan of vengeance. Obviously, this is not good idea. These verses in Romans 12 remind us that God will take care of repaying wrongs… "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." I imagine God's disappointment and punishment can far outweigh mine. 'Tis best to just forgive.

How do we measure up in the forgiveness department? In Colossians 3 it says, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." 

The next verse goes on the say, "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." Hmm…charity; the highest form of love from God, far surpassing erotic and emotional love. This is unconditional love at it's finest, and must be what they are talking about when they say you must love your spouse even when you don't like them. 

Let's say it goes way beyond not liking your spouse. Let's say we don't even want to breath the same air as they are. Let's say, as the Bible says, we want to "put them away". Can we? This is what the Pharisees asked Jesus, and our Lord's response was,  "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19) That last sentence always gets me. 

If one is really searching, there are two (and only two) reasons a divorce is tolerated by our God.  The first reason Jesus reveals in later in Matthew 19, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Therefore, if your partner has been unfaithful, you are pardoned. And the second reason, as told by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 7, is if your spouse is not a believer in Christ as his or her Savior, and leaves you. (You cannot, however, leave them if they wish to stay.) 

As always, it is best if we follow God's own example. He 'married' us when we came to believe in His Son, as we are the Church, the bride of Christ.  There is absolutely nothing we could possibly do that would cause Him to leave us. How blessed are we?!

Divorce, as very hard as it is, is actually the easy way out. Staying married is much harder work, yet this endeavor is what God wants of us. If pleasing God is not enough motivation for us to bear through it, maybe not pleasing Satan is. One of the prince of lies' most successful plans to win souls has been the break-up of the family unit. United we stand against him. What it looks like we really need to do is to take to heart Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's quote: “The worst reconciliation is better than the best divorce”  Since our marriage reflects our relationship with God, there is nothing we should want more than for it to be overflowing with charity. 

Please remember, BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, (who happens to be divorced and remarried) not a Bible scholar. If something doesn't look quite right to you, dig into God's word. The one thing I promise you is that you won't get bored! Many thanks to my Bible study friends who proofread for me every week.