Heaven or Hell? Matthew 7:13-14, 21-27
by Cooper Abrams |
"Hell" - 30 times
"Grave" - 31 times
"Pit" - 3 times
The Hebrew word is not found outside the Old Testament except one time and means means, a grave or the place of the dead.
(2) Rich man died and went to Hell or Hades He could see Abraham a way off(v23), yet V26 says there was a great gulf, between them.
(3) Thus Hebrew "Sheol", meant the place of all departed spirits of men, both lost and saved and it was divided into two parts or sections.
(4) Paradise, was the side for saved, & the other side was for the lost.
(5) The side for for the Lost was place of torment. V24
3. "Gehenna," Greek word, used 12 times in the NEW TESTAMENT and is always correctly translated, "hell".
Josiah (boy king of Israel, good king) stopped the infant sacrifices there, and the place became a garbage dump for Jerusalem. It was a place of filth, sorrow, smoke, fire and death.
"Gehenna" or the "Lake of Fire" is God's final dumping place for all those that reject Him. Jesus said in Matthew 25:41, that hell was ". . . prepared for the devil and his angels." Hell was not prepared for man, but for Satan, fallen angels (demons), but those that die in their sins without Christ chose to go there.
B. Gehenna - Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30, is place of outer darkness where the unsaved are cast to spend eternity after the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. 2 Peter 2:17 describes it as a "mist of darkness."
B. What will it be like? The Bible literally describes Gehenna as:
It is called a place of Punishment: Matt. 25:46
Chains: II Thess. 1:8
Darkness: Matt. 8:12
Destruction: II Thess. 1:9
B. You must make the choice.
God says, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:16-19).
The narrow way is called the way of life and those on this road are believers having accepted God's word and received Jesus Christ as their Savior. This road is marked by obedient people who love God and Him word. This road takes a person to heaven.
3. It is choice between one of two deaths. One the death of the declared righteous who when they die wake up in the presence of God in heaven, or it is the death of those who will not believe and who reject God free offer of salvation who wake up in the flames of hell.
4. Choice between two destinies: Life which means Heaven or Death which means Hell.
2. Of Death: We all have a sure appointment with physical death.
3. Of Eternity: Heaven or Hell?
Where a person will spend eternity is:
2. Not by education, or social standing. Revelation 20:12 says at the final judgment of the lost there will be both the small and great.
3. Not by works! It is not how good you are or what church you belong to or what works you have done! It is solely a matter of the grace of God given to all who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior by faith alone. Eph. 2:8-9
Matt. 7:21-22 says there will be in hell some very religious people who knew of Jesus, who did a lot of wonderful works, and even miracles, yet Jesus said He did not know them and what they did was a work of iniquity! These people are church members who had a head knowledge of Jesus, but did not repent of their sins and put their trust in Him and Him alone. Probably many of these people believed that their good works, baptism, church membership, sacraments, etc would get them to heaven. These are those that have added works to God's grace, instead of trusting in Christ's shed blood alone for salvation they tried to merit or earn their passage to heaven. The Bible is clear on this matter. It is by grace alone a part from any work or righteous act of man.
4. John 3:18 "He that hath believed on Him is not condemned:, but he that does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
What kind of doctor would not tell you the truth that would help you? Wouldn't you rather he tell you the truth, and tell you of the problem and about the cure?
Suppose he told you of the problem and also the cure, then told you the decisions would be yours. That is the way it should be isn't it?
You could choose not to believe him and to ignore it and say, "I feel fine, nothing wrong with me" or you could thank him for telling you to the truth, submit to the operation, so you could be cured!
What would be the best for you to do!?
They built their lives on the sand of false hopes, hoping their good works, church membership, baptism or something will keep them from hell...yet when the time of judgment comes the end it sure...they fall and great is their fall.
Many ignore God's offer of salvation, some put it off for some future day, thinking they have the time. To not to chose now to believe and ask God's forgiveness is a dangerous thing.
It is always encouraging to receive email from those who find the messages helpful, or who have comments.
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