What Would It Take For You To Respond?
What would it take to get you to respond at the end of this lesson? Would it take a hellfire and brimstone sermon? One that informs you of all the things that are wrong in your life, what the Bible says awaits sinners, informing you that you have no hope without Christ, and eternal burning is ahead for you. One of those sermons where the preacher slaps his Bible, pounds on the pulpit, points his finger at you, and threatens you with doom and despair in outer darkness. Hell is depicted in Scripture as a very nasty place from which there is no escape. The punishment of the wicked…in hell is described throughout Scripture as “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41), “unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12), “shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2), a place where “the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44-49), a place of “torment” and “fire” (Luke 16:23-24), a place where “the smoke of torment rises forever and ever” (Revelation 14:10-11), and a “lake of burning sulfur” where the wicked are “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Paul was blunt about the fate of those who reject the gospel of salvation through Christ alone (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
What would it take to get you to respond at the end of this lesson? Would it take a message of love that encourages you to do better, along with promises of aid from the Holy Spirit to help, coupled with readings about mercy, grace, and forgiveness?
a. God does love you (John 3:16).
b. He demonstrated His love for you by sending Jesus (Acts 20:28).
A balanced, biblical message consists of the reality of hell, a warning to escape it, teaching on God’s offering of salvation, an explanation of what man must do to receive this free gift (Romans 6:23), and the opportunity must be extended for listeners to come to God through the blood of Christ which was shed on the cross for our sins.