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“[The Lord] is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. —2 Peter 3.9

THE HEARTBREAK OF HEAVEN

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. —Matthew 25:31-34

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. —Matthew 25:41

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. —Matthew 25:46

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JUDGMENT

The biblical concept of salvation goes hand in hand with the biblical concept of judgment. They are two

of the same coin.

must be identified and dealt with.

Can a God who doesn’t pass judgment on evil really be called good?

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A BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF HELL

Hell: A word to describe the coming

of human sin.

The Bible sometimes uses the word “hell” to describe the current, earthly, natural consequences we expereince when we follow sin.

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? —Matthew 23.33

Gehenna: The burning rubbish heap outside the city of Jerusalem. Jesus often used this word to describe the

of sin.

But, the Bible also tells us about an eternal destiny for those who reject God’s offer of new creation and eternal life.

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. —Matthew 25.46

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. —2 Thessalonians 1.9

How the Bible describes eternity apart from Christ:

• “fiery hell” (Matthew 18.9)
• “where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9.48)
• “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, with no rest day and night” (Revelation 14.11)
• “furnace of fire’ in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13.42)

“…the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” —Matthew 25.41

God doesn’t send people to hell, God

people from the hell we’re already destined toward.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” —Ephesians 2.1-7

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QUESTIONS:

What’s the difference between “hell” and the lake of fire?

…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. —Revelation 20.10

And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. —Revelation 20.13-15

If there is to be no sorrow and no tears in heaven, will we not know when people we love don’t make it there? Will we not miss them for eternity?

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” —Revelation 21.4

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THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. —2 Corinthians 5.11

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” —2 Corinthians 5.18-20

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What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you through today’s message?

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