
Jesus warned more about hell than He taught about heaven.
“Fear only God, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” —Matthew 10:28
“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands.” —Mark 9:43
“Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” —Matthew 25:41
Why?
The simplest and purest answer: love.
Why so severe?
Sin. Sin is like cancer; it’s unrelenting in deceiving, killing and has condemned all of humanity to spiritual death.
When we read of God’s wrath and severe judgment of sin, He’s revealing His passionate zeal to consume that which destroys His objects of love. —Matt Candler
In essence sin is the refusal to live entirely and only for God’s glory and to worship Him with the intention of total obedience. (Romans 1:21, 3:23)
We think God is extreme in His commitment to judge sin because we don’t understand the destructive nature of sin and the human plague that it is.
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” —John 8:34
As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature. It is so sadly there, so abundantly there, that if you cannot detect it, you are deceived. —Charles H. Spurgeon
“From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you…” —Matthew 15:19-20
“You are nothing more than tombs painted with fresh coats of white paint—tombs that look shining and beautiful on the outside, but within are found decaying corpses full of nothing but corruption. Outwardly you masquerade as righteous people, but inside your hearts you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” —Matthew 23:27-28
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. —Ephesians 2:1
The corruption that was in us from birth was expressed through the deeds and desires of our self-centered life. We lived by whatever natural cravings and thoughts our minds dictated, living as rebellious children subject to God’s wrath like everyone else. —Ephesians 2:3
The recognition of sin is the beginning of salvation. —Martin Luther
The Rescue Plan
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. —2 Corinthians 5:21
But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. —Ephesians 2:4-5
God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus.
—Romans 3:26
“For this is how much God loved the world—He gave His one and only Son as a gift. So everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life.” —John 3:16