In our daily meditations over the past few weeks, we have explored the concept of eternity and what happens to people after they die. Today, we address a subject that, for the most part, is avoided by pastors and teachers, and one that many of us would prefer to steer clear of if possible—the topic of Hell. There is a story about C. S. Lewis listening to a young preacher's sermon on God's judgment of sin. At the end of his message, the young man said, "If you do not receive Christ as Savior, you will suffer grave eschatological ramifications!" After the service, Lewis asked him, "Do you mean that a person who doesn't believe in Christ will go to Hell?" "Precisely," was his response. "Then say so," Lewis replied.[1] Although examining this aspect of eternity may make us uncomfortable, it’s important for all of us to consider it thoughtfully.
Some would say, "Can't we just bypass the topic of Hell?" Charles Spurgeon, the great English preacher, once said, "Think lightly of Hell, and you will think lightly of the cross of Christ. Think little of the sufferings of lost souls, and you will soon think little of the Savior who delivers you from them." Some individuals may shun the concept of Hell because they prefer to see death as an ending when it is just the beginning. Once we genuinely grasp what is at stake—our fate without Christ—we will appreciate much more what Christ accomplished for us on the cross.
There is significant interest today in life after death and near-death experiences. It is easy to find a book on this topic. Dr. Maurice S. Rawlings, in his book To Hell and Back, researching near-death experiences, reports that some individuals experienced Hell but had those memories repressed after a few days. He noted that, as a rule, people remember positive experiences and forget negative ones. Therefore, if the interview is delayed slightly, whether days, weeks, or months later, only the favorable experiences will be recalled.
Dr. Rawlings recounts the story of a young man who described his experience after undergoing an operation to insert a pacemaker into his heart. He stated that he entered a place or state that he perceived as Hell. The young man reported traveling through a tunnel that led to the light, which then suddenly caught fire. He felt as though he was moving rapidly toward a lake of fire, resembling an oil spill ablaze. He observed elongated shadows of people walking back and forth, reminiscent of animals caged in a zoo. The man was so distressed that he called out, "Jesus is Lord," and in an instant, he was aware of being back in his body.
Dr. Rawlings recounts an experience of performing CPR on a patient who had just received a pacemaker and was on the brink of death. The patient repeatedly returned to consciousness, pleading with Dr. Rawlings to pray for him as he cried out that he was in Hell. Initially reluctant to pray for the man since he wasn't a believer at the time, Dr. Rawlings ultimately offered the man a prayer due to his distress, asking Jesus Christ to keep him out of Hell. The man immediately calmed down, no longer screaming in panic. Dr. Rawlings notes that this incident profoundly affected him, leading him to give his life to Christ. While Dr. Rawlings is not a theologian or minister, he is an impartial doctor who has documented the experiences of the patients he has resuscitated.
Many people claim to have had near-death experiences, but there's no way to know which ones are valid. It's reasonable to assume that if God allowed Paul to be caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), and if Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father before he died (Acts 7:55), then there may be individuals today who are granted a glimpse of what lies beyond this life.
Our faith, however, must rest on God's Word and not on an experience. After all, some would have us believe that everyone, regardless of their beliefs or the lives they lived, will be welcomed by the brilliant light and ushered into a peaceful eternity. However, this does not align with Scripture. Jesus embodied both love and truth. He did not withhold anything from His disciples, and we should examine this topic closely, for none of us want to end up there. Over the next few days, we will discuss what the Holy Scriptures say about Hell. Keith Thomas
Taken from the series Insights into Eternity. Click on study 4 or this link: The Truth About Hell.
YouTube video teachings at: https://www.youtube.com/@keiththomas7/videos
[1] Taken from: http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/Hell.html
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