The Doctrine And Reality Of Hell

The Reality of Death, Judgment, and the Need for a Savior

Well, there are certain facts in life that may not be pleasant, but are certainly true. Did you know in 2015, approximately 55 million people died? Every day, that's 150 ,000 people. Every hour, that's 6 ,000 people.

Every minute, that's 105 people. And every second, that's about 2 people. Of course, we know the wages of sin is death, and we know that it's appointed for man once to die, and then judgment, right? It's true.

We understand these things. Sobering, solemn, but true. Jesus was asked about people dying, and he said this. The background is there were some present at the very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And Jesus answered them, Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? Jesus said, No, I tell you, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

When we see other people die, of course, we're saddened and we grieve, but we also have to think, What about us? We, in fact, are going to die one day. The passage goes on, Were the 18 on whom the Tower of Siloam fell and killed them?

Do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? And Jesus said, No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Jesus is called Savior for a reason.

Jesus is called Deliverer for a reason. Jesus is called Rescuer for a reason, because he saves us from the consequences of sin and death and hell itself, from the wrath of God. That's why when we talk about Jesus, that he came to seek and save the lost, what kind of Savior is he?

He's the Savior that he saves from the worst thing, and that is the wrath of an angry God. At this church, we're not universalists. We don't believe everybody who dies go to heaven. And for us, we need to be reminded on a regular basis that the Bible speaks of judgment.

Did you know 13 of Jesus' ministry when he preached was on judgment and hell? And so, what has happened in evangelicalism has just kind of disappeared. You don't hear about judgment. It doesn't pack people in.

When visitors come and they hear a sermon about hell or judgment, will they ever return? It is in fact a sobering, scary, frightening thought to think about the judgment of God. But it's true. I was contemplating Robert Murray McShane's words in 1843.

He was a pastor. He died when he was 29, and he thought about things this way. As I was walking in the fields, the thought came over me with an almost overwhelming power, that every one of my flock must soon be in heaven or hell.

Oh, how I wished I had a tongue like thunder that I might make all hear, or that I had a frame like iron that I might visit everyone and say, escape for thy life. And the charge is no different for me.

Every one of you, including myself, will one day die. And then we'll stand before God. Paul said in 2 Corinthians, Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As true as hell is, as true as judgment is, there's escape, there's rescue, there's hope, because we have a Savior and a Deliverer.

I thought to myself this week, if we don't learn about judgment and hell in church, where will we learn it? Where will we learn it? If parents don't teach it to their children, where will the children learn it?

I mean, in our world we have a God who's confined to just, he's a God of love only. He's a kind God only. He has wide mercy for everyone only. Of course God is merciful and compassionate and kind and loving, but he's also righteous and holy and just.

Today we're going to look at the doctrine of judgment and hell, and here's what I want from you, dear Christian. I can think of nothing in my life that makes me more thankful than to study this doctrine.

Because of the Lord Jesus, I don't have to go. Because of the Lord Jesus, all you who are trusting in him, you don't have to go. Talk about guilt, grace, gratitude. Knowing what we've earned and knowing what we get, we sing the song about on Jesus's merit alone.

If you would like to have your thankfulness increased, this is the doctrine. Additionally, I know many of you because you, I know many of you want to be good evangelists and you have a desire to tell the good news to people that tell them that they can have their sins forgiven by trusting in the risen Savior.

This is a doctrine that not only helps us with our thankfulness, it helps us with our evangelism. Because every person who's walking on earth has an eternal soul. And we have been given the privilege, the responsibility to tell people the good news.

And so many times I think to myself, Lord, I complain too much, I'm not very thankful, I'd like to be more thankful and I'd like to tell people the good news more. This is the motivating doctrine for both of those.

And of course it's true that if you're here today and you're not trusting on the risen Savior, the Lord Jesus, there's hope for you, but this is your destiny unless you repent. Take your Bibles and turn to the Gospel of Matthew, please.

Matthew chapter 10. We're typically in books of the Bible going verse by verse. We've been going through the book of Ecclesiastes. We'll be in chapter 4 soon. My brother, Pat Abendroth, will be here next Sunday school hour.

Pastor Steve's going to interview Pat and I. He's also a pastor. And then he'll be preaching here next Sunday. So before I get into Ecclesiastes and then step out again for Pat, I wanted to make sure I talk about something that is very important.

I mean, I could ask you this. When's the last time you heard a sermon about hell? We don't hear them very often, but we need to. And so today we're going to look at the Gospel of Matthew and we're going to see from Jesus' words, is hell true and what can we learn about it from the Gospel of Matthew?

I mean, the world says hell all the time. I think about even, you know, in ways like Patton, you know, he's hell on wheels or all hell's broken loose. And they say, I've gone through a trial and I've been through hell, but I don't think they really mean what we mean when we die.

And I think probably this last year with COVID, people are very, very afraid. They're afraid of catching COVID. They're afraid of dying. And ultimately that points to what happens after you die. I don't think it's really the fear of COVID.

I think it's the fear of what happens when they die because in fact it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. And for us at Bethlehem Bible Church, we believe that this is real and we believe that Jesus rescues people from this.

That's why we praise Him. Newsweek called hell theology's H-word. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said hell is an odious conception, blasphemous in its view of the Creator. You can call it crass. You can call it vulgar.

You can call it rude. You can call it wicked. You can call it stupid. You can call it pagan, but it's true. One person said hell is the carrot and the stick in the chain letter that's called Christianity.

Richard Dawson said if hell were plausible, it would only have to be moderately unpleasant in order to deter. Given the fact that it's so unlikely to be true, it has to be advertised as a very, very scary thing indeed.

I was reading one writer. He said, you know what? Hell has disappeared and nobody noticed. But when you study the words of Jesus, and of course when you see the words of Jesus in red, it doesn't mean that they're more important.

It just helps you see, oh, those are Jesus's words. And when you read Jesus's words, he talked about this. And by the way, as Christians, we realize that if you're saved from just a few trials and temptations, well, maybe that's not such a great salvation.

But if you're saved from sin and death and Satan and hell and punishment and wrath, that salvation is greater, right? The more we think we deserve, rightly deserve, and the realization of what we receive in Christ, the praise increases.

Liberals don't talk about it. Evangelicals don't seem to talk about it. You could probably summarize mainstream Christianity using the words of John Lennon, no hell below us, above us only sky. Before we look at Matthew, I guess I could ask the question, do you believe in hell?

Now for me, I don't really want to believe in such a place, but I put myself under the Word of God, right? Is all Scripture profitable? Yes, it is because it's God-breathed. It's important. And if God somehow made a mistake by putting hell in the Bible, we don't want to go down that rationale.

What's in Scripture is in Scripture and it's for our good. We might not feel good when we talk about it. I don't feel good preaching the message. There'll be probably zero comic relief in it because I lament over the fact that it's true.

And I praise God over the fact that I don't have to go, and neither do you, if you trust in the Lord. We are tempted to say to ourselves, I don't feel like this could be true, so it can't be true. There are too many dominoes that will happen in my life, if in fact it's true.

But dear friend, we submit to God's Word, and we put ourselves under God's Word, and we learn God's Word with a humble attitude. We don't pick and choose what's in the Bible. Westminster Larger Catechism said, the punishments of sin in the world to come are everlasting separation from the comfortable presence of God, and most grievous torments in soul and body without intermission in hell forever.

Hell Is Awful Because God Is There

So the outline today is simple. Five passages in the Gospel of Matthew from Jesus' words that will inform us about hell, so that you Christian might respond with praise, thanksgiving, evangelism, and if you're not a Christian here today, that you trust in the Lord's merciful, forgiving hand.

Five passages designed for you to be thankful that you're a Christian, to be thankful that you don't have to go there, to be certain. Passage number one, Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10. Let me read verse 28, Matthew 10.

And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. What makes hell so awful? Now, if you're a philosopher like Sartre, you'd say hell is other people.

People bug you so much that this is hell. What makes hell, hell? There's an allegory of the long spoons, and it says people in heaven and in hell have these super long spoons and they need to eat. And in heaven, you realize the spoon is so long you can't feed yourself, so you feed other people.

But in hell, everybody's so wicked, they don't feed each other, they starve. Is that what makes hell, hell? What makes hell, hell is God is in hell. Take a look at the passage again. Don't fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.

But rather, fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. It is God there. God is the punisher in hell. God is the avenger in hell. Listen to Revelation 14. In another angel, a third followed them, saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast in its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength in the cup of his anger.

And he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. God is omnipresent, is He not? Yes, He's everywhere. But there's no favor of God in hell.

You could probably think about it this way. What makes hell, hell is being in the presence of God without a mediator. Somebody to go between. Without an advocate, somebody to represent you. Think 1 John 2, verses one and two.

One man said, when Adam and Eve forfeited God's presence in Eden through their rebellion and were cast out, it did not mean that God was no longer present outside Eden. God is omnipresent. And as much as heaven is going to be, we sang about it in the last song, did we not?

What's heaven all about? Just glory? No, no. Heaven's about being in the presence of God. That's what makes heaven, heaven. Not the clouds, not the harps, not the angels, not your family. What makes heaven, heaven is the Lamb who's in the middle of the throne and we give Him worship and honor and power and glory and blessing.

What makes heaven, heaven? God is there. What makes hell, hell? God is there. But not His kindness, not His mercy, not His justice. In heaven, we have a mediator, we have an advocate, we have the risen Son who sits at the right hand of the Father.

In hell, it's full bore of wrath from the Holy God. God makes the heaven wonderful and God makes the hell horrible. Hell is more than just an absence of God. Think about it, and again, think of heaven.

Psalm 16, God, in Your presence there's fullness of what? Joy. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. And then without a mediator, without a go-between, without the advocate, it's just the opposite.

You might remember in Eden, Adam and Eve sinned. They were naked and they were afraid and they ran. They did not want to be in God's presence. In heaven, God provides blessing and wholeness and honor.

In heaven, it's the exact opposite. I quoted before, it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. God rules in hell. Satan does not rule in hell. Rebels don't rule in hell. Oh, I'm going to party with my friends in hell.

I'm going to hang out with Satan. Hell is not Satan's realm. It's under God's sovereign rule. And when we say to someone, Hi friend, are you saved? Yes, I'm saved from ultimately not what? Hell, but from a person.

From a triune God. God Himself. If you think, well, you know, hell means just to be separated from God and He's not around. That's actually probably what every unbeliever wants. But they don't get that.

No, no, not separation from God. But separation from His kind presence. Remember the Aaronic blessing. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His what? Face shine upon you. But not so in hell.

I just have to stop and think to myself. Thank you, Lord, for rescuing me. Are you not glad, dear Christian, that you get to go to heaven based on the work of another? Not because your baptism. Not because you were good.

Not because you did anything else. Sovereign grace. Grace upon grace. When you think about hell and you think, I should go there. And then you realize, I've been saved by grace. Then we sing, amazing grace.

How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. It also makes me want to evangelize. It makes me think, you know what? I have friends and neighbors and relatives. And I don't really want to do that. Oh, if you call me and say, I've got a friend, would you please do it?

I just walk in, right? And it just, there's no issue. But I know about people and everything else. And I think, I have a fear of man. I don't want to have the fear of man. I want to say, this is important.

I'm going to try to figure out how to turn my conversation with unbelievers. To talk about the Lord and who He is. And how God loves sinners. And sent His Son to rescue sinners. And if you're not a believer and you're obstinate.

And you're here today and you say, I will not believe. Then this is your future. It doesn't have to be, but it would be. If you don't repent. Number two, turn to Matthew 13. Five passages in Matthew. There are more passages, by the way, about hell and Matthew.

But we're looking at five only today. They're designed to remind you of the reality of hell. That Jesus taught it. Jesus, as some say, is the theologian of hell. Jesus, friends, created hell. It's a created place.

And this is going to drive us to evangelism. Thankfulness. And for those who don't believe. It's a place of repentance. Matthew 13. Matthew 10 taught hell is awful. Because God is there. And God is fearful.

Here in Matthew 13, we're going to notice that people deserve their punishment. People talk about cruel and unusual punishment. Is hell full of cruel and unusual punishment? Matthew 13, verses 34 and following.

Why are people in hell? Let's find out. Verse 34. All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables. Indeed, He has nothing. He has said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet.

I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.

He answered, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. And the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one. And the enemy who sowed them is the devil.

The harvest is the end of the age. And the reapers are the angels. Verse 40. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire. So will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels.

And they will gather out of His kingdom. All causes of sin. And all lawbreakers. And throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping. And gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun.

In the kingdom of their father. He who has ears. Let him hear. Verse 44. The kingdom of heaven is like the treasure in the field. A man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has.

And buys that field. And again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant. In search of fine pearls. Who on finding one pearl of great value went. Sold all that he had. And bought it. Again the kingdom of heaven is like a net.

That was thrown into the sea. Gathered fish of every kind. When it was full men drew it ashore. Sat down. Sorted the good into containers. But threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out.

And separate the evil. From the righteous. And throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping. And gnashing of teeth. Why are people in hell? Bad luck? No no. Look at verse 41 again.

Sin. They sin against God. They transgress against Him. Law breakers. God has a law. Love me. Love my neighbor. Love your neighbor. Law breaking. Down in verse 49. Evil. The wages of sin is death. The reason why people are in hell.

Is because they are law breakers. Of course we would be there too. But God has rescued us. Because the law keeper the Lord Jesus. Has paid for our penalties. The day that you eat of the tree. You will surely what?

Die. It's not just that you are going to go to hell. Because you are in a bad mood. No no. People say how can God be fair? Is hell fair? Well we could talk about that. But you better get through your mind instead.

God is just. And therefore hell is just. We think too lightly of sin these days. We think that it's just kind of a minor thing. It's a slip up. We have a dysfunction. We have a disease. We have an illness.

When the scriptures talk about sin. As repulsive to God. As an atrocity against God. As an abomination in God's sight. As blasphemy. It's compared to the smell of a grave. In Matthew 23. It's likened to poison in Romans chapter 3.

When the angels are around God. They are sinless. And they still cover their faces in blush. How much more does Abraham a sinner say. I'm dust and ashes. How much more does Job a sinner say. Woe is me.

I abhor myself. Isaiah. Woe is me. Habakkuk says God's eyes are too pure. To approve what? Evil. Oh hell is full of cruel. And unusual punishment. No and no. Cruelty means. You commit a crime. And you get charged extra for it.

You have something more severe. Than what you've done. Something's afflicted upon you. That you didn't earn or deserve. No one who's innocent. Goes to hell. Sinners go to hell. And in hell are only sinners.

I can put it this way. None of us deserve to go to heaven. Right? Not one of us. God doesn't compromise with sin. The reason why people are in hell. It's because of evil. Lawbreaking. Revelation says I saw the great white throne.

And him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away. There's no place found for them. I saw the dead great and small. Standing before the throne. And the books were opened. And another book was opened.

Which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books. According to what they had done. God is just. And what people do. They get punished for it. The punishment fits the crime.

And so when you read in the bible. About hell. You think you know what. This is what sin deserves. Punishment. Torment. Fire. Destruction. Second death. Outer darkness. Weeping. Gnashing of teeth. J .C. Rowell said these are awful expressions.

They call for reflection rather than exposition. They should be pondered. Considered. And remembered by all professing Christians. Oh a loving God would never send anyone to hell. But God is love. And God is holy.

God is just. Sin must be punished. Have we not seen. Too often even in our country. The last ten years. People commit crimes. And they go in and they don't have to pay anything. And they're let off by some DA.

We say that's unjust. Sin against an infant and holy God. Dear friends. I'm thinking to myself. I know I've committed evil. Lawbreaking and sin. Trespasses. Transgressions. Iniquity. Perversity. And I get to go to heaven.

Because Jesus has paid for every one of those. He drank that cup to the last dreg. The last drop rather. And then he's paid for my sins. It is finished. And I friends. Some of you know me well. I get to go to heaven.

I'm thankful for that. And if you're trusting in the Lord Jesus. So do you. And every child that's sitting here. You have an eternal soul. And one day heaven or hell. And you better be trusting in the Lord Jesus.

Every one of you. You don't go to heaven because your daddy is a Christian. You don't go to heaven because your mom's wonderful. You go to church. No. You go to heaven because God freely offers salvation.

And forgiveness. And justification. And sanctification. And glorification. Everything because of Jesus. It's not even really the benefits we get. It's the Lord Jesus who rescues. Passage 3. Please turn to Matthew 25.

Matthew 10. Hell is hell because God is there. Matthew 13. Don't forget dear Christian. People deserve it. This is not cruel and unusual. And passage 3. Hell is awful because it's eternal. Matthew 25.

I mean you've got two options these days. Let's just not talk about punishment. Or let's make it temporal. Let's not talk about anything. The wages of sin is death. There might be some punishment. But it's kind of easy.

Kind of like when grandma or grandpa gave you spanking compared to dad. Just kind of light. But what does God say? I still have to just put myself underneath this. And I say to myself. What would I like to preach today?

What do I enjoy preaching? Well I am a man under authority. And I say to myself when I was in California. We need to be reminded of certain truths. Certain truths like. Those who are unrighteous don't inherit the kingdom of God.

But were some of you. That was last week. And today this very thing. Matthew 25 verse 31. When the son of man. That's Jesus' favorite description of himself. Self designation. We're talking final judgment here.

When the son of man comes in his glory. And all the angels will be with him. And 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. He will place the sheep on his right. But the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on the right. Come you who are blessed by my father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you.

From the foundation of the world. I was hungry you gave me food. I was thirsty you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.

Then the righteous will answer him saying. Lord when did we see you hungry or feed you. Or thirsty or give you drink. And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you. Or naked and clothe you. When did we see you Lord.

Sick or in prison and visit you. And the king will answer. Truly I say to you. As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers. You did it to me. Then he will say to those on the left. Depart from me.

You cursed. Into the eternal fire. Prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me. Naked and you did not clothe me.

Sick and in prison you did not visit me. Then they will answer also saying. Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty. Or stranger or naked or sick or in prison. And did not minister to you. Then he will answer.

Truly I say to you as you did it not. To one of the least of these. You did not do it to me. Key verse. Verse 46. And these will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous. Into eternal life. One of the reasons why hell is so awful.

Is because it is forever. And there is a lot of argument. On the word eternal. Can you imagine because people don't want to make it eternal. But right there you can take a look. Very simply. You don't have to know Greek or anything else.

The same word in English. Is the same word in the original language. In verse 46. Eternal punishment eternal life. As long as eternal life is eternal. So too eternal punishment is eternal. If heaven doesn't last forever.

That's what that word means. Then hell doesn't last forever. But if hell lasts forever that word eternal. So too does heaven. These people were not saved or damned. Because they did or did not do things.

You can only save or damn based on. Do you trust in the Lord or not. And of course there will be fruits in your life. And there will be evidences in your life. And when there is no fruit and evidence.

Well you see here the king of the universe. What he says. Eternal punishment. But the righteous eternal life. The scriptures use words like this. Eternal destruction. Second Thessalonians. Unquenchable fire.

Mark 9. The worm that doesn't die. Mark 9. Day and night. Revelation 20. Forever and ever. Revelation 20. Thomas Brooks writes. Oh this word eternity, eternity, eternity. This word everlasting, everlasting, everlasting.

This word forever, forever, forever. It will break even the hearts of the damned. In ten thousand pieces. Impenitent sinners in hell. Shall have end without end. Death without death. Night without day.

Morning without mirth. Sorrow without solace. And bondage without liberty. The damned shall live in hell as long as God himself shall live in heaven. Eternal life. Infinite. Forever glorious. Yet eternal punishment.

Has an end? No. The torment is unending. Salvation is eternal. Hebrews 5. Life is eternal. John 6. Redemption is eternal. Hebrews 9. The inheritance of the saints is eternal. Hebrews chapter 9. Heaven is eternal.

And so too is hell. It's supposed to make you afraid. It's supposed to make you frightened. It's supposed to make you think, this is very uncomfortable. Because once you grasp that as an unbeliever, it's meant to push you to look to the Lord Jesus.

Right? It's the rich young ruler. He goes to Jesus and he says, how do I get to heaven? And just, you know, how do I inherit eternal life? And Jesus said, basically, obey me. And he said, yeah, I do obey.

And he should have said, I don't obey. I'm sinful, but I heard you're merciful. I heard you love sinners. I heard you forgive sin. Would you please forgive mine? But no, he goes away sad. And so when you feel this and you sense this, if you're an unbeliever, you should be afraid.

You should be very afraid. Do you think Jesus said these words so it would just be, ah, whatever, water off the duck's back? No, they're supposed to make you afraid. So then you look to the Savior and say, but I've heard about a Savior that's so strong he raised himself from the dead.

I've heard about a Savior that he loved me in eternity past and he said, I'll take the punishment that you earned. That's how much I love you. I heard about a father that said, I have one son, the son I love, the one in whom I'm well pleased, and I'll send him for you.

He won't send him for someone good. It's one thing to die for a righteous man, but for a wicked person, somebody like me? If heaven there's nonstop joy, Thomas Watson writes, after millions of years, there's not one minute in eternity wasted.

And the dam must be ever burning, but never consuming, always dying, but never dead. The fire of hell is such as multitude of tears will not quench it. Length of time will not finish it. The vial of God's wrath will always be dropping upon a sinner.

As long as God is eternal, he lives to be avenged upon the wicked. Oh, eternity, who can fathom it? And as I say those words, I have to say to myself, Mike, you are a man under authority, the Scriptures teach it, and therefore I bow in submission to that, and I proclaim it.

I mean, R .C. Sproul used to say, if you think the pain is going to end sometime soon, or sometime in the future, you can get through it. Think the SEAL teams. Hell week, they're trying to make it through.

This is going to be the worst week of my life, but I can just make it through. The worst semester of my life, I can make it through. I've got cancer, I can make it through. I can do this, I can make it through.

You know, there's an end time. And by the way, Christian, thinking of that, if you're a Christian, and life is hard now, this is the only hell you'll ever have. You hear me? This is the only hell you'll ever have.

And I don't mean this is real hell, but trials, difficulties, issues, struggles, sin, everything less than heaven, this is it. Can you imagine, the worst is it going to be now, the worst that it is now, once you get to heaven?

I mean, just imagine that first second in heaven. And as great as things are now, some of you I know have a wonderful life, and there are seasons for all of us. We have a nice meal with our spouse, we see babies born, grandchildren, we have this, we have a raise, we have this, that, and that's all wonderful.

It's good, it's common grace. But as some writers say, once you get to heaven, those will seem like they're hell compared to how great heaven is. And for the unbeliever, no matter how hard it is on earth, when they get to hell, they'll think, I wish I could just go back and experience those things again.

The worm doesn't die and the fire's not quenched. And the amazing thing, dear congregation, God didn't have to provide a Savior. The angels sinned. They got justice. No wonder the angels are stooping, the angels are looking, the angels are saying, I want to investigate this because there's no God-angel.

There's a God-man. And Jesus assumes human nature so that He might live for us and die for us and be raised for us. We don't deserve heaven, but we get it, dear Christian. But everybody deserves hell.

And unless they have a Savior, unless they have a Mediator, unless they have a friend, unless they're reconciled to God by Jesus alone, unless they have redemption of their sins, redemption. Spurgeon said, in hell there's no hope.

They have not even hope of dying. They don't have the hope of being annihilated. They are forever, forever, forever lost. Every chain in hell, Spurgeon said, has written the word forever. And the fires there blaze out the words forever.

Above their heads they read forever. Their eyes are galled and their hearts are pained with the thought that it is forever. Oh, if I could tell you tonight that hell would one day be burned out and that those who are lost might be saved, there would be a jubilee in hell at the very thought of it.

But it cannot be. It is forever. I know what you might be thinking. You have some sin that takes a short amount of time to commit against God and His image bearers that requires everlasting punishment?

How does that work? A sin in time gets lots of punishment? Well, it's not that hard to think about if you think about the majesty of God. If you think even in human terms. If I murder somebody, it takes a second but I have to pay 40 years for it.

I could be thieving and it takes me four days and I have to pay less for it. Killing a man is sinful. Killing a dog? What's the difference? Kill subject I kill the dog, I kill a man or the object, the dog or the man.

It's a sin against the triune God, the infinite God. Crime depends upon the object against whom it's committed. If God's so infinite and so great, then that means sin is so heinous. That's why James chapter 2 says when you break one law how many you held accountable for?

Because if you spit in the king's face just once, that's it. I hope, Christian, you're thankful. I hope you're reminded that no matter what Rob Bell says, no matter what Oprah says, no matter what John Stott says about annihilationism, this is true.