Have you noticed? We don't hear much preaching on hell, and neither do we hear much about Heaven. A place to shun, or a place to gain. And we can spend a lifetime, either ignoring both, or believing in both.
It seems that most ministers prefer to talk about a little bible verse they memorized as children;that God is Love. And of course that's true;our faith is built on it. God loves you, no matter how mean or how good you are, and He's no respecter of persons. He loves the straight and the gay;the curser and the blesser; but He still requires right living. The Bible is very clear on all points.
Did you know that when the end of this world comes, God will allow angels to put those who have not accepted his love, into a burning hell. You heard me right; those people who say God is so good that He won't "throw anyone into hell," are right. In the first book of the Bible's New Testament, in Matthew 13:41 through 50, it says The Son of Man (Jesus) shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Too many ministers fear that such scriptures will disturb or offend members of their congregation, and so they may prefer to dwell on the humanities and other safer subjects. But it may be that some people need to be SCARED into living right, to escape the burning hell that is mentioned so many times in the Bible.
And since most ministers seem to soft-pedal the Word, if you're looking for a church that is trying to lead you in the right way, choose one that also encourages you to read the Bible for yourself, and not to just rely on a Sunday sermon that can be very good, while skirting some important issues.
As I've said at other times, my favorite bible is the parallel bible, that has the King James and the Living Bible side by side, so that if the King James style confuses you with words like cubits, you can look in the adjacent column where the Living Bible will say "eighteen inches," without getting too bogged down in adjectives.
Faith is the key, so read and believe. When Christ comes back, he won't accept ignorance as an excuse.
37BT Bill Thornton April 19, 2007