Over the next couple of months I am going to be writing some controversial blogs. These are topics that may have been discussed a lot or may not have, but they are based on my perspective and my own opinion. If you would like to discuss them I’d be glad to do so as well.
There are many four letter words, and I’m sure when you read the title you thought of the generic and cliched usage of the four letter word love.
What I want to talk about, however, is a different four letter word. I want to talk about Hell.
In the latter part of the 1900’s, preachers began grasping on to a new style of preaching. This style is referred to as fire and brimstone. This style changed people’s lives as they quickly believed in Jesus to escape hell. But what this movement also did was spark fear in people.
Fear is not a characteristic that is to accompany a believer. In 1 John 4:18 it says “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” If we are winning souls to Christ by scaring them, are we truly winning them?
The other problem with this method of preaching is that it does not address God’s love, grace and sacrifice or His want and desire for a relationship. Genesis tells us the reason why God made man. He made man so that there would be a relationship. When man sinned that relationship was broken; the sin became a barrier between man and God. What God has shown through His love for us was not keeping His only Son alive. He allowed, even sent, His Son to sacrifice His life to pay for our sins. And because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have the gift of salvation. We have the gift of being able to reform that broken relationship with God. That’s grace! It all speaks of how God wants a relationship with us. Are we to honor and glorify Him because He is the King of Kings? Yes! Are we to love Him as if He were our Father? Yes! Because He is!
When we preach fire and brimstone and try to persuade people into believing with the gift of eternal life, what are we truly putting at the center of that person’s life? Is it God or is it fear and want for eternal life? I don’t believe we should be evangelizing to people trying to bring Kingdom by saying “Hey, believe in Jesus because if you do you’ll gain eternal life and if not you’re going to suffer in hell.” Is that statement true? Yes, it is. But our belief in Christ should not be founded on the eternal blessings we will get from it, but because of a desire for a relationship with Him. He should be the reason we believe. He is the reason we have the gift of grace, He is the reason we have the gift of salvation, He should also be the reason we choose to believe.
Since the movement of fire and brimstone has died down, hell has ceased to be a topic commonly preached and taught on. Just as the realness as Christ’s death and sacrifice for us needs to be for us, so does hell. Hell is a topic that needs to be addressed. People need to learn about the reality of Hell, but it shouldn’t be tool to scare people.
There was a question that was asked at one point “Do we know enough about Hell to not want anyone to go there?” And it’s a good question. We, as Christians, should never want anyone to spend their eternity separated from Heaven. This question should make us pursue others around us with a passion. But we should also look at this question another way, “do we know enough about God and Christ to want everyone to experience a relationship with Him too?”
Where are you at with your relationship with God? Are you pursuing Him like He’s pursuing you? One thing I have learned over the course of my Race is that God will never stop pursuing us. John 3:16 says that He loved us so much that He sent His Son. Guys, God didn’t even withhold His own Son for us! Can you imagine such a wonderful and magnificent love? God did that for you and for me and He did that for our neighbors and for the co-worker/brother/sister that drives us up a wazoo.
We need to make Hell a reality to ourselves, but most importantly, we need to make pursuing Christ a constant priority in our day to day lives. Look up and keep looking up. God will never let you down.
Till Next Time,
Kara Faber
