- -2-
- Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an
horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. Psalm 11:6
- And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation
20:12
- And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15
- But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in
the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation
21:8
- And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2
-
- Q. God is a loving God and, as such, would never send anyone to a
place of eternal torment and punishment. Isnt that true?
- A. It is true that God is a God of love. However, His love is
qualified and directed only toward those who have been made righteous by the finished work
of Christ. In His great love, He has provided eternal salvation to all that believe in
Him. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that
followeth after righteousness. Proverbs 15:9
- For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the
ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:6
- It is also true that God is a God of justice. God takes no pleasure
in sending sinners to Hell, but in His perfect justice, He must punish sin.
-
- For thou are not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither
shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all
workers of iniquity. Psalm 5:4-5
- As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil
ways. Ezekiel 33:11
-
- Q. What you are telling me is that, according to the gospel, if I
truly believe and trust in Christ I will
-
- 3-
-
- not have to suffer and endure the punishment of Hell. How can that
be?
- A. Because Christ, who knew no sin, became sin for all those
who would believe in Him. As their substitute, He suffered and endured the eternal
punishment of Hell that they themselves deserve. Those who truly hang their lives on and
place their
- trust in Him alone as their Savior need never again fear the divine
judgement and wrath of God.
-
- Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from
their sins. Matthew 1:21
- And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him
is no sin. 1 John 3:5
- For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
- He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36
-
- Q. But what does it truly mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
as my personal Savior? Doesnt believing simply mean agreeing with all that the Bible
has to say about Him?
- A. It means a great deal more than intellectually agreeing
with the truths of what the Bible has to say about creation, sin, judgement, wrath, etc.
It means that I turn away from sin and commit my whole life to the service of Christ as my
Lord.
-
- Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
-
- Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. Proverbs 3:5
- And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. I
John 2:3
- No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one,
and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon. Luke 16:13
-
- Q. Are you saying that other than through Christ there is no way
of escape from Hell? There are so many people who follow other religions. Will they be in
Hell?
- A. Sadly, yes. In His righteousness, God must demand payment
for sin. Those who follow other religions dont have a substitute to bear their sin.
-
- -4-
-
- Christ, who is God, is the only one able and qualified to bear our
guilt and save us from the wrath of God all men so richly deserve.
-
- Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity. Habakkuk 1:13
- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12
- For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5
- Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God. Romans 3:24-25
- But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,
sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12
-
- Q. It's becoming more and more obvious to me that I have been
mistakenly trusting in myself for salvation and not Christ. In spite of this, is salvation
still possible for me?
- A. By Gods mercy, yes. Recognize that it is God alone
who saves. The Bible clearly teaches this. Pray that God will give you an extreme hatred
for and an ability to turn away from your sins.
-
- I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. Isaiah
43:11
- All who humbly seek Him, cry out to Him for mercy, and submit their
entire lives to serving Him can know that they will never have to face the prospect of
Hell. What they will face instead is eternal blessing in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
-
- But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6
- The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite
heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:17
- And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke
18:13
-
- -5-
-
- Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:30-31
- And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
- And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor
- crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things
are passed away. Revelation 21:3-4
-
- Q. How can I believe on Christ? I know very little about Him or
the Bible.
- A. Wonderfully, faith is a gift that God gives to us to
believe on Him. Pray to God to give you that faith. Because the Bible indicates that faith
comes by hearing the Word of God, you should take advantage of every opportunity to hear,
read and study it. It and it alone is the inspired Word of God.
-
- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans
10:17
-
- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
- O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Psalm
119:97
- And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
-
- Q. Does the Bible indicate that I must attend church regularly?
- A. Nothing we do can actually save us, only God can do that.
However, in obedience to the Bible, which is where we should look for truth, we should
diligently seek a place of worship that is faithful to the Word of God.
-
- Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of
some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25
-
- Q. Do I really have to commit my life entirely to God? That is not
something Im ready to do. Cant I put it off until some later time or period in
my life?
-
-
- -6-
-
- A. The Bible reveals that there may not be much time. If you
should die unsaved or are found in that state upon the Lord's return in judgement, you can
be certain that you will spend an eternity in Hell suffering just payment for your sins.
Are you really willing to risk that?
-
- Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days
also like the days of an hireling? Job 7:1
- For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of
salvation have I succoured thee: behold
- now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2
Corinthians 6:2
- Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is
near. Isaiah 55:6
- Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh. James 5:8
- And he (Jesus) said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness:
for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a
certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What
shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do:
I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my
goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take
thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast
provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Luke
12:15-21
Want additional information?
ARE YOU READY TO MEET GOD?
Q. What kind of question is that? Of course I am! Im not as bad
or wicked as others are. I was baptized and I attend church regularly. As a matter of
fact, Ive actually done much more good than bad in my life. Surely these things will
count for something before God.
A. Actually, we of ourselves have no righteousness nor could
we ever perform any good work that would help in the slightest way to accomplish our
salvation. Joining a church or going through religious ceremonies (baptism, confirmation,
confession, partaking of the Lord's Supper, etc.) will not relieve the burden of sin's
guilt and its awful penalty. The Bible is very clear concerning the error and folly of
such reasoning, and the utter inability of any self-effort to remedy our sinful state. It
is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved
us. Titus 3:5
We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness [our good
works] are as
filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none
that understandeth, there is none
that seeketh after God. Romans 3:10
Q. If this is truly my condition before God, what will be the
penalty?
A. The Bible teaches that all the wicked will be gathered at
the end of the world to receive just punishment and reward for their rebellion against
God.
For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven with his
mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:7
For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest
hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of
the mountains. Deuteronomy 32:22
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