It has stood the test of
time, God's book, the Bible,
00:00:07.03\00:00:16.26
still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written written,
sharing hope around the
00:00:23.83\00:00:33.86
globe.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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I'm John Bradshaw -
and this is It Is Written.
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A number of years ago I met
a young woman named Mary Ellen.
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Standing at the door of
her apartment in a small,
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Southern town where I was
at the time, I noticed right
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away that she was ...
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she was different.
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I wasn't sure exactly
how, but she was different.
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The more I spoke to
her, the more I noticed.
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I began to notice that
her hair was different.
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I don't mean weird, I don't
mean outlandish, it was just
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different.
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Her clothes, her makeup, her
jewelry, all were a little...
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What's that
word I'm looking for?
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That's it ...different.
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As we spoke, I learned that
not only was she a very nice
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young woman, but that
Mary Ellen had been raised a
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Christian.
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But she said to me: "But now
I don't go to church," before
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adding,
"Although I do, sort of."
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I had to know what she
meant by that, so, standing inhe
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humid heat of a southern
summer afternoon, I asked her
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to explain.
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She got right to the point.
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She said "John, I was
raised in a hell-fire and
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brimstone-spitting [and here
she named the denomination],
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a hell-fire and
brimstone-spitting church,
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where the preacher would
talk about God roasting and
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toasting and torturing and
frying people in hell for all
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eternity - for as
long as time would last.
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He said again and again [this
is Mary Ellen telling me] he
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said again and again that
people would burn and burn
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and burn, and that their
burning would never come to
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an end."
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I tell you, it was
obvious Mary Ellen still felt
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strongly about this.
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And then she added, "So I
decided that if that's what
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God was like, I'd be
better off without Him.
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So that's why I
don't go to church anymore.
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And then she added,
"although I do, sort of."
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Mary Ellen could see the
questioning in my eyes, so
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she spelled things out
for me nice and clearly.
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"John," she said,
"I'm now a witch."
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Which was the first time
I'd ever had someone tell me
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THAT!
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I glanced around to see
if there was a broomstick
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nearby, I mean, I really did.
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But all I saw was her
little red car parked out front.
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"A witch?"
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I said - acting like people
told me that sort of thing
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every day.
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"Well, what kind of witch?"
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She explained to me that
she met with other witches at
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organized services (which
is why she said she 'sort of'
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attended church), and told
me some of the details of what
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she did as a real-life,
fully paid up, practicing witch.
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She was bothered by the
subject of hell - and she's
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not the first person to have
had some real questions about
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hell nor is she the first
person to wrestle with that
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subject.
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What's interesting is that
came to the place where she
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was SO bothered by
what's actually a very common
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Christian teaching that she
entirely rejected the notion
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of the existence
of God altogether.
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"God cannot possibly be
like that, therefore there is no
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God," she concluded.
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She rejected the God of
the eternally burning hell.
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So my question for you is -
was she right to do that, or
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was she wrong?
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Was she right to reject
the idea that God burns people
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for ever and ever?
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Now, I'm not asking if you
think she was right to become
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a witch!
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I think we know
the answer to that.
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But did she have a point -
was she right to be repulsed
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by the thought of an
eternally burning hell?
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Today we're going to look
at this subject of hell - hell
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fire.
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[Sound of fire crackling]
Can we know with certainty what
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the Bible
teaches on the subject?
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As Frances Chan and Preston
Sprinkle wrote in their book
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"Erasing Hell" - they said
"We can't afford to be wrong
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about this."
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A couple of years ago a
well-known pastor in the
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United States sparked a
debate on the subject that
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ended up involving some
of America's theological
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heavyweights.
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The question being
asked was, Is there a Hell?
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And if there is, what's it like?
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Well evidently this pastor's
thinking was challenged when
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someone suggested that
Gandhi was burning in Hell.
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So the pastor wrestled
with this idea, the idea that a
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person would burn in hell
forever and ever and ever -
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and his questions on what
hell might be like - coupled
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with what struck some
people as a definite lack of
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conclusions - got a lot
of people asking a lot of
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questions.
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So what IS hell like?
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Have you ever given
that question much thought?
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It seems to me that most
people have at one time or
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another.
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In the good old days
preachers (or were they the
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bad old days?) ...
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in the good old days
preachers would do their best
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to preach the hottest
hell they could muster up.
00:05:08.53\00:05:10.53
Puritan preacher Jonathan
Edwards's sermon "Sinner in
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the Hands of an Angry God"
was a classic sermon back in
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the 1700s.
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In that sermon he
said, "The pit is prepared.
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The fire is made ready.
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The furnace is now hot, ready
to receive them [that's the
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sinners].
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The flames do now rage and glow.
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The glittering sword is whet,
and held over them, and the
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pit has opened her
mouth under them...
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O sinner!
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Consider the
fearful danger you are in!"
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About two thirds of Americans
believe there is a hell - but
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not everyone sides with
Jonathan Edwards about what
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it is like.
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As far back as the year
2000 US News and World Report
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magazine dedicated it's
cover article to the subject of
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hell.
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And they reported in
the article that more people
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believe hell to be simply
an anguished state of existence
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separated from God than
believe in hell as a place
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where people will
suffer eternal fiery torments.
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The article quoted Pope
John Paul the second as saying
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that - and I quote -- "rather
than a place, hell indicates
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the state of those who
freely and definitively separate
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themselves from God."
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Now that's different to
what I learned when I attended a
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parochial school as a kid:
we were told about a hell that
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would burn
forever and ever and ever.
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We were told [they said it
was in the Bible] that if you
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were good you went to heaven
forever, and if you were bad
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you went to hell forever.
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That's what we were told.
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But a growing number of
people are challenging that
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idea.
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So what's the truth?
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We're going to examine
some of the most commonly-held
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views on the
subject of Hell Fire.
00:06:48.20\00:06:51.20
"Those who would have us
compromise the faith of our
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fathers say they do it in
the name of love, fellowship,
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while at the same time
calling us close-minded,
00:06:59.06\00:07:01.80
sectarian legalists, all
those rules, and rights and
00:07:01.80\00:07:04.63
rituals ...
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Where was Christ?
00:07:05.76\00:07:07.70
With fishermen, and
tax collectors, dining with
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sinners and publicans.
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Can there be a more shining
example of unity fellowship
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than that?
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That's coming up
in just a moment.
00:07:16.83\00:07:24.33
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
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shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
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proceeds out of
the mouth of God'."
00:07:33.40\00:07:35.46
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:07:35.46\00:07:38.63
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:07:38.63\00:07:41.53
especially for
busy people like you.
00:07:41.53\00:07:44.63
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:07:44.63\00:07:49.80
on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:07:49.80\00:07:52.93
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:07:52.93\00:07:56.00
Watch Every Word.
00:07:56.00\00:07:57.06
You'll be glad you did.
00:07:57.06\00:07:59.86
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:07:59.86\00:08:01.10
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:08:01.10\00:08:04.23
So what's the
truth about hell fire?
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Does God really burn
people in hell forever?
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Maybe he doesn't
burn anyone in hell?
00:08:10.96\00:08:13.13
Maybe there's no
hell - maybe there is?
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Whatever the truth is, we
ought to be able to find out
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from the Bible just what
that truth of the matter is.
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So let us today look
at what the Bible says.
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We'll also look at several
commonly-held ideas about
00:08:24.76\00:08:27.80
hell.
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One of them is the school
of thought that is known as
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Universal Reconciliation.
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It suggests that everyone
will ultimately be reconciled
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to God and so
therefore there's no need for an
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eternally burning hell -
or even a temporarily burning
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hell.
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Which isn't altogether
unrelated to the suggestion
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made by Pope
John Paul the second.
00:08:45.53\00:08:47.76
Before he died he went on
the record as saying that hell
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isn't a place but a state
of being and that the Bible
00:08:50.03\00:08:54.43
simply uses symbolic language
when it talks about hell the
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hot place.
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You can understand why those
ideas might appeal to people
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- but do they stack up
with what the Bible says?
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You see, it's important
for people to form their
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religious beliefs
based on the word of God.
00:09:08.86\00:09:12.50
There's not a lot of point
simply believing whatever it
00:09:12.50\00:09:14.86
is you want to believe
- especially if it isn't
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accurate!
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Does the Bible teach
that there's no hell?
00:09:18.60\00:09:20.70
And keep this in mind as we
study: what you believe about
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hell essentially reveals
what you believe about God.
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God's character is
implicated in this subject.
00:09:28.03\00:09:31.30
What does hell or one's
understanding of hell say
00:09:31.30\00:09:35.16
about God?
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Perhaps the first person we
ought to speak to about this
00:09:37.06\00:09:39.40
is Jesus.
00:09:39.40\00:09:41.00
And here's what
Jesus said in Matthew10:28.
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"Do not fear those who kill
the body but cannot kill the
00:09:46.10\00:09:48.80
soul.
00:09:48.80\00:09:49.83
But rather fear Him who is
able to destroy both soul and
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body in hell."
00:09:53.16\00:09:56.10
That sounds a lot like
Jesus thought there was a hell.
00:09:56.10\00:09:59.60
Or was He just
speaking metaphorically?
00:09:59.60\00:10:03.16
Descriptively?
00:10:03.16\00:10:04.16
Was Jesus merely making a point?
00:10:04.16\00:10:06.16
Well, the Greek word He
used for 'hell' is the word
00:10:06.16\00:10:08.70
'Gehenna' - That's the
word Jesus used when He was
00:10:08.70\00:10:11.73
referring to a place of burning.
00:10:11.73\00:10:14.43
It sounds like Jesus thought
there was an actual hell.
00:10:14.43\00:10:19.36
So what if there was no hell?
00:10:19.36\00:10:20.83
Some people believe that
if there was no actual place
00:10:20.83\00:10:23.46
called hell and if sinners
didn't burn and burn and burn
00:10:23.46\00:10:26.63
and burn there, that that
would remove the motivation
00:10:26.63\00:10:30.10
for sinners to be saved?
00:10:30.10\00:10:32.70
Well - I can see
what they're getting at.
00:10:32.70\00:10:35.53
But really?
00:10:35.53\00:10:38.03
No.
00:10:38.03\00:10:39.03
Because as the Bible says,
"We love him (why?) because
00:10:39.03\00:10:43.16
He first loved us," (that's
1 John 4:19) not "we love Him
00:10:43.16\00:10:48.56
because we're afraid that
if we don't we're doomed!"
00:10:48.56\00:10:51.80
In 2 Corinthians 5:14
Paul wrote that "the love of
00:10:51.80\00:10:56.03
Christ compels us" - in other
words, our motivation to want
00:10:56.03\00:11:00.50
to follow God and accept
Jesus as our Savior doesn't
00:11:00.50\00:11:03.23
come or shouldn't come from
the idea that there's a hell.
00:11:03.23\00:11:06.03
The motivation to follow
Jesus comes from the love of
00:11:06.03\00:11:09.03
God.
00:11:09.03\00:11:10.06
Not from fear.
00:11:10.06\00:11:11.53
If the only reason or the
main reason a person wants to
00:11:11.53\00:11:14.80
be saved is because they're
afraid of what happens if
00:11:14.80\00:11:16.86
they don't, that person
is missing the point just a
00:11:16.86\00:11:20.20
little bit.
00:11:20.20\00:11:21.20
I've heard that called
"fire escape religion" - people
00:11:21.20\00:11:23.90
getting religion just so
they can escape the fire.
00:11:23.90\00:11:26.70
But still - you'd hardly be
human if you didn't have some
00:11:26.70\00:11:29.30
sort of healthy respect
for the fate of the lost.
00:11:29.30\00:11:31.63
In Matthew 13 - discussing
the parable of the wheat and
00:11:31.63\00:11:34.30
the tares - Jesus says
this in verses 40 to 42:
00:11:34.30\00:11:39.70
"Therefore as the tares
are gathered and burned in the
00:11:39.70\00:11:42.76
fire, so it will be
at the end of this age.
00:11:42.76\00:11:46.03
The Son of Man will send
out His angels, and they will
00:11:46.03\00:11:49.20
gather out of His kingdom all
things that offend, and those
00:11:49.20\00:11:53.23
who practice lawlessness,
and will cast them into the
00:11:53.23\00:11:56.90
furnace of fire.
00:11:56.90\00:11:58.46
There will be wailing
and gnashing of teeth."
00:11:58.46\00:12:03.00
So could we really believe
that there is no hell at all?
00:12:03.00\00:12:06.63
I'm going to leave it to you
to decide that - but when you
00:12:06.63\00:12:09.36
add this to the verses in
Revelation that refer to the
00:12:09.36\00:12:12.23
Lake of Fire - you can
understand why so many people
00:12:12.23\00:12:15.23
think there IS a hell.
00:12:15.23\00:12:17.86
Well - what about the
idea that hell burns forever?
00:12:17.86\00:12:20.96
That's a commonly-held view.
00:12:20.96\00:12:22.66
It's what I was raised to
believe - and it seems the
00:12:22.66\00:12:26.73
great majority of Christians
were raised to think like
00:12:26.73\00:12:29.50
that and many are raising
their kids to think just the
00:12:29.50\00:12:32.03
same way.
00:12:32.03\00:12:33.33
Here's where you find
people basing that view.
00:12:33.33\00:12:36.50
Passages like this one
found in Revelation chapter 14.
00:12:36.50\00:12:41.20
"Then a third angel followed
them, saying with a loud
00:12:41.20\00:12:43.40
voice, "If anyone worships
the beast and his image, and
00:12:43.40\00:12:47.33
receives his mark in his
forehead or in his hand, he
00:12:47.33\00:12:50.86
himself shall also drink of
the wine of the wrath of God,
00:12:50.86\00:12:54.83
which is poured out full
strength into the cup of His
00:12:54.83\00:12:57.23
indignation.
00:12:57.23\00:12:58.40
He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the
00:12:58.40\00:13:01.23
presence of the holy angels
and in the presence of the
00:13:01.23\00:13:04.23
Lamb.
00:13:04.23\00:13:05.30
And the smoke of their
torment ascends forever and
00:13:05.30\00:13:11.46
ever."
00:13:11.46\00:13:13.03
Revelation 14:9-11 There's
another passage much like
00:13:13.03\00:13:17.50
this one over in chapter
20 of the Book of Revelation.
00:13:17.50\00:13:20.70
This is the traditional view,
the Jonathan Edwards view and
00:13:20.70\00:13:23.80
it's taught pretty typically
in Christian churches today.
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.83
Does this view present
the idea that there's a hell?
00:13:27.83\00:13:30.76
Yes it does.
00:13:30.76\00:13:31.76
It suggests strongly
that YES there IS a hell.
00:13:31.76\00:13:34.23
But do these verses
prove that there's a hell that
00:13:34.23\00:13:36.56
burns forever?
00:13:36.56\00:13:39.00
And are there other ways
to understand those texts.
00:13:39.00\00:13:42.16
One significant objection
to the idea that hell burns
00:13:42.16\00:13:44.70
forever and ever and
ever and ever and ever is this
00:13:44.70\00:13:47.70
question: What sort of
picture of God does that
00:13:47.70\00:13:52.10
belief present?
00:13:52.10\00:13:53.73
How can God be just,
some people ask, and yet burn
00:13:53.73\00:13:57.53
sinners forever?
00:13:57.53\00:14:00.53
Mary Ellen - the woman I told
you about earlier - and many
00:14:00.53\00:14:03.20
others like her have been ...
00:14:03.20\00:14:04.70
have actually been
turned away from faith in God
00:14:04.70\00:14:06.76
altogether by this view.
00:14:06.76\00:14:08.03
If God burned people forever...
00:14:08.03\00:14:12.36
we'd have to agree
that's a very long time.
00:14:12.36\00:14:14.86
Now there have been any
number of theologians who
00:14:14.86\00:14:17.80
have made the case that
hell doesn't burn forever.
00:14:17.80\00:14:21.76
One of them was a Church
of Christ pastor named Edward
00:14:21.76\00:14:24.03
Fudge.
00:14:24.03\00:14:25.03
When Edward Fudge was just
a boy he had some experiences
00:14:25.03\00:14:27.63
that left him
asking some hard questions.
00:14:27.63\00:14:30.73
A movie on Edward
Fudge's life has been recently
00:14:30.73\00:14:33.56
produced.
00:14:33.56\00:14:34.73
I want you to take a look
at this with me right here:
00:14:34.73\00:14:37.00
"What's going on?"
00:14:37.00\00:14:40.63
"Come sit.
00:14:40.63\00:14:42.63
You know David
Hollis, don't you?"
00:14:46.10\00:14:48.70
"Sure, he's a good friend."
00:14:48.70\00:14:49.76
"Um Hum.
00:14:49.76\00:14:51.90
Well, I just got off
the phone with his mother."
00:14:51.90\00:14:53.90
"What did he do?
00:14:53.90\00:14:57.43
Leave town already?"
00:14:57.43\00:15:00.16
"No.
00:15:00.16\00:15:01.16
There was a car accident."
00:15:01.16\00:15:05.56
"What happened?"
00:15:05.56\00:15:07.50
"Apparently, he lost
control, I don't know, 14 near
00:15:07.50\00:15:10.40
Hagget's Creek.
00:15:10.40\00:15:11.60
His pick up flipped over
into a ditch and pinned him
00:15:11.60\00:15:16.66
underneath."
00:15:16.66\00:15:18.66
"Is he okay?"
00:15:23.70\00:15:25.70
"They say he died instantly.
00:15:27.30\00:15:30.73
[silence] "I'm sorry son, I
00:15:33.33\00:15:39.33
am truly sorry."
00:15:41.36\00:15:44.06
"Where is he?"
00:15:44.06\00:15:45.06
"What?"
00:15:45.06\00:15:46.10
"Where is Davey now?"
00:15:46.10\00:15:48.40
"He's at the
Curtis funeral home.
00:15:50.96\00:15:53.23
They are
preparing him for services."
00:15:53.23\00:15:55.30
"It's not what I mean.
00:15:55.30\00:15:57.30
Is he in hell?
00:15:58.66\00:16:01.13
Is Davey in hell?"
00:16:01.13\00:16:02.80
[Sound of fire crackling ...]
00:16:02.80\00:16:08.80
The hot topic of hell.
00:16:11.50\00:16:13.86
According to the Bible, is
there a hell, and what's it
00:16:16.23\00:16:20.30
like?
00:16:20.30\00:16:21.30
Does it burn forever?
00:16:21.30\00:16:22.96
Or is there another way
to accurately understand the
00:16:22.96\00:16:26.20
reality of hell?
00:16:26.20\00:16:28.06
Before we explore this
further, maybe we ought to
00:16:28.06\00:16:30.06
admit that there's a fair
amount of fiction mixed in
00:16:30.06\00:16:32.50
with whatever the
facts are about hell.
00:16:32.50\00:16:35.20
I remember hearing a preacher
claim that hell was located
00:16:35.20\00:16:37.83
somewhere under
the Bermuda Triangle.
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.50
Really?
00:16:40.50\00:16:41.50
And that's in...
00:16:41.50\00:16:44.46
what verse of
the Bible, exactly?
00:16:44.46\00:16:47.03
Years ago my wife and I
were driving across the top of
00:16:47.03\00:16:49.60
Idaho ...
00:16:49.60\00:16:50.66
this was several years BC
(before children) and seeing
00:16:50.66\00:16:53.30
as this was also BCP (before
cell phones) we stopped, we
00:16:53.30\00:16:57.20
had to stop at a payphone.
00:16:57.20\00:16:58.70
And at the payphone in Idaho
I found these - well, there's
00:16:58.70\00:17:05.56
just one in my hand, but
I found many of these, just
00:17:05.56\00:17:07.40
like this.
00:17:07.40\00:17:08.40
They'd been stuffed into
every crack and holding place
00:17:08.40\00:17:12.70
they could
possibly be stuffed into.
00:17:12.70\00:17:15.70
Someone had been out
doing their missionary work and
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.56
they had distributed these
tracts in the hope that some
00:17:17.56\00:17:19.70
dear soul would not want to
go to hell and would instead
00:17:19.70\00:17:22.86
embrace Jesus.
00:17:22.86\00:17:24.56
Now let me read
some of this to you.
00:17:24.56\00:17:26.46
I must say it may well
be excerpted from a book or
00:17:26.46\00:17:29.26
something larger than this.
00:17:29.26\00:17:30.76
I would credit the source
if I had any idea what the
00:17:30.76\00:17:32.56
source was.
00:17:32.56\00:17:33.86
But all I have is
my little tract here.
00:17:33.86\00:17:37.36
Now, let me read
some of this to you.
00:17:37.36\00:17:40.60
In this passage Jesus takes
someone on a guided tour of
00:17:40.60\00:17:44.10
hell.
00:17:44.10\00:17:46.26
It is shaped like a body and
is in the center of the Earth
00:17:46.26\00:17:49.13
- and it's populated by
snakes and rats and evil
00:17:49.13\00:17:51.73
spirits.
00:17:51.73\00:17:52.73
(Now I would have
thought that hell would have
00:17:52.73\00:17:54.73
destroyed the rats and
snakes but evidently in this
00:17:54.73\00:17:56.73
scenario that's not the
case, which I feel is too bad).
00:17:56.73\00:17:59.53
This tells the story of
a woman in this place whose
00:17:59.53\00:18:02.93
eyes and hair and nose
have all been burned out and
00:18:02.93\00:18:06.40
burned off, and who is being
burned by fire as dead flesh
00:18:06.40\00:18:11.43
falls from her body.
00:18:11.43\00:18:12.70
Let me pick it up.
00:18:12.70\00:18:13.70
I'll read this to you.
00:18:13.70\00:18:14.83
Here we go.
00:18:14.83\00:18:15.83
Stay with me.
00:18:15.83\00:18:16.83
"Oh Lord, oh Lord,"
she cried, "I want out."
00:18:16.83\00:18:21.23
As we watched she finally
got to the top of the pit with
00:18:21.23\00:18:24.53
her feet.
00:18:24.53\00:18:26.00
I thought she was going
to get out when a large demon
00:18:26.00\00:18:28.96
with great wings that seemed
to be broken at the top and
00:18:28.96\00:18:32.50
hung down his sides ran to her.
00:18:32.50\00:18:36.16
His color was brownish-black,
and he had hair all over his
00:18:36.16\00:18:39.26
large form.
00:18:39.26\00:18:40.66
His eyes were set far
back into his head, and he was
00:18:40.66\00:18:43.20
about the size of
a large grizzly bear.
00:18:43.20\00:18:46.53
The demon rushed up to
the woman and pushed her very
00:18:46.53\00:18:50.36
hard backward
into the pit and fire.
00:18:50.36\00:18:52.93
I watched in horror as she fell.
00:18:52.93\00:18:56.83
I felt so sorry for her."
00:18:56.83\00:18:59.83
Well, you would.
00:18:59.83\00:19:01.33
Now I'm not questioning
the sincerity of the dear soul
00:19:01.33\00:19:03.66
who wrote this, but let's be
honest: is there any reason -
00:19:03.66\00:19:08.10
Biblically - to believe
that hell is shaped like a human
00:19:08.10\00:19:11.96
body and is in the
center of the Earth?
00:19:11.96\00:19:16.40
Rats and snakes and
demons like grizzly bears?
00:19:16.40\00:19:21.93
Does the Bible
even hint at this?
00:19:21.93\00:19:24.96
Edward Fudge was commissioned
to study this subject and he
00:19:24.96\00:19:27.36
was surprised at the
direction some of his studies
00:19:27.36\00:19:30.10
too him.
00:19:30.10\00:19:31.03
Watch this.
00:19:31.03\00:19:32.03
"Do you ever get
tired of that job?"
00:19:32.03\00:19:34.63
"No ..
00:19:34.63\00:19:35.63
ha ha.
00:19:35.63\00:19:36.63
No, this stuff is deep.
00:19:36.63\00:19:37.80
It takes a while to get through.
00:19:37.80\00:19:41.46
But, what I am trying to
do is to verify and disqualify
00:19:41.46\00:19:45.33
each of those cards up there.
00:19:45.33\00:19:46.63
Now, I started with
the Old Testament issue,
00:19:46.63\00:19:48.86
traditionalists, they
say that there is little or
00:19:48.86\00:19:50.90
nothing about the
lost in there, but the
00:19:50.90\00:19:52.90
conditionalists
think it has plenty to say.
00:19:52.90\00:19:54.90
"So what do you got?"
00:19:54.90\00:19:56.16
"Well, take a look.
00:19:56.16\00:19:58.93
These, these are
all Old Testament texts.
00:19:58.93\00:20:02.06
All of them.
00:20:02.06\00:20:03.06
Now, there are dozens of them.
00:20:03.06\00:20:06.00
You use words like "cut
off", "come to nothing,"
00:20:06.00\00:20:10.06
"disappear," "destroy,"
"perish," over here, now and
00:20:10.06\00:20:13.40
that all sounds
like oblivion to me."
00:20:13.40\00:20:16.96
"Wait, what about where it
says that the worm will not
00:20:16.96\00:20:19.13
die and their fire
will not be quenched?
00:20:19.13\00:20:21.13
That sounds like
eternal torment to me."
00:20:21.13\00:20:23.83
Where might the Bible
suggest that hell burns and then
00:20:23.83\00:20:26.93
eventually burns up and stops
burning because it has done
00:20:26.93\00:20:29.73
its job?
00:20:29.73\00:20:30.86
Now John 3:16 talks about
a world that would perish.
00:20:30.86\00:20:34.26
Remember "For God so loved
the world, he gave his only
00:20:34.26\00:20:36.26
begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not
00:20:36.26\00:20:39.53
perish."
00:20:39.53\00:20:40.53
Romans 6:23 says
the wages of sin is....
00:20:40.53\00:20:44.50
DEATH.
00:20:44.50\00:20:45.50
Revelation refers to the
lake of fire as the "second
00:20:45.50\00:20:49.06
death".
00:20:49.06\00:20:50.06
Ezekiel 18:4 states that
"the soul who sins shall die."
00:20:50.06\00:20:54.66
While the little book of Jude
says Sodom and Gomorra are an
00:20:54.66\00:20:58.46
example of what those
who "suffer the vengeance of
00:20:58.46\00:21:03.40
eternal fire" will get - and
Sodom and Gomorra were turned
00:21:03.40\00:21:07.66
by God into ashes.
00:21:07.66\00:21:09.50
Jude says, that's the example.
00:21:09.50\00:21:13.20
So just as there are
verses that some say seem to
00:21:13.20\00:21:15.96
indicate hell burns forever,
and ever and ever and ever
00:21:15.96\00:21:19.36
and ever, there are other
verses that seem to indicate
00:21:19.36\00:21:22.50
hell burns and
eventually burns out.
00:21:22.50\00:21:26.26
And the big challenge is,
"What does hell say about the
00:21:26.26\00:21:30.73
character of God?"
00:21:30.73\00:21:33.26
Quoted in that US News and
World Report article I told
00:21:33.26\00:21:36.06
you about earlier, Dr Clark
Pinnock suggested that a God
00:21:36.06\00:21:39.06
who would torture people
for all eternity is "more nearly
00:21:39.06\00:21:42.60
like Satan than like God."
00:21:42.60\00:21:46.10
Here's what we know for sure.
00:21:46.10\00:21:47.90
If we're talking about three
different views on hell, all
00:21:47.90\00:21:51.00
three of them
can't possibly be right.
00:21:51.00\00:21:53.60
And we know the Bible is
true - the answer must certainly
00:21:53.60\00:21:56.53
be in there.
00:21:56.53\00:21:57.63
And something else we can
keep in mind is that God is
00:21:57.63\00:21:59.80
love - so our conclusions are
going to have to support that
00:21:59.80\00:22:03.03
idea.
00:22:03.03\00:22:04.16
God can't be love and be
a tyrant at the same time.
00:22:04.16\00:22:07.06
Nor can He be love and be
so permissive that nothing
00:22:07.06\00:22:09.60
really matters and
there are no consequences.
00:22:09.60\00:22:13.40
One key issue is that
ultimately those who don't
00:22:13.40\00:22:15.40
choose Jesus Christ are
going to be separated from Him
00:22:15.40\00:22:17.90
without the hope
of everlasting life.
00:22:17.90\00:22:20.36
And wouldn't that
be an enormous tragedy?
00:22:20.36\00:22:23.50
The Bible is pretty clear
that there's a hell and that
00:22:23.50\00:22:26.16
some day lots of people
are going to end up there.
00:22:26.16\00:22:29.83
But what kind of hell?
00:22:29.83\00:22:31.63
A no hell hell?
00:22:31.63\00:22:33.33
Well, that's not even a hell.
00:22:33.33\00:22:34.93
A hell that burns forever
and ever and ever and ever?
00:22:34.93\00:22:38.73
Well, that would make
God worse than Hitler.
00:22:38.73\00:22:41.06
And I know somebody said to
me one day, well, God can do
00:22:41.06\00:22:43.36
that if he wanted to.
00:22:43.36\00:22:44.36
But the wonderful news
is God doesn't want to.
00:22:44.36\00:22:47.56
And you know what?
00:22:47.56\00:22:48.56
We've got clear
biblical evidence of that.
00:22:48.56\00:22:50.56
I'm reading from Ezekiel 28:18.
00:22:50.56\00:22:53.50
Therefore will I bring
forth a fire from the midst of
00:22:53.50\00:22:55.76
thee.
00:22:55.76\00:22:56.76
It shall devour thee and I
will bring thee to ashes upon
00:22:56.76\00:23:01.03
the earth in the sight
of all them that behold you.
00:23:01.03\00:23:03.93
And you know what is so
very interesting about that
00:23:03.93\00:23:05.93
passage?
00:23:05.93\00:23:06.93
It is that that passage,
Ezekiel 28:18, is talking
00:23:06.93\00:23:09.20
about Satan.
00:23:09.20\00:23:11.36
The Bible says that God
will turn Satan into ashes.
00:23:11.36\00:23:15.46
It can't get much
clearer than that.
00:23:15.46\00:23:17.63
Then, Malachi 4:3, it says:
"And you shall tread down the
00:23:17.63\00:23:22.73
wicked for they shall be
ashes unto the soles of your
00:23:22.73\00:23:27.23
feet in the day that I
shall do this sayeth the Lord of
00:23:27.23\00:23:30.20
hosts.
00:23:30.20\00:23:31.20
Now, I know somebody is
going to say, no, but the Bible
00:23:31.20\00:23:33.20
says forever.
00:23:33.20\00:23:34.20
You know something?
00:23:34.20\00:23:35.20
The Bible says forever a
lot about things that don't last
00:23:35.20\00:23:38.93
forever.
00:23:38.93\00:23:40.16
Jonas said he was in the
belly of the fish forever,
00:23:40.16\00:23:42.83
three days and three nights.
00:23:42.83\00:23:44.20
Samuel was taken by his
godly mother to be at the temple
00:23:44.20\00:23:47.50
forever.
00:23:47.50\00:23:48.50
Read that in 1 Samuel 1.
00:23:48.50\00:23:49.76
But then she said, six verses
later in verse 28, that he'd
00:23:49.76\00:23:53.36
be at the temple
for as long as he lived.
00:23:53.36\00:23:57.70
Forever as long as he lived.
00:23:57.70\00:23:59.60
Forever three days.
00:23:59.60\00:24:01.30
Hebrew slave.
00:24:01.30\00:24:02.36
He would serve as master
forever, but they were often
00:24:02.36\00:24:04.43
released.
00:24:04.43\00:24:05.83
Forever in the context of
hellfire simply means for as
00:24:05.83\00:24:08.80
long as the fire lasts, as
long as the fire must burn to
00:24:08.80\00:24:12.76
do its work.
00:24:12.76\00:24:14.46
Thank God there is no
burning, burning, eternally
00:24:14.46\00:24:18.40
burning, eternally burning hell.
00:24:18.40\00:24:20.83
Unfortunately, it's a myth,
or should I say fortunately?
00:24:20.83\00:24:24.10
It's fortunate
that it's not true.
00:24:24.10\00:24:26.33
But, it's unfortunate that
so many people have been told it
00:24:26.33\00:24:29.70
is true.
00:24:29.70\00:24:31.36
The most wonderful news is
that nobody needs to be lost
00:24:31.36\00:24:35.66
or burned in any
kind of hell at all.
00:24:35.66\00:24:38.73
All of us can have
everlasting life through
00:24:38.73\00:24:41.10
Jesus Christ, through
simple faith in him, and I hope
00:24:41.10\00:24:45.83
you'll choose to have
faith in Jesus One of the most
00:24:45.83\00:24:49.80
serious subjects in the Bible
is the subject of hell and it
00:24:49.80\00:24:53.63
is one of the least understood.
00:24:53.63\00:24:55.63
What does the Bible
really say about hell?
00:24:55.63\00:24:58.33
Is there a hell?
00:24:58.33\00:24:59.33
And if there is,
how long will it burn?
00:24:59.33\00:25:02.23
You don't want to
miss today's free offer:
00:25:02.23\00:25:04.76
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Separating Fact from Fiction.
00:25:04.76\00:25:08.40
It's a practical, biblical
look at a subject that has
00:25:08.40\00:25:11.30
puzzled a lot of people.
00:25:11.30\00:25:13.33
You'll be thrilled to
understand just what God's
00:25:13.33\00:25:16.06
Word says about hell and
what Jesus himself says on the
00:25:16.06\00:25:19.23
subject.
00:25:19.23\00:25:20.23
Just call of write and
I'll send you this free book,
00:25:20.23\00:25:22.90
Understanding Hell.
00:25:22.90\00:25:24.76
You really ought to have this
book, and there is absolutely
00:25:24.76\00:25:27.30
no cost to you and
there's no obligation.
00:25:27.30\00:25:30.43
Just call 1.800.253.3000
and ask for the book
00:25:30.43\00:25:35.20
Understanding Hell.
00:25:35.20\00:25:36.30
You can call
anytime, day or night.
00:25:36.30\00:25:39.33
If the line is
busy, just keep trying.
00:25:39.33\00:25:41.70
You can also get this
free book by writing to It Is
00:25:41.70\00:25:44.16
Written, Box O, Thousand
Oaks, California, 91359.
00:25:44.16\00:25:48.13
We'll mail a copy to your
address in North America, and
00:25:48.13\00:25:51.40
you can download a free
electronic version of this
00:25:51.40\00:25:54.43
book, Understanding
Hell, from our website,
00:25:54.43\00:25:57.23
itiswritten.com.
00:25:57.23\00:25:58.23
It Is Written can only
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00:25:58.23\00:26:02.40
Thank you for sending your
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00:26:02.40\00:26:07.53
can make a gift on
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00:26:07.53\00:26:12.10
Thank you for your
letters and for your continued
00:26:12.10\00:26:16.23
support.
00:26:16.23\00:26:17.23
And to get Understanding
Hell, write to us or call
00:26:17.23\00:26:21.86
now: 1.800.253.3000.
00:26:21.86\00:26:23.16
I'd love to pray with you today.
00:26:23.16\00:26:25.16
Let's pray together.
00:26:25.16\00:26:26.66
Our Father in heaven,
some subjects in the Bible we
00:26:26.66\00:26:29.90
wrestle with and when we
find your will and your words,
00:26:29.90\00:26:33.53
sometimes we are challenged.
00:26:33.53\00:26:35.16
This whole idea of people
being separated from you for
00:26:35.16\00:26:38.10
all eternity.
00:26:38.10\00:26:39.10
It's a challenging idea
because it's so serious, it's
00:26:39.10\00:26:41.90
so final, it's so eternal.
00:26:41.90\00:26:43.70
Father in heaven, as I
pray today, I pray that we today
00:26:43.70\00:26:47.40
would be committed to you.
00:26:47.40\00:26:48.53
Friend, would you
choose Jesus today?
00:26:48.53\00:26:50.60
Would you do that?
00:26:50.60\00:26:51.60
Thank you, Father, that
through faith in your son
00:26:51.60\00:26:54.16
Jesus Christ, we
don't have to fear hellfire.
00:26:54.16\00:26:56.96
It's not something we
even need to worry about.
00:26:56.96\00:26:59.16
I'm grateful Lord, that
Jesus is our Deliver, our
00:26:59.16\00:27:03.36
deliverance.
00:27:03.36\00:27:04.36
Jesus is our
Lord and our Savior.
00:27:04.36\00:27:08.00
We choose him today.
00:27:08.00\00:27:09.00
Friend, choose Jesus today.
00:27:09.00\00:27:11.00
Lord, we want to
have faith in you.
00:27:11.00\00:27:12.56
We thank you for your Word.
00:27:12.56\00:27:14.26
We thank you for
the gift of Salvation.
00:27:14.26\00:27:16.60
And, we pray in
Jesus' name, Amen.
00:27:16.60\00:27:23.00
Thanks for joining me
today and look forward
00:27:43.33\00:27:45.03
to see you next
time, until then remember
00:27:45.03\00:27:47.56
"It is written Man
shall not live by bread
00:27:47.56\00:27:50.43
alone, but by every word that
proceeds from mouth of God."
00:27:50.43\00:27:54.86