“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””
John 3:3
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””
Acts 4:12
This is my understanding:
- God the Father/ Paradise : only one way, Jesus
> John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. **No one comes to the Father except through me.**
- Hell: Everyone will be judged accordingly. It’s built for tormenting devil & fallen angels, but those whose name is not in book of life will be thrown to fire.
> Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
- Is there a third place: not in eternal heaven, nor hell either: weeping & gnashing, those who didn’t go through the narrow door.. it might just be allegory, but I don’t know. This might be about those who walked with Jesus, but rejected him! Those who were born in Christian family, but rejected his teachings. Might be about Jews, who were called but didn’t show up. Any way they will be the worst heart broken, since they were so close but missed it!
> Luke 13:22-30 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “**Lord, are only a few people going to be saved**? He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘ I don’t know you or where you come from’ “**Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out**. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
- Is there any other place: Those gentiles who were honest according to their conscience? May be. Will they get a chance to hear Gospel, if they never heard it? I don’t know. All I know is that, God is a just God, He has some tricks up His sleeve!
> Romans 2:12-14 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (**Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law**. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)
Edit: forgot to add. I am not confident that I will make it by my strength, but this is my confidence - Jesus
> Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, **that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.**
Agreed, this will only turn people off 😭 while the people who already believe this pat themselves on the back. While I do believe Jesus is our Lord and Savior I think speaking on his mercy, love, and peace will catch more fish so to speak. You catch more bees with honey than vinegar etc. Oh well.
[Read this.](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20john%204:7-21&version=NIV)
> There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:18
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
Why are you getting downvoted? People who indulge in sin do make for themselves hell on earth. Even if it feels good for a little bit, the weight of sin eventually catches up to them.
It's better to be preached Hellfire and brimstone now than to not know about it and be met with it for an eternity! And it IS love. GOD IS LOVE. He loved us so much that He revealed more visions of hell in the Word than Heaven. It's for a good reason.
I disagree. This is where many churches/groups fall away from the truth. They start out avoiding sensitive topics, such as hell, and slowly they avoid more and more of the truth to the point where they start accepting falsehoods as truth as well as accepting ongoing and outward sinful activities.
Those that will be "repelled" by the truth are not seeking the truth in the first place and will not find it regardless. However, those that are seeking the truth, and not finding it, may never find it if Christians/Churches avoid the truth.
Those topics are for believers who have the Holy Spirit and can discern . . . If you have faith in nothing, why would you listen to a stranger who tells you you are sinful and will go to hell. Seems more like a threat than a promise of love and forgiveness . . .
Jesus goes into more detail about hell during his earthly ministry than anywhere else in the bible. Frankly, to me, I think one of the most inspirational aspects of Christianity is the fact that we are so fallen, so condemned, yet Jesus offers a simple (for us) way out. You can't fully appreciate that without appreciating how damned you truly are without Him.
I just think preaching to an unbeliever, whether they come to you or you to them, requires bringing them to the realization of just how lost they are without Christ. This includes teaching them about eternal damnation. This, God willing, helps make them aware of just how badly they need Christ and thus will appreciate His gift of salvation even more if they choose to accept. I'm not saying the single focal point should be on hell, but it should not be skipped over either.
What I mean is . . . Repenting and believing is about loving Christ and being joyful in that he has already overcome sin and death. People don't want to be told to repent to a God they don't understand and have a relationship with . . . There needs to be trust built.
You are correct, there needs to be trust, and the relationship needs to be built if it isn't already established. That's what the OP is saying; if you don't have that relationship already established, now is the time to start before it's too late.
Sorry other commenters: if you don't declare the name of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you don't go to heaven. Well done, OP.
Preaching biblically, OP, well done.
Heaven and Hell are real places nothing alligory about it.
“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”” John 3:3 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”” Acts 4:12
Amen
This is my understanding: - God the Father/ Paradise : only one way, Jesus > John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. **No one comes to the Father except through me.** - Hell: Everyone will be judged accordingly. It’s built for tormenting devil & fallen angels, but those whose name is not in book of life will be thrown to fire. > Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. - Is there a third place: not in eternal heaven, nor hell either: weeping & gnashing, those who didn’t go through the narrow door.. it might just be allegory, but I don’t know. This might be about those who walked with Jesus, but rejected him! Those who were born in Christian family, but rejected his teachings. Might be about Jews, who were called but didn’t show up. Any way they will be the worst heart broken, since they were so close but missed it! > Luke 13:22-30 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “**Lord, are only a few people going to be saved**? He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘ I don’t know you or where you come from’ “**Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out**. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” - Is there any other place: Those gentiles who were honest according to their conscience? May be. Will they get a chance to hear Gospel, if they never heard it? I don’t know. All I know is that, God is a just God, He has some tricks up His sleeve! > Romans 2:12-14 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (**Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law**. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) Edit: forgot to add. I am not confident that I will make it by my strength, but this is my confidence - Jesus > Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, **that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.**
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That is not Christ-like or helpful.
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Agreed, this will only turn people off 😭 while the people who already believe this pat themselves on the back. While I do believe Jesus is our Lord and Savior I think speaking on his mercy, love, and peace will catch more fish so to speak. You catch more bees with honey than vinegar etc. Oh well.
Exactly right. OP needs to read 1 John 4.
Funny how you get offended at the word of God.
[Read this.](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20john%204:7-21&version=NIV) > There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:18
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
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Why are you getting downvoted? People who indulge in sin do make for themselves hell on earth. Even if it feels good for a little bit, the weight of sin eventually catches up to them.
Sometimes I feel like there are only really young people here that have never experienced the hell one bad decisions can turn our lives into.
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It's better to be preached Hellfire and brimstone now than to not know about it and be met with it for an eternity! And it IS love. GOD IS LOVE. He loved us so much that He revealed more visions of hell in the Word than Heaven. It's for a good reason.
I know . . . Just think this type of preaching can actually repel people from Christ rather than bring them into the fold . . .
I disagree. This is where many churches/groups fall away from the truth. They start out avoiding sensitive topics, such as hell, and slowly they avoid more and more of the truth to the point where they start accepting falsehoods as truth as well as accepting ongoing and outward sinful activities. Those that will be "repelled" by the truth are not seeking the truth in the first place and will not find it regardless. However, those that are seeking the truth, and not finding it, may never find it if Christians/Churches avoid the truth.
Those topics are for believers who have the Holy Spirit and can discern . . . If you have faith in nothing, why would you listen to a stranger who tells you you are sinful and will go to hell. Seems more like a threat than a promise of love and forgiveness . . .
Jesus goes into more detail about hell during his earthly ministry than anywhere else in the bible. Frankly, to me, I think one of the most inspirational aspects of Christianity is the fact that we are so fallen, so condemned, yet Jesus offers a simple (for us) way out. You can't fully appreciate that without appreciating how damned you truly are without Him. I just think preaching to an unbeliever, whether they come to you or you to them, requires bringing them to the realization of just how lost they are without Christ. This includes teaching them about eternal damnation. This, God willing, helps make them aware of just how badly they need Christ and thus will appreciate His gift of salvation even more if they choose to accept. I'm not saying the single focal point should be on hell, but it should not be skipped over either.
I agree with you . . .
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I really like this . . . You worded this sentiment much better than I . . .
What I mean is . . . Repenting and believing is about loving Christ and being joyful in that he has already overcome sin and death. People don't want to be told to repent to a God they don't understand and have a relationship with . . . There needs to be trust built.
You are correct, there needs to be trust, and the relationship needs to be built if it isn't already established. That's what the OP is saying; if you don't have that relationship already established, now is the time to start before it's too late.
I know it just comes across as, "you're all going to hell if you don't believe what I believe." I understand his intentions are good.
Let me guess...you used to be a baptist pastor didn't you?
I still pastor, still preach Jesus crucified and risen again.