Dr. Jack L. Arnold
Equipping Pastors International
Biblical
Evangelism Lesson 7
(Realization of Judgment)
It is impossible to deal with the subject of
salvation and evangelism without touching on the topic of judgment. A
person must see his lostness because of sin and the fact that he is under
judgment before salvation in Christ takes on meaning. The whole concept of
future judgment should strike terror into the human heart. Yet the unsaved man, blinded by sin,
scoffs at the idea of a future judgment for wicked men. NOTE: One of the clever
tricks of the Devil is to get men to either deny or water down the Biblical
teachings on future judgment and a literal hell. Whether man believes it or
not, the Bible does teach future judgment.
Men have been brainwashed with a false view of God,
presenting Him as so much love that He would not judge anyone. But the same
Bible that states that God is love (1 John 4:7) also states many more times
that God is wrath (Heb. 10:31). NOTE: Some say that God was presented as wrath
in the Old Testament but in the New Testament Jesus Christ represents love to
all mankind. This is a perversion of the truth, for Jesus Christ had more to
say about judgment and hell than any other prophet in the Bible (Matt.
5:29—30).
The doctrine of judgment and hell is not popular in todayÕs
world, but it is Biblical and GodÕs Word never changes. Christians must be
faithful to preach on judgment because the scriptures teach it and the historic
Church has declared it (Rom. 1:18; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:15-16).
The doctrine of future punishment contends that men
exist forever and must, because of GodÕs divine judgment against sin, be
forever separated from God in a state of conscious punishment.
The reason man goes to a place call Hell is because
of sin. If any law is to have authority, there must be punishment and
enforcement of the punishment. All men have broken GodÕs law because of sin,
and sin must be punished or GodÕs law has no authority. NOTE: While judgment is
certain for man, God takes no pleasure in the eternal death of the unsaved
(Ezk. 33:11), and God, in grace and mercy, has made a provision in the death of
Christ to save men from their sins. GodÕs solution to the sin problem is found
in Jesus Christ. Any person who trusts in Christ as Lord and Savior need never
fear the terribleness of Hell (John 3:36; Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10).
God never made Hell for men, but for the Devil and
his angels (Matt. 25:41). The only people who are in Hell are those who choose
to cast their lot, life and destiny with the Devil and his angels. God has
appointed Christ as the one way for the sinner to escape Hell. NOTE: In
eternity men will then know that they willfully chose their own destiny when
suffering the pangs of hell. They will never be able to accuse God of injustice
or forcing them to choose against Christ.
Hell
is a Real Place. Actually, there is no word ÒhellÓ in the Greek New Testament. There
are several words used to describe the future place of punishment and the
English Bible has translated these words as Òhell.Ó
Names
show hell is a real place.
1.
Hades:
Sometimes the word Hades refers to the grave or the state of death,
but it often refers to the place of the departed wicked dead. Hades is a real
place and does have punishment (Luke 16:19-31). NOTE: Apparently Hades is the
temporary abode of all those who have rejected Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
At the end of the world, Hades will be cast into the Lake of Fire and this will
be the eternal abode of wicked men (Rev. 20:14-15).
2.
Gehenna (Matt. 23:33): The name was originally applied to a valley southwest
of Jerusalem. Before Israel was in her land, it was a place where wicked idolaters
sacrificed their children to Moloch by causing them to pass through fire. Hence
it was considered impure and was called the Òvalley of spit.Ó It was an utterly
despised region. Later it became a dump and fires were continually burning
there to consume the refuse of Jerusalem. As a result, it became a symbol of
the place of eternal torment.
3.
Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15): A symbol to tell us about the punishment of hell.
4.
Tartarus (2 Pet. 2:4): A part of hell for angels who had sinned.
5.
Abyss
(Rev. 9:1-2, 11): Abode of wicked angels.
6.
Prison
(1 Pet. 3:19)
Expressions
show hell is a real place: The Bible speaks of being cast into Gehenna (Matt. 5:29), or Òcast
into the Lake of FireÓ (Rev. 20:15), or being Òin GehennaÓ (Matt. 10:28). NOTE:
Hell is a place where people are sent. It may not be ÒdownÓ in the sense of
being in the middle of the earth. It may be another dimension of the spiritual
world.
Parable
of the rich man and Lazarus indicates Hell is a real place (Luke 16:19-31): This
parable definitely shows local relationships.
Hell
is a place of punishment
Descriptions: God describes the
punishment of Hell in very descriptive terms. It is called eternal fire
(Matt. 25:41), outer darkness (Matt. 8:12), torment (Rev. 14:10-11),
eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46), wrath of God (Rom. 1:18), second
death (Rev. 21:8), eternal destruction (2 Thess. 1:9), damnation
(Mark 3:29) and perdition (1 Tim. 6:9). NOTE: It is also described as a
place where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 9:12; 13:42; 22:13).
Symbolic
Language:
God described Hell for us in figurative language in order that we might
understand what Hell is really like. Yet, all figurative language is pointing
to a literal truth. We know Hell will be (1) total absence of the favor of God;
(2) total separation from God; (3) an endless disturbance of life because of sin;
and (4) suffering in body and soul.
NOTE: All the descriptions
tell us that hell will be a place of
separation and punishment.
HellÕs
Punishment is Eternal (2 Thess. 1:7-9): The Bible states that Hell is eternal. Seven times
the Bible says HellÕs punishment is eternal in character. The same word
ÒeternalÓ is also used to describe the character of God, and God is eternal
with no end.
Hell
Will Have Degrees of Punishment (Matt. 11:22-24; Luke 12:47-48; 20:17; Rom. 2:5-6;
Rev. 20:12-13).
The teaching of scripture is very clear that all who
have rejected Christ will pass into eternal death, or separation from God.
Yet there are indications that there will be degrees
of punishment in Hell, for men ultimately will be judged according to
their works. Their works could not and will not save them (Eph. 2:8-9), but
works will determine the degree of punishment in Hell. NOTE: What is meant by
degrees of punishment, we cannot be sure. The only thing of which we can
definitely be sure is that a righteous God will deal righteously and justly
with all men, even at the final judgment.
Shakes
the Sinner:
Sometimes only the doctrine of eternal judgment brings an unsaved person around
for Christ.
Gives
Leverage in Witnessing: A Christian witness should never dodge the issue of future
punishment. It may not be too well liked but it is Biblical. The teaching of
judgment will often get the unsaved person stirred enough to talk about Christ.
NOTE: Christians must be careful about using the back door approach to
evangelism; that is, always presenting the happy side of the gospel without
presenting the dark side. It would be tragic for a person to make some kind of
profession for Christ under the delusion that it was unnecessary to believe in
eternal judgment and a literal hell. The best policy is to be honest.NOTE: Be
careful about preaching judgment at people in an emotional way. It is better
just to state it as a fact and the logical consequence of rejecting Christ.
Only
Alternative:
With some folks judgment needs to be mentioned very little and with others it
must be spoken very clearly. When our Lord dealt with Nicodemus (John 3) and
the woman at the well (John 4), he said nothing about judgment. Yet often when
Christ dealt with the religious people and the Òdo-goodersÓ he drove judgment
home loud and clear (Matt. 23:33), for only judgment would shake these moralists
to reality.
ÒA true fear of hell has
sent many a soul to heaven.Ó