If I Really Believed in Hell

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14-15

Hell’s a terrible place, in theory.

A place of eternal wrath and unending torture.

A place where the pain is excruciating but does not cease.

A place where there is no hope;

A place intended only for suffering.

A place without God, forever and ever.

But I have trouble imagining such a place –

All the pain I have ever experienced comes to an end, sooner or later;

When I look back, it all seemed like bearable pain.

And at the times I don’t feel God near,

Well, they don’t last all that long;

When I reflect upon them, I see He was actually there.

So I can’t really conceive a place

With so much pain

And without any God.

Intellectually, I know such a place exists.

Intellectually, I know billions of people are on the highway to Hell –

And some of my friends are in the fast lane.

Intellectually, I know I was destined for Hell –

And that Jesus is the only reason I’m not anymore.

But if I really believed these things,

My whole life would be different – radically so.

If I really believed in Hell,

I would not be able to keep quiet.

If I really believed in Hell,

I’d be passionately warning my friends,

And anyone else who would listen.

If I really believed in Hell,

And how terrible it really is,

It would be almost impossible

For me to not tell even my enemies.

And if I really understood that I was rescued from the highway to Hell,

I’d be a lot more humble before my Savior.

If I really realized what destruction He spared me from,

I’d be a much more loyal servant.

If I really believed all the work of Jesus

Was one hundred percent necessary to rescue me,

I would spend a whole lot more time

Worshipping and adoring Him.

*Father God, please forgive me for not believing fully in all of the realities you have explained to me. God, I want to believe. I want to believe whole-heartedly in the destruction that awaits the unsaved, so as to more fully understand the magnitude of your love, grace and mercy. Please teach me, Father, and increase my zeal for you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do you truly believe in Hell?

Contributed by Lincoln W.
from blessings@daily-devotionals.net