Did you know that NO OTHER religion preaches that hell lasts forever?

If this is the case, then how can Christianity have the NERVE to say such a thing?

Do you know that it is NOT a CHRISTIAN teaching, if it does not include eternal suffering – suffering that goes on forever and ever!

Are we as Christians entitled to say such a thing? To the rest of mankind?

Let us look at the Christian Bible, which is supposed to be a Holy Book, recognised worldwide.

Yes, surely it is there – there is a place where people suffer FOREVER. It has many names.

I say again, how can Christianity have the nerve to say what other religions do not?

Every other religion lets the human race get out of HELL.

But not so, Christianity.

Even the Muslims teach that the fire shall burn us up until we are nothing but ashes. Therefore there can be NO endless suffering in Islam. We cannot suffer forever!

Many offshoots from Christianity also preach the same. Jehovah Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists teach that suffering only lasts a short time, then we are annihilated.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches Purgatory, which is a temporary place of suffering. Still, it is NOT FOREVER.

Look at other major faiths – Buddhism… Hinduism… - there is no endless suffering. Can anyone mention any other religion, and say whether there is an endless punishment?

There will be none.

Why?

Because all the other religions are based on the philosophy of man. So in man’s own eyes, he is not bad enough to enter a place of suffering forever.

It seems so unjust to be in a place called hell forever!

But what is the truth? There is a possibility that the Christian bible story is true. If it is, then this could be very serious indeed.

Let us look at exactly what the Christian Bible does teach about this horrible place called hell:

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. . .” Luke 16:23

We’re going to examine the place the Bible calls hell. Don’t take what you’re going to read lightly. If what you read is true — YOU COULD BE IN SERIOUS DANGER!

Several years ago a book was published, entitled Beyond Death’s Door by Dr. Maurice Rawlings. Dr. Rawlings, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, resuscitated many people who had been clinically dead. Dr. Rawlings, a devout atheist, “considered all religion “hocus-pocus” and death nothing more than a painless extinction”. But something happened in 1977 that brought a dramatic change in the life of Dr. Rawlings! He was resuscitating a man, terrified and screaming — descending down into the flames of hell:

“Each time he regained heartbeat and respiration, the patient screamed, “I am in hell!” He was terrified and pleaded with me to help him. I was scared to death. . . Then I noticed a genuinely alarmed look on his face. He had a terrified look worse than the expression seen in death! This patient had a grotesque grimace expressing sheer horror! His pupils were dilated, and he was perspiring and trembling — he looked as if his hair was “on end.”
Then still another strange thing happened. He said,“Don’t you understand? I am in hell. . . Don’t let me go back to hell!” . . .the man was serious, and it finally occurred to me that he was indeed in trouble. He was in a panic like I had never seen before.”
(Maurice Rawlings, Beyond Death’s Door, 1979 p. 3).

Dr. Rawlings said, no one, who could have heard his screams and saw the look of terror on his face could doubt for a single minute that he was actually in a place called hell!The Bible continually warns of a place called hell. There are over 162 references in the New Testament alone which warns of hell. And over 70 of these references were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ!

In Luke chapter 16, Jesus Christ gives a frightening picture of hell:

 22 . . . the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luke 16:22-28)

HELL IS A PLACE OF FIRE

The man in Luke 16:24 cries: “. . .I am tormented in this FLAME.”

In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: “And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting FIRE,. . .”

HELL IS A PLACE OF TORMENT

Jesus says of the man in Luke 16:

23 “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in TORMENTS. . . “
24 “. . . for I am TORMENTED in this FLAME.”
28 “. . .PLACE OF TORMENT.”

It is humanly impossible to comprehend the Bible description of hell. Nothing on earth can compare with it. No nightmare could produce a terror to match that of hell. No horror movie could describe it’s fright. No crime scene with all it’s blood and gore could begin to match it’s horror.

The Bible describes it as weeping (Matt 8:12), wailing (Matt 13:42), gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:50), darkness (Matt 25:30), flames (Luke 16:24), burning (Isa 33:14), torments (Luke 16:23), everlasting punishment! Jesus Christ says in Matthew 25:41, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Just look how the Bible warns of the eternity and permenance of hell!

everlasting fire — Matthew18:8, 25:41
everlasting punishment — Matthew 25:46
everlasting chains — Jude 1:6
eternal damnation — Mark 3:29
eternal judgment — Hebrews 6:2
eternal fire — Jude 1:7
unquenchable fire — Matthew 3:12
the fire that never shall be quenched — Mark 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 48
fire unquenchable — Luke 3:17
mist of darkness is reserved for ever — 2 Peter 2:17
the blackness of darkness for ever — Jude 1:13

My friend, I have searched my Bible, from cover to cover. . . I have studied every occurrence of hell in my Bible — and I can not find one verse, not one word of HOPE for someone in hell! NOT ONE WORD! The rich man in hell in Luke 16 never even asks to get out — He knew there was no way out!

Jesus Christ took hell very serious. . .
Jesus Christ says in Mark 9:43-47,

43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Jesus Christ took hell so serious — He could say without the slightest hesitation — to remove your eye, cut off your hand or foot, if that would keep you out of hell!

Conclusion

Why is hell so bad? Because we have rejected something marvellous – the salvation of God through his son The Lord Jesus Christ.

NONE of the other religions can offer you ETERNAL LIFE, so NONE of the other religions can make the following threat:

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;”
Hebrews 2:3

Many people turn to a different religion at this point. But what other religion has offered you Eternal life? I would like to hear from you. 

Many people do NOT want to be threatened. Any religion will do, because no other religion has a hell!

It may suit you fine for now, but WHAT IF IT’S TRUE?

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