|
by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2013, all rights reserved. We know about heaven and hell from Jesus, who walked on this earth about 2,000 years ago. Most of his words are in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If you have a red letter edition of the Bible, the words of Jesus are printed in red ink. (And the other words in black ink.) One time, officers were sent out to arrest Jesus. They came back empty. They were asked, "Why haven't you brought him?" They answered, "No man ever talked like this man." (John 7:45) In Matthew chapter 7, verses 28 And when Jesus had finished these sayings, the people were amazed at his doctrine, 29 Because he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes. Jesus taught as someone with authority because he was the one with authority. Judgment Day will come, and Jesus will judge everyone (book of Revelation.) Not only will Jesus be the judge, but Jesus is a co-creator with his Father God. (Book of Genesis) But Jesus did say his Father is greater than Jesus. (John 14:28) In the Book of Revelation, chapter 1, we see that Jesus said, 8 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end," says the Lord, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." So that is why Jesus would teach with authority, unlike the scribes. Jesus taught as the one who will be judging us, and in his teaching, tries to steer us in the right direction so that we'll be rewarded rather than punished. Here's something Jesus said about heaven, ___John chapter 14 1 "Don't let your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself, so that where I am, you'll be there also." Many mansions. Heaven is a nice place to live. What about hell? In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Jesus said that in hell their worms don't die, and the fire is not quenched, there is crying and gnashing of teeth. An expression I hadn't heard until I joined the U.S. military is, "That torques my jaws." It means, that makes me angry. This torquing of jaws is about the same as the gnashing of teeth. It is done in anger. Why are people in hell angry? They're angry in hell because they're being tormented, but it didn't have to happen, if they'd taken God seriously, if they'd taken Jesus seriously, if they'd taken the Bible seriously. But the devil and his demons go around trying to get people to scorn the things of God. To some, they'll say, "there is no hell." But Jesus said there is a hell. Someone is lying, and I know it's not Jesus. Jesus told us how to get to heaven. "You must be born again." (John chapter 3) The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans chapter 10, verses 9 & 10, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made for salvation." You open your mouth and confess that Jesus is your Lord. You believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. But now, after becoming a Christian, Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things I say?" (Luke 6:46) But to do the things Jesus said, we must know what those things are, and we get that information by reading the Bible, especially the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The raising of Jesus from the dead is in: ___Matthew chapter 28 1 In the end of the Sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came, and the other Mary to see the tomb. 2 And there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His facial appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow, 4 And for fear of him the keepers shook, and became like dead men. 5 And the angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He's not here, for he has risen like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was laying. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and see, he goes before you into Galilee, you'll see him there, see, I've told you." 8 And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell his disciples, Jesus met them, saying, "All hail." And they came and held him by the feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go into Galilee, and they'll see me there." I was at a meeting one time where Dr. Eby was the speaker. God gave him a rare and unique experience of going to hell for a short period of time. He came back and wrote about it and told people what a terrible place hell is. Bible teacher Kenneth E. Hagin wrote a little book, "I Went to Hell." Hagin's spirit left his body, and started down, down, down, down. It was very dark. But as Hagin got close to the gates of hell, he began to see the fires of hell. As Hagin descended, he was saying to God, "But I'm a member of the Baptist Church." But, you see, membership in a church doesn't get you to heaven. You must be born again. As Hagin got close to the gates of hell, a creature came to grab him to take him into hell. God spoke something from heaven, and hell shook at God's voice. Hagin went back up and into his flesh and blood body. Hagin tells what a nasty place hell is. Hagin got born again, and I'm sure he went to heaven. His books are at www.Rhema.org In Luke chapter 12, verses 4 And I say to you my friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear, fear him, who after he has killed has the power to throw you into hell, yes I say to you, fear him. Now who is that, who can not only kill you, but also throw you into hell? That's God. We had better fear God. Some might say, "Well I'm not going to go around afraid all the time." No, the fear of God is a healthy fear to help you avoid the things that would send you to hell. The very most important thing for everyone on earth to do is get right with God (by getting born again, Jhn chpt 3), so that when they leave this earth, they go up to heaven, and not down to hell. And yet, Jesus said that most people go to hell. From Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 Enter in at the restricted gate, because wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many that go in there, 14 Because the gate is restricted, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. You see, many go down the broad road to hell. But few go the narrow way to heaven. Are you one of the few that go to heaven, or one of the many that go to hell? God would prefer that everyone go to heaven. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is patient toward us, not willing for anyone to perish, but that all would come to repentance." (2 Pet 3:9) On the other hand, God can't let evil people into heaven. "And there shall in no way enter into it anything that defiles, nor whatever works abomination, or makes a lie, but those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Rev 21:27) The solution to the sin problem is, you get washed by the blood of Jesus, and he takes away your sins. Once someone gets born again, the Lord wants you to get baptized in water. I got my water baptism at an Assembly of God church. The Lord also wants his Christians to get baptized with the Holy Ghost. You'll know you have it when you pray in a language that you don't understand. In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we are told that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. So, if you're a Christian, ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Ghost. God doesn't make you talk. The Holy Ghost gives you words to speak in a strange language, and you add your voice, and speak those words out loud. Scriptures quoted are from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version and the New Testament, Hoehn Version, copyright 2011, both are available as ebooks for the Kindle readers from Amazon.com.
Related Articles -
heaven, hell, Bible, Jesus,
| 
