Hell

I have been impressed recently by the increase in people who claim that there is no hell. One group that staunchly defends this is called the Universal Reconciliationists. They not only believe there is no hell, they also believe that everybody will be saved, even the devil.

What is so incredible about all this is that these people seem to know their bible yet they are completely blind and/or ignorant to what the bible is clearly stating. Now we know that sometimes the bible can be a bit vague about certain topics however hell is not one of these topics. In fact if there is any one thing the bible is painfully clear on, its the idea that there is a place of eternal punishment and people who don't know Jesus are going to end up there.

Consider the wording used in places like this:

Matthew 25: 41 “eternal fire”, 46 “eternal punishment”; Mark 9: 43-48 “into Hell, into the unquenchable fire”; 2 Thessalonians 1: 9 “pay the penalty of eternal destruction”; Heb. 9:27 “it is appointed for man to die once and after this comes judgement”; Rev. 14: 11 “…the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night…”; etc.).

I'm not sure what other wording could possibly be used to make the point clearer. The wicked will suffer eternal punishment and it's going to be really really bad. For people to read the bible and come away with any other conclusion about the reality of hell and the idea that not only will everyone not be saved, MOST people will not be saved, only a few will. Read Matt 7:14, how much clearer can it be. Jehovah's Witnesses and Universal Reconciliationists both teach that there is no hell. This is satanic power being displayed, showing how effective it can be at blinding the minds of those who refuse to love the truth. People indeed love the thoughts and words of men more than the word of God or they would not be caught up in such blatant, obvious and grievous error.

99% is Not Enough

Mark 12:30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

What does "all" mean? 100% right?

A person who is even 99% committed to Jesus has not committed enough. It appears that 100% committment to the Lord is the only level of committment that will enable us to "overcome" and enter eternal life. One reason for this is that any crack in our armor, and room under a nail's head is enough for the enemy to slip in a crowbar and pry us. The enemy is relentless and any cracks in our defenses will be explored and exploited. This is why we are told to love the Lord our God in this way:


Mark 12:33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Luke 10:27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

It will take everything we have to love the Lord the way we are supposed to. Anything less than everything is not enough. The bar is set unbelievable high. This is why it says

Matt 7:
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

~brother D

Rapture-Prewrath and Post Trib Positions are Indefensible

How did I come to this conclusion?

Today I was thinking about being prepared for the Lord's return and what we need to do to be ready. The thought occured to me to do a keyword search of the New Testament for the word "watch." Here are some of the results:

Matthew 24:42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

Matthew 25:13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Mark 13:35"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.

Mark 13:37What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "

Luke 12:37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

Luke 21:36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

Clearly the word "watch" in the above scriptures is talking about watching specifically for the Lord's return. Notice that there are no preconditions in the scriptures such as "watch when" or "watch if", it just says "watch" period. Here's where the prewrath and post tribber positions implode........

The bible clearly tells us to "watch," but are the prewrath postribbers "watching" right now? If the answer is no, then they are in clear disobedience to the Lord's command to "watch," right? If they answer "yes" they are watching for the Lord's return right now, then this nullifies their position that the Lord will return either at mid or post tribulation. Either way, their position is discredited.

Let's look at another, even more straightforward example of where the prewrath/post trib position is indefensible.

Luke 21:36 says : "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

Are prewrath/post tribbers obeying the Lord's clear command here to "pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen?" If they are not praying for escape as the scripture clearly commands them to, are they not being disobedient to the Word of God? If they are praying for escape, then once again, they nullify their own position that we must go through part or all of the tribulation. Notice that the Lord's command is to pray to escape ALL
that is about to happen.

In both cases, the prewrath and post tribulation positions are discredited. People who hold prewrath or posttrib views are not watching for the Lord's return right now although the Lord clearly commands them to be watching (right now), nor are they praying for escape as the Lord commanded them to.

Why would a prewrath or post tribber pray for escape? They are to busy arguing with everyone that they are going through the tribulation. Praying for escape goes against everything they stand for, so they just disregard the word of God and hold on to the word of man.

What do you think is going to happen to servants who are not found watching when the Lord comes back like a thief as He said He would? If the Lord commands a man to pray for escape, that man better pray for escape, or he is a fool.

These things are worth pondering....

Only a Few Will Be Saved

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; (NOT a billion people, few, little) for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Matthew 7:14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 22:14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Luke 13:
22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
He said to them, 24"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Why? Because only a FEW will be able to enter.................

Matthew 24:12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

1 Corinthians 10:5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Nobody ever became popular by telling people the truth.........................