Session 4- What Jesus’ Followers said about hell For more information about this study book and the questions read chapter 4 of Erasing Hell by Francis Chan.
In the last chapter we went over what Jesus spoke of about hell in this chapter we are looking at what His followers said, did, and how we as followers should be speaking about hell. One thing chapter 4 hit on was that there are actually more verses, imagery, analogies, ect in scripture about hell, which we know all to be God breathed than there is talking about Gods love and forgiveness combined. In the new testament they may not have litterally used the word hell rather other terms in order not to run people off. They used both truths of Gods love and all forgiveness as well as speaking about what happens to the wicked. What do we see nowadays is less and less of what happens to the wicked and less about hell and more on the love and forgiveness of our Father. Why is this becasue we want to lean on our own understanding, we want to live how we want to live, we want to fill our churches our bible studies without scaring people off because its not what we in the flesh desire to hear. But When many of Jesus disciples said we cannot follow this Jesus his teachings are to harsh. Jesus looked at His 12 chosen disciples and there response was we are not going anywhere we are lost without you. We know you are the way. (John 6:60-70) So as it may be harsh to hear what the old testament scripture says about hell, it may be harsh to what Jesus speaks of about hell, it may be harsh to hear about what His followers have to say about hell but we are to share this harshness as well. Paul is known to speak about hell more often than any other author in scriptures. Paul might not have used the word hell once in his 13 letters but he clearly does speak about the wicked, wrath of God, punnishment, destroy, wrath, sinner, death, ect. Paul made more refrences to the fate of the wicked more times than Gods, mercy, forgiveness, or heaven combined. Do you wonder why that is? Is it not love when we warn people of this becasue we do not want this life for others. If we did not warn others of this and accuratley as well then all they would know is an all loving all forgiving God. The wouldn’t one believe that they can believe that there was a man raised from the dead his name is Jesus and he died for me. I can say sorry as many times as I want and im forgiven becasue he saved me and he’s all loving and always forgiving. Hmm thats not the Jesus I read about in scripture. These harsh realities are spoken because of the love Jesus and His followers have for us. We should be speaking, teaching, preaching these same harsh truths just as our creator has.
Is it not love when we teach our kids and correct our kids as they grow up with what they probably think are harsh but its for there better good. You teach them not to play with fire, not to put out a grease fire with water while cokking what ever it may be becasue soon as the flames grow large your house is burning and there trapped in that house upstairs all you can think of is there safety and expect miracle or a firefighter to save them. But you warned them, you taught them, right they just didnt listen. Well this is the same for Jesus and His followers He expects us to teach these harsh teachings to all his children who know and do not know Him. These harsh teaching are for our own good and the good of others. Jesus didnt shy away and neither should we shy away from these matters.
