Some churches don't like the phrase “getting saved.” More pastors feel this way all the time. But let’s look at that phrase: What is it we want people saved from? The answer to that question, per Scripture is: We want people saved from eternal punishment, punishment that never ends. We’re speaking of conscious life in a body, but suited for everlasting punishment. The Bible speaks of that as occurring in a place that we know is hell. It translates from the Greek word “gehenna.” The Book of Revelation calls it the Lake of Fire--people are punished and tormented forever.
In all honesty, pastors are distancing themselves from the reality of hell. I travel a lot, so I've heard many different pastors; yet I don't know when was the last time I even heard the word "hell" on Sunday. We avoid thinking about it too. I live in a senior community, and I was shocked at how never a conversation has a religious bent. No urgency there. We don't want to think about it. As if there is no God who will judge us, or we're just "rolling the dice" that He is nice and overlooks our shortfalls (we don't like the word "sin" either). For most pastors in today’s sermons, such a negative topic is kryptonite—when the truth is, it ought to be the first thing we talk about when the subject is the Gospel, the good news of how to be saved from hell.
You should know that the doctrine of hell is still in the thinking of our people, when the subject is actually raised. A 2016 survey said that 64% of Americans believe in hell (down from 5 years before, when 75% believed in it). However, of those 64%, only 4% believe that there is any chance that THEY will go there. So, hell is for someone else, not me, brother. Well, that’s a problem. Jesus said that the majority of people will go to hell. He used the word "few" for the number who would escape it. Here's His quote, in Matthew 7:13-14. In context of other Scripture, the word "destruction" speaks of everlasting hell, "life" speaks of heaven.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
What is the narrow way? I have a blog on it.
Compassionate pastors teach this subject, because they don't want any of their people to go there. Scripture is very clear on who makes heaven, and who doesn't. These pastors warn the people, who frequently have the wrong idea about their own position when they die. Scripture is clear on it, it's like God gave us the answers before the test--but nobody believes the answers. They would rather trust their own intuition rather than search Scripture and trust God. I can tell you right now; the answer is not "believe in Jesus, and you will go to heaven." The Scriptural answer of avoiding hell may be totally shocking, and not what you have heard from your pastor--or, in many cases, you haven't heard anything from your pastor. Today's pastors want sermons that are uplifting, and not filled with theology or anything negative. That's too bad, since that's not the approach that Jesus used. Why don't they follow the greatest Teacher who ever lived? A mystery to me.
Have those "few" verses above sunk in? You may think--in America, it's a majority, while in those backward countries, almost nobody knows. Well, I have two comments for that prideful response: First, America is rich, but riches don't correlate to salvation. Actually, riches pulls you away from God (another blog). Secondly, I constantly read testimonials from almost every country in the world. Because of the great efforts of translators, almost everyone has heard or read the Bible--maybe a better version than we hear or maybe don't read it. You should ask: Was Jesus lying with the word "few" would be saved from hell? No. Our God Incarnate would not lie. Was He exaggerating the "few" idea, to scare us into thinking about it? No, that would be deception. He is The Truth, as John 14:6 says. The fact that most people don't personally consider that the majority of people are bound for hell is our self-deception, not His. Jeremiah 17:9 says:
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
The way we should live life is: Assume nothing about God that is not in Scripture; and assume nothing about the accuracy of your own ideas (such as I'm "good enough" to get into heaven) that isn't backed by Scripture. Scripture is the ONLY authority for something we know nothing about--like "who gets into heaven?"
Consider Isa. 55::8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Don't trust your intuition about God. Maybe you are worshiping a God that does not exist.
So, we’ve gotten one point across (people still believe there is a hell), but we haven’t gotten the most important point across--most people are headed there and need to take steps to avoid it. This beyond the grave stuff is not a gamble. Do not approach death blindly. For you younger folks, you do not know when you will die.
Here’s another reason why most of us don’t think about hell, the punishment for sin: We live in a world where sin is freely done. Sin is so much a part of our culture that most sins are accepted in society. For instance, I just read an article in a reputable newspaper that a feminist author was ostracized by other feminists, largely because she spoke against legalizing prostitution nationwide. Also, we don’t seem to have any real problem with fornication (premarital sex); it's on major TV shows regularly, and I haven't even heard my conservative Christian friends complain about it. Adultery is even expected among the upper classes; and nobody is showing much shock against homosexuality being normalized on TV--you know that it's socially acceptable when advertisers will allow it to run. We are not often frowned upon if we perjure in court, as long as I want to avoid losing money, or I do it for a good friend, or even for "racial benefit." Nor will any student complain if a fellow student asks them for their paper to copy, so high school and college cheating is OK, for most. And robbery, such as on taxes—we rationalize it by saying, "I don't like what the government is spending it on." Or, if we’re poor, “we’re oppressed, and we deserve it.” And government supports gambling and alcohol ads, which together are the downfall of more people every year—and which hurts the poor the most. Nobody among legislators complains about that, nor does anybody write or phone them to complain. Equally terrible is that a majority of black children, and a growing number of white children, are born without a father present. Statistics show the deterioration of society that results--but men and women live for their own pleasure. A terrible sin. And let’s not forget the elephant in the room--murder of the innocents, or abortion. Most of us “Christians” don't get overexcited about legalized murder. We just want limits. But that's a way of easing our conscience. Murder is still murder when the conceived child is three hours old or three months old. Some of us are under a gullible assumption that if we elect the right politician, they will do the job that our lack of concern will not. Counting on a politician? That'll go well with Jesus on judgement day.
The problem is, we don't believe the Bible. Commit one sin, you are bound for hell. The Bible says, in Ezekiel 18:4:
All souls are Mine; The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die..
With God, one sin (from accountable persons, thus not including children) will prevent us from heaven. He is perfect. He is holy. He is sovereign. He is so different from us, there is no way we can justly say we can figure Him out. With Him, there is no mulligan. There are no arguments of manipulation to get Him to change His mind.
We need to realize our desperate, desperate, straits. We are all bound for hell. But we’re not only used to sinning, we’re very comfortable with "milder" sin—society has very few consequences that it places on people for "milder" sin. But we have warped what is "milder." So, there is now evidently a warped sense of good and evil, and a distorted understanding of justice.
Please do not appeal to your favorite items in the New Testament, such as how Jesus was merciful to the adulterous woman (John 8). Let us not forget--He said to her, “Go, and sin no more,” since He saw in her a repentance of her sin. That repentance, or turn-around, was acceptable—not her adultery. And try reading the rest of the New Testament, to get the whole picture.
Our new definition of sin is, only if it “harms someone else.” That’s a definition most often used by teens engaging in fornication. But what if it results in an abortion? Your fornication could result in murder. Thought about that, you parents who think you are great because you talk with your child on (sexual) protection? Really, doing that means you have already given up on their morality. And the child knows it. To say, “Well, I’ve got to tell her she must only have sex with someone she loves” is totally ignoring God’s parameters about sex. To say, “Well, he's/she’s already doing it, so I have to teach them this” is to again give up on their morality. You’re teaching them that the culture wins, God loses. Does that sound like an acceptable article of faith, if they (or you) profess to be a Christian?
Consider these cold facts: First of all, today’s young females will have, on average, three or so sexual partners before marriage, so say surveys. Secondly, there is a distinct correlation between, shall we call it, the “promiscuity rates” and the rates of later divorce. As the National Survey of Family Growth points out in 2013, women with 10 or more sexual partners were more likely to later divorce; women with 3-9 partners were less likely, and women with 0-1 partners were the least likely to later divorce. Thus, data proves that fornication is bad. If you get pregnant and don't abort, you likely still have a child without a present father most of the time. Working mothers have all kinds of problems monitoring or really knowing their kids.
Weird things are happening in American culture nowadays. Schools indoctrinate our kids too much rather than teach them to analyze real facts for truths. More men's groups, and this is grudgingly acceptable by more women, are following some form of Darwin's "we are animal," hypothesis, so they are openly refusing monogamy--"we're not made that way." Also, some people with too many horoscope readings, perhaps, actually say, “I thought my husband was my soulmate—but I was wrong. I must divorce him and continue my quest; only one person can make me happy.” Or they say, “I’m different now compared to when I married. He isn’t. We have to part.” Or, the worst: “I can’t even imagine being with one person for 40 or 50 years—it’s got to be boring. Marriage and divorce, or even just partners, makes variety in life. It makes sense.” Even grown up, much of the population has no idea of real love. The Bible’s Greek term is for truly loving is “agape”—which means “God-type-love.” Sacrifice and submission is demanded before true love can take root. Most divorces are for selfish reasons, such as the above.
Actually, sex surveys are pretty much beside the point: if you want souls saved (a much more important idea than current “needs,” since it’s for eternity), consider that anyone committing fornication or adultery (and that latter term includes second marriage) is in danger of heading to hell, according to I Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:19, Revelation 21:8 and 22:15. Just follow the term "sexual immorality" in Scripture. (What? Your pastor never talked about that?) BUT sincere repentance is on the way to change that horrible penalty that you might be under right now.
Culture is going the wrong way. Do not follow it. We must learn to follow God's rules instead of listening to culture. You will be against the grain, but tough it out. Jesus warned you that was expected if you are really saved. Don't look for society for what's "right;" society doesn’t have any spiritual guidance. Of course, if you get saved and learn about appealing to the Holy Spirit for guidance, you learn what's true, what the consequences are to stray--and you are strengthened against co-opting to cultural norms. Continuing in sinful habits often means you weren't saved to begin with.
If you are a devoted Christian that prays for sanctification every day, and are actually moved to talking to people about the consequences of sin, be prepared: if you introduce the (Scriptural) idea that the offenders will pay in full—forever--for every sin not under the blood of Christ (another 3-word term that pastors hate to use), that idea is simply alien to most people, and that’s why we get the ridiculous 4% who feel deserving of hell (see above). “No, God couldn’t do that to me. I’m better than most.” But most are ignorant of His standard for salvation, and should be cramming to learn it, since He is the judge, not you. He does have wrath for sin, and He has warned us repeatedly in Scripture. Repeatedly. We haven’t bothered to read all of New Testament Scripture, which lays it all out--the frighteningly real consequences of dithering around and how important this is. Jesus does talk a lot about the eternal consequences of sin, despite too many pastors avoiding the subject. Convincing people that there are such horrible consequences is a hard sell—especially when they believe the Bible is God’s “suggestions.” Consider Romans 2:5—does this sound like “suggestions?” This is a portrayal of God that is true, but few people want to consider:
…in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God
God will not have those around Him who still have unclean hands--who still carry their sin. But it is impossible to go through life with no sin--no sin in behavior, no sin with the lips, no sin with the mind (Jesus added that feature to sin), no (self) deception—you’re just accumulating iniquities, all of which will be confronted and judged. You’re storing up wrath. And you don’t wipe it all away by deliberate ignorance, by insincere repentance, or by repeating Hail Marys, or by penance. But there is a way out—but the way out does not end with a one-time action. (I have other blogs on what salvation is, and, most importantly, not losing it, by keeping an ongoing relationship with Christ).
The problem is, people are just so used to getting away with sin in this life that their hearts become, over time, seared of conscience and often permanently hardened. That makes it easy to self-deceive, and assume things about God’s love and eternal forgiveness; but these assumptions are based on what people imagine, what they hope, not based on God’s revelation of Himself. So cultural “truisms” about sin like “sowing the wild oats” or “let them go through a rebellious phase; they’re young” only increase the likely destination of hell. That likelihood is higher if people become well off. They see no need for “being saved” (I have my bank account), no need for redemption, and all of what that word means. They often assume God must love them; after all, He rewarded them by letting them become well-off. The Bible talks of redemption as buying someone out of the slave market. But this is over-the-top to a cynical public. “Buy me out of the slave market of sin? I’m a slave? What are you talking about?”
Now let’s talk to the nominal complacent quiet-about-my-faith "Christian" again--maybe this speaks of you. Imagine this metaphor: If you see someone you love walking straight at a house fire, they’re ignoring everything else, maybe they're in some kind of foggy hallucination--tell me what you, that loving person, will do to stop them from entering the flaming house. Everything, I expect you will tell me--especially if they are your family. You will first get into the doomed walker's face and explain bluntly and loudly what is about to happen, in the most fervent of tones.
If that doesn’t succeed in alerting him, and he is still walking that way, the concerned helper will make whatever physical obstacle he can to slow them down, or even tackling them. Is that helper crazy for acting out such extreme behavior? No, he loves them. That explains everything. He is a hero if he succeeds.
But try to do anything “extreme” to rescue someone from the fires of hell (like actually talk to them fervently about hell, like you really believe it yourself). You’re not a hero afterwards, are you? No, people turn you off. Nowadays, you'll be branded a kook. But real Christians expect to get persecuted, and we should bear that as a badge of honor, so we don’t care what they think. God talked to Ezekiel (2:3-7; 3:18-21), and made him a “watchman,” as every real Christian should be today, as a treasure of God's truth. God told Ezekiel that if he truly was blunt with people, and if the person didn’t change and went to hell, the blood would not be on the evangelizer’s hands. BUT if the watchman didn’t warn him, and he went to hell, the blood would be on the evangelizer’s hands too. Did you get that? Sin of omission, besides sins of commission. As far as ultimate destination, sin is sin. It makes no difference to the unredeemed person how bad it is; one sin is hell. Just in case you have a hard time believing that, how about another Scripture? Romans 3:23:
...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
"Short of the glory" means, no heaven for those who are complacent or ignorant of Scriptural escape.
So let me ask you, if you maintain that you are a true Christian: What are we doing now for our loved, but unsaved family members? Most people who actually “witness” to others approach someone with a light touch (you don't want to appear strange or intolerant of his non-belief), or they argue the unimportant, perhaps, denominational details. Or worse, they believe a Christian has the name conservative tattooed across his chest and spends his time fighting with the liberals in their midst. None of which, I admit to your shock, determines heaven or hell. When you do get to the serious point about hell or heaven, and they get fidgety and brush you off, then do you just give up and add this person to your prayer list? Such a weak witness, considering where the other party is headed. Too many of these "evangelizers" (a) assume God will let the unsaved live longer so as to accept the gospel later (no guarantee of that); or (b) assume God is grandpa-like and forgives all sin, despite all of our spitting in His face in rebellion; (c) assumes maybe because the lost person went to church and said he “believes” in Jesus, he’s saved—but where is any change of life? If there is no evidence, can we convict them of being a real Christian? The book of James says that, regardless of their original profession, we can doubt. Scripture backs up our doubts--we are a "new creation," we have fruits, we have an ongoing relationship with Jesus and obey Him more and more. Separation from the world and culture is, after all, a requirement for ultimate salvation. Basically, all the (a)-(c) excuses are because few people really truly believe in how close we are to hell, or we don’t really believe that God will actually send people to such a horrible place forever. Scripture is crystal clear to the contrary.
Someday, God will brush all those assumptions aside at His seat of judgement. Once a person dies (and we don’t know when that will be, right?), there is no changing our ultimate destination. No purgatory, no second chances. Not thinking about it, or assuming it's too complicated, is a dangerous place for you to be in, since you’re also saying you don’t believe that God would be clear in His Word. Jesus, since He loved us, He warned us. But His love will NOT stop Him from His promise to carry out wrath to all those who refuse to have a relationship with Him. That's what He wants for His family. And the majority of society does not have a relationship with Jesus. Because they want to live life how they want to, not how Jesus wants to. They choose sin, which is more pleasurable and "rational" (in the short run), than obeying God. We must live for the long run. Consider how short the present life is, compared to eternity. Does it make sense to have pleasure for 50 years, or to have joy and unbelievable sights and love for millions times millions of years in the future? Jesus did an extreme act to make a way to save us. Now, He gives a free will choice—if a person is determined to ignore warnings, he ends up in the fire. IF we want heaven, we must--we MUST--have a relationship with our Lord. Read John 15:5-6:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me , he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
Is that clear? I don't care if you never heard it before, and your pastor is a nice guy, and wouldn't ignore something so important, etc, etc. Remember that he learns what liberal seminaries (another blog on that) have taught him in how to conduct church and sermons. It's up to you, anyhow, to READ your Bible and learn the truth.
For those who are true disciples of Christ, who would be willing to die for Him in the last days (which may be soon), for those who want to see friends and family saved, if we believe His Word, a real Christian’s actions in evangelism would not be reticent as it is today. We might actually talk more frequently about hell—and in convincing tones. I realize that's not popular, but, hey, has the lighter approach worked? Look at society; that will tell you.
Do you want to reject my radicalism, and go on like the past, and hope for different results? I’m talking of freedom, love, and connection with God. Tell me, has the present world made you happy? You know what the revised definition of insanity is, don’t you? Repeatedly living with and believing the “wisdom” coming from the same tragic culture and lack of love--and expecting different results.
Oh, of course. I haven’t explained what “saved” is. Read the New Testament a few times. Try another blog, like my “Getting to Heaven: Initial Salvation etc.” Actually, this paper, long as it is, has only given you the bad news. For the Good news, see those references. May God bless you.
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