Come Now and Let Us Reason Together About: Whether God Will Send Anyone To Hell

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."   Isaiah 1:18 This is God's open invitation to anyone seeking a Bible answer to questions concerning salvation.   In the following conversation we see someone partaking of God's offer after having heard a Bible preacher's sermon . . . Preacher, can I ask you a question? Sure, go right ahead. During your sermon you mentioned Hell.   Do you really believe it exists? Yes, the Bible teaches a literal Hell. But how could a loving God create a Hell and then send anyone there?   It doesn't make sense. Maybe it would help if you understood the reason why we exist.   Here, let's look at what the Bible says: "Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."   Revelation 4:11 Not only did the act of creation bring God pleasure, but we were created to willfully please God with our lives. That doesn't sound very flattering to me.   It makes us sound like we are just made for God's amusement. I can see how it would appear that way, but He's God the Creator while we are His creation.   He owns us and as His created beings we must willfully accept our role of existing solely to glorify and please Him. But what if I don't want to live my life solely to please God? Then we have chosen not to accept our role in creation.   That makes us rebellious and sinful creatures of no use to God. What!?   Wait a minute!   Aren't you getting a little carried away here? No, let me further explain.   The Bible says when God looks down on man this is what He sees: "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.   They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."   Romans 3:10-12 God describes us as unprofitable.   That means useless. Useless?   That's kind of a strong statement, isn't it? Not at all.   After all, what use could we possibly be to God if we insist on living for ourselves and not for Him.   Remember, He made us for His pleasure, but instead we choose to do our own thing while disregarding His law and His will.   We live our lives acting as if God, doesn't exist, and when we do acknowledge Him it's only on our terms without being willing to sacrifice whatever brings us pleasure.   God has no use for rebellious, self centered sinners. But look preacher, if we are so useless to God why does He allow us to exist?   Why doesn't He just throw us away and dispose of us? He will, into an incinerator called Hell:

"The Son of Man [Jesus Christ] shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity [sin]; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."   Matthew 13:41- 42 Our rebellion is sin and it offends God.   There is no place in His universe for rebellious, unrepentant sinners.   This is what Hell is all about.   Think of it as God's garbage can for creatures who don't want to do what they were created to do. But wouldn't a loving God try to salvage us before throwing us away into Hell? Yes!   That's why He says: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering [patient] to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." II Peter 3:9 God wants us to change our minds and stop rebelling against Him.   That's what it means to repent.   Jesus said: "I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."   Luke 13:3 God wants no one to perish.   What you called salvaging the Bible calls salvation.   God wants to save man from having to go to Hell.   That's why Jesus Christ came: "For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost."   Matthew 18:11 In our rebellious state we are lost sinners, incapable of even saving ourselves.   Baptism, church membership, good deeds - none of these can save a man.   Rebellion and sin has condemned us to death in Hell: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."                                                                                                                                Romans 6:23 You mentioned earlier how a loving God would try to save His creation.   Well, this is what Christ did. He died in our place.   He paid the price for our sins.   He has appeased God's anger toward our rebellion. It's through Christ that God gives us an opportunity to 'return' to our role in creation. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath [God's] through him."   Romans 5:8,9 God is willing to forgive us of our sinful rebellion for Christ's sake.   This forgiveness is available to anyone if they choose to accept their created purpose and submit to God through faith.   It's up to us.   The same free will that can choose rebellion can be used to seek forgiveness.   All you have to do is admit that you are a lost Hell bound sinner and trust Christ as your Lord and Saviour in repentance and faith.   Simply put your faith in Christ believing that He and He alone can pay for your sins.   What do you say?   Will you come to God and get saved? The man thought about it for a few moments and then began shaking his head. I'm just not willing to submit.   I have too much that I want to do.   I have my own plans.   I want to run my own life. But, sir, please understand that you were created to fellowship and serve God.   You exist to bring Him pleasure.   Any other role outside of that is emptiness.   To live your life without satisfying God's purpose results in a purposeless life.   Eventually you will die and then anything you did for yourself will mean

nothing.   You can't take it with you.   Once you die you have no control over your own soul, it is God's to do with as He pleases.   Jesus says: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."   Matthew 10:28 Remember, You are just a created being.   Without your Creator you are nothing and have nothing. With your Creator you have peace, joy, and satisfaction.   God fills all the voids. The person wanted to know more about GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION. FIRST THE BAD NEWS: 1.   We must realize that we are lost, sinners that are spiritually dead. * "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."   Luke 19:10 * "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. * "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."   John 3:3 * "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."   John 3:6 2.   As spiritually dead, lost sinners, God's judgment and wrath are upon us. * "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27. * "For which things' sake [sin] the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience [sinners]:" Colossians 3:6. 3.   Our good works can't stop this judgment and wrath.   God demands death as payment for sin. * "Not of works, lest any man should boast."   Ephesians 2:8,9 * "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Romans 3:10. * "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."   Ezekiel 18:4 * "For the wages of sin is death;" Romans 6:23. NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!! 4.   God is willing to accept someone else's death in our place.   That someone is Jesus Christ. * "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."   I Timothy 2:5-6 * "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   Romans 5:8 5.   Jesus has bought salvation for us and now God can offer it as a gift by grace. * "Ye are bought with a price;" I Corinthians 7:23. * "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   Ephesians 2:8,9

How does someone accept this gift?   Through repentance and faith. REPENTANCE:   means to change your mind and adapt an attitude of not sinning against God. FAITH:   means to simply take God at His word, i.e., believe the verses you have just read. * "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."   Acts 20:21 * "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."   Romans 10:13 6.   Upon being saved and born again spiritually, we become converted to a new creature in Christ. * "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."   Matthew 18:3 * "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."   II Corinthians 5:17 For more information please contact: CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 2030 West Main Street Valley City, North Dakota 58072 701.845.9220

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