Sermon
After Life - Adult SS - Lesson 2: Hell
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
Thank you for another minute.
-
Thank you.
-
Let me pray to begin.
-
Lord God, we praise you that you have not left us in darkness, but you have spoken to us.
-
You have revealed the things of the future to us and that we can know that our destiny is safe in Christ.
-
As we consider these weighty things today, help us to take them in soberly and help us to all the more trust in the Lord Jesus.
-
And in his name we pray. Amen.
-
Amen.
-
Amen.
-
Amen.
-
So if you weren't here last week, this series is called Afterlife.
-
And so this term we're following the journey of a soul after the point of death.
-
So here's a bit of our diagram.
-
So Harry, in our first week, he showed us that this is our life now, this life, and that's the point of death.
-
We're then going to follow a soul through this timeline and see what happens after death.
-
I just found a ping pong ball in my pocket.
-
Being a dad's all about.
-
And we need to know that there is a life after this life.
-
There is an afterlife.
-
That's why this series is called Afterlife.
-
And we're going to find out this term exactly what that afterlife is.
-
So last week we followed a believer's soul into heaven, didn't we?
-
And I said last week that this week we're going to do the resurrection.
-
I actually want to do that next week.
-
So we've got a bit of a change of plan today.
-
Today I want to follow an unbeliever's soul after death into hell.
-
And I want to cover these two states first.
-
So the intermediate state.
-
This state first.
-
I want to cover all of this and then we'll move on to the final state.
-
But this week we're going to be following an unbeliever's soul into hell.
-
And as we do this we're going to be looking both at the intermediate and the final state.
-
And you'll see why in a bit.
-
And then next week we'll look at the final state of the believer.
-
And then we'll go back and have a look at this little in-between point.
-
Like how do we transition from the intermediate state and this age into the next stage and the final state.
-
So we'll kind of go left and then right and then into the middle.
-
But today we're going to be looking at hell.
-
And I need to say that this is not an easy topic.
-
This isn't a nice topic to think about is it.
-
But it is a necessary one.
-
The Bible does not shy away from hell.
-
Jesus mentions hell a lot.
-
In fact hell is one of the key doctrines that the early church taught on.
-
In Hebrews 6 the author of Hebrews.
-
He mentions what he says are the foundational elementary doctrines of Christ.
-
So he kind of lays out the basic Christianity explored for the first century.
-
In the book of Hebrews.
-
And it's really interesting.
-
It's interesting what he mentions as those foundational topics.
-
I wonder what you would say.
-
He says these four things.
-
Repentance and faith.
-
Baptism.
-
The resurrection.
-
And eternal judgment.
-
So if the apostles were to run a membership class.
-
Hell would have been one of the first things to cover.
-
And so this is key for us to know.
-
And it's key because Christ came to save us from something.
-
The son of God came down from heaven.
-
Took on flesh for a big reason.
-
To save us from something.
-
And so we need to know what that something is.
-
Grace can only be really appreciated when it's in contrast to judgment.
-
And so we need to know about hell.
-
So we can know about how great a salvation we have.
-
And so let's make sure that we take this foundational doctrine in.
-
And just like heaven.
-
There's something that we first need to know about hell.
-
And it's this.
-
This is my first point.
-
You can follow along in your handout.
-
Hell is a real place in creation.
-
The Bible gives a lot of vivid language about hell.
-
And eternal.
-
Uses the language of eternal punishment.
-
And fire.
-
Lake of sulfur.
-
But there's one particular passage that gives us maybe the clearest glimpse into hell.
-
And it's Luke 16.
-
It's the rich man in Lazarus.
-
So I want you to turn there now.
-
Luke 16.
-
Verse 19 to 31.
-
So page 876 of the church Bibles if you have one.
-
Luke 16.
-
And I want us to look at this passage as kind of a key starting point.
-
And then we'll kind of look at other passages as we go.
-
We'll kind of build from here a fuller and fuller picture of hell.
-
So Luke 16.
-
Starting verse 19.
-
Now before I read this.
-
We need to note that this is a parable in a sense.
-
Jesus is teaching about the danger of rejecting the gospel and the urgency of believing.
-
And so Lazarus and the rich man.
-
They may not be real people that Jesus knew.
-
Maybe they were.
-
So yes it is a parable.
-
But that doesn't mean that the reality of hell that he is teaching about isn't real.
-
So Jesus gives parables all the time about seeds and fish and widows and weddings.
-
But that doesn't mean that weddings aren't real.
-
Or that's not a proper depiction of a wedding.
-
No.
-
He uses those realities in parables to tell.
-
Because they are real.
-
And he teaches truths from them.
-
And so as we glimpse into hell here.
-
Jesus is telling us real things about hell.
-
And so let's read it.
-
Luke chapter 16.
Luke 16 chapter mention
-
Starting verse 19.
-
There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen.
-
And who feasted sumptuously every day.
-
And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus.
-
Covered with sores.
-
Who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.
-
Moreover even the dogs came and licked his sores.
-
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.
-
The rich man also died and was buried.
-
And in Hades being in torment.
-
He lifted up his eyes.
-
And saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
-
And he called out.
-
Father Abraham have mercy on me.
-
And send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water.
-
And call my tongue.
-
For I am in anguish.
-
And in.
-
For I am in anguish in this flame.
-
But Abraham said.
-
Child.
-
Remember that you in your lifetime received your good things.
-
And Lazarus in like manner bad things.
-
But now he is comforted here.
-
And you are in anguish.
-
And besides all this.
-
Between us and you.
-
A great chasm has been fixed.
-
In order that those who would pass from here to you.
-
May not do so.
-
And none may cross from there to us.
-
And he said.
-
Then I beg you father.
-
To send him to my father's house.
-
For I have five brothers.
-
So that he may warn them.
-
Lest they also come into this place of torment.
-
But Abraham said.
-
They have Moses and the prophets.
-
Let them hear them.
-
And he said.
-
No father Abraham.
-
But if someone goes to them from the dead.
-
They will repent.
-
He said to him.
-
If they do not hear Moses.
-
And the prophets.
-
Neither will they be convinced.
-
If someone should rise from the dead.
-
There is a lot to see here.
-
But the first is this.
-
Hell.
-
Is a real place in creation.
-
So look at verse 28.
-
It is called.
-
A place of torment.
-
Hell is a place.
-
An actual location.
-
Within creation.
-
Where the rich man's soul.
-
Goes to after death.
-
And look how Jesus speaks in Matthew 28.
-
I've got it written there for you.
-
Fear him who can destroy both soul and body.
-
In hell.
-
Hell is a place where bodies and souls can go to.
-
And if bodies can go there.
-
It must have dimensions.
-
Height and width and depth.
-
It's a place in creation.
-
And since God created all things.
-
And since everything that is not God.
-
Is in creation.
-
Then all things.
-
This means all things.
-
This means hell.
-
Is a place in creation.
-
And God created it.
-
So.
-
Remember this.
-
If God created all things.
-
Anything that is not God.
-
Is here in creation.
-
Then hell must be in creation.
-
And God created it.
-
So.
-
The devil didn't create it.
-
In fact.
-
It is a place.
-
Prepared by God.
-
For the devil.
-
In the final state.
-
So.
-
Look at Matthew 25.
-
These are Jesus' words.
-
He calls it.
-
The eternal fire.
-
Prepared for the devil.
-
And his angels.
-
But.
-
But we don't know where it is in creation.
-
There's no kind of impression.
-
That it's within this universe.
-
So you can travel to there.
-
On a.
-
It's not on like a planet.
-
Or a moon.
-
You can go there on a spaceship.
-
There's no suggestion.
-
That it's even.
-
You know.
-
Down in the core of the earth.
-
Where it's hot there.
-
No.
-
It's probably more like heaven.
-
That we saw last week.
-
So it's kind of a.
-
Remember.
-
Don't go too sci-fi with this.
-
But it's.
-
It's a different dimension.
-
A different realm.
-
Outside.
-
And beyond this visible universe.
-
And people can go there.
-
After death.
-
So.
-
So just like heaven.
-
You think of.
-
Hell.
-
It's.
-
It's within creation.
-
It's kind of like a.
-
A different region.
-
A different realm.
-
Or dimension of creation.
-
And so hell is real.
-
It's not a state of mind.
-
It's not something kind of metaphorical.
-
It is a real location.
-
In creation.
-
Hell.
-
And just a side note here.
-
On the different names.
-
We might come across in the Bible.
-
Like Sheol.
-
Or Hades.
-
And hell.
-
Which the real name for that in Greek.
-
Is Gehenna.
-
And I have to be quick here.
-
But I kind of want to give you.
-
Just a quick overview.
-
Of these names.
-
So.
-
So when you see Sheol.
-
Or Hades.
-
It can mean two things.
-
So Sheol and Hades.
-
Kind of lump them together.
-
Sheol and Hades.
-
They're interchangeable.
-
Okay.
-
Sheol and Hades.
-
It can either mean.
-
Just death.
-
In a general sense.
-
Just being in the state of dying.
-
Whether it's believer or unbeliever.
-
Just being dead.
-
Or.
-
Sheol and Hades.
-
When it's referring to a place.
-
For the ungodly.
-
It refers to hell.
-
So.
-
1 Samuel 26.
-
Says.
-
The Lord kills and brings to life.
-
He brings down to Sheol.
-
And raises up.
-
So.
-
Killing.
-
Dying.
-
And going down to Sheol.
-
Is just the same thing.
-
It's just talking about anyone who dies.
-
It's the same with Acts 2.
-
27.
-
With Hades.
-
And so.
-
Sheol and Hades.
-
Can just mean being dead.
-
For the believer or unbeliever.
-
And that's why.
-
The language of going down to Sheol.
-
Or going down to Hades.
-
Is used.
-
It's.
-
It's not because the afterlife.
-
Is downwards.
-
In the core of the earth somewhere.
-
No.
-
It's because.
-
Graves are downwards.
-
It's just kind of poetic language.
-
Talking about the state of death.
-
But when Sheol or Hades.
-
Refers to a location.
-
Where the ungodly go.
-
It's talking about hell.
-
So.
-
Deuteronomy 32.
-
For a fire is kindled by my anger.
-
And it burns.
-
To the depths of Sheol.
-
And so.
-
With Sheol and Hades.
-
In summary.
-
You just need to be careful.
-
With how it's being used.
-
Just really look at the context.
-
It can either mean death.
-
Or it can mean hell.
-
But the word hell.
-
When you see hell.
-
That means hell.
-
So.
-
So the word hell in Greek.
-
The word is.
-
Gehenna.
-
Gehenna.
-
And it's named.
-
After a place.
-
Just southeast of Jerusalem.
-
Called the Valley of Hinnom.
-
Which in Hebrew would be.
-
Gei Hinnom.
-
Valley of Hinnom.
-
Gei Hinnom.
-
Gei Hinnom.
-
Gehenna.
-
Gehenna.
-
That's kind of where it comes from.
-
And this was a place.
-
And it was an awful place.
-
It was a place.
-
Where worship was given.
-
To a false god.
-
Called Moloch.
-
Gehenna.
-
And in that place.
-
In the Valley of Hinnom.
-
Child sacrifices.
-
Took place.
-
And then that place.
-
Under King Josiah.
-
Who was initially.
-
A very good king.
-
He destroyed that place.
-
Wiped it out.
-
And the priest there.
-
Condemned it unclean.
-
And so.
-
The Valley of Hinnom.
-
It was just this.
-
Epitome.
-
Of evil.
-
And uncleanness.
-
And curse.
-
And so.
-
The New Testament.
-
Takes that language.
-
And takes that place.
-
And uses Gehenna.
-
To mean the awful place.
-
After death for the damned.
-
And so.
-
The big thing to see here is.
-
Hell.
-
Is a real place in creation.
-
But we also need to see this.
-
In my second point.
-
Hell.
-
Is intermediate.
-
And final.
-
So.
-
Hell.
-
Is intermediate.
-
And final.
-
Let me flip this.
-
I love this new Bible.
-
It's great.
-
It's great.
-
Hell.
-
Is intermediate.
-
And final.
-
And remember.
-
If you weren't here.
-
Intermediate.
-
Is safe.
-
Which means.
-
Safe.
-
And when you die.
-
From when you die.
-
To the resurrection.
-
What happens.
-
Between death.
-
And the resurrection.
-
Where do souls go.
-
And we need to see.
-
Hell.
-
Is intermediate.
-
And final.
-
So you may have already seen.
-
I think Iona.
-
Asked last week.
-
You may have already seen.
-
That the place.
-
The intermediate.
-
State.
-
For the unbeliever.
-
And the final.
-
State for the unbeliever.
-
Can you see it?
-
It's both hell.
-
Isn't it?
-
Hell is the same.
-
For both.
-
But.
-
If you look at.
-
If you look at.
-
If you look at.
-
For the unbeliever.
-
It's heaven.
-
But then there's.
-
A slight difference.
-
Is that it's the new creation.
-
On earth.
-
And we'll come to that next week.
-
But for hell.
-
Hell is for both.
-
And the Bible isn't.
-
Isn't kind of super obvious.
-
About this distinction.
-
But we do see it.
-
That this applies.
-
To both.
-
This location applies.
-
To both states.
-
But we're going to say.
-
One stage is temporary.
-
And then the other is final.
-
Eternal.
-
And so.
-
Think about the intermediate state.
-
Look at Luke 16.
-
That we were just in.
-
Where does the rich man's soul go.
-
After death.
-
He goes to hell.
-
Doesn't he?
-
That's the intermediate state.
-
But it's also pre-judgment.
-
And also.
-
Look in 2 Peter.
-
But Peter says.
-
Fallen angels.
-
And the unrighteous.
-
Are in hell.
-
Before judgment day.
-
Waiting for final judgment.
-
So 2 Peter 2.
-
4.
-
For if God did not spare angels.
-
When they sinned.
-
But cast them into hell.
-
And committed them.
-
To chains of gloomy darkness.
-
To be kept.
-
Until the judgment.
-
And then 2 Peter 2.
-
9.
-
Then the Lord knows.
-
How to keep the unrighteous.
-
Under punishment.
-
Until the day of judgment.
-
And so.
-
Who are in hell right now.
-
It's angels.
-
And the unrighteous.
-
After they die.
-
It's where the unsaved.
-
Go to after death.
-
As souls.
-
In the intermediate state.
-
But also.
-
It is the place.
-
Where the unsaved.
-
Go in the final state.
-
And so.
-
Just follow with me here.
-
Look at John 5.
-
28 to 29.
-
An hour is coming.
-
When all who are in tombs.
-
Will hear his voice.
-
And come out.
-
And those who have done good.
-
To the resurrection of life.
-
And those who have done evil.
-
To the resurrection of judgment.
-
There will be a point.
-
When Christ returns.
-
When every human.
-
Every human.
-
Will be physically.
-
Bodily.
-
Resurrected.
-
And those.
-
Outside of Christ.
-
Will be judged.
-
In their bodies.
-
There will be a resurrection.
-
Of judgment.
-
In the final state.
-
And Jesus says.
-
That body.
-
That is raised.
-
Will be thrown into hell.
-
Matthew 10.
-
28 again.
-
Fear him.
-
Who can destroy.
-
Both soul.
-
And body.
-
In hell.
-
And so.
-
When the bodily.
-
Resurrection.
-
Happens.
-
At the end of this age.
-
We'll see this.
-
Next week.
-
When the bodily.
-
Resurrection.
-
Happens.
-
At the end of this age.
-
Christ.
-
Will throw.
-
The ungodly.
-
Into hell.
-
Not only their souls.
-
But body too.
-
So you can kind of.
-
Think of hell like this.
-
In the intermediate state.
-
It's soul only.
-
Pre-judgment.
-
Under a temporary.
-
Punishment.
-
But in the final state.
-
It's body and soul.
-
Post-judgment.
-
For final punishment.
-
You might be asking.
-
Well.
-
What's the difference.
-
Between the two.
-
Answer.
-
We don't really know.
-
It's the same location.
-
The Bible talks about it.
-
In the same way.
-
And refers to the same thing.
-
But.
-
But probably.
-
And almost surely.
-
This is worse.
-
Okay.
-
Because the final state.
-
It's not just provisional.
-
It's after judgment.
-
When Jesus has weighed.
-
Every sin.
-
In the balance.
-
And then full punishment.
-
Is given.
-
But what does that mean.
-
What exactly.
-
Is hell like.
-
Well.
-
There are four things.
-
I want us to see.
-
What is hell like.
-
First is this.
-
Hell.
-
Is separation.
-
From God.
-
So look at.
-
Two Thessalonians 1.
-
It's talking about.
-
The ungodly.
-
They will suffer.
-
The punishment.
-
Of eternal destruction.
-
Away from the presence.
-
Of the Lord.
-
And from the glory.
-
Of his might.
-
Matthew 25.
-
Depart from me.
-
Says Jesus.
-
You cursed.
-
Into the eternal fire.
-
Prepared for the devil.
-
And his angels.
-
One of the biggest impressions.
-
We get about hell.
-
Is that.
-
It is separation.
-
From God.
-
In particular.
-
It's separation.
-
From his love.
-
And mercy.
-
Hell.
-
Is where every mercy.
-
And gift.
-
And goodness.
-
Of God.
-
It's where it's taken away.
-
That's why it's called.
-
Darkness.
-
So Matthew 8.
-
Thrown into the outer darkness.
-
It's not that hell.
-
Has the light.
-
God's turned off.
-
No.
-
It's.
-
It's that in hell.
-
God's mercy.
-
Is turned off.
-
God is light.
-
But none of his light.
-
Will shine in that dark place.
-
So.
-
Just think about.
-
This world right now.
-
That we're living in.
-
Right now.
-
That this world.
-
Is sinful.
-
Isn't it?
-
But it's not sinful.
-
As it could be.
-
There is light.
-
In this world.
-
Isn't it?
-
God is.
-
Restraining.
-
So much evil.
-
And corruption.
-
Right now.
-
He's not letting this world.
-
Fall into complete ruin.
-
This world.
-
Even the unbeliever in this world.
-
Experiences God's mercy.
-
Right now.
-
Right now.
-
He sends the sun.
-
And the rain.
-
On believer.
-
And unbeliever.
-
But in hell.
-
All that mercy.
-
Will disappear.
-
And evil.
-
And sin.
-
And suffering.
-
Is allowed to unleash.
-
And so.
-
If someone doesn't want God's goodness.
-
In hell.
-
God says.
-
Fine.
-
Here's what that's like.
-
But that doesn't mean God isn't present in hell.
-
Hell is separation from his love and mercy.
-
But not God's presence entirely.
-
No.
-
In hell.
-
God is present in his anger.
-
That's my second sub point.
-
Hell is experiencing God's anger.
-
Look at Revelation 14.
-
In hell.
-
They are tormented with fire and sulfur.
-
In the presence of the holy angels.
-
And in the presence of the lamb.
-
God will be present in hell.
-
He will be doing something.
-
He will be actively punishing.
-
People and angels.
-
And the devil.
-
It will be an unfiltered experience of God's wrath.
-
You could say.
-
His mercy will be far.
-
But his anger will be close.
-
But what do we mean by that?
-
How will we experience his anger?
-
Well it will be through pain.
-
That's my third sub point.
-
Hell is painful.
-
Hell is often associated with fire.
-
Isn't it?
-
So look at these verses of God out for you.
-
Luke 16.
-
I am in anguish in this flame.
-
Revelation 14.
-
Being tormented with fire and sulfur.
-
Mark 9.
-
Where the worm does not die.
-
And the fire is not quenched.
-
Now it can be easy for our minds to kind of drift off into how cartoons and paintings depict hell.
-
I think we can easily do that can't we?
-
With kind of lots of actual fire.
-
Maybe there will be actual fire.
-
But we don't know.
-
But the language of fire here.
-
It's symbolic language.
-
Pointing to something.
-
It's pointing to pain.
-
So you put your hand on a stove.
-
What do you feel?
-
Pain.
-
Pain.
-
You burn your hand on the oven.
-
What do you feel?
-
Pain.
-
The language of fire shows us that hell will be conscious pain.
-
And it will be painful in body and soul.
-
So remember Matthew 10.28.
-
Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
-
It will be a destructive experience for the body.
-
And when Jesus says it's the place where the worm does not die.
-
That's the image of a worm constantly eating at your flesh.
-
It's pain in the body.
-
But also the soul.
-
Look at Matthew 8.
-
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
-
When do we weep?
-
We weep when there's grief and anguish.
-
And pain in the soul don't we?
-
And gnashing of teeth.
-
That's the it's a picture of kind of anger and frustration.
-
It's like a crazed beast gnashing their teeth.
-
There will be agonizing mental anguish.
-
Emotional pain and distress in hell.
-
And this pain does not end.
-
It's eternal.
-
And this is the fourth sub point.
-
Hell is eternal.
-
Look at the eternal language here.
-
Matthew 9.
-
Where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.
-
Matthew 25.
-
Eternal fire.
-
Prepared for the devil and his angels.
-
To Thessalonians 1.
-
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction.
-
Now remember from last week.
-
Destruction doesn't mean deletion.
-
Right?
-
We know that souls don't get deleted in death or in hell.
-
This refers more to ruin.
-
So you know.
-
If you were to say.
-
My life is destroyed.
-
It means.
-
Your life has been ruined.
-
It's degraded.
-
It's humiliating.
-
It's a worsening experience.
-
Destruction isn't it?
-
Destruction is tumbling down from where you were.
-
But in hell.
-
This is endless tumbling.
-
You only go from worse to worse.
-
And the pain is never ending.
-
No relief.
-
No break.
-
No pause.
-
No hope.
-
No chance of maybe you'll die and go to nothing at the end of this.
-
No.
-
It will just go on and on forever.
-
And after a trillion years.
-
That won't even be halfway.
-
Because there is no halfway.
-
And so hell is eternal punishment.
-
But now let me ask you.
-
Who goes to hell?
-
The Bible firstly says that the devil and his angels go to hell.
-
Firstly.
-
The Bible is clear about this.
-
The devil will go to hell.
-
Matthew 25.
-
Eternal fire.
-
Prepared for the devil and his angels.
-
So Satan.
-
Is not actually in hell right now.
-
Often we kind of think.
-
Hell is maybe kind of like his hiding den.
-
And then he kind of pops out into the world.
-
And kind of hell is his home.
-
That's where he likes to be.
-
But no.
-
Satan is working here on earth.
-
And hell is prepared for him.
-
At the end of this age.
-
In the final state.
-
When all evil will be locked up there.
-
And never to come out again.
-
But also.
-
Who will go to hell.
-
And we mustn't shy away from this.
-
Unbelievers will go to hell.
-
So look at 2 Thessalonians 1.
-
This is talking about the return of Christ.
-
Which we'll come to next week.
-
When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven.
-
With his mighty angels.
-
In flaming fire.
-
Inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God.
-
And on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
-
For all who do not believe the gospel.
-
Who do not put their trust in the Lord Jesus.
-
This.
-
By nature.
-
Without Christ.
-
This is where we must go.
-
It's not like.
-
Well only the really bad sinners go to hell.
-
No.
-
Anyone who is not in Christ.
-
This is their fate.
-
And sinners go there.
-
Because they have something to pay.
-
They need to pay for their sins.
-
Remember the wages of sin.
-
The payment you need to pay for sin.
-
The wages of sin.
-
Is death.
-
And so the second death of hell.
-
Is what every sinner must pay.
-
Now.
-
At this point.
-
Let me address the objection of.
-
This isn't fair.
-
How can people who have sinned.
-
Just over a few years.
-
How is it.
-
Just.
-
That they will have eternal punishment.
-
Now.
-
I can only give a quick answer to this.
-
But this is the heart of it.
-
Punishment is infinitely long.
-
Because God is infinitely holy.
-
Punishment is infinitely long.
-
Because God is infinitely holy.
-
So.
-
So just imagine this.
-
You go outside.
-
You spit on the ground.
-
Who cares.
-
No one.
-
Do they.
-
Right.
-
Okay.
-
You're a child.
-
You spit on your brother.
-
What happens.
-
Your dad tells you off.
-
You go to school.
-
You spit on your teacher.
-
You get expelled.
-
You go to the street.
-
You spit on a police officer.
-
You get arrested.
-
You spit on King Charles.
-
You're going to prison.
-
Well.
-
In our sin.
-
We have spat in the face.
-
Of the holy.
-
And righteous.
-
And almighty God.
-
So we need to realize.
-
Hell is fair.
-
God created hell.
-
from his perfect.
-
And wise justice.
-
Now.
-
I'll stop for questions at the end.
-
But I just want to end.
-
With a major point.
-
About the intermediate state.
-
And all of this.
-
And it's this.
-
Death.
-
Is your fate locked in.
-
Death.
-
Is when your fate.
-
Is locked in.
-
So.
-
So when we die.
-
So look at the point of death.
-
When we die.
-
We enter.
-
Either heaven.
-
Or hell.
-
And after that point.
-
Point of death.
-
There's no swapping.
-
Okay.
-
So look at.
-
Luke 16.
-
25.
-
Between us.
-
And you.
-
A great chasm.
-
Has been fixed.
-
In order that.
-
Those who would pass.
-
From here.
-
To you.
-
May not do so.
-
From heaven to hell.
-
May not do so.
-
And none may cross.
-
From there.
-
To us.
-
Look at Hebrews.
-
9.
-
27.
-
It is appointed.
-
For man.
-
To die once.
-
And after that.
-
Comes judgment.
-
And we are judged.
-
For the deeds.
-
Done in the body.
-
Not in the soul.
-
In the intermediate state.
-
It's what's done.
-
In the body.
-
This life.
-
And so once we die.
-
That is our fate.
-
Locked in.
-
Once a soul.
-
Enters this.
-
Intermediate state.
-
If you're in hell.
-
You will stay in hell.
-
In the final state.
-
And if you're in heaven.
-
You will.
-
For certain.
-
You will be in the new creation.
-
And death.
-
Locks that fate in.
-
And there are just.
-
Just a few things.
-
Implications of this.
-
That is why.
-
We don't.
-
And we shouldn't.
-
Pray for the dead.
-
So have you noticed that.
-
The Bible.
-
Never gives an example.
-
For praying for the dead.
-
It actually forbids.
-
Necromancy.
-
Kind of communicating.
-
With the dead.
-
And in the confession.
-
I haven't got it written out for you.
-
But in the confession.
-
It actually says.
-
In worship.
-
Pray should not be given.
-
For the dead.
-
And that's because.
-
Either.
-
There's no hope for them.
-
Anymore.
-
Or.
-
There's no need to pray for them.
-
Because they're safe with Christ.
-
But either way.
-
There's no examples in scripture.
-
For praying for the dead.
-
And so.
-
God just never teaches us to do that.
-
So.
-
Let me say.
-
Don't pray for the dead.
-
Pray for those who are left behind.
-
But another implication.
-
This is why there's no purgatory.
-
So strictly speaking.
-
This is a big topic.
-
But I need to be quick about this.
-
Strictly speaking.
-
The purgatory is for those.
-
Who are going to heaven.
-
But it's kind of either.
-
People might say.
-
Purification.
-
Before you go into heaven.
-
Or it's kind of punishment.
-
Before you go into heaven.
-
It depends on what.
-
Rome happens to be.
-
But it's kind of like.
-
You might imagine.
-
Like a saint here.
-
It's kind of.
-
Free heaven.
-
It's kind of like.
-
A third.
-
Intermediate states.
-
But quite simply.
-
There's no mention.
-
Whatsoever.
-
In scripture of purgatory.
-
What is taught is.
-
After death.
-
It's either heaven.
-
Or hell.
-
And any punishment.
-
Only happens in hell.
-
But there's no other place.
-
Where that would happen.
-
And also.
-
Believing souls.
-
Are made perfect at death.
-
And then go to heaven.
-
We saw that last week.
-
But there's another implication.
-
This is why life matters.
-
If death.
-
Is fate locked in.
-
We need to do something.
-
In this life.
-
We need.
-
We need.
-
To believe the gospel.
-
We need.
-
To cling to Christ.
-
And we need to never.
-
Ever.
-
Ever.
-
Let go.
-
Because that is the only way.
-
Out of hell.
-
Which also means.
-
That there is an urgency.
-
In our evangelism.
-
And our prayers.
-
Isn't there?
-
That this life matters.
-
For those who have not heard the gospel.
-
And at this point.
-
Let me just.
-
I'll finish in a moment.
-
But let me just address.
-
A really difficult topic.
-
How do we cope.
-
With knowing.
-
Some of our loved ones.
-
Have died.
-
Without believing the gospel.
-
Well this isn't easy.
-
And it's not a nice thought.
-
But the answer is.
-
We just really need to believe.
-
And trust in God's wisdom in this.
-
Trust that God is just.
-
And the decisions he makes.
-
Are good.
-
They're right.
-
And he knows what he's doing.
-
And we also need to know.
-
When we are in heaven.
-
Or the final new creation.
-
When we're there.
-
There will not be any sadness.
-
Or distress.
-
Or kind of wandering around.
-
Thoughts in our hearts.
-
Nothing will take that experience.
-
Instead.
-
We will just feel.
-
A sense of.
-
Peace.
-
And a deep sense of.
-
Yeah.
-
Justice has been done.
-
I have no complaints here.
-
But let me end on this.
-
If you are in Christ.
-
Your fate.
-
Your fate is not hell.
-
Because on the cross.
-
Jesus went through hell.
-
He drank the cup of God's wrath.
-
That's the cup that unbelievers will drink in hell.
-
But on the cross.
-
Jesus drank it for us.
-
He experienced the pain and anguish of hell on the cross.
-
That's why Gethsemane was so hard for him.
-
God stopped his mercy.
-
And unleashed his anger.
-
And Jesus went through a hellish, hellish experience.
-
In his body and soul.
-
And why did he do it?
-
He did it for you.
-
For his church.
-
So that you and everyone who believes in him.
-
Will never perish.
-
Will never experience this.
-
But instead.
-
Without doubt.
-
Without doubt.
-
You will have eternal life.
-
And what does that eternal life look like?
-
Well.
-
We will see that next week.
-
We've got a few minutes for questions.
-
I might need to finish a little bit early.
-
But a few minutes for questions.