OceanSide church of Christ

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The Horrors of Hell
by: Dalton Gilreath

I.              Darkness

A.   Hell is described as a place of outer darkness (Matt 25:30)

                                          i.    There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

                                        ii.    We won’t be able to see anything but we will hear pain

B.   It may be like the darkness of Egypt (Ex 10:21-23)

                                          i.    They could feel this darkness

                                        ii.    No one moved for three straight days due to fear

C.   It may be like the darkness Jesus experienced on the cross (Matt 27:45)

                                          i.    We won’t be able to see our hand in front of our faces

                                        ii.    We will never see even a hint of light again

II.            Fire

A.   Hell is a place of fire (Matt 5:22, cf. 7:19)

                                          i.    There is never a time it is described as being “like” or “as” fire like in the case of Spirit baptism (Acts 2:3)

                                        ii.    This is a literal flame (Luke 16:23-24)

B.   It is described as a lake of fire (Rev 21:8)

                                          i.    Our entire body will be on fire and it will not burn up

                                        ii.    It is interesting to consider how the fire will not emit light or that we will be blind to it since there is only darkness there

III.           The Absence of God

A.   We have never been in a place God wasn’t (Heb 13:5)

B.   Without God there is no mercy (Luke 16:24)

                                          i.    Without God’s mercy we experience His wrath (Neh 9:31)

                                        ii.    The rich man received no mercy from Abraham

C.   Without God there is no hope (Heb 6:19)

                                          i.    Hope is what gets us through the day

                                        ii.    Without hope we are miserable (1 Cor 15:19)

IV.          Memory

A.   We will also feel mental agony as we remember the chances we had to be right with God (Luke 16:25)

B.   We will remember material things we put before Him

                                          i.    We will remember family and friends

                                        ii.    We will live in regret forever

V.           Companions

A.   There will be good people in Hell

                                          i.    All sin (Rom 3:23)

                                        ii.    The outcome of sin is death (Rom 6:23)

B.   There will be religious people in Hell

                                          i.    Not all who claim to be Christians will be right with God (Matt 7:21-23)

                                        ii.    Only a few will truly follow His will

C.   The worst will be the wicked people in Hell (John 10:10)

                                          i.    The Neros, the Hitlers, and the such like

                                        ii.    Furthermore there will be demons there with us (Matt 25:41)

VI.          Eternity

A.   Hell will never ever end

                                          i.    The same word for the length of time in Heaven is used of the length of time in Hell (Matt 25:46)

                                        ii.    Jesus’ vengeance will be released forever (2 Thess 1:7-9)

B.   We can’t comprehend that length of time

                                          i.    We think a week at work can be “long”

                                        ii.    We don’t know “long” until we see eternity

VII.         I won’t Go Alone

A.   Lastly, if we go to Hell we will bring others with us

                                          i.    No person lives without influencing others (Rom 14:7)

                                        ii.    Our actions will effect  others decisions for good or bad

B.   Paul will rejoice at judgment knowing he brought souls with him to Heaven (1 Thess 2:19-20)

                                          i.    How will we feel knowing we brought others to Hell instead?

                                        ii.    Let these seven reasons motivate us to fear Hell and do all we can to avoid it in Christ