As founding pastor of a para-church ministry I am blessed with the flexibility to minister to thousands of people in many different ways. Whether sharing a message as a guest speaker in a pulpit, during a sports camp, at a charity event, via social media, or through direct fellowship, my commission never changes. So, in the Spirit of Resurrection Day, and the Gift that it commemorates, I thought Id share the apostolic message Ive been provided on this day: There are a number of people who become frustrated with God and what they deem as unfair judgment/punishment for sin. Ive had many conversations, and even observed dialogue, where people dont understand how a God Whos introduced as loving, faithful, gentle, kind, patient, and the like, can also punish anyone by sending them to hell! Well, the answer is actually quite a bit more simple than taking you through an extended theological discourse. In addition to the attributes mentioned, God is first and foremost, JUST (Deuteronomy 32:4)! Hell was made by God for Satan and wicked angels who rebelled against Him. Heaven, on the other hand, is made for the righteous. Therefore, when Adam (the first man) sinned by disobeying God and following a rebellious directive of Satan, he introduced sin into the bloodline of all men to follow. Since only the righteous can be in Heaven, then there had to be a way for man to reconnect with God by being reborn righteous, or otherwise continuing in sin, and therefore choosing hell. So, in other words, God does not renege on His promise. Whatever He set in place in nature as an action and relative result is principle-based, not situational. Simply put, God does not send anyone to hell! Each and every one of us has the free will choice to a path in life that will lead to one of two places: Heaven or hell! For all who have in one way or another reached the mental stage in life where we possess personal spiritual accountability, the choice is our own! We are given specific instructions on what choice leads to heaven (Luke 13:3, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-13), as well as specific warnings on what choices lead to hell (Matthew 7:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Roman 6:23). Imagine if a stranger visiting your city came to you stating that they were heading in the direction of your junk yard, but they really wanted to go to City Hall. Since its your junk yard and your city, you are very familiar with the path to each. You very clearly write out, and give him the directions to City Hall. However, with directions to City Hall in hand, the stranger still continues down the road to the junk yard and actually ends up there. Disgusted, he tells everyone he meets in the town that he thinks youre a bad guy because you sent him to the junk yard! As asinine as it might sound, thats the logic that would also need to be applied to blame God for sending people to hell! As complex as some may try to make it to keep people tied to traditions and feelings of guilt, ITS NOT THAT COMPLEX. God does not send people to hell. We each make personal choices throughout our lives that determine our places in eternity! So, the next time someone asks you Why God sends people to hell?, please make sure they understand the TRUTH. Only the individual can send him/herself to hell! God actually desires that everyone chooses the path to Heaven! I pray that each and everyone who took the time to read this message has made the right choice! May God Bless and Keep you all, Pastor Tim
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 19:34:17 +0000
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