Next Step Devotion
Heaven and Hell. From cartoons, to fiction novels, artistic masterpieces to the Sunday pulpit, these two ideologies are ingrained in the fabric of society. Not everyone living in this modern day considers heaven or hell a reality. Nevertheless, nearly every human being holds some sort of belief system regarding heaven, hell, or both. Our entire existence inches daily towards the inescapable reality of death. Whether they admit it or not, heaven and hell has crossed every person's mind!
So what happened to heaven and hell? In generations past it seemed the message of salvation could not be preached without the poignant illustrations of the lake of fire reserved for those who refuse Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. However, today this truth is often watered down, preaching with vitality the message of grace and love (as we should) while simultaneously ignoring the painful reality that love cannot express itself through grace if a soul chooses to reject and rebel against the Lordship of Christ.
Everyone loves the idea of heaven. A land of radiant lights spiraling the color spectrum through the sky, voices from every nation singing together in unity, absolutely zero physical or emotional pain, and death is a concept forever erased. Yes, heaven is our great hope as believers of Jesus Christ! But we cannot sacrifice the reality of hell for the sake of adding numbers to our church membership list or campus ministries. Unfortunately, many misconceptions about heaven and hell, even within the church, have added to this dilution of the gospel.
I hope you caught our interview with Dr. Rebecca Janney this week on New Day Cafe. We discussed how the cultural perspective of heaven and hell has radically shifted over the past 50 years. One particular shift emerged with the death of Princess Diana in the 1990's. Although there is no record that Princess Diana professed Jesus Christ, it is certainly difficult to imagine that someone so highly admired across the globe could spend eternity in hell. Other adored celebrities such as Michael Jackson or Steve Jobs have only added to this sentiment that surely all "good" people go to heaven.
Further misconceptions about heaven emerge as myths about guardian angels, spirits, and our relatives "looking down on us," take root. Our conversation with Dr. Ron Rhodes (Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries) While the thought of personal guardian angels and family spirits may be comforting in a time of pain, there is no biblical basis for these beliefs. Yes, there are angels who are sent to protect God's people (read about Michael in Dan 12), but Satan would love to twist the truth about angels and divert our attention from the Creator to the created. If you are looking for a guardian angel, you will not be looking for God. If you trust scripture's beautiful representation of heaven as a place filled with the eternal worship of the one Holy God (Rev 4), how could you simultaneously believe that our past family members are primarily concerned with our well-being on earth?
Growing up in the "Bible Belt," it is difficult to imagine an entire generation growing up without a proper concept of heaven and hell. The reality is, however, that there are thousands upon thousands of college students and young adults who have been white-washed of the truths found in scripture, believing that all it takes are "good deeds" to "make it to heaven." Others believe that God's grace and mercy will ultimately exceed His wrath, opening wide the doors to heaven for all. Cultural icons such as Oprah, and even some modern pastors preach this message. As a result our urgency in sharing the gospel has been diluted.
Spend some time in prayer today. Ask the Lord to reveal to you more fully the weightiness of heaven and hell. This is eternal life and death for our friends, family, and even church members that we are talking about. Next, pray for the boldness needed to proclaim God's full message of salvation. His grace is sufficient for all, and his immense love is not limited by His justice. It is because of his wrath that the depths of his love, displayed through the grace of salvation, is shown all the more glorious.
Interview Recaps
- Dr. Rebecca Janney - The Cultural History of Heaven and Hell
- Martha Craig - The Kingdom of God
- Paul Roberts - Are Heaven and Hell Real?
- Operation Christmas Child - http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/
- Dr. Rob Rhodes - The Truth about Angels and Demons
- Dr. Tony Cooper - Jimmy Hale Mission
Matthew 7:13 - "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many that choose that way."
Luke 12:5 - "But I'll tell you who to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear."
Romans 8:38 - "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Neither life nor death, angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries for tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love."
Acts 1:11 - “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
Revelation 21:4 - "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
My Next Step
My closing thoughts are drawn from our New Day Cafe interview with Paul Roberts, Librarian of Southeastern Bible College. In speaking with Don Hawkins, Paul drew the entire discussion back to one foundational statement: "Do we believe that all of scripture is God's inherent word?
If you do, then you must believe in the reality of both heaven and hell."
God's word calls us to action. How will you respond to the truth of heaven and hell? Whose life is waiting in the gallows? Who will you meet in heaven that will thank you for sharing the gospel with them? I ask myself these questions now, and I encourage you to do the same.
Blessings,
Melissa Rogers
Moody Radio South
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