Perils of the Dragnet, Part 2 - Evangelical Caucus/Devotional

Gracetoyou.org ^ | 2008 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

“‘. . . and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 13:50).

Continuing from yesterday, we can learn several more biblical truths about hell, the dragnet’s ultimate peril. For example, the lost will suffer hell’s torments in varying degrees. Those who willfully reject Jesus Christ and blatantly scorn His sacrifice will receive far greater punishment than people who had only the light of the Old Testament. The author of Hebrews writes, “Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:28–29; cf. Matt. 11:22–23).

Concerning the slaves who waited for their master’s return, Christ’s parable states that “that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few” (Luke 12:47–48).

Finally, nothing will be as horrible about hell’s torment as its endlessness. The Lord uses “eternal” to describe both heaven’s and hell’s duration: “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). Sadly, people who experience hell will realize a complete absence of hope for all eternity. But rejoice if you are a believer—you have a hope of heaven that will be validated for all eternity.

Ask Yourself

The sensitive person asks, “How can a loving God doom a person to hell?”

What is your answer to this common question and complaint?

How is justice involved?

Why would some be spared?

Know how to respond to this type of opinion ahead of time.

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TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: gty

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[oldtech]

I think the answer to most questions is that God made the world & everything in it, so naturally he has final say & complete authority over it.

[Big Red Badger]

Tough Questions..

.

[kosciusko51]

Exactly.

Romans 9:19-24 (ESV)
[19] You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
[20] But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”
[21] Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
[22] What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
[23] in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
[24] even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?