How Close Is Hell?

Why did the chicken cross the road? She was playing Russian Roulette with the devil. Don't blame the devil. He just wanted some fried chicken. He had the fire; all he needed was the meat!

I'm making light of a serious possibility, but it's to make a point: Hell may be one careless step away! However, we know that most people die a natural death and you are going to have a long life; or so we all think! Accidents can be avoided, but the fickle finger of fate is more elusive. You may have cancer right now! It may be lurking in your organs, bones or skin, not yet being symptomatic. Tomorrow it's possible that "all hell will break loose". Your cancerous cells may go on a rampage.

A friend of mine, let's call him Mark, was a healthy late 30's body builder. He was the epitome of health. One day he went running, finished his run, hopped in his SUV and started the trip home. Within  a couple of blocks, Mark's SUV ran off the road. No, he didn't have an accident; he died! Mark had an undiagnosed defective heart valve. Mark was a Christian. He went to his reward, but for one reason: he had submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ! Death for him was a few blocks away, but he was two blocks from heaven.

Suppose that is you. Then for you, if you haven't been born again, hell is just a few blocks away and it's a surprise trip. We are all a mere few blocks from our eternal home. I'm prepared for the trip. Are you?

James 4:13 "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Right now; this instant your life can be whisked from you! Let's say for instance that a crazed terrorist is rampaging where you are and firing wildly. What would you do? You would, unless you freeze, seek refuge from death! You may hide under the desk or run for your life and risk being shot in fleeing. However, you WOULD take steps to avoid dying!

 Revelation 218 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

We all have two lives. I know; cats have nine, but we only have two. Somehow we got shortchanged because we have a soul; or did we? It's up to us!

Right now, I fear death, and so do you! Even if you're about to take your own life, you fear that! We all fear the returning to the dust from whence we came. That's the death I fear, but we ALL are going to "live" a second "life". For Christians, that second life is eternal prosperity and bliss. Even those who hate church right now will love praising the Lord face-to-face!

On the other hand, for the "unbelieving" etc., they will die again. It's the 'second death". Earlier I put life and live in quotations. For sinners who fail to accept Jesus that second life is "living death". When a person suffers the second death, he (or she) will "burneth with fire and brimstone" FOREVER. You see the "second death" never ends.

Matthew 25:46a "And these (unbelievers) shall go away into everlasting punishment..."

Imagine if you will, in hell, being both living and dead at the same time, suffering with tremendous pain and isolation from love and friendship all the while. The searing heat burning the flesh day and night, and then being renewed only to burn again! There is no dream even worse than hell's fury. Even nice people who fail to accept Jesus will be no more than hateful zombies who tend to the realm of the devil.

Preacher's don't preach on hell anymore. Negativity is not in vogue! If punishment is preached, people merely take their unrighteous buttocks to another church where only smiles are allowed. Everybody wears their Sunday face. They put on a facade of love and friendship while inside they stew in rebellion and guilt. I'm sorry, "guilt" is no longer in vogue! Even though guilt is a tool of the Holy Ghost, churches don't want people to feel it. It has negative connotations, and with guilt people can't smile.

Now, for my personal testimony: Preachers in my church preached on hell, it's reality and punishment there. They "scared the hell out of me" because my goal was to escape eternal punishment which was due me! I got on my knees and cried for mercy. Why? To save my own lousy skin (and soul), I turned to Jesus. He is the way because of his grace!

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Grace is the giving of his "gift" which is "eternal life", in contrast to eternal death and punishment. Because I deserve the second death, but accepted Jesus's gift,  I will have eternal life. Yes, I saved my skin from the second death! Was I born again because I loved Jesus? Not at all, I was saved (safed) because I love me! I only came to love Jesus after he saved me. You see, he doesn't merely save those who already love him. He saves even those who despise him, but believe in and trust him for deliverance!

Let's say that I'm hiding from a terrorist who's trying to kill me. One of his buddies has a change of heart and rescues me from certain death. I allow him to lead me by the hand out of danger. I don't love the guy, but I  trust him because the options (death) are even more fearful. He leads me to safety even though I don't even know him. After I get out of harms way I love the guy! I want to please him and do all I can to compliment him and make him a hero. Now Jesus is no bad guy, but this is still demonstrative of why we turn to Jesus for our safety.

Excuse me for a second. Death is knocking at my door. If I answer, I won't be able to finish this. I think I'll wait right here. Maybe death will go away for awhile! I see a shadow at my window. It's the grim reaper. He's a persistent fellow. Maybe he will bare with me and I'll have another day! That may be the case, but it may be my turn. I'm saved by the propitiation of Jesus's blood. I'm not ready to go with him, but he may take me anyhow. However, if he does I have hope. If he's there for you, do you have hope?

Remember: "Satan already has the fire and all he needs is the meat!" and "Only you can prevent (your name here) fires!" by trusting in Jesus.