Planning Your Final Destination? Don’t Forget Your Soul Insurance!
It has been said that the best deception Satan has accomplished is making people believe that he and Hell do not exist. People are quick to say, “I don’t believe in Hell. How could a God of love send people to Hell? I’m a good person.” That is a fallacy of inverse reasoning. What people fail to understand is that God doesn’t send anyone to Hell-people who reject Christ as their Savior unknowingly choose a path paved directly to Hell.
In the Bible, there are countless references made to Hell. The most descriptive one is given by Christ discussing the parable of the rich man and Lazarus:
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment’ (Luke 16: 22-28).
In reading this passage, one is aware that in Hell, the rich man had all of his five senses. Even in Hell, his eternal spirit remembered his brothers and Lazarus. Hell is a literal place and once the soul is there nothing can be done, for the judgment has been rendered. Although the rich man begged Abraham for mercy, Abraham was unable to help him even if he wanted to. Hell is a place of eternal torment. Forever. In Hell, those who do not accept Christ will be fully conscious of
Remorse and despair.
Eternal desire for the good that they know has damned their souls.
Memory of lost opportunities in life that could have caused them to be redeemed.
Regret over deeds committed.
Absolute hopelessness of escape from eternal misery.
Eternal separation from loved ones and of the love of God.
Ever deepening remorse for not listening to the Word of God and for not spending their time, talents, and money to spread it, so that many others could escape torment (Dakes Annotated Bible)
The Bible gives clear details on the location of Hell. Hell is located in the lower parts of the earth. In describing His upcoming conquer over death and taking the keys of Hades from Satan, Christ prophesied, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40). Also, Apostle Paul confirms Hell’s location as in the lower parts of earth. ” But He ascended? Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from the heights of heaven into the depths, the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest)” (Ephesians 4: 9-10).
It may seem pointless to believe in something that is not currently affecting reality. However, tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. In her book, A Divine Revelation of Hell, Mary K. Baxter describes her experiences of going to Hell. In one instance, she witnessed: “The old woman cried out to Jesus, Lord Jesus, please forgive me now. I’m sorry that I didn’t repent while I was on earth. With great sobs she cried out to Jesus, If only I had repented before it was too late! Lord, help me out here. I will serve You. I will be good. Haven’t I suffered enough? Why did I wait until too late? Oh, why did I wait until your Spirit quit striving with me? Jesus said to her, You had chance after chance to repent and serve Me. Sadness was written all over Jesus’ face as we walked away.” After her terrifying experiences Baxter commissioned those who read her book to repent of all their sins and ask Jesus to save them.
There are more documented cases of people going to Hell before being resuscitated back to life. Cardiologist, Dr. Maurice Rawlings documented in his book, Beyond Death’s Door, what his patients said during and after he resuscitated them back to life. The most life-altering story, which personally changed Dr. Rawlings life, mentions a forty-eight year old white male who dropped dead from cardiac arrest: “Each time he regained heartbeat and respiration, the patient screamed, I am in hell! The patient was terrified and pleaded with me to help him. I was scared to death. In fact, this episode literally scared the hell out of me! It terrified me enough to write this book. Then still another strange thing happened. He said, Don’t you understand? I am in hell. Each time you quit I go back to hell! Don’t let me go back to hell!” In addition, Rawlings recounts Kenneth Hagins’s experience. Mr. Hagin wrote, “My spirit departed from my bodyâÂ?¦I went down, down, down, until the lights of the earth faded awayâÂ?¦The further down I went the blacker it became, until it was all blackness. I could not have seen my hand if it had been one inch in front of my eyes. The further down I went, the more stifling it was and the hotter it was. Finally, way down below me, I could see lights flickering on the walls of the caverns of the damned. They were caused by the fires of hell. The giant orb of flame, white crested, pulled meâÂ?¦drew me like a magnet draws metal unto itself. I did not want to go! I did not walk, but just as metal jumps to magnet, my spirit was drawn to that place. I could not take my eyes off it. The heat beat me in the face. Many years have now gone by, and yet I can see it with my eyes just as I saw it then. It is just as fresh in my memory as though it happened last nightâÂ?¦” Hagin’s experience led him to a life of ministry to share his story with others.
There is a controversy among people who don’t believe in Jesus, saying once they died and were brought back to life, they all saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Did you know that Satan has the ability to appear as an angel? “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Jesus. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2nd Corinthians 11:13-14). Remember, Satan is Father of lies; his greatest deception is making people believe that there is no need to accept the salvation of Jesus Christ-our only mediator between God.
There have been both pleasant and terrifying accounts of near-death experiences. People who went to heaven described seeing their past loved ones, an over-whelming feeling of love, and a place of indescribable beauty. For as 1st Corinthians 2:9 says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of the man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” Many followers of Christ who are near-death have a serene, even anticipated feeling towards death-knowing that their spirit and soul will return home to be with the Lord.
When a person dies, the soul (eternal being) will go to one of two places: Heaven or Hell. There are no in between places. Those who went to Hell have shared their experiences and were blessed have a second chance to accept Christ and not suffer eternity in agony. Once you take your last breath on this earth, you will not have an excuse for rejecting the truth. “For the truth about God is known to them instinctively; God has put this knowledge in their hearts. Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So they have no excuse [when they stand before God at Judgment Day] (Rom. 1:19-20, The Living Bible). I ask that you don’t take that chance. Don’t gamble with your soul. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16: 26)
“âÂ?¦And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” You only have one opportunity. Read Romans 10:9 to obtain your soul insurance.
