100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,000Why does hell have to be forever?200:00:03,000 –> 00:00:06,300Why does hell have to be forever?300:00:06,300 –> 00:00:08,480Now you must have thought about this.400:00:08,480 –> 00:00:13,820Is it not reasonable, that the punishment, the destruction and the exclusion…500:00:13,820 –> 00:00:21,520Is it not reasonable, that this should last for a time, but then at some point, surely, it would come to an end?600:00:21,520 –> 00:00:24,000Why does hell have to be forever?700:00:24,000 –> 00:00:28,059Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.800:00:28,139 –> 00:00:33,799Colin, as we heard last time, none of us really like to talk about or think deeply about hell,900:00:33,799 –> 00:00:40,759but there are some questions around the subject which maybe suggest that some people have a problem with the whole idea of hell.1000:00:40,759 –> 00:00:45,099Well yes, and not surprisingly because what the Bible says is so terrifying.1100:00:45,099 –> 00:00:47,139And it is the Bible that says it.1200:00:47,139 –> 00:00:50,299Therefore, I think many people are left with a sense of, you know,1300:00:50,299 –> 00:00:52,240how do I get an off-ramp from this?1400:00:52,240 –> 00:00:57,900Maybe it’s just figurative or maybe it is that it doesn’t last forever, it’s only for a time and so forth.1500:00:58,099 –> 00:01:02,980Looking to find a way to try and make this thing that is the most uncomfortable1600:01:02,980 –> 00:01:07,300somehow more accommodated to what we find acceptable.1700:01:07,300 –> 00:01:11,540Here is the problem, no one speaks more clearly about this than Jesus,1800:01:11,540 –> 00:01:13,620so I have to make a decision.1900:01:13,620 –> 00:01:18,900Am I going to put what feels comfortable to me above the authority of the Bible2000:01:18,900 –> 00:01:23,459or am I going to allow the word of God to have authority over me?2100:01:23,660 –> 00:01:28,459To submit myself to Christ must mean that I submit myself to the Word of Christ2200:01:28,459 –> 00:01:33,300and that is difficult when the Word of Christ is difficult to hear,2300:01:33,300 –> 00:01:36,500so we’re going to try and address some of the honest questions2400:01:36,500 –> 00:01:40,180including why does Hell have to be forever in the programme today2500:01:40,180 –> 00:01:43,019and we’re going to try and do it from the perspective of people2600:01:43,019 –> 00:01:47,580who humbly want to take the word of Jesus Christ seriously2700:01:47,580 –> 00:01:50,980because He’s Lord and I’m not.2800:01:51,019 –> 00:01:54,300So if you can open your Bible to see what His words say2900:01:54,300 –> 00:01:56,580and we’re in Mark, chapter 93000:01:56,580 –> 00:01:59,260as we continue a message simply entitled Hell.3100:01:59,260 –> 00:02:00,580Here’s Colin.3200:02:00,580 –> 00:02:03,860Hell is a place of punishment. That’s number one.3300:02:03,860 –> 00:02:07,500Hell is a place of destruction. That’s number two3400:02:07,500 –> 00:02:11,820and Hell is a place of exclusion. That is number three.3500:02:11,820 –> 00:02:15,020Now again, Matthew, chapter 253600:02:15,020 –> 00:02:17,899our Lord will say to those on His left3700:02:17,899 –> 00:02:19,339and these are the words of Jesus,3800:02:19,339 –> 00:02:24,339depart from me you cursed into the eternal fire3900:02:25,020 –> 00:02:29,139prepared for the devil and his angels.4000:02:29,139 –> 00:02:31,119What an awful statement that is.4100:02:32,139 –> 00:02:35,639To hear Jesus say depart from me.4200:02:37,619 –> 00:02:39,139Now this is the language of Jesus4300:02:39,139 –> 00:02:41,619and while punishment and destruction4400:02:41,619 –> 00:02:44,679obviously speak of what a person suffers,4500:02:45,279 –> 00:02:48,520this language of exclusion, depart from me,4600:02:48,520 –> 00:02:51,399speaks of what a person misses.4700:02:52,380 –> 00:02:54,600So Jesus tells the story you remember4800:02:54,600 –> 00:02:56,919about the wedding banquet,4900:02:56,919 –> 00:03:00,559and how people were invited and called to come5000:03:00,559 –> 00:03:02,580and to be guests at the banquet5100:03:02,580 –> 00:03:04,759and when everyone was gathered in5200:03:04,759 –> 00:03:06,119and the banquet began.5300:03:06,119 –> 00:03:08,080There’s the lights and there’s the music5400:03:08,080 –> 00:03:10,679and there’s the joy and there’s the feasting5500:03:10,679 –> 00:03:14,479and then Jesus said, but outside, outside5600:03:17,639 –> 00:03:22,179there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth,5700:03:22,179 –> 00:03:24,779that’s what Jesus said, you see,5800:03:24,779 –> 00:03:27,160those who refused the invitation5900:03:27,160 –> 00:03:28,500and they’re now outside.6000:03:29,720 –> 00:03:34,720Now friends, as terrible as the doctrine of hell is,6100:03:37,759 –> 00:03:39,800we should be very, very thankful6200:03:39,860 –> 00:03:42,339that hell will always be outside of heaven.6300:03:44,899 –> 00:03:48,740You think what one sin in Adam6400:03:48,740 –> 00:03:50,800through the bloodstream of the human race6500:03:51,800 –> 00:03:54,440has done by way of bringing absolute devastation6600:03:54,440 –> 00:03:55,259to our world.6700:03:55,259 –> 00:03:57,960You think of all the evil and all the slaughter6800:03:58,880 –> 00:04:02,440and all the violence and all the pain6900:04:02,440 –> 00:04:05,419that has plagued the history of this world.7000:04:07,080 –> 00:04:09,279God had his gracious reason7100:04:09,679 –> 00:04:11,740for allowing one sin to come into the world7200:04:11,740 –> 00:04:14,660and for his ordering of the history of the world,7300:04:14,660 –> 00:04:17,779it is through this that he has revealed his glory,7400:04:17,779 –> 00:04:20,920his mercy, in the Redeemer Jesus Christ.7500:04:23,059 –> 00:04:24,940And the glory of the lamb will be forever7600:04:24,940 –> 00:04:26,320and forever and forever.7700:04:27,980 –> 00:04:29,100But you can be sure,7800:04:29,100 –> 00:04:31,040and at this point you should be glad7900:04:31,940 –> 00:04:35,359that hell will always be outside of heaven.8000:04:35,359 –> 00:04:36,519That not one sin,8100:04:36,619 –> 00:04:40,679or even the possibility of sin will ever enter in there.8200:04:41,739 –> 00:04:44,119William still says this.8300:04:44,119 –> 00:04:48,440Hell, he says, will be a completely isolated8400:04:48,440 –> 00:04:51,119and insulated realm8500:04:51,119 –> 00:04:55,140for the absolute containment of all evil8600:04:55,140 –> 00:05:00,140when it is eventually, finally banished from God’s kingdom.8700:05:02,859 –> 00:05:05,799It will be outside heaven forever8800:05:05,799 –> 00:05:08,880because in the new heaven and in the new earth8900:05:08,880 –> 00:05:13,880sin will be no more.9000:05:14,059 –> 00:05:15,459That’s the promise of God.9100:05:17,579 –> 00:05:21,579Now, three strands to the teaching of Jesus9200:05:21,579 –> 00:05:22,779on the subject of hell.9300:05:22,779 –> 00:05:26,679You’ll not find anything clearer anywhere in the Bible9400:05:26,679 –> 00:05:29,779and I wanted you to hear it from the lips of Jesus,9500:05:29,779 –> 00:05:31,739your Lord and I hope your savior.9600:05:32,700 –> 00:05:34,500There is one verse in the New Testament9700:05:34,540 –> 00:05:37,779in which the Apostle Paul brings all three strands9800:05:37,779 –> 00:05:41,619of the teaching of Jesus together in one place9900:05:41,619 –> 00:05:43,459and it’s worth noting for that reason10000:05:43,459 –> 00:05:45,279and that is Second Thessalonians10100:05:45,279 –> 00:05:47,220in chapter one and verse nine10200:05:47,220 –> 00:05:48,779where the apostle drawing together10300:05:48,779 –> 00:05:50,480everything that the Lord Jesus said10400:05:50,480 –> 00:05:53,100under the inspiration of the spirit said,10500:05:53,100 –> 00:05:58,100they will suffer the punishment, there’s the first10600:05:58,220 –> 00:06:01,820of eternal destruction, there’s the second,10700:06:01,839 –> 00:06:06,359away from the presence of the Lord, there’s the third10800:06:06,359 –> 00:06:09,980and from the glory of his might.10900:06:09,980 –> 00:06:11,480That’s the Bible’s teaching11000:06:11,480 –> 00:06:15,760and especially the teaching of Jesus about hell.11100:06:17,600 –> 00:06:20,380Now folks, in the time that remains,11200:06:20,380 –> 00:06:23,260I want us to consider two questions11300:06:23,260 –> 00:06:24,440that you must have thought about11400:06:24,440 –> 00:06:26,019that I’ve thought about many times11500:06:26,019 –> 00:06:29,239and it’s important for us to engage with them.11600:06:30,079 –> 00:06:33,820The first is, why does hell have to be forever?11700:06:33,820 –> 00:06:36,119And you must have thought about this,11800:06:36,119 –> 00:06:38,640is it not reasonable that the punishment,11900:06:38,640 –> 00:06:41,519the destruction and the exclusion,12000:06:41,519 –> 00:06:43,959is it not reasonable that this should last for a time12100:06:43,959 –> 00:06:48,299but then at some point, surely it would come to an end?12200:06:49,559 –> 00:06:51,720Why does hell have to be forever?12300:06:53,619 –> 00:06:55,160And there are many things that could be said12400:06:55,160 –> 00:06:57,660but let me say this one thing for you to consider,12500:06:58,359 –> 00:07:03,359hell goes on forever because sinners never stop sinning.12600:07:06,920 –> 00:07:11,920Hell goes on forever because sinners never stop sinning.12700:07:13,779 –> 00:07:15,779You find this in the Book of Revelation12800:07:16,880 –> 00:07:19,279that as the judgment comes,12900:07:19,279 –> 00:07:23,540sinners hate God even more than they did before.13000:07:24,299 –> 00:07:27,019The Revelation 16 in verse 10,13100:07:27,019 –> 00:07:28,540people nod their tongues in anguish13200:07:28,540 –> 00:07:30,540and they cursed the God of heaven13300:07:30,540 –> 00:07:32,940for their pains and for their sores13400:07:32,940 –> 00:07:37,720and they did not repent of their deeds.13500:07:37,720 –> 00:07:41,119The sinner cannot change his heart.13600:07:42,660 –> 00:07:45,859The sinner cannot bring himself to love God.13700:07:47,380 –> 00:07:50,980Nobody will be repenting in hell.13800:07:52,299 –> 00:07:53,500The heart of the sinner13900:07:53,540 –> 00:07:58,339does not grow softer in hell, or kinder.14000:07:58,559 –> 00:08:01,339If you think that the end of sin for the sinner14100:08:01,339 –> 00:08:02,660is the end of this life,14200:08:02,660 –> 00:08:05,160you really have not thought very deeply14300:08:05,160 –> 00:08:07,239about the subject of sin itself.14400:08:07,239 –> 00:08:11,059In hell, the sinner is directly in the company14500:08:11,059 –> 00:08:14,040of the devil and his angels, Jesus says.14600:08:16,600 –> 00:08:18,339And that in that company,14700:08:18,339 –> 00:08:21,339sin will sink more deeply into the sinner14800:08:21,420 –> 00:08:25,480and the sinner will sink more deeply into sin.14900:08:26,540 –> 00:08:30,179And any remnants of compassion15000:08:30,179 –> 00:08:33,340or care for other people that were there going in15100:08:33,340 –> 00:08:35,820will get less, and less, and less.15200:08:35,820 –> 00:08:39,380As sin does, it’s ongoing work of making a person15300:08:39,380 –> 00:08:42,440more and more and more and more absorbed with themselves.15400:08:44,719 –> 00:08:48,400Hell goes on forever because sinners never stop hating.15500:08:48,400 –> 00:08:51,460They hate God more, and more, and more,15600:08:51,460 –> 00:08:53,840and never, never, never, less.15700:08:56,119 –> 00:08:58,400That’s why sin is such a frightening, deadly disease.15800:08:58,400 –> 00:09:00,080That’s why we need a savior.15900:09:01,219 –> 00:09:02,880That’s why you need a savior.16000:09:04,119 –> 00:09:06,960My friend, you need a savior.16100:09:06,960 –> 00:09:08,659You can’t change yourself.16200:09:10,080 –> 00:09:11,960You need someone to save you.16300:09:13,840 –> 00:09:15,479Or you’ll be a person who goes on resisting16400:09:15,479 –> 00:09:18,239and pushing God away for not only for your life.16500:09:19,080 –> 00:09:20,280And now, but for eternity.16600:09:21,739 –> 00:09:22,580That’s hell.16700:09:24,380 –> 00:09:26,179Bishop Ryles says,16800:09:26,179 –> 00:09:29,159most men hope to go to heaven when they die16900:09:29,159 –> 00:09:31,840but few, it may be feared, have taken the trouble17000:09:31,840 –> 00:09:34,119to consider whether they would enjoy heaven17100:09:34,119 –> 00:09:35,979if they got there.17200:09:35,979 –> 00:09:38,679Heaven is, he says, essentially, a holy place.17300:09:38,679 –> 00:09:40,320Its inhabitants are all holy17400:09:40,320 –> 00:09:41,979and its occupations are all holy.17500:09:41,979 –> 00:09:45,520What, he asks, could an unsanctified man do17600:09:45,520 –> 00:09:47,859in heaven if by chance he got there?17700:09:48,960 –> 00:09:51,679John Owen, the great theologian from an earlier century17800:09:51,679 –> 00:09:54,559says with the most powerful, entrenching of language,17900:09:54,559 –> 00:09:56,400he says there’s no greater folly,18000:09:56,400 –> 00:09:59,760no greater deception out in the world than this.18100:09:59,760 –> 00:10:04,419That an unholy person can enjoy heaven18200:10:04,940 –> 00:10:06,799because the very joy of heaven18300:10:06,799 –> 00:10:09,460is that God is the blessing of heaven.18400:10:10,440 –> 00:10:11,780And Owen makes this point,18500:10:11,780 –> 00:10:15,000he says unholy persons cannot enjoy God18600:10:15,039 –> 00:10:18,380nor would God be a reward to them.18700:10:19,440 –> 00:10:21,559That’s actually a very revealing question.18800:10:21,559 –> 00:10:24,359Would you think that God is a reward to you?18900:10:25,440 –> 00:10:27,299Would you think that just to be in the presence19000:10:27,299 –> 00:10:30,340of God would be the greatest joy to you?19100:10:31,799 –> 00:10:34,200Or does that not sound like much to you?19200:10:35,400 –> 00:10:37,119Well, that’s telling a great deal19300:10:37,119 –> 00:10:38,640about where you are, isn’t it?19400:10:40,179 –> 00:10:42,320So, here’s the tragedy, folks,19500:10:42,380 –> 00:10:46,000that the sinner could not be happy in heaven19600:10:46,000 –> 00:10:48,640and cannot be happy in hell.19700:10:50,500 –> 00:10:52,119This is the tragedy of sin.19800:10:52,119 –> 00:10:54,200It is a complete and utter dead end.19900:10:54,200 –> 00:10:57,200It leaves the sinner with no place to go.20000:10:57,200 –> 00:11:00,039Of course the sinner would want to be out of hell,20100:11:00,039 –> 00:11:02,020but not to be in heaven because that’s where20200:11:02,020 –> 00:11:06,700God is who he hates and has resisted all his life.20300:11:08,460 –> 00:11:11,200And the Bible says, as the tree falls, so shall it lie.20400:11:13,320 –> 00:11:16,559Lincoln Duncan draws attention to the words of Jesus20500:11:16,559 –> 00:11:18,679about gnashing of teeth.20600:11:18,679 –> 00:11:20,239Isn’t that an awful expression?20700:11:20,239 –> 00:11:21,840Gnashing of teeth.20800:11:21,840 –> 00:11:23,159Now what is gnashing of teeth?20900:11:23,159 –> 00:11:24,400It’s gahh.21000:11:26,340 –> 00:11:27,979There’s a resentment that’s going on21100:11:27,979 –> 00:11:29,059and here’s what he says.21200:11:29,059 –> 00:11:33,200In hell, people are gnashing their teeth at God.21300:11:34,479 –> 00:11:37,179There’s no repentance there.21400:11:37,179 –> 00:11:40,739There is no one saying I wish I were with you God.21500:11:41,020 –> 00:11:44,739There is no one in hell who wants to be in heaven.21600:11:45,900 –> 00:11:47,359That’s the dead end, you see.21700:11:48,520 –> 00:11:52,239Cannot be happy in hell and I could not be happy in heaven.21800:11:52,239 –> 00:11:53,559What an awful place to be.21900:11:55,200 –> 00:11:57,960And so Dr. Jim Packer says, I think very healthfully,22000:11:57,960 –> 00:11:59,239there is nothing arbitrary22100:11:59,239 –> 00:12:01,719about the doctrine of eternal punishment.22200:12:01,719 –> 00:12:05,440It is in essence a case of God respecting our choice22300:12:05,440 –> 00:12:09,039and continuing to us throughout eternity22400:12:09,080 –> 00:12:13,039the spiritual condition which we chose to be in22500:12:13,039 –> 00:12:14,640while on earth.22600:12:15,719 –> 00:12:17,159Are you resisting God today?22700:12:18,640 –> 00:12:21,320Your prayer today should not be deliver me from hell.22800:12:21,320 –> 00:12:25,340Your prayer should be oh God, cleanse me,22900:12:26,880 –> 00:12:28,760change my heart,23000:12:30,359 –> 00:12:35,119save me from this will that always resists you,23100:12:35,119 –> 00:12:36,179always resists you.23200:12:36,820 –> 00:12:41,159I can’t change myself, I need a savior.23300:12:42,020 –> 00:12:44,380Oh God make me a new creation in Jesus Christ,23400:12:45,700 –> 00:12:46,820you need a savior.23500:12:48,080 –> 00:12:49,979We’ve got to pause the message there briefly23600:12:49,979 –> 00:12:52,539but we’ll be back in a few moments.23700:12:52,539 –> 00:12:53,940The message is called hell23800:12:53,940 –> 00:12:56,340and it’s one of the most popular23900:12:56,340 –> 00:12:59,500and requested broadcasts from the past year.24000:12:59,500 –> 00:13:01,979We’ve bundled it and nine other messages24100:13:01,979 –> 00:13:06,440into a series we’ve called Listener Favorites 2025.24200:13:06,440 –> 00:13:07,979If you’ve missed any of the series24300:13:07,979 –> 00:13:10,000or if you’d like to go back and listen again,24400:13:10,000 –> 00:13:12,900you can do that by coming online to our website24500:13:12,900 –> 00:13:15,539openthebible.org.uk24600:13:15,539 –> 00:13:17,659or by finding us as a podcast24700:13:17,659 –> 00:13:19,719those are in all the main podcast sites.24800:13:19,719 –> 00:13:21,799Search for Open the Bible UK24900:13:21,799 –> 00:13:24,780or follow the link from our website.25000:13:24,780 –> 00:13:26,479Here again is Colin25100:13:26,479 –> 00:13:28,780with the second part of the message.25200:13:28,780 –> 00:13:29,859Last question,25300:13:30,760 –> 00:13:32,840and you must have asked this question25400:13:32,840 –> 00:13:34,039if you are a Christian,25500:13:34,039 –> 00:13:37,419how can a person be happy in heaven25600:13:37,419 –> 00:13:39,900if they have loved ones who are in hell?25700:13:39,900 –> 00:13:41,539That’s surely one of the hardest questions25800:13:41,539 –> 00:13:42,580that can be asked,25900:13:43,619 –> 00:13:45,979and I cannot give you a complete answer26000:13:45,979 –> 00:13:47,140to that question,26100:13:48,099 –> 00:13:50,059but let me just point to three things26200:13:50,059 –> 00:13:51,739that I personally have found helpful26300:13:51,739 –> 00:13:53,979and they may just be useful to you26400:13:53,979 –> 00:13:56,599in perhaps moving you forward26500:13:56,599 –> 00:13:58,119in a way that will be helpful26600:13:58,280 –> 00:14:00,880in your own walk with the Lord.26700:14:00,880 –> 00:14:04,080The first thing is the clear promise of scripture26800:14:04,080 –> 00:14:05,780in twice in the book of Revelation26900:14:05,780 –> 00:14:07,979that God will wipe away all tears27000:14:07,979 –> 00:14:09,919from your eyes.27100:14:09,919 –> 00:14:10,979Let’s give weight to that.27200:14:10,979 –> 00:14:14,479God will wipe away all tears27300:14:14,479 –> 00:14:17,080from your eyes.27400:14:17,080 –> 00:14:21,159Christian, people sometimes cry in my office,27500:14:21,159 –> 00:14:22,880I hope it’s nothing to do with me,27600:14:24,500 –> 00:14:26,340but if they do, I have a box of tissues27700:14:26,340 –> 00:14:27,919and I hand them a tissue.27800:14:28,099 –> 00:14:29,119I hand them a tissue.27900:14:30,119 –> 00:14:32,479This is much more intimate.28000:14:32,479 –> 00:14:36,140God himself will wipe tears from your eyes.28100:14:36,140 –> 00:14:38,820Who do you know that you would feel comfortable28200:14:38,820 –> 00:14:40,200being that close to?28300:14:40,200 –> 00:14:41,880How close do you have to be to a person28400:14:41,880 –> 00:14:44,320to wipe the tears out of their eyes?28500:14:45,419 –> 00:14:47,460And you will be that close to God28600:14:47,460 –> 00:14:49,460and you will not be afraid.28700:14:50,780 –> 00:14:55,320And when he wipes tears out of your eyes,28800:14:55,320 –> 00:15:00,119these tears will never, never, never, never return.28900:15:00,119 –> 00:15:01,599And that’s his promise29000:15:01,599 –> 00:15:03,359and you have to give weight to that.29100:15:05,280 –> 00:15:06,840The second thing I’ve found that’s helpful,29200:15:06,840 –> 00:15:10,760I found in a little book by Marius Roberts29300:15:10,760 –> 00:15:13,799on the subject of heaven,29400:15:13,799 –> 00:15:16,479and in facing this question,29500:15:16,479 –> 00:15:19,880he points to the garden of Gethsemane.29600:15:19,880 –> 00:15:22,020And the relevance of Gethsemane, of course,29700:15:22,020 –> 00:15:24,320is that that was a situation in which Jesus29800:15:24,359 –> 00:15:26,719was faced with something that seemed so awful,29900:15:26,719 –> 00:15:30,179so horrendous, and it actually involved hell itself30000:15:30,179 –> 00:15:32,500because he was going to go into all that hell meant30100:15:32,500 –> 00:15:34,919on the cross and you remember that in his humanity30200:15:34,919 –> 00:15:37,080he recoiled from it.30300:15:37,080 –> 00:15:40,559If it be possible let this cup pass from me.30400:15:40,559 –> 00:15:42,280He felt something like you may feel30500:15:42,280 –> 00:15:43,799as you think about this question30600:15:43,799 –> 00:15:47,539in relation to someone you know or love.30700:15:49,200 –> 00:15:50,979But Marius Roberts points this out,30800:15:50,979 –> 00:15:52,739he says that there in the garden,30900:15:52,760 –> 00:15:54,739and in the agony of that that none of us31000:15:54,739 –> 00:15:57,559can fully imagine our Lord Jesus31100:15:57,559 –> 00:16:02,559was able to say nevertheless not my will but yours be done.31200:16:03,799 –> 00:16:05,239And then he just adds the sentence,31300:16:05,239 –> 00:16:08,840in heaven the redeemed will be like Christ.31400:16:09,760 –> 00:16:13,000In heaven the redeemed will be like Christ.31500:16:13,000 –> 00:16:14,760Here’s your savior, and just try and think31600:16:14,760 –> 00:16:16,119of what this was for him.31700:16:16,119 –> 00:16:18,580Here’s something he completely recoils from31800:16:18,580 –> 00:16:21,700and yet he was able to say here on the earth.31900:16:22,580 –> 00:16:24,739Nevertheless not my will but yours be done.32000:16:24,739 –> 00:16:26,239You may not be there now32100:16:26,239 –> 00:16:31,239but in the presence of Jesus you will be like him.32200:16:31,760 –> 00:16:32,960You will be like him.32300:16:34,440 –> 00:16:36,099And that takes me to the last thing32400:16:36,099 –> 00:16:38,799and I found it in the teaching of Dr. R.C. Sproul32500:16:38,799 –> 00:16:40,739and I think it’s very helpful.32600:16:40,739 –> 00:16:42,460He points out that the real problem32700:16:42,460 –> 00:16:44,219that we’re dealing with here32800:16:44,219 –> 00:16:47,140is that we don’t fully know yet what sin is32900:16:47,140 –> 00:16:50,580and we don’t fully know yet what God’s holiness is33000:16:50,580 –> 00:16:52,380and we don’t even fully know yet33100:16:52,380 –> 00:16:55,580what we ourselves will be, what glorification is.33200:16:55,580 –> 00:16:57,719We are now the children of God John says33300:16:57,719 –> 00:17:01,400but what we will be has not yet been revealed.33400:17:01,400 –> 00:17:03,179When we see him we’ll be like him33500:17:03,179 –> 00:17:06,260but we don’t yet know all that that involves33600:17:06,260 –> 00:17:08,780and so we are peering through a glass darkly33700:17:08,780 –> 00:17:11,939as it says in First Corinthians in Chapter 13.33800:17:13,979 –> 00:17:17,400Sproul used an illustration in the light of this.33900:17:17,400 –> 00:17:20,540When he was teaching a seminary class34000:17:20,680 –> 00:17:24,040he would ask that a student would come forward34100:17:24,040 –> 00:17:26,599and stand in front of the class34200:17:26,599 –> 00:17:28,880to represent the Lord Jesus Christ34300:17:28,880 –> 00:17:31,040and he would stand at one side of the room,34400:17:31,880 –> 00:17:34,040then Sproul would ask for a second student34500:17:34,040 –> 00:17:38,300to come forward and to represent Adolf Hitler34600:17:38,300 –> 00:17:42,699and the second student stood at the other side of the room34700:17:43,599 –> 00:17:46,280then Sproul would say now I want a third student34800:17:46,280 –> 00:17:50,319to come forward and to represent the Apostle Paul34900:17:50,579 –> 00:17:53,280and he would say that apart from Jesus,35000:17:53,280 –> 00:17:55,959Paul was probably the holiest man ever35100:17:55,959 –> 00:17:58,319to have walked the Earth.35200:17:58,319 –> 00:17:59,839So as the student comes forward35300:17:59,839 –> 00:18:01,359to represent the Apostle Paul35400:18:01,359 –> 00:18:03,819the question is where on this continuum35500:18:03,819 –> 00:18:07,660should that student representing the Apostle Paul stand?35600:18:07,660 –> 00:18:11,680Answer, very close to Hitler.35700:18:13,339 –> 00:18:15,739You do a double take on that?35800:18:15,739 –> 00:18:18,719Very close to Hitler.35900:18:20,479 –> 00:18:22,199See, our first thought is that,36000:18:22,199 –> 00:18:24,140see as we see it in this world,36100:18:24,140 –> 00:18:26,260from our perspective we say,36200:18:26,260 –> 00:18:28,040well there’s such a huge difference36300:18:29,160 –> 00:18:30,640between Hitler and Paul36400:18:30,640 –> 00:18:34,000that surely Paul must be very close to Jesus.36500:18:35,920 –> 00:18:39,079But Sproul’s point was simply this.36600:18:39,079 –> 00:18:42,680The difference between Hitler and Paul on the one hand36700:18:42,680 –> 00:18:45,199and Jesus on the other36800:18:45,199 –> 00:18:48,280is so great a chasm36900:18:48,280 –> 00:18:51,319that the difference between Hitler and Paul37000:18:51,319 –> 00:18:53,540is rendered negligible.37100:18:54,959 –> 00:18:55,800Now says Sproul,37200:18:56,839 –> 00:19:00,239when you are glorified, where will you be?37300:19:01,800 –> 00:19:04,780Very close to Jesus.37400:19:06,239 –> 00:19:09,000And what that means is that there will be a huge gulf37500:19:09,000 –> 00:19:13,800between you and all of unredeemed humanity.37600:19:14,880 –> 00:19:17,739Sproul draws this conclusion and I quote,37700:19:17,760 –> 00:19:21,219because we are so Hitleresque.37800:19:21,219 –> 00:19:23,500That’s a very striking description of sin, isn’t it?37900:19:23,500 –> 00:19:25,439And a two on that one.38000:19:25,439 –> 00:19:29,319That’s what he says, because we are so Hitleresque,38100:19:29,319 –> 00:19:31,680we can relate to monstrous sinners38200:19:31,680 –> 00:19:34,780more than we relate to Jesus Christ.38300:19:34,780 –> 00:19:38,280That’s why we find the doctrine of hell repugnant.38400:19:39,339 –> 00:19:41,819That’s why we feel sorry for Uzza38500:19:41,819 –> 00:19:43,739when he’s killed for touching the arc.38600:19:43,739 –> 00:19:46,380That’s why we feel sorry for Aaron’s sons38700:19:46,420 –> 00:19:48,880who were struck down for playing at worship.38800:19:49,939 –> 00:19:52,939But the day will come when our passion38900:19:52,939 –> 00:19:55,520and our identification with the glory of God39000:19:55,520 –> 00:19:58,040will be so great that our sympathies39100:19:58,040 –> 00:20:01,579will be with God, and not with our fellow creatures39200:20:01,579 –> 00:20:03,660who belittle his glory.39300:20:03,660 –> 00:20:05,979We are not there now,39400:20:07,380 –> 00:20:11,119but in our glorification we shall be.39500:20:12,719 –> 00:20:14,900And so, my very last word to you this morning39600:20:14,920 –> 00:20:16,459is simply this,39700:20:16,459 –> 00:20:20,920the Lord Jesus Christ endured hell on the cross39800:20:20,920 –> 00:20:25,300so that you would never know what it is like.39900:20:25,300 –> 00:20:26,140What is hell?40000:20:26,140 –> 00:20:29,699It is punishment, it is destruction, it is exclusion.40100:20:29,699 –> 00:20:31,300What happened at the cross?40200:20:31,300 –> 00:20:34,439The punishment that brought us peace was upon him.40300:20:35,579 –> 00:20:37,939He entered into the destruction of death.40400:20:37,939 –> 00:20:40,479His soul separated from his body.40500:20:42,140 –> 00:20:43,219And in the darkness,40600:20:43,479 –> 00:20:45,020He was shut out excluded40700:20:45,020 –> 00:20:47,780from the love of his own eternal father40800:20:47,780 –> 00:20:50,119so that out of that darkness he cries on the cross,40900:20:50,119 –> 00:20:53,079my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?41000:20:54,479 –> 00:20:57,439Jesus endured everything that hell is on the cross41100:20:57,439 –> 00:20:59,560so that you would never know what it is like.41200:20:59,560 –> 00:21:01,599He took the punishment friends41300:21:01,599 –> 00:21:05,579so that in Him there would be no condemnation for you.41400:21:05,579 –> 00:21:08,219He endured the destruction of the second death41500:21:08,219 –> 00:21:11,560so that in him, you could be raised to new life.41600:21:12,560 –> 00:21:16,400He was cut off from the father there on the cross41700:21:16,400 –> 00:21:20,800so that in him, you could be reconciled to the father41800:21:20,800 –> 00:21:22,800forever and forever.41900:21:22,800 –> 00:21:26,680And so surely for anyone who hears this message today42000:21:26,680 –> 00:21:29,000and does not yet, know, trust,42100:21:29,000 –> 00:21:31,760follow Jesus Christ today you must say,42200:21:31,760 –> 00:21:35,079surely, I need this Jesus and he must be mine.42300:21:35,079 –> 00:21:37,199I must come to him today.42400:21:37,199 –> 00:21:39,319And for everyone who is in Christ42500:21:39,319 –> 00:21:41,199surely you will be saying with me42600:21:41,439 –> 00:21:46,119Thanks be to god for his indescribable gift.42700:21:48,280 –> 00:21:50,760Pastor Colin Smith there on Open The Bible42800:21:50,760 –> 00:21:53,079concluding the message all about hell.42900:21:53,079 –> 00:21:56,640Jesus endured everything that hell is on the cross43000:21:56,640 –> 00:21:59,920so that you and I will never have to experience it.43100:21:59,920 –> 00:22:02,599If we know Christ that will give us a feeling of43200:22:02,599 –> 00:22:06,000gratitude and worship for all that he has done for us.43300:22:06,000 –> 00:22:07,520If you don’t know Christ,43400:22:07,520 –> 00:22:09,400maybe you’re thinking about what it would mean43500:22:09,479 –> 00:22:11,839to begin a relationship with him.43600:22:11,839 –> 00:22:14,520You can do that by talking to a trusted Christian friend43700:22:14,520 –> 00:22:16,199or family member,43800:22:16,199 –> 00:22:18,560or go along to a local Christian fellowship,43900:22:18,560 –> 00:22:20,280speak with a pastor there,44000:22:20,280 –> 00:22:24,000or join a Bible study group such as the Alpha Programm.44100:22:24,000 –> 00:22:26,760And please let us know about your journey to faith44200:22:26,760 –> 00:22:28,959here on Open The Bible.44300:22:28,959 –> 00:22:32,880At Open The Bible we welcome contact with our listeners.44400:22:32,880 –> 00:22:36,560If you’ve been blessed by Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching44500:22:36,560 –> 00:22:37,880and you’d like to reach out to us44600:22:37,959 –> 00:22:39,839There are several ways you can do that.44700:22:39,839 –> 00:22:41,479You can write to us at44800:22:49,479 –> 00:22:51,199or you can phone us on44900:22:57,359 –> 00:22:59,680If we’re not available when you call,45000:22:59,680 –> 00:23:02,439leave a message for us and we’ll return your call.45100:23:02,439 –> 00:23:04,719And you can find all those contact details45200:23:04,719 –> 00:23:06,000on our website45300:23:09,079 –> 00:23:11,719Open the Bible is supported by our listeners45400:23:11,719 –> 00:23:13,839And if you already give to support the work,45500:23:13,839 –> 00:23:14,719we want to say45600:23:16,319 –> 00:23:18,640If you’ve been considering beginning to support45700:23:18,640 –> 00:23:20,319Open the Bible financially,45800:23:20,319 –> 00:23:22,119this month, if you are able to set up45900:23:22,119 –> 00:23:25,079a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible46000:23:25,079 –> 00:23:27,640in the amount of £5 per month or more46100:23:27,640 –> 00:23:30,079or a one-off gift of £50 or more,46200:23:30,079 –> 00:23:31,839we’d love to say thank you46300:23:31,839 –> 00:23:34,280by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s book46400:23:34,400 –> 00:23:35,880Fly Through the Bible46500:23:35,880 –> 00:23:37,079Colin, what do you hope46600:23:37,079 –> 00:23:40,079that readers of this book will take away from it?46700:23:40,079 –> 00:23:41,479Well, that people will see46800:23:41,479 –> 00:23:44,040that the whole Bible is one story46900:23:44,040 –> 00:23:45,680and that it all points47000:23:45,680 –> 00:23:47,319to the Lord jesus Christ47100:23:47,319 –> 00:23:48,479You know I think many folks47200:23:48,479 –> 00:23:50,479know some stories from the Bible47300:23:50,479 –> 00:23:51,640you know, David and Goliath,47400:23:51,640 –> 00:23:52,479Jonah and the Whale47500:23:52,479 –> 00:23:53,920and so forth, and so on47600:23:53,920 –> 00:23:56,400but I find that often people don’t realize47700:23:56,400 –> 00:23:59,520that there really is an overall story line47800:23:59,520 –> 00:24:00,239to the Bible47900:24:00,239 –> 00:24:02,680It begins in a garden, it ends in a city48000:24:02,680 –> 00:24:06,160all the way through it’s about the Lord Jesus Christ48100:24:06,160 –> 00:24:09,359So when a person gets an overview of the Bible48200:24:09,359 –> 00:24:10,880that’s the best way48300:24:10,880 –> 00:24:12,079to be introduced48400:24:12,079 –> 00:24:14,280to the Lord Jesus Christ himself48500:24:14,280 –> 00:24:15,359this is going to show you48600:24:15,359 –> 00:24:16,800who he is48700:24:16,800 –> 00:24:18,160why we need him48800:24:18,160 –> 00:24:19,479what he’s accomplished48900:24:19,479 –> 00:24:20,599what he offers49000:24:20,599 –> 00:24:21,920what he’s able to do49100:24:21,920 –> 00:24:23,319in the life of any person49200:24:23,319 –> 00:24:24,160who turns to him49300:24:24,160 –> 00:24:25,760in repentance and faith49400:24:25,760 –> 00:24:27,599it’s cookies on the bottom shelf49500:24:27,599 –> 00:24:29,040and it’s gonna be an introduction49600:24:29,040 –> 00:24:30,280to the Lord Jesus Christ49700:24:30,880 –> 00:24:32,119Well, we’d love to send you49800:24:32,119 –> 00:24:33,640a copy of Pastor Colin’s book49900:24:33,640 –> 00:24:34,680Fly Through the Bible50000:24:35,079 –> 00:24:36,199if you’re able to set up50100:24:36,199 –> 00:24:37,560a new direct debit50200:24:37,560 –> 00:24:38,959to the work of Open the Bible50300:24:38,959 –> 00:24:41,359for £5 per month or more50400:24:41,359 –> 00:24:42,560or a one-off gift of50500:24:42,560 –> 00:24:44,479£50 or more this month50600:24:45,160 –> 00:24:47,119You can find full terms and conditions50700:24:47,359 –> 00:24:48,719and you can give online50800:24:48,719 –> 00:24:49,800at our website50900:24:49,800 –> 00:24:52,640openthebible.org.uk51000:24:52,920 –> 00:24:54,079For Open the Bible51100:24:54,079 –> 00:24:55,439and Pastor Colin Smith51200:24:55,439 –> 00:24:56,479I’m David Pick51300:24:56,479 –> 00:24:57,880and we’ll see you next time51400:25:02,719 –> 00:25:04,119Christian faith is more than51500:25:04,119 –> 00:25:05,560forgiveness for your past51600:25:05,560 –> 00:25:07,400and security for your future51700:25:07,719 –> 00:25:10,119Find out what God intends for you now51800:25:10,280 –> 00:25:12,719That’s next time on Open the Bible