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8. Who Has to go Into Hell? (Revelation 21:8)
REVELATION 21:8
8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
The Fearful, the Unbelieving, Murderers and Liars: The brave witnesses of the Son and the Father who in spite of fear and agony had made up their minds for a courageous confession (1 John 2:22-25) are opposed in Revelation 21:8 to the fearful who had not confessed Jesus (1 John 4:1-5). They feared people more than God and regarded the life in this world higher than their heritage in the coming world. In their efforts to postpone the natural death they have chosen the second death, namely the eternal condemnation.
The fearful are also called “unbelieving” or “unfaithful” in the detailed list of inhabitants of hell, as they obscure the truth against their better judgment and by being silent or by speaking excuses deny their faith. But whoever makes compromises in the matter of truth falls deeper and deeper. One lie produces new lies as we can see with the apostle Peter who finally called down curses on himself and swore to have never meet Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62). But we ought not to be arrogant in a self confident manner; on the contrary we ought to ask for grace so as to remain faithful to our redeemer in the hour of temptation by hook or by crook!
If you give the devil an inch, he will take a mile and draws you to himself! If you deviate from the words of Jesus and denies Him, then the Evil One tries to dwell in you (Revelation 13:3-4.8; 14:9-11; 17:4-6; and other verses). The demonic ideas of the devil will flash through your mind and heart. In a similar manner as you was driven by the Holy Spirit before, so you will be driven now by the spirit of Antichrist so as to do iniquities and abominations for which you will open yourself more and more and which you will finally approve.
At first hatred and envy will grow in your heart (Matthew 5:21-22; Romans 1:29): hurtful words proceed from your mouth, and your eyes become dark like those of a murderer (Matthew 6:22-23; Luke 11:34-36). If you do not repent immediately and with all your heart, then you will be driven from one evil to another. Moreover, you will lead other people to hate, to commit sin and to do iniquities together in such a manner which they were not thought of being capable of doing ever before. But if you cause other people to sin, then you will kill their soul (Matthew 18:6-7; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1-3; and other verses).
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks! (Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45) The use of obscene words in conversation is a sign of unclean deeds and of addictions. “Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). If you commit sin, then your fantasy will be depraved so that you, for instance, everywhere and in all things see nothing but sexual objects. Television, advertisement, internet, movies and magazines destroy the moral more and more. Thus people commit adultery, children will be raped and hundreds of thousands of embryos will be aborted. We are living among a people of “murderers and whoremongers” and our hearts are also inclining to such things. If you do not abide in Christ, you will fall deeper and deeper into uncleanness, mud and sin.
The Lord names sorcerers, stirrers and witches as the next step of ungodliness. If you get in contact with demonic powers or familiar spirits, then you run the risk to become an angel of the devil (Matthew 25:41). In the Old Testament the Lord commanded that all sorcerers and fortune-tellers of His people shall be put to death and that this depravity shall be eradiated without remorse (Leviticus 19:26.31; 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:9-13; and other verses). Nowadays satanic messes and black magic are tolerated everywhere. Books about the young sorcerer Harry Potter are at the top of the bestseller list. The “demythologization” which was in earlier times propagated by some theologians became just its opposite.
On the next step down to hell are the idolaters, people with amulets and all men worshipping dead gods. If you try to recommend to anyone living in the Middle East to get rid of such humbug as mascots, horseshoes or blue eyed images, you will receive vigorous opposition or at least an embarrassed laugh because the belief in amulets and in objects of occult (blue pearls, knocking on wood and table turning) are deeply anchored in their subconscious. Whether Shamans or Buddhists, Hindus or animists in Africa, Asia or America, many people still worship statues of idols, offer sacrifices to them and count on the influence of these spirits in their life daily. In part the Christians are to be blamed for this idolatry as we did not gave witness to the living Christ everywhere by our word, deeds and life unmistakably.
You may think: thanks to God, as I am neither a murderer, nor a whoremonger, nor a sorcerer and nor an idolater. I have still the chance to go to heaven. These self-righteous ought to consider the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:10-14; Romans 2:1-4; 3:9-23).
Moreover, we ought to listen to the final warning and take it in: Especially liars are predestined to hell. The Lord identifies with this term not only those shrewd people who find an excuse quicker than a mouse finds a hole, but particularly those who deny Jesus as Son of God, “Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father: he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:22-23).
Nowadays even in the church you may hear odd sermons and strange “Christian” songs which do not speak any longer of Jesus, the Son of God or of his Father. Superficial Christians pave, however, like humanists the way for a syncretistic world religion. Jews, Muslims and other ideologies agree on the rejection of the reality of the triune God. They have altogether been taken in by the lies of the father of lies (John 8:42-45).
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we worship You because of Your patience with Your children who live indifferently. Forgive us if we were ashamed of telling other of our faith and grant us determination, boldness and wisdom to offer salvation, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to those who seek truth and peace. Amen.
QUESTION:
- Why will the cowards, who fear testifying to the faith, enter hell before other sinners?