Hell is a jail for the lost, but it's not their ultimate state. Revelation 20 says, [13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
[14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
[15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
"Do lost people get out of hell?" asked Preacher David Reid of Columbus Bible Church in Columbus, OH. "They do and they're released for the purpose of going to trial, to court at the Great White Throne Judgment.
"II Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, [7] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
[8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
"The way to think about the gospel is it requires obedience. The Philippian jailer says in verse 30, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' That's the most important question ever asked.
"Acts 16 says, [31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
"People think the gospel is something you optionally choose to do or not, but it is a command, and when you fail to believe it you fail to obey the gospel, so the rejection of the gospel is itself a sin.
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"At the time of the Great White Throne Judgment there will be people who've been punished in hell for thousands of years. For God to be just, they have to have been guilty of things deserving of that punishment.
"After the Great White Throne, people are going to be placed in the 'lake of fire' for eternity. So in order for God to be just the Great White Throne has to be an absolutely convincing proof of guilt of ever sinner who ends up in the lake of fire.
"Matthew 12:36-37 says, [36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
[37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
"The Great White Throne Judgment is not just about felonies people have committed. It's about every single little thing. There's no injustice to small to escape the justice of God. The judgment is terrifying. The books that are there contain everything people have ever done. Every nasty word, every evil thought. It's just absolutely horrifying.
"Luke 12:47-48 says, [47] And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
[48] But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
"When judgment occurs it is based upon the responsibility that was given to people.
"Matthew 11 says, [21] Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
[22] But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
[23] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
[24] But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
"Not only does God know everything that ever happened and everything that will happen, He also knows everything that would have happened.
"The Lord destroys Tyre for their sins and it was just, but what He says to Chorazin at Bethsaida is, 'Guys, woe unto you. Your sin is so grievous the works that have been done in you make you deeply accountable.'
" 'You've seen things that are an absolute demonstration of the truth and you've rejected it. These demonstrations are so profound that, if they were done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented, and yet those cities were destroyed! You guys have seen greater signs.'
"In verse 22, he's saying, 'To whom much is given, much is required.' Sodom was so wicked God couldn't find 10 righteous men there. So Sodom, as evil as it was, would have repented if those works had been performed.
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"There are degrees of judgment because there are degrees of responsibility and information given. There's degrees of sin, and if God is just, there have to be degrees of punishment. It's inescapable.
"What would you think of a judicial system that punished parking tickets the exact same way as murder? They should have the exact same punishment? Wouldn't you say that's unjust? Doesn't the punishment have to fit the crime? Isn't there just a basic proportionality to things?
"If you read the Old Testament, you see that again and again and again. There are different sins that have different punishments. That same principle plays out at the Great White Throne Judgment.
"What's terrifying is the books are open and you know what the folks demonstrate? Here's the real truth. You ready? What we all think about ourselves, especially the lost, is, 'You know, I'm basically a good person. I've done some things I shouldn't have, but basically I'm a good person.'
"The Great White Throne Judgment demonstrates your thousands of sins in conclusive detail. Can you get to the end of that and still say, 'Yeah, I'm basically a good person'? You can't. You're shown to be guilty beyond any sort of doubt.
"It's utterly terrifying, there's no escape clause, there's no leniency, there's no free pass."
(to be continued tomorrow)
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