Sin – The Rebellion

Let us define what sin is. Sin is the vehicle that transports man out of the grace and love of God and into the Wrath of God. The Bible tells us that sin is rebellion against God, Deuteronomy 9:7 and, transgression against the Law of God 1 John 3:4  Any thought, deed, or action against the moral character of God and His Word is sinful. Sin is the devil’s playground. It is the environment that he operates in. His entire purpose is to use human beings to violate, rebel, and transgress the very things that God said not to do. Mankind is simply a pawn in the devil’s hatred against God. He uses us to violate the instructions of God, which are found in His Word: the Bible. The devil so hates God that his purpose is to use that most precious thing God has created against Him. 

What does sin do to mankind? First of all, it causes a separation between man and God. This rift, or division, can be seen in Genesis chapter 3 where Adam and Eve, who walked in the vary presence of God, ended up separated from God by their violation against that which God told them not to do. 

Secondly, all sin demands a price. The Apostle Paul wrote: “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23  This does not mean physical death as all people will die, but rather spiritual death. It’s what happens to the soul after death. The payment deserved is eternal separation from God in hell forever being tortured in the Lake of Fire. 

Hell

The Bad News

I do not think that any human words could justly encapsulate the horrors of hell. We paint pictures and create movies of what we think it might be but those are just depictions of its possible environment. Try as we might, no know has ever experienced the horrors of what is inevitable for those who have not put their faith in Jesus Christ: the only Savior. The environment of hell is called several things yet all pertaining to the same place: The Abyss, Lake of Fire, Gehenna, Abaddon, Sheol, Hades, and Tartarus among others.  The Bible is the only source for the subject of hell since God, who wrote the Bible, is also the Creator of hell. God created everything. The Bible tells us: that God is the Creator of all things. Anything that is created was created by God and for God. Colossians 1:16-17  God is the only authority on hell as no human has ever returned from there to inform us of its horrors. Luke 16:19-31  Many people claim to have died and gone there and then came back from there to tell us about what hell is like. But these are lies crafted by satan to give its misguided believers a false hope in salvation through the explanation of the so-called visitor but will inevitably lead those false believers to hell. If satan can convince people to be good, or go to church, any church, because of an explanation of hell by someone who only really perceived the experience of hell in their minds, but actually thinks they’ve been there, then he can keep people from the true saving grace of Christ which has nothing to do with outward appearances. Being good does not get you into Heaven, nor does it keep you from hell. Going to church, even every day, does not get you into Heaven, nor does it keep you from hell. God’s Word has the only explanation of how to get into Heaven. Faith in Christ by the Grace of God. Ephesian 2:8-9

Regardless of the place of hell, we should more concern ourselves with the function and purpose of hell. Its function is to exact payment for sinners. Its purpose is to carry out the wrath of God on sinners. I feel that the best visualization of the horrors of hell can brought out by one of its descriptive names: the Lake of Fire. Sinners will be given a new body that will experience the torturous horror of burning without ever burning up. This torment will last forever and ever. If you have ever burned your hand on a stove or campfire or any such thing you understand the pain that accompanies the burn. Now imagine the excruciating pain involved in the burning of your entire body without ever ceasing, even for a moment. Martyrs of the faith that have gone to their deaths in the form of burning at the stake at least had relief after a short while of burning. Physical death brought them that relief. Not so for the sinner whose destiny is the Lake of Fire and all of its tortuous agonizing horrors – forever! There will be no relief for those who end up in hell. 

Hell’s purpose is to be a place of wrath, agony, loneliness, abandonment by God, regret, and torture. Even though hell will be filled with people there will be no socializing of any sort. The agony and pain will see to that. There will be no comfort by anyone nor for anyone. It will not be a place of communication with others nor a gathering together of family and friends. Only excruciating agony, regret, and loneliness will continuously devour its victims. Hell is the culmination of God’s Wrath. It is the antithesis of Salvation. It is the eternal destiny of those souls who would not put their faith in Jesus. Those people who choose the things of the world and the pleasures of life will forfeit the eternal joys of Heaven for the eternal punishment of hell.

Redemption

The Good News

All people deserve hell because all people are born in sin and like to do nothing but sin in all its in-exhaustive ways. All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Romans 3:23 But there is good news. Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Savior of sinners. God’s only Son who came down from His ruling authority in Heaven to be the atoning Sacrifice for the wrath of God. Jesus alone is the propitiation, or payment, that will satisfy God’s just wrath on sinners. If you truly accept Christ as your Lord and Savior you will be saved! Romans 10:9-10  You will be reborn into the family of God who will be in His Presence for Eternity. In Heaven, there will be no pain or suffering nor sorrow nor regret of all kind. There will be no burdens in Heaven. There will be joy and peace filled with the love of God, unlike anything we can experience on earth. We cannot even begin to comprehend the peace that will permeate our beings in Heaven. Nothing can compare in our human experience with the peace of God’s Eternal Presence. 

In light of all this ask Christ to come into your heart to be the Lord and Ruler of your life, right now! Give your life to Him and He is faithful to save you. He alone has taken the wrath that you deserve. He will make you a new creation saved from eternal misery in hell. There is no time better than this moment to give your life to Jesus. No one knows how long their life will be. Your last breath could be moments away. If you miss the opportunity to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior then you will perish with all the unsaved sinners in hell. Reach out to Him and repent of your sins. Tell Him that you are sorry for all the sins you have ever committed. Tell Him that you want and need Him to rule your life as Lord and Savior. Tell Him that you want to be a new creation in Him. Tell Him that you want Him to guide your steps for the rest of your life, no matter how long or short it may be. Ask Him to fill your heart with the Holy Spirit so that you will from now on live only for His Will and not your sinful desires. Tell Him that you will serve Him as Lord and Master of your life. 

Make God your priority in everything that you do as He guides you through the power of His Holy Spirit. Repent of any sin that may reappear in your life, because they will. Only God forgives sins. Man cannot forgive sins. So you must repent of your sins to God alone. You must set your mind on pleasing God with your life. This will lead you to sinning less and less. Christians are not sinless people. They are people who stumble into sin from time to time but are living for Christ and recognize the immediate need to repent. 

A Plea for Salvation

Lord, I recognize that I deserve an eternity in hell separated from You. 

Lord, I repent of my sins today. I am sorry that I have offended You. 

Lord, I am sorry for all the sins I have ever committed against You.

Lord, come into my heart to be the Lord and Ruler of my life.

Lord, I give my life to you this day and all the days that follow. 

Lord, You alone have taken the wrath I deserve.

Lord, make me a new creation and continue to renew me as I walk with you. 

Lord, I want, and need, You to rule my life as Lord and Savior. 

Lord, I want You to guide my steps for the rest of my life. 

Lord, I want to serve You for the rest of my life.

Lord, fill my heart with Your Holy Spirit.

Lord, from now on I promise to live only for Your Will.

Lord, I forsake my sinful desires.  

Lord, I will serve You as Lord and Master of my life. 

I pray this according to Your Will and in Your name Jesus. Amen

Written by Gary Hollingsworth 2025