by Mike Ratliff
24 “Then they will go forth and look
On the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm will not die
And their fire will not be quenched;
And they will be an object of contempt to all mankind.” Isaiah 66:24 (LSB)
Those who espouse Christian Universalism as the true model of God’s Redemption plan for man, must ignore most of Sacred Scripture as well as misinterpret their so-called “proof texts” in order to make their suppositions. The Bible makes it very clear that all Universalist teachings are heretical.
Carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post. Currently, the “visible Church” is being inundated with a form of Universalism that is quite different from the old Christian liberal teachings that we see in Unitarianism. This new form is called “Christian Universalism,” which claims to be evangelical. However, it teaches that all people who die, regardless of their religious believes or lack thereof, will be cleansed and cleaned up by God then will enter into paradise or heaven where Jesus is. What does the Bible teach us about the eternal destiny of those who die in their sins, which is another way of saying that they died in their rebellion against God?
Carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post, Isaiah 66:24. What does it tell us? Who is it whose worm does not die nor is their fire quenched? It is those who have rebelled against God. This would be all those who have not believed the Gospel and repented. They have remained in their sins because they have clung to their sins and rejected God as their Sovereign Lord. Our Lord Jesus quoted this passage in Mark 9.
42 “And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 [and where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46 [and where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48 where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.
49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:42-50 (LSB)
The Greek word used here translated as “hell” is γέεννα (geenna). This word describes the Valley of Hinnom. It was the place of the city dump for Jerusalem and spiritually represented the place or state of the lost and condemned. The reason γέεννα was used to describe “hell” is that as the city garbage dump there were fires constantly burning there. This gave the hearer or reader a graphic image of the nature of eternal torment. The punishment of hell lasts for eternity and it is clearly taught throughout both the Old Testament and New Testament.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to reproach and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 (LSB)
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; Matthew 25:41 (LSB)
5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 Since it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give rest to you who are afflicted and to us as well at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 executing vengeance on those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND FROM THE GLORY OF HIS MIGHT, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our witness to you was believed. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 (LSB)
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 and he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His rage, and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11 (LSB)
These 4 passages are just a sampling. Our Lord spoke more of hell than He did of Heaven. Hell is always spoken of as being eternal. There is no end to it. Those in it are there forever. That is terrifying my brethren. No one would want anyone else to go there. No, we must pray for all those we know who do not know Jesus as Lord and Saviour to hear the Gospel, repent, and believe thereby receiving eternal life and justification by our Lord God. This is the only way of escape from God’s Wrath. Look again at Isaiah 66:24. This is a terrifying picture of unending judgment. My brethren, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is good news to those who obey it, but it is very bad news to those who remain in rebellion. Many believe that God’s judgment is yet future and the Day of the Lord is for the time at the end. The Day of the Lord began when John the Baptist proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was at hand and it became manifest in the world as our Lord Jesus won the victory at the Cross. Each believer is part of our Lord’s Kingdom. When a person rejects the Gospel, they are incurring judgment upon themselves. On the other hand, when a believer is saved they receive righteous judgment in their justification as the Father declares them righteous.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (LSB)
The first death is the passing from physical life unto physical death. However, there is a second death. The second death is the lake of fire. Who is thrown into it? All those whose name was not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire. Those whose names are in the book of life cannot be hurt by the second death.
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’ (Revelation 2:8-11 ESV)
Who is not hurt by the second death? We know that those whose names are found in the book of life will not be thrown into the lake of fire. Now we see another attribute of those whose names are in the book of life. What is it? They conquer. This is the Greek word νικάω or nikaō. It literally means, “to get the victory.” Some Bible versions translate this as “overcome.” It carries with it the idea of subduing an enemy or opponent. I used to run in Nike shoes. The company got that name from this Greek word because it means “victory.” In the context of Revelation 2:8-11 it describes Christians persevering or remaining faithful to the end, even if they are killed or persecuted for their faith. This is what marks a genuine Christian. Those who remain faithful even unto death are those who conquer or overcome and they will not be hurt by the second death because their names are written in the book of life. They are not written in the book because they overcome, but overcome because they are regenerate Christians who have the Holy Spirit and God preserves them to the end.
My brethren, our Lord also said that the way unto eternal life is narrow and hard to find. In fact, few actually find it.
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (LSB)
How popular with men are the teachings of those who espouse Christian Universalism? You know this is perceived as good news because then it does not matter how one lives or what one believes because all will end up in the same place in eternity. However, our Lord says that the wide and easy way leads to destruction (the lake of fire, the second death) while the narrow gate, which is hard, leads to life (eternity with the Saviour in the New Heaven and New Earth), but few will find it.
My brethren, do not listen to those who preach this “other gospel” that is nothing more than the manifestation of the doctrines of demons, which says that all it takes to have eternal life with Jesus is to simply be human. No, this is a lie from our enemy and it is also why Christians must learn the truth. They must get into the Bible and get God’s truth into them so that these lies can be seen for what they are and dealt with Biblically.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Possessing the Treasure 