Two men
share about their supernatural experiences in heaven and hell.
I was having lunch with a friend recently. Somehow we strayed
into the moribund subject of death. I asked him, “Have you ever considered
where you will be if you should pass away?”
His reply was swift: “Better not think of such a depressing
subject.”
How many of us are prepared to meet our Maker?
Whether we are rich or poor, clever or dull, this is a most crucial question: “Where will we be spending eternity after we leave this earth?”
Whether we are rich or poor, clever or dull, this is a most crucial question: “Where will we be spending eternity after we leave this earth?”
If the soul continues
to exist even after death—fully conscious of everything that’s happening
to it—isn’t it of paramount importance to know where we are going when
we pass away?
After his death, Pastor Park, Yong
Gyu was taken to heaven and hell where he was shown why some saints
lived in mansions while others lived in small community homes. He was also
shown the immense suffering of people who were being tortured in hell. Some who
claimed to be believers were also in hell. His testimony is truly a wake-up
call to Christians that they should repent, live holy lives and serve God
faithfully.
For the link, please check out: http://www.divinerevelations.info/Documents/Pastor_Park/index.htm
In
another story, evangelist Rev Philip Mantofa
recounted how he was taken in the spirit to hell to witness how people were
being tortured by demons.
Be warned; do not proceed if you cannot stomach the
gruesome details in his account: http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/trip-hell-crusade-philip-mantofa/
Some
of us do not believe the above accounts. But can we afford to be lackadaisical?
Can we afford to ignore the sobering message behind these stories if they were
indeed true?
Is there is any biblical correlation for these strange supernatural experiences?
Is there is any biblical correlation for these strange supernatural experiences?
The
apostle Paul related an incident when he was caught up to heaven and was given abundant
revelations (2 Corinthians 12:1-7).
We
get a glimpse of the suffering in hell in the story of Lazarus and the rich man
(Luke 16:19-31). After the latter died, he went to Hades where the flames tormented him
so much that he cried out, “Father
Abraham, have pity on me and send
Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.”
Once again, in Matthew 13:40-42, we get a glimpse
of the overpowering heat and torment in hell: “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in
the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his
angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and
all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Many think that heaven and hell are imaginary places.
Moreover, many think that accounts about hell are just fairy tales to frighten
people into making a response.
But the Bible sets the record straight. They do
exist. One day our final resting places will either be heaven or hell.
And the soul continues to exist even
after death—fully conscious of what is happening to it
for all eternity.
The philosopher and scientist, Blaise Pascal,
wrote: “The immortality of the soul is a matter which is of so great consequence to
us and which touches us so profoundly that we must have lost all feeling to be
indifferent about it.”
Let’s pause for a moment to consider the grave implications
of the truth regarding the soul’s immortality: Those who reject Christ
will have a most frightening eternity awaiting them. But those who believe in
Jesus will not have to fear. They will rejoice in the presence of God and His
angelic host—eternally in heavenly worship.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
Jesus declared: “I am the way and the
truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me” (John 14:6).
“All the
prophets testify about him (Jesus) that everyone who
believes in him receives forgiveness of sins
through his name” (Acts 10:43).
The dying thief was ushered into heaven because
he had faith in Jesus. He did not have to work out his faith; he had absolutely
no opportunity to do so as in his dying moments he was crucified next to Jesus.
But believers, in general, will have to work out our
faith. Just as Paul exhorted: “Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
Some say we need not fear: “There
is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with
punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John
4:18).
Well, that is true. But we also have to consider the
other side of the coin. We need to have reverential fear of God.
“Bear fruit in
keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8)
“Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and
many enter through it. But small is the
gate and narrow the road
that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
“Not
everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
“For as
the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (James
2:26).
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith
goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”
“Therefore, my brothers
and sisters, make every
effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these
things (please see above in blue), you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the
eternal kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1: 5-7, 10-11).
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only
one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every
athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a
perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do
not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating
the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after
preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”(1Corinthians 9: 24-27).
Believers
who believe in the following should seriously take a long, hard rethink and
reconsider their stance:
- Once we are saved, we will remain saved (OSAS, once saved always saved, eternal security). http://bit.ly/GM5Srz
- All our future sins are forgiven at conversion. http://bit.ly/18wc9Rb
- There is no need to confess sin as we merely need to rest in the imputed righteousness of Christ. http://bit.ly/19yBzuD
- We can afford to banish sin consciousness from our lives as the sin issue is a thing of the past, being settled once and for all when we believed in Jesus. http://bit.ly/GDv4QL
Doctrine
is not merely something confined to the head. Sincerely believing in something
erroneous may have tragic eternal consequences.
"Faith is good only when it engages truth;
when it is made to rest upon falsehood it can and often does lead to eternal
tragedy." – A. W. Tozer.
RELATED POSTS:
RELATED POSTS:
GOING OVERBOARD ON
GRACE
What are the dangers of overemphasising
grace?
http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/07/going-overboard-with-grace.html
SETTING OUR HOUSE IN ORDER
“No one wants to
die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And
yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it.” Do we know how to ‘set our house in
order’ if we receive news that we have only a few months to live?
MAN PROPOSES, GOD DISPOSES
We often take for granted we’ll be greeted every
morning by birds and light streaming into our room. But how sure are we that
we’ll wake up tomorrow? John had great plans
for his retirement. Having made his pile in the Malaysian real estate business,
he dreamed of spending his twilight years with his wife in his own retirement
cottage.
LONGEVITY: REWARD FOR FAITHFULNESS?
Long life is promised to the faithful. However, life is uncertain. That’s
why we should learn to live intentionally and purposefully.
SNATCH FROM THE FIRE
ReplyDeleteThis article, BACK FROM HEAVEN AND HELL, is one of the most important posts in this blog.
Feel free to share it widely to save some by snatching them from the fire. Here is the link: http://bit.ly/16wwPsK
“Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 1:22-23).
“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” – Soren Kierkegaard, philosopher.
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