Why is hell and damnation so rarely preached these days?

[Guest]

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:11

Truely, Truely

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:35-36

[Botz]

Hi Methinks...I think one of the reasons eternal damnation is rarely touched upon in preaching these days is that for many when they gather on a Sunday, it is to worship G-d, be fed on the word, move in giftings and to fellowship, and by and large few non-Believers are present, so to preach to the choir would be unprofitable.

Years ago hell-fire preaching was to crowds of people in the open air...it got their rapt attention, and sometimes to congregations of religious people who had a form of godliness...in our testimonies to others, there is always place for the 'whole' gospel, and there are times when the Spirit will emphasize the love and kindness of G-d, and other times where it is apt and expedient to present the judgment and wrath of G-d...which in so many words is an extension of His love.

I remember when I was first a Believer, I was before G-d in prayer and asking why eternal damnation was such a graphically fearful place, and I felt Him gently reply to my spirit..." so that people won't want to go there". I think there is something inherent in the make-up of human beings that somehow realises the possibility of this darkest, most terrifying of places, but struggles through life to dismiss the possibility.

I think when we are moved to describe an eternity devoid of G-d to people, we are not doing so to condemn or frighten them, but because we really want them to consider the fact that it is so unnecessary to continue through this life without the L-rd, and condemn ourselves to a G-dless eternity....IMO...showing a person the 'pangs of Hell' as it were, is always a springboard to showing them the love of G-d and the promise of eternal life through Jesus the Messiah.

[methinkshe]

Hi Methinks...I think one of the reasons eternal damnation is rarely touched upon in preaching these days is that for many when they gather on a Sunday, it is to worship G-d, be fed on the word, move in giftings and to fellowship, and by and large few non-Believers are present, so to preach to the choir would be unprofitable.

Years ago hell-fire preaching was to crowds of people in the open air...it got their rapt attention, and sometimes to congregations of religious people who had a form of godliness...in our testimonies to others, there is always place for the 'whole' gospel, and there are times when the Spirit will emphasize the love and kindness of G-d, and other times where it is apt and expedient to present the judgment and wrath of G-d...which in so many words is an extension of His love.

I remember when I was first a Believer, I was before G-d in prayer and asking why eternal damnation was such a graphically fearful place, and I felt Him gently reply to my spirit..." so that people won't want to go there". I think there is something inherent in the make-up of human beings that somehow realises the possibility of this darkest, most terrifying of places, but struggles through life to dismiss the possibility.

I think when we are moved to describe an eternity devoid of G-d to people, we are not doing so to condemn or frighten them, but because we really want them to consider the fact that it is so unnecessary to continue through this life without the L-rd, and condemn ourselves to a G-dless eternity....IMO...showing a person the 'pangs of Hell' as it were, is always a springboard to showing them the love of G-d and the promise of eternal life through Jesus the Messiah.

Great post, Botz.

For everything there is a time.......

[Littlelambseativy]

In our town, a church which I always thought was one of the more 'full gospel' ministries has gone to a 'seeker friendly, seeker sensitive' say nothing to offend just get them in the door get them baptized and on the roll and get those who do want the 'full gospel' of the cross, hell and damnation out of the church. They have been told from the pulpit if you do not like it there is a church in this direction and there is another down the opposite direction - go there.

Have you heard of Rick Warren and Highbels(?) that is who they used as a guide to 'get them in the door'. So it is not the whole Word it is do not offend anyone!!

[boldlion]

I had a salutary reminder recently of the need to warn the unsaved of their ultimate end.

I was speaking to a young woman whom I know very well who has got herself into an awful mess through choosing to neglect her Lord and Saviour. Although brought up to know of and about God, at the age of 18 she chose thoroughly to live in, and be of, the world and of her father, the devil.

To cut a long story short, her relationship with her partner (yes, she did not even marry him) has finally broken down altogether and he has kicked her and their illegitimate son out of their home (he owns the property in his sole name). To be honest, the relationship has been breaking down almost from its beginning eight years ago. But what has brought things to a head is that during the course of their relationship she began to use alcohol to help her get through the times when her partner was unkind to her. Alcohol use turned into dependency and finally addiction. Her partner could no longer cope with the lies and deceit and irrationality that accompanies alcoholism so he told her to leave and take their son with her.

I have been speaking to this young lady of the Lord's love for her for many, many years, without much effect, but the other day, I was prompted to remind her of her ultimate end - hell.

She had just heard from the doctor that her liver function is abnormal - she is only 31 years old. She was terrified of dying or of losing her son and as confused and unhappy and miserable as it is possible to be. To some it may sound like it was about the unkindest thing I could have done - to add to her misery by telling her she was headed straight for hell - not only in this life but for eternity.

I warned her that if she were to die in her unsaved state, the chaos and misery and confusion that she is presently experiencing would become an eternal reality for her, and worse besides. That hell is eternal separation from God and all that He is - love, joy, peace etc. Instead she would exist in an eternal state of everything that is anti-God, tormented because there would be no way out. The time for choosing who she should serve would be gone. Instead of living eternally she would be dying eternally. Instead of eternal love she would experience eternal hatred. Instead of joy her constant experience would be joyless. Confusion, chaos, misery, perversion, self-loathing etc., would be her eternal reality.

And for the first time she really listened! She realised she has a choice, and her life - both in this world and in eternity - dosen't have to be the way it is and the way it is headed. She was able to see that it was her disobedience to God that had brought her to her present state and repent of it.

And then, for the first time, she was truly receptive to the Gospel. She went to see the Pastor of our local church, and the Lord has really started to move in her spirit. Please pray that she will continue to be receptive to the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin and righteousness and judgement and also to the boundless love and mercy of our Saviour Jesus. She still has a long way to go to vis a vis her alcoholism, but she is on the right track and I know the Lord will honour that first baby-step of faith.

As for me, I learned a valuable lesson - that it is an incomplete love that fails to warn of the ultimate reality of rejecting our Saviour Jesus.

I agree. Probably many don't preach it because they believe in the "once saved always saved" lie. A person must realise that their are consequences to their actions. We can, and I have been guilty of this too, accentuate the positives to the complete exclusion of the negatives. For instance, Jesus said, "Repent or perish".

However, sadly, many have rejected the Pentecostal experience and are opposed to speaking in tongues. They replace the bible experience with hybrid doctrines that are half-based on truth and half-based on lies. Anyone who has received the Holy Spirit or has been 'born again' (the same) will 'speak in tongues'. So methinkshe, when you speak about eternal damnation, are you right with God ?

[Isaiah 6:8]

First of methinksshe thanks I was preparing to post along these lines!

Second boldlion the scripture does not state that speaking in toungs is a salvation issue. Jesus said you'll know them by there fruit not by there speaking toungs. Matter of fact it says love is more mportant.

The Greatest Gift 1 Cor 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

if you want to debate this please start a new thread.

[Guest Butero]

Messages about hell are not popular. It is hard to build a church on anything but messages about God's love, prosperity and things that make people feel good. Messages in today's churches are very unbalanced, but not in the direction of hell, fire and brimstone, but in just the opposite direction.

[Littlelambseativy]

I had a salutary reminder recently of the need to warn the unsaved of their ultimate end.

I was speaking to a young woman whom I know very well who has got herself into an awful mess through choosing to neglect her Lord and Saviour. Although brought up to know of and about God, at the age of 18 she chose thoroughly to live in, and be of, the world and of her father, the devil.

To cut a long story short, her relationship with her partner (yes, she did not even marry him) has finally broken down altogether and he has kicked her and their illegitimate son out of their home (he owns the property in his sole name). To be honest, the relationship has been breaking down almost from its beginning eight years ago. But what has brought things to a head is that during the course of their relationship she began to use alcohol to help her get through the times when her partner was unkind to her. Alcohol use turned into dependency and finally addiction. Her partner could no longer cope with the lies and deceit and irrationality that accompanies alcoholism so he told her to leave and take their son with her.

I have been speaking to this young lady of the Lord's love for her for many, many years, without much effect, but the other day, I was prompted to remind her of her ultimate end - hell.

She had just heard from the doctor that her liver function is abnormal - she is only 31 years old. She was terrified of dying or of losing her son and as confused and unhappy and miserable as it is possible to be. To some it may sound like it was about the unkindest thing I could have done - to add to her misery by telling her she was headed straight for hell - not only in this life but for eternity.

I warned her that if she were to die in her unsaved state, the chaos and misery and confusion that she is presently experiencing would become an eternal reality for her, and worse besides. That hell is eternal separation from God and all that He is - love, joy, peace etc. Instead she would exist in an eternal state of everything that is anti-God, tormented because there would be no way out. The time for choosing who she should serve would be gone. Instead of living eternally she would be dying eternally. Instead of eternal love she would experience eternal hatred. Instead of joy her constant experience would be joyless. Confusion, chaos, misery, perversion, self-loathing etc., would be her eternal reality.

And for the first time she really listened! She realised she has a choice, and her life - both in this world and in eternity - dosen't have to be the way it is and the way it is headed. She was able to see that it was her disobedience to God that had brought her to her present state and repent of it.

And then, for the first time, she was truly receptive to the Gospel. She went to see the Pastor of our local church, and the Lord has really started to move in her spirit. Please pray that she will continue to be receptive to the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin and righteousness and judgement and also to the boundless love and mercy of our Saviour Jesus. She still has a long way to go to vis a vis her alcoholism, but she is on the right track and I know the Lord will honour that first baby-step of faith.

As for me, I learned a valuable lesson - that it is an incomplete love that fails to warn of the ultimate reality of rejecting our Saviour Jesus.

I agree. Probably many don't preach it because they believe in the "once saved always saved" lie. A person must realise that their are consequences to their actions. We can, and I have been guilty of this too, accentuate the positives to the complete exclusion of the negatives. For instance, Jesus said, "Repent or perish".

However, sadly, many have rejected the Pentecostal experience and are opposed to speaking in tongues. They replace the bible experience with hybrid doctrines that are half-based on truth and half-based on lies. Anyone who has received the Holy Spirit or has been 'born again' (the same) will 'speak in tongues'. So methinkshe, when you speak about eternal damnation, are you right with God ?

And what is the lie about 'once saved always saved'?