Why Some “Christians” Live In Hell and Go To Hell
Are you tired of feeling like you’re living in hell – even if you are a Christian? Unfortunately, many of us find ourselves trapped in a mindset of anger or offense that can truly feel like hell.
Jesus knew about our struggles, so he told lots of stories about heaven and hell. This video is going to dive into one of those stories to help us discover what we can do to avoid hell right now – while we are alive – and after we pass on. Stick around and let Jesus’ words change your life forever.
Jesus said, “There was a rich man where every day was like a party. There was also a beggar named Lazarus who would have gladly eaten any scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Lazarus was covered with sores, and dogs would lick them.
One day Lazarus died, and the angels carried him to heaven to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and went to hell, where he was CONSTANTLY TORTURED. As he looked up, in the distance he saw Abraham and Lazarus. He yelled, ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue. I am suffering in this fire.’” (Luke 16:19-24).
Now this amazing story goes on, but let’s stop for a moment and focus on how the man who went to hell was CONSTANTLY TORTURED. I don’t want to be graphic but imagine endless and repeated agony of both mind and body.
Sadly, this is how our own mental pain can be when we torture ourselves – not others. Torture ourselves with anger and unforgiveness. It’s where we focus on how we’ve been wronged, we’ve been hurt, we’ve been offended, and we just cannot get over it. We get consumed by the fire of the situation, and when we do, we torture ourselves.
I know a 93-year-old mean-spirited man who has spent his lifetime perfecting the art of being ugly and angry. This man has no friends, eats alone in his room at the nursing home and yells so all the nurses are afraid of him. When we consider living and acting this way over and over – 93 years of getting angrier and uglier every year, we can probably agree that this man has made his own hell. In fact, he is tortured in it.
Now let’s ask the eternal question… After this man passes on, what if God simply honors his choices, and allows this man to follow the same path he has been on. Here we see how God never “sent this man to hell” but at the same time see how angry and alone this man will be over another hundred years, then a thousand years – or for eternity.
I’ve heard some people say that the very definition of hell is to be alone for eternity. All alone. And isn’t that the hell we find ourselves in when we are consumed with fear, unhappiness, or offense. We sulk by ourselves – all alone, in our own personal hell where we are literally tortured in our minds.
Now that we’re all terrified of hell, what is Jesus’ secret solution, so we never have to live or die in our own hell again. Hang tight because the answer is going to excite you!
To start, we must notice that every time Jesus talked about hell, it was in reference to how we related to others. For example, in Jesus’ story of Lazarus and the rich man, notice how the rich man begged Abraham, “Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue.” It’s amazing to see how this man in hell still saw Lazarus as someone who should serve him! But Jesus said that Abraham replied by saying, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony” (Luke 16:25).
And notice how this rich man must have been a religious man, simply because he knew who Abraham was. But being religious didn’t help the rich man one bit. So, this thought must lead us, as Christians, to reconsider our own destiny, and perhaps a good place to start is by taking a closer look at the Lord’s prayer.
After all, this is where we quote Jesus when we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.” Probably the most overlooked part of this prayer is how Jesus ended the prayer without even a pause as he said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).
It is super clear how Jesus makes his point over and over again. There is absolutely no doubt that our destiny of heaven or hell is all based on how we treat others, how we help others, how we forgive others, and on how we love others. It’s all about others. Beyond love your neighbor as you love yourself, Jesus raised the bar and said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
So what is Jesus secret to all this? Beyond knowing what we’ve talked about today, how can we even begin to put it into practice? Believe it or not, Jesus showed us his secret – and he actually lived it out while he was dying on the cross.
When we think about all the things Jesus could have said when he was dying on the cross, there is something incredible that Jesus never said – perhaps because he himself was so distraught and in so much agony and pain. Are you ready? Jesus never said, “I forgive you” to the people who were killing him.
Instead, he cried out to God in prayer – the same way he always did – as he looked to God, and prayed, “Father forgive them.” That’s right, Jesus prayed for the people who were hurting him and then, only after he was armed with the power of the Holy Spirit, he said in his own words, “For they know not what they are doing.”
What an incredible thought and example for us. When we feel like we are being crucified with anger or offense, where we ourselves don’t have the strength to forgive, we too can say, “Father forgive them.” In the same way, when we are overwhelmed with life or circumstances, once again, we’ve been given the secret to freedom by calling out in prayer first.
Seeking God is always first. And when we do this, we cannot help but to say, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Now, with our eyes focused on heaven, we suddenly see the needs of others. In doing this, we ourselves become more caring, more thoughtful, more generous and above all we become less focused on our own needs.
What a secret recipe to finding heaven every day. Not just in the afterlife, but today, right now. And it all starts first with a prayer. Let’s say a prayer together right now.
Dear Lord Jesus, we praise you and thank you for showing us what heaven is like. Thank you also for showing us graphic portrayals of what hell can be and showing us the way out of hell both now and forever, by praying to love others the way you would want us too. Finally, Lord, please forgive the people who have hurt or offended us. Forgive them Lord because they know not what they are doing. Forgive them, Lord, and let your forgiveness of them be our first step in also forgiving them. Amen.
The bible also says, “whosoever … calls upon the name of the Lord SHALL be saved.” Unforgiveness is a sin, right? But the bible also says, “all manner of sin … shall be forgiven unto men but the sin against the Holy Spirit won’t be.” (paraharased).
Furthermore, “Christ became sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of Christ.”
Repent of your sins, now, tomorrow and always. No conservative theologian argues that we will never sin again after accepting Jesus as our Lord, Saviour and King.
It is more like this, in my humble opinion. Jesus died because God HATES sin and will not let it go unpunished. So, Jesus offered to take the punishment on our behalf. We don’t strive to avoid sin because it will determine whether we will be saved or not. We are saved when we trust in and surrender our lives to Jesus. However, because Jesus paid such a horrific price so that we would be saved, it behooves us to to do everything we can to live righteously because Jesus (who is God – the unity and diversity of the Trinity are equally ultimate) HATES sin.
There is also a three fold aspect of salvation. A foul mouthed, drug smoking, alchoholic prostitute is saved the moment she accepts and surrenders to Jesus. There are many “I went cold turkey and never touched a drink or drugs again” type testimonies but I don’t think that is the norm. As a sinner changes under the influence of the Holy Spirit to become more righteous – progressive salvation – that person will slowly but surely resemble Jesus more and more. Finally, when we die, we go to Heaven where will be never sin again. We will be perfect. Salvation is Definitive, progressive and final.
God bless! See you on the other side brother!
I’m feel like you have to be practically perfect to make it to heavens. I smoke so that can send me to hell. I don’t want to sin but at times I’m too weak to stay from sin. You can’t have sex without marriage well easier said then done specially nowadays is hard to find a woman that’s good enough to get married to what I’m supposed to do to be perfect enough for heavens?
Hey Omar,
That’s the dilemma we all face, and we CANNOT be good enough for heaven. We must put our full faith in Jesus’ work on the Cross for us to be saved. Keep coming to Him, and He will direct your steps. Ask Him about these challenges and seek Him in the Bible for answers. If you read through the Gospel of Luke over the next month, I am 100% confident that God will speak to you, and you’ll be hungry for more of God in the process.
Luke
The rule is to “do unto others…”
Well, I was traumatized as a child and now just don’t trust people and I just want to be left alone. So I try to just leave everyone else alone and stay to myself. Is that good enough?
Hi Rex,
I don’t know your specific story, but I do know what it’s like to have a traumatic childhood; abuse, abandonment, chaos, and dysfunction. In the short term, leaving everyone alone and staying to yourself may seem the best. Then, people can’t hurt you. I’m not advocating you to trust those who hurt you unless they are willing to humbly work towards reconciliation. I am hoping you’ll walk in forgiveness towards these people and not let them live in your head rent-free, replaying the things they did to hurt you. We all need other people, and when our families fail us, that’s where life-giving relationships in our local churches are so important. When we are all alone, we are easy for Satan to pick off and destroy.
Sincerely,
Luke
Have you ever considered that there are people who, without bringing it on themselves or putting themselves in the position, have back to back to back endless years of bad things in their life? It happens and it wears you out. Add to that many deaths, daily pain (physical) that doctors are afraid to treat (they’ve said so!) and it’s a recipe for s terrible existence even with God.
Hi Mary, I know there are people with tragic stories, and maybe your story is too. I also know there’s a mix of pain and joy in every person’s life. Why some people seem to have more pain, I can’t fully answer, but I do know this: nobody suffered more than our Lord Jesus. He is the only one ever to be a 100% innocent sufferer, and he can understand us in our pain in a very deep and profound way. God hates suffering, so much so that he sent his one and only Son to die for us and prepare a place for us with no more tears or pain. Our pain shows us how little and fragile we are, how much we need our God. Lastly, we get the opportunity to praise God in the pain, not for what he does, but who he is.
Praying for you,
Luke
Have you ever considered that there are people who, without bringing it on themselves or putting themselves in the position, have back to back to back endless years of vad things in their life? It happens and it wears you out. Add to that daily pain (ohysical) that doctors are afraid to treat (they’ve said so!) and it’s a recipe for s terrible existence even with God.
I lost both of my parents. My mother died of a massive stroke. When I go to church, the people always remind me of my sins. I get called dirty names. I go to a meeting in this average town, to discuss issues, I was told that I will never be welcome when they go out to eat at a restaurant. Believe me I have money i can pay my way, I am the hated one. The guys reject me.
Todd, your story is heart breaking. I hope you’re able to call on your Heavenly Father for his help in forgiving these people. Do you have anyone (family member or friend) who you talk to?
Luke