In my devotion Do Circumstances Explain our Sins? I wrote about our need to sympathize with those who’ve been mistreated but never excuse sins based on circumstances because adults are never forced to sin. They choose to sin.(1)
A professing Christian wrote me saying I was wrong because we need to understand what “causes” sin. I responded with Bible passages that refuted her belief, but she held firm.
Why bring this up? Because I regularly encounter Christians who don’t let Scripture change their opinions. They claim to be Bible-believers but prove by their words and actions they aren’t.
If someone shows us James 1:14-15 and Genesis 4:7 and we continue saying that circumstances “cause” sin, we’re calling God a liar.
“See, my children, we must reflect that we have a soul to save, and an eternity that awaits us. The world, its riches, pleasures, and honors will pass away; heaven and hell will never pass away. Let us take care, then. The saints did not all begin well; but they all ended well. We have begun badly; let us end well, and we shall go one day and meet them in heaven.” — St. John Vianney
At one time or another everyone is hated, slandered, mistreated, cheated, deceived, misunderstood, misrepresented, unappreciated, disrespected, or ignored.
It’s not fair, but it’s reality. God never promised justice here and now.
However, God promises something far better.
He promises eternal justice when all accounts will be set straight (Revelations 20:11-15).
The only “unfair” thing in heaven will be our presence because we deserve eternal death (Romans 6:23), but Christ took our punishment upon Himself (Isaiah 53:5).
So next time something unfair happens to you, remember that we all deserve death and Hell, but those who love the Lord will spend eternity in paradise.
Without God’s forgiveness, we would be headed for hell (Ephesians 1:7). If we genuinely understand that truth, we cannot help but forgive others (Matthew 18:21-35).
Sadly, it’s all too common—especially with family members—to say we’ve forgiven someone while holding on to a list of their offenses.
Whenever there’s tension, misunderstandings, or disagreement, we pull up the list in our thoughts or in conversation and “repeat the offenses.” It puts a stop to reconciliation and makes us feel superior.
“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9
We can’t genuinely love someone unless we can forgive them and seek reconciliation.
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12
Bitterness is a type of hatred. It’s selfish and proud and assures that bad relationships never get better. In addition, it damages us more than the person we’ve chosen not to forgive.(1)
It’s an ugly root that strangles the love out of us (Hebrews 12:15).
Most people in modern culture think they are too “good” to go to Hell. That’s one reason universal salvation has become an increasingly popular belief, even among Christians.
In addition, some Christians claim that repentance, sanctification, and discipleship are not a necessary part of salvation. Of course, they don’t have a biblical leg to stand on. Scripture makes it clear that no one can genuinely believe in Christ without repenting of their sins that nailed Him to the cross and then seeking to obey Him (John 14:21).
Genuine faith in Christ is nothing less than a life commitment.
In Luke 14:25-34, Jesus says “count the cost… those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
This doesn’t mean God will ask us to give up everything. It means we must be willing to do whatever He asks of us (Matthew 19:29). He died for us so that we can live for Him (2 Corinthians 5:15).
There will always be people who think God’s wonderful grace is a license to sin. That was a problem in the early church, and Paul addressed it in Romans 6:
“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2)
If someone thinks they can come to the Lord without repentance and continue to live an ungodly lifestyle, refer them to 1 John 3:6. If they think they can repent but give up nothing for the Lord, refer them to 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.
Most people in modern culture think they are too “good” to go to Hell. That’s one reason universal salvation has become an increasingly popular belief, even among Christians.
In addition, some Christians claim that repentance, sanctification, and discipleship are not a necessary part of salvation. Of course, they don’t have a biblical leg to stand on. Scripture makes it clear that no one can genuinely believe in Christ without repenting of their sins that nailed Him to the cross and then seeking to obey Him (John 14:21).
Genuine faith in Christ is nothing less than a life commitment.
In Luke 14:25-34, Jesus says “count the cost… those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
This doesn’t mean God will ask us to give up everything. It means we must be willing to do whatever He asks of us (Matthew 19:29). He died for us so that we can live for Him (2 Corinthians 5:15).
There will always be people who think God’s wonderful grace is a license to sin. That was a problem in the early church, and Paul addressed it in Romans 6:
“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2)
If someone thinks they can come to the Lord without repentance and continue to live an ungodly lifestyle, refer them to 1 John 3:6. If they think they can repent but give up nothing for the Lord, refer them to 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.
There’s a trend among professing Christians to sidestep the issue of hell (eternal punishment) despite clear biblical teaching.
There’s also a spurious teaching about Scripture referring to a garbage dump in Jerusalem, not to hell. This teaching is not supported historically, logically, or biblically. (Resource)
If you’ve heard the false teachings about hell being a “garbage dump” or simply a way of describing earthly punishments, please read Hell is Not a Garbage Dump.
Below you’ll find what Scripture teaches.
Specifically from Jesus:
Matthew 5:29: If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Matthew 7:13: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
Matthew 10:28: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 13:36-43: – This link will take you to the Parable of the Weeds
Matthew 16:26-27: What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Matthew 23:33-34: You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
Matthew 25 – This link will take you to three parables in which Jesus highlights eternal rewards and punishments.
Luke 12:4-5: I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
Luke 16:19-31: There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 But Abraham replied, ‘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. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’
Some additional passages from the Epistles about hell:
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10: God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
Jude 1:7: In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
2 Peter 2:4-9: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
Revelation 20:14-15: Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
