Here in coastal North Carolina the last week or so has brought some hot temperatures with humidity that is normally reserved for much later in the summer. Normally we’d have sometime of building temps and humidity and allow us to acclimate to the changes. Not, last week though. And, while complain about the heat here in early/mid May, we have to always bear in mind what else is hot: Hell is hot.
Many of us ease through life acclimating ourselves to all types of sin. We get comfortable with it and let it become a part of our own lives. Then one day we depart this world only to become a part of Hell. When Jesus told the story of the Rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16) He gave us some truths about life on the other side.
Hell is hot. The Rich man died and went to a place where there was suffering. Jesus said that the rich man was “in torment” and “in anguish in this flame.” Here we see a flame burning a man and yet the man does not die. The flame torments the man forever. I can only liken this to the feeling of hot grease popping all over you from a frying pan over and over and over. There is no relief. The flame doesn’t stop. The rich man didn’t wind up in the flame because he was rich. He would up in hell for being a poor steward of what he had. He was burning because of poor life choices.
Jesus also said that a “great chasm has been fixed between” Heaven and Hell and there is no crossing once you get to the other side. What we do in this life has a direct effect on which side of that chasm we will spend eternity on. And, whichever side we start the afterlife on is the side we are going to spend the whole of eternity on.
A lot of people are working really hard to get to the anguish side of the chasm. Jesus said that we are to make disciples. In other words, we are to help people to get to the Abraham’s bosom side of the chasm. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus Jesus taught that once there there is no coming back, not even to teach and warn people of the impending doom. We have a responsibility to try and teach and help these people along the road. For many of the lost we hold the key to the thermostat. Let’s get out and show them that Heaven is a much “hotter” place to be than Hell!
If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST
Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!
Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com
bobbycohoon