In FLAMING FIRE taking VENGEANCE on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord..." -2nd Thessalonians 1:8
This
is one of the clearest Scriptures in the Word of God revealing that the
unsaved will burn in Hell forever. Many people today foolishly deny
the existence of Hell. Revelation 21:8 indicts them, stating that the
unbelieving will be cast into the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone. The word "vengeance" in 2nd Thessalonians
1:8 is the Greek ekdikesis and means "a revenging punishment." Despite the modern apostate notion that a loving God would never allow
anyone to suffer in the flames of Hell for eternity, 2nd Thessalonians 1:8
clearly states the opposite. The Bible, in no uncertain terms, tells
us that those who fail to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ will suffer
the flames of Hell, the wrath of God's vengeance, forever.
Few people today desire the truth. I used to believe that people were just ignorant, and if they could only hear the truth of God's Word they'd repent and get saved. Boy, was I wrong. The truth is that most people are willingly ignorant of the truth, because of the wickedness of their heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Jesus stated in Mark 7:9... "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." You see, most religious people have churchianity without Christianity. They deliberately reject the truth of God's Word, following man's religious traditions instead. Romans 1:18 states, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Lost sinners have the truth, but they refuse to obey God's Word. Romans 1:20 tells us, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." There are no excuses!!!
The Law of God condemns mankind (Romans 3:10,19,23). We are all guilty sinners, deserving of eternal punishment (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15). Many people have a hard time comprehending this because instead of comparing themselves to a Holy God, they compare themselves with other sinners. If we compare our self with God's Law, then we become woefully guilty. If a man rejects the Gospel (i.e., the good news of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption), then he is heavy laden with his own sins. According to Titus 2:11 everyone has a chance to get saved, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." If a person; therefore, who has willingly rejected the Gospel, dies in the abundance of their sins, then God will take vengeance upon that person with flaming fire because of their rebellion and sinful pride. That person will be punished in Hell for each and every sin ever committed in their lifetime.
The average person today is so hardhearted concerning sin that they don't see a problem with abortion, drunkenness, Harry Potter's witchcraft, psychics, pornography, strip joints, false religion, gambling, nudity, homosexuality, fornication, etc. For you to understand why God is going to punish the wicked with revenge, you must realize that every time we sin it is a sin against God. In Psalm 51:4 king David said, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." Though David had commit the sins of adultery and murder, he clearly realized that he had sinned against God in Heaven. When we sin, it is always an offense against God.
If a man is not saved, i.e., he has never had his sins forgiven in Christ Jesus, then all those sins are accumulating on his record. Carefully notice in Revelation 20:12 that the unsaved will be judged from the BOOKS... "and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Oh! Listen my friend, what happens in Vegas is recorded in Heaven. The vengeance which God will take in flaming fire upon the wicked in Hell will be punishment for their sins. If God allows suffering in this present world, then why would anyone foolishly believe that God won't allow torment in the afterlife?
Are you willing to go against the God of the universe, by rejecting the plain warnings from the Scriptures? Are you willing to gamble with your soul's eternal destiny based upon your own finite and ignorant human reasoning? Listen friend, the Word of God existed a long time before you or I were ever born. Think about that. Souls throughout the centuries have either believed or rejected the Word of God and the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Where do you take your position on this matter? I am on the Lord's side, believing every Word of the precious Bible, and trusting upon Jesus Christ's shed blood to take away my sins (1st Peter 1:18-19). What a Savior!
Do you know, those folks on the sinking Titanic felt a sudden urgency for God. No doubt, many of them cried out in utter desperation to God; yet died in their sins without Christ and went to Hell. You see, many people come running to God the Father when disaster strikes; but the Word of God plainly warns us that there is ONLY one way to God the Father, and that is through God the Son; namely, Jesus Christ. John 14:6... "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Could the Bible be any clearer? I think not.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
—Revelation 20:11
