Mark
9:41-50 (KJV)
43)
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into
life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never
shall be quenched:
44)
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45)
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt
into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never
shall be quenched:
46)
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47)
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into
the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell
fire:
48)
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
For this
series we will use this very simple outline:
1. vs 41-42 – Evidences of genuine salvation
2. vs 43-48 – Importance of genuine salvation
3. vs 49-50 – Absolute necessity of genuine
salvation
The
eternal wrath of God is emphasized in our devotional text. The basic principle of our text is very easy
for us to grasp… We are to do whatever is necessary to avoid facing the wrath
of God which is meted out as an eternity in the Lake of Fire. This text uses the loss of an hand, leg or
eye to illustrate the great lengths to which we should be willing to go to
escape the horrible punishment of God.
But what
does the Bible teach us about this eternal wrath of God? There are many who deny the literal existence
of the Lake Of Fire. In our text we find
seeming contradictions…. How can worms exist in the presence of fire? How can fire burn eternally? How can a lost person in their physical
bodies exist eternally in flames? The questions
seem endless.
The
answer to many of these questions can be found in one basic principle…Jer
32:17 (KJV) Ah
Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power
and stretched out arm, [and] there is
nothing too hard for thee:. Folks, our Lord is so great He can make worms
that can exist eternally in flames, or He can make flames that will not consume
what they touch. He can change a lost
person’s body to enable it to exist in flames eternally… etc etc. Many of the questions about the Lake of Fire
can be answered by a simple understanding of the greatness of our God.
But when the literal existence
of the Lake of Fire is disputed, it becomes an issue of believing God’s
Word. The place of eternal torment of
the lost is described many different times in the Bible in many varying ways to
deny the existence of hell is to deny the clear, repeated teachings of
Scripture. In our next devotion we will
look at a few of the many times the Lake of Fire is spoken of in the Holy Scriptures.
Let us all be on guard
against Satan working in our minds, placing questions about the existence of
the Lake of Fire and, by implication, minimizing the great need to tell others
of Christ and His gracious salvation.
2Cor
5:11 (KJV)
11) Knowing therefore
the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and
I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
May the
Lord bless us as we “Think On These Things”.
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