Read: 2 Thessalonians 1: 7-10

…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

Reflect:

In 2003 a research group discovered 64% of Americans expect to go to heaven when they die, but less than 1% think they might go to Hell. There are plenty of people today who don’t believe in the Bible’s teaching on everlasting punishment, even those who do, find it an unreal and a remote concept.

So what do you think? What is your position concerning the concept of Hell? Why?

• No such place like hell exists
• Hell is just a figurative idea without any reality attached to it.
• Hell is total separation from God forever.
• Hell is present here and now.
• Hell is a fun place to party all the time.
• If people spend some time in hell, they will go to heaven later.
• Only the really, really, wicked go to hell.

You may have some level of agreement with more than one of the statements listed above. A couple of others…not so much.

I think one of the most devastating verses regarding the subject comes from the verses above – “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might”.

Banished? Away from the presence of the Lord? Away from the presence of the One who created all things forever?

Respond:

When was the last time you gave some thought to the reality of hell and what it means to the people you love, your neighbors, your co-workers?