“THERE can be no doubt that Christ left all the glory of heaven to come to earth to die.
“There can be no doubt that He rescinded there.
“There can be no doubt that He’s exercising His mediatorial functions there.
“We know there’s a heaven.
“But I don’t think there’s a hell.”
Such were the expressions of a man who had been arguing against the reality of hell, when warned of his danger of that place if his present course was persisted in.
He was what is known as a “swagsman,” and had entered a train at an up country station. Pushing his swag under the seat with his feet, he said, “There; that’ll be in nobody’s way now;” and making himself comfortable on the seat, he was soon asleep, for he had been drinking.
Awaking some little time after, and addressing himself to a fellow-passenger, he spoke of a place that had been mentioned as a “God forsaken place.”
To this it was rejoined, that there was only One of whom it was said that He was “God-forsaken,” and that was not for Himself, but for others, whose sins He bore at that moment.
Upon this ensued a long conversation, in the course of which many points of his own downward history came out.
He claimed to be a “Cambridge man,” and spoke like one who had had a good education. Had relatives in the Church of England ministry, but was himself a scapegrace. Had thought it was all right with him at one time, and had been “Rescue Officer” in the Salvation Army, but now it was all over with him; he wished to do better, but he hadn’t the power, and this was all God’s fault, being a “permissive act” of His. He was now well known to the police, of whom some were in the next compartment of the carriage, in plain clothes. He spoke of some of the great preachers of the day, and how they, in the van of education, had exploded the old theory of hell, of which the one to whom he spoke had been ‘uncharitable enough to warn him. He admitted he had been drinking heavily, and was now going to one of the large centers of population to enjoy himself.
For him, in common with educated men of the day, hell was but “Hades,” the place of departed spirits; and when reminded that the Lord Himself used the word “Gehenna,”―that was but a place outside Jerusalem, and meant nothing more.
He talked loudly of the need of another gospel for the men of education of the day, and resented the suggestion that he wanted a gospel that would give him license to gratify his lusts; and then, leaning over to another who sat on the opposite side, he gave expression to the sentiment at the head of this paper.
Is not this a very fair sample of a large class of human beings today―men with spirits to be saved or lost eternally?
But let us analyze what he said, and see if there is any force in it, for with their great swelling words, such men sometimes silence the timid believer.
Observe, then, that in the first four of the above statements we have the phrases, “There can be no doubt,” and “We know.” And the things that are stated thus as mere dogma are truths that are most surely believed by all the children of God. Not only, however, are they doctrinal truths, but they speak of facts that move to its depths the heart of every true believer.
What is it, beloved fellow-Christian, to believe that Christ left all the glory of heaven to come to earth to die for us!
What to believe that He went back again to that place, having accomplished redemption’s wondrous work for us!
What to believe that He is now carrying on His mediatorial functions there for us!
What to believe that the bliss of heaven awaits us!
How it assures the heart! How it quickens the spirit!! How it moves the desires!!!
But alas, that these truths can be held as the mere axioms of a theological science! Yet thus are they held and stated by thousands of those who even take the lead in the theology of the day, without the slightest power over the heart, the spirit, the desires. And if this is so, whence is their theology, and whither do they lead? Alas, for both the leaders and the led!
But if they say, “There can be no doubt,” and “We know,” whence do they know? What removes doubt? Is there any other known source whence such knowledge, such certainty can be drawn, but the unerring Word of God? None, my reader, none! Search earth and hell; study all the books man has produced since he became a registrar of his own thoughts, and whatever may have been the result of his imaginations even; yet you get nowhere stated as facts, but in the blessed Book of God, that Christ left the glories of heaven to die (John 6:33-5133For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 41The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 47Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48I am that bread of life. 49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:33‑51)); that He has gone back where He was before (John 6:6262What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? (John 6:62); Acts 1:99And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. (Acts 1:9)); that He lives a great High Priest for His people (Heb. 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)); or that there is a heaven, and what it is (John 14:22In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)).
In this Book ― the Word of the Living God ― these truths are stated, and have been the solace of myriads of hearts that have by faith trusted them, spite of all the opposition to them by deviled man.
Let us now examine also the last statement. Here it is: ―
“I DON’T THINK THERE’S A HELL”!!
What, my friend! You who can say, “There’s no doubt,” and “We know,” without its having any moral power to restrain your lustful heart, will you act upon what you think, and go headlong to hell with a, lie in your right hand?
But what makes you think there’s no hell? Ah! is it not because you feel you deserve it, and it would be very convenient to you if there was none? The wish is father to the thought, and though you talk grandiloquently about God’s character, and what you think is suitable to Him, yet have you no foundation but the wretched wish and thought of your own poor fallen heart for such a direct contradiction of Scripture as is contained in the statement that “THERE’S NO HELL”? For the same Scriptures that warrant us in stating what” there can be no doubt about,” and what “we know,” warrant us also in opposing to your thought the statement―
“WE KNOW THAT THERE IS ALSO A HELL.”
For allowing that “Hades” is the place of departed spirits, yet Jesus said, “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments” (Luke 16:2323And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23)); and if you say that is a parable and a figure, we say, Yes―a figure, but of what? The same figure that tells of the bliss of Lazarus, tells also of the woe of Dives, and this in his unclothed state, his spirit’s woe, and its eternity―a great gulf fixed.
And allowing that Gehenna is drawn from the valley of Hinnom, outside Jerusalem, where they kept constant fires to burn all offal, and that it is also a figure, — of what is it a figure? Jesus says, “Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna” (Matt. 10:2828And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)); and “Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Gehenna; yea, I say unto you, Fear him!” (Luke 12:55But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Luke 12:5)). As the bodies of beasts were cast into the fires of the valley of Hinnom, where the worm abounded, so the bodies and souls of men who refuse God’s mercy are cast where it is said “their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44,44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44) &c.).
But enough, reader, enough! We will dwell no longer on the solemn theme. A believer needs not to be convinced of the truth of it; a rejecter will not. Of such the Lord says, “How can ye escape the damnation of Gehenna?” (Matt. 23:83). But if some doubter has been arrested we will turn now with such to the gospel. It is contained in the first four of the above statements.
Scripture says as to the first, that “Jesus... was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)). On you say “For me”? This is faith’s work.
Finally, He who knows has further drawn back the screen from the unseen world, and disclosed to Ili the awful fact that there is a hell, into which all who reject His gracious overtures will be cast with the devil and his angels. Oh! my reader, are you able to say, in the consciousness of the truth of it, “I shall not be there!”
If so, you may substitute for the statements at the head of the paper the following: ―
I believe that Christ left all the glory of heaven to come to earth to die for me.
I believe that He has gone up where He was before.
I believe that He lives in heaven my great High Priest.
I believe there is a heaven.
I believe that there is also a hell.
“Eternal is our rest,
O Christ of God, in Thee!
Now of Thy peace, Thy joy possessed,
We wait Thy face to see;
Now to the Father’s heart received,
We know in whom we have believed.”
O. J. S.