A lake of fire

Before beginning, every year I celebrate two birthdays at once: my wife and stepdaughter’s birthday fell on Easter this year. Happy Birthday to them both.

Confession means “a statement – made by a person or …acknowledging some personal fact that the person … would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden.” This year, I’m prepared to mention things I’ve not written before.

For several weeks at night when I go to the bathroom, I keep hearing people screaming, and I see flames. Jesus talked about Hell more than he did about heaven. Many ministers avoid this subject.

If Jesus did not exist, why is Easter and Christmas celebrated? John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Hell is a place reserved for people who do not accept Jesus. John 3:18: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Religions need to be compared to the Bible. Catholics believe in purgatory (temporary place to remove sin before going to heaven), but purgatory is not mentioned in the Bible. The Bible tells of the rich man who goes to hell and never gets out: “send Laz’arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.” (RSV) Luke 16: 24

The worst part of it occurs after the rapture of Christians and the 7-year tribulation period. (Matthew 24: 36-41; Revelation 6) The people in Hell will be sent to the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:14)

If hell’s bad, how is the Lake of Fire? For people who don’t believe this, ask yourself: What if you’re wrong?

Vincent White

Lancaster