The fiery furnace

Revelation 14:10-11 (NIV)

…..he will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name. 

Matthew 13:41:42 (NIV)

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The majority of people, when asked about the reality of heaven and hell, believe that there is a heaven but do not believe that there is a hell.  Even recognizing the possibility of a place called hell, there is apathy amongst people about it applying to oneself.  I remember talking to a man one day about his need for salvation.  He flat out told me, “Mike, I know that I’m going to hell and I don’t care”.  Words from a foolish soul, to be sure, but yet so many people have this attitude.  Either they are unaware of Biblical statements like these and others that describe the unspeakable suffering in hell, or they do not believe that such statements are true.  One huge problem for many people, including Christians, is selective belief, i.e. some parts of the Scriptures they believe and other parts they do not.  Might this describe you?

A couple of aspects of hell described in Revelation 14:10-11 that I had not thought much about before are the smell and the lack of rest.  Do you know what burning sulfur smells like?  Think of rotting garbage, even rotting flesh, and that’s what it smells like.  When “Saving Private Ryan” made so many people realize the horror of the June 6, 1944 allied invasion of Normandy, survivors of D-Day said that the one major thing missing was the smell of war and death.  The lack of rest also is a horrible thing to think about.  The next time you have not had enough sleep and you are exhausted, imagine feeling exhausted forever. 

What about the phrase that Jesus used several times, “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”?  Think of gnashing of teeth like the snarling of an animal as it is about to bite.  People in hell will be attacking each other just like people on earth who do not live by the principles of God are prone to attack one another, physically or psychologically. People living in heaven will help one another, not attack each other. 

The difference between people in heaven and people in hell may be best described by the familiar story of a noted theologian who died and met St. Peter.  Before entering heaven, he asked St. Peter to see hell.  So St. Peter took the theologian to a great banquet hall where the banquet table was loaded with the finest in food and drink. But the people milling around the great hall were naked, dirty, unshaven, and emaciated. They were clearly starving.  Shocked, the theologian asked why.  "Easy," said St. Peter, "they have no elbows. They can grab the food, but they can’t get it to their mouth. Neither can they wash, dress themselves, cut or comb their hair, shave, or scratch where it itches. Just try doing any of those things without bending your arms." 

Then St. Peter whisked him to heaven to another banquet.  The facilities were the same, the food was the same, even the decorations were the same. But the people were well-dressed, immaculately groomed, and obviously well-fed and happy. The sounds of singing, conversation, and laughter filled the room.  "I see," said the theologian, "this incredible difference in the people is because here in heaven they have elbows."  "No," said St. Peter, "they don’t have elbows here either. There are no elbows in the afterlife. The difference is that in heaven people take care of each other. They wash each other, dress each other, and feed each other. And they scratch each other where it itches. You don’t need elbows in heaven.” 

"But why are there no elbows in the afterlife?" "Ah," explained St. Peter, "elbows were never part of God’s master plan for humanity. They were given to us while on earth so we could survive the selfishness around us.  Babies don’t need elbows.  Parents washed us, clothed us, and fed us.  Elbows are a little selfish indulgence we are allowed, but we’re supposed to outgrow it.  The people in hell are trapped in their selfishness and their pride in their independence. They never learned to care for others and to let others care for them. But the people here in heaven have the antidote to that.  It’s called ‘love.’  They have learned to give it and accept it."  Although just a fictitious story, it does make you stop and reflect, right?  May this meditation on God’s judgment, heaven and hell have great impact on you and may you, in turn, apply them to have great impact on others.

Know the truth that will set you free

John 8:32,36  (NLT)

Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free……So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” 

There are two obvious key words in this passage—truth and free.  What is truth and what is being set free? 

Truth

Truth is perhaps one of those words that you think that you know what it means (opposite of lie), but to define it further is difficult.  The Greek word for truth is “alétheia”, meaning factual and connoting the character of God.  Numbers 23:19 states that “God is not a man that He should lie….” and Hebrews 6:18 states “….it is impossible for God to lie”.  Who is the main liar in the Bible?  The devil!   Jesus called him “… a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

One of the saddest segments of the Bible is found in John 18:37-38 when Pilate asked Jesus “What is truth?”, but the Bible does not record an answer.  The few commentaries I have read seem to agree that Pilate’s question was one of skepticism or cynicism, not one where he really cared to know the answer.  Of course, since Jesus described Himself as the truth, Pilate was face to face with the truth so there was no need for an answer.  Yet, Pilate represents humankind, some more than others, where humans do not want to know the truth.  The truth can be too hard, too embarrassing, and/or requires too much from us for us to accept/believe it.   And, perhaps, Jesus knew this about Pilate and did not answer his question.   

Jesus defines the Bible as the truth (John 17:17).  So, when He speaks of the truth in these verses, He is referring to the Word of God.  In the latter part of verse 31 Jesus said that “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples” so verse 32 connects truth with “My word” or the Bible.

Free

To be free means to be delivered from enslavement, to be liberated from whatever controls you.  From a biblical perspective, what is the main thing that enslaves you, that keeps you from being completely free?  SIN!  Knowing the truth of God through the Word of Christ sets you free from the enslavement of sin.  This means both freedom from the enslavement of the sin nature of an unsaved person and freedom from any specific sin that may continue to enslave or dominate the life of a saved person.

To be free from the control of sin is a wonderful thought, feeling, and experience. What are the specifics in your life with respect to either sin nature or specific sin(s)?  Do you believe the words of Christ in these verses?  Can you find the specific guidance in the Word that will free you from whatever is keeping you from the kind of freedom Jesus is talking about?  If He sets you free, you are free indeed.  To be free you must know the truth.  To know the truth, you must be a disciple of Christ.

Confronting others.....Biblical model

Matthew 18:15-16 (NLT)

”If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” 

You learn that someone in your church is gossiping about you and/or is spreading gossip about someone else.  You know (or strongly suspect) that a believer is lying.  You have a problem with your pastor or another leader in your church.  There is a disciplinary problem that must be resolved.  What are you to do?  Here are guidelines; well, actual steps, that a Christian must abide by when needing to confront another believer about a sin situation.

There are three steps, if necessary, although you always hope that the first one is all that is needed.  You first have a private conversation with the individual who has offended you and try to work out a resolution.  If that does not solve the problem, you bring 1-2 witnesses and meet again.  If that does not work, then you take the matter before the entire church body.  In situations that I have been involved with or heard about, most situations get resolved with the first private meeting or, if not, the matter is not pursued further (although it should be).  Taking a sinful matter to the third step rarely happens and when it does, it almost always involves the pastor or other leader of the church body.   

Let’s look deeper at some of the words of Jesus.  The first word “if” is important.  Confrontation should be avoided if at all possible.  Be sure that there is a valid reason to confront.  If a rumor is circulating and not going away, this is a valid reason to meet privately with someone and find out the truth.

Jesus’ emphasis here is dealing only with other believers although the principle of confronting someone in private rather than avoiding him/her (or, worse, talking to others about that person) is always the right thing to do.  The person you confront should be someone close to you, not someone with whom there is little or no relationship. 

Jesus is requiring action (“go”) rather than doing nothing (but continuing to brood or pout about it).  The action requires only you and the person who has offended you, no one else.  This is a very big step, it takes a lot of courage, and most people don’t do anything.  Thus, the sinful action continues and things never get better. 

You reprove in private.  Anyone who supervises others knows that one of the basic principles of good management is to deal with critical problems with an employee in private.  Indeed this biblical principle in the business world applies in that if an employee who has been confronted for unacceptable performance in private does not change, then the supervisor’s next step is to get others involved to enable the employee to change or the result is the kind of rejection that Jesus talks about at the end of verse 17.    

The word Jesus used for “point out” (other translations uses words such as “tell”, “show”, “point out the fault”, “make clear”) is “elegcho” that means “by conviction to bring to the light”.  You go to the offender and deal with the truth, enable them to see the error of their way, but not to punish or shame the person.  Your motive must be love for the person and love for others (i.e. the church) with the ultimate goal of eliminating the sin and cleansing the sinner.

You are not to start thinking about “who do I need to confront”, but be aware of Jesus’ guidance if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to confront a brother or sister in Christ.  And, be sure to examine yourself first, that there is nothing in your life that could be causing another to seek to confront you.

Involved with, but not influenced by, the world

I Corinthians 9:19-22 (NLT)

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.  When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.

James 1:27 teaches a Biblical principle called “involvement and separation”.  We are to visit orphans and widows of the world (help and care for the less fortunate) while at the same time “keeping yourself unstained by the world”.  The passage above describes how Paul applied the “involvement and separation” principle.  I heard my pastor, Scott Luck, use this passage to describe how he applied this principle in his preaching to relate to those who attend services. 

Paul made himself a servant of all people for the main purpose of bringing them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Warren Wiersbe described Paul like this: “He did not follow the slogan, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’.  That would be compromise rooted in fear.  Paul’s attitude was based on love, not fear.  He was not lowering his standards; rather he was laying aside his personal privileges.  It was not hypocrisy, but sympathy.  He tried to understand those who needed Christ and enter into their experiences.”[1] 

Paul describes in this passage that he always was aware of whom his audience was in order to find common ground with which to relate to them to truth of Christ.  Pastor Luck empathized his use of secular events/circumstances (the “bucket list”, games of life, the economy, jobs, the Colts, etc.) to teach and apply spiritual truths.  As the end of verse 22 states, he is trying to find common ground with everyone, doing what he can to bring the gospel and teachings of Christ to as many as he can.  Not all will respond, just like Paul stated that he did what he could to save some. 

It is a tricky endeavor to balance involvement with people, including unbelievers—the lost—while at the same time staying true to God’s Word and not allowing worldly values to take over.  Sometimes, pastors and church leaders cross the line and relate to worldly values too much.  Yet ignoring the world will lessen the effectiveness of Christians to reach the lost. 

How are you involved in the world without allowing to world to influence you?

---

[1] Wiersbe, Warren W., Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament, Chariot Victor Publishing, Colorado Springs, CO, 1992, p. 445.