Hell: Politically & Religiously Incorrect

I loathe political correctness.  It is nothing less than whitewashing the truth for the sake of someone feeling badly about themselves.  And in our current political and spiritual climate, why, God forbid that anyone should ever feel badly about themselves. We’re far too concerned about the feeling of guilt and not nearly concerned enough about the fact of guilt.

I have an equal disrespect for “religious correctness”, which has been bleeding into Christianity over the years, as well.  Some topics have become a kind of spiritual taboo among well-intentioned Christians because they’ve been ridiculed and treated with contempt for speaking about Biblical truth.  Christians are in danger of losing our voice on enormous matters of morality such as marriage, abortion, homosexuality and a host of other issues because of this wave of fearful religious correctness.  Hell is one such taboo.  It is an uncomfortable subject and one that is, all too often, left alone.  This I do not understand.  Isn’t it just too big and far too important to simply avoid?

“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’”  –Job 28:28

I believe much of our current spiritual apathy stems from a lack of what the Bible calls the “fear of the Lord”.  This Sunday I am addressing the subject of Hell and what Jesus had to say about it.  If the reality of Hell is minimalized or removed from the thinking, conversation and preaching of Christ followers, there will be no fear of the Lord in those whom we teach.  Fear of the Lord is literally (1) fearing God’s final judgment for sin (which is Hell) and (2) being therefore motivated to leave a lifestyle of sin and self-centeredness and (3) entering into a life of loving, serving and obeying God.  Throughout the Bible the fear of the Lord is equated with obedience to God’s will and commands.

Now, I understand that the higher form of service to God comes from real relationship with Him and flows out of a love for Him.  This, however, in no way negates the fact that early on in the Christian and pre-Christian experience, fear is a powerful and healthy motivator.  This is exactly why God says that a holy fear of Him and His judgment is the beginning of wisdom.  This is the very reason we dare not allow the horror and torment of Hell to get squeezed out of our beliefs and teaching.  It may be politically and religiously incorrect; it may be uncomfortable and awkward to think and talk about; still, God put it in the Bible for a reason.

(21) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  (22)  “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  (23)  “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’  –Matthew 7:21-23 NASB

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