Rev. A.J. Ogden

The Bible has more to say about Hell then it does about Heaven. It would seem to me that we should be sounding off much more on this very important subject than we are. I continually hear people speak about Heaven, and preachers often make reference to how beautiful Heaven must be. But strangely, something as horrible as Hell is not often mentioned.

The main reason Jesus came to die on the old rugged cross was to purchase our salvation and keep us from having to burn in Hell for eternity. So why don’t we warn people about this terrible place of eternal torment called Hell? Isn’t it important enough to inform people about it with a great urgency all the time? Can you think of anything more important?

There are many subjects in the Bible that need to be preached and we try to get around to them, but this one is of great importance. If we don’t preach this one (Hell) we might as well leave off the others and hang up the fiddle and the bow.

But Jesus said, “I came that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Life surely isn’t much to brag about if one’s future is Hell. We prepare to live with all our might when we know we only have a few short years to live. But most people make no preparation to die at all…strange! Having only a short time to be here, we have a long time to be gone…eternity! Have you made plans for it?

There is a heaven to gain and a Hell to miss. The Bible says in Luke 16:23, “And in Hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments.” That was the true story of a rich man who went to Hell, not because he was rich, but because he never would repent and turn to Christ. Then we read that he was in terrible pain and was begging for one drop of water to cool his parching tongue because of his unbearable thirst. Hell is horrible; Hell is permanent, eternal, never ending and never any relief down through the ages to come. I think we need to cry aloud, sound the alarm, and try to rescue those who are headed in that direction. The fields are white unto harvest.