[0:00] If you have your Bibles, turn to Romans chapter 2, Romans chapter 2. For the last several weeks, I've been preaching on hell, and I want you to know that I don't enjoy speaking of it.
[0:16] There's not a glimmer in my eye when I speak of it. It burdens me, actually, because it may sound negative or threatening, and I'm not a negative guy, and I pose no threats.
[0:30] However, I believe it, and I believe it is as awful as Scripture says it is. It is too clear in the Bible, again and again, to ever deny if you believe the Lord and you believe in His Word.
[0:54] If you don't believe in God, I want you to know there will be no atheists in hell, because hell will make believers out of them.
[1:08] So how do you size up hell? It ought to horrify you. Romans chapter 2, beginning in verse 4, it says, It says,
[2:20] Today, I want us to look for just a moment, well, a few moments, at the length and the breadth and the depth of hell.
[2:34] But more than the cubic measurements or the degrees of Fahrenheit or Celsius, we need to spiritually size up hell.
[2:48] Because the length and the depth and the breadth of hell is unmistakable. How long is hell?
[2:58] Hell. It's eternal. The second death, as the Bible calls it, is not a fading away.
[3:12] It is not an annihilation. It is eternal. And when I say the second death, I want you to understand something. That if you have been born twice, you'll only die once.
[3:24] Meaning that if you were born of your mother, and you were, in case you're wondering. And if you were also born again by the Spirit of God, you'll only die once.
[3:38] And that's a transition from this life into eternal glory with the Lord. But if you've only been born once, you'll die twice. If you've only been born of your mother and never been born again of Christ, when you leave this life, you'll go to hell.
[3:56] But in the future, if the Lord tarries, there'll be, I guess you could say, an official judgment as Scripture speaks of it. Where hell, as it presently is, will be cast into a lake of fire.
[4:12] I don't know the difference in the two. But I know that there'll be a statement of finality there that is beyond. And Scripture calls that the second death.
[4:26] The second death is not an annihilation. It is not a fading away. It is eternal. I want you to imagine, if you would, if a bird were to go to the beach.
[4:42] Pick up a grain of sand and fly to the moon. Drop off that sand grain. And fly back to the earth.
[4:55] To pick up another grain of sand. And to fly back to the moon. And repeat that again and again.
[5:07] When the sands of the beaches of the oceans and every grain of sand from the earth is gone. In that time span, hell would have just begun.
[5:20] All of time as we know it. Whether that's roughly 6,000 years as I believe.
[5:31] Or whether it's millions of years as secular scientists believe. All of time as we know it is a snap of the fingers. It is a blink of the eye compared to eternity.
[5:43] James says this life is but a vapor. So if there's any doubt that hell is eternal. The Bible is clear. In Matthew 25 verse 41.
[5:55] Christ said. And some people say the words to pay attention to are the red letters. Well this is red letter. Okay. I think you ought to pay attention to all of it. But this is red letters.
[6:06] The words of Jesus. He says the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. With an emphasis on eternal fire. In Revelation 20 verse 10.
[6:16] John said that. John said that we're tormented forever and ever. And then in Matthew 25. Jesus gives us a comparison of what happens in eternity.
[6:27] When he says then they will go away to eternal punishment. But the righteous to eternal life. And the context of that statement is.
[6:40] That he's comparing. Those believers that have lived out their faith for the Lord as sheep. And those who have no fruit of salvation. And have never known the Lord to be goats.
[6:53] One will go to eternal punishment. While the other will go to eternal life. People love to talk about the reality of heaven. Makes us feel comfortable. We like that.
[7:03] Hell is just as real and as long as heaven. Hell is as long as eternity.
[7:15] How deep is hell? It is deep enough for all sin to be justified.
[7:26] People often wonder if hell is equal for all people. I mean what about the good guys that never accepted Jesus? Or the guys that we interpret as good.
[7:38] Scripture tells us none of us are good outside of Christ. But those fellas that look like they're good to us. Versus those unrepentant mass murderers. Well remember hell is not by our standards.
[7:52] It's by God's standards. And as the rewards of heaven appear in different degrees. Or levels in scripture. It speaks of that. So hell is also described as incremental as well.
[8:06] Christ put it this way in Matthew chapter 11 verse 20 and following. He said then he began. Excuse me. It says that he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done.
[8:19] Because they did not repent. Let me focus on that sentence for just a moment. So he's about to speak of different levels. And I'm not talking about floors.
[8:30] I'm talking about states of punishment in hell. But how he gets there is to say. What about those who know so much about the Lord Jesus.
[8:41] And have seen so much evidence of it. And have heard so much of the gospel. Versus those who haven't. And then he says this.
[8:53] Woe to you. Woe to you. Chorazin. Woe to you. Bethesda.
[9:04] For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you.
[9:15] It will be more tolerable on the day. Bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you Capernaum. Will you be exalted to heaven?
[9:28] You'll be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom. It would have remained until this day. But I tell you. That it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom.
[9:40] Than for you. In the ministry of Christ. Capernaum was his hometown. It was his home base. It's where his ministry came out of. As a matter of fact.
[9:51] At one point in the gospels. It says that when he came to Capernaum. They knew he was at home. They had seen so much of what Christ had done. They had heard so much of the gospel.
[10:03] They knew the power that was found in Christ. But when they failed to acknowledge it. He said what you'll suffer in eternity. When you leave this life failing to acknowledge it.
[10:15] Is different than even those who. Are wickedly in sin. But have not had the same kind of opportunity as you have. Romans 1 tells us that God reveals himself to all that live on the earth.
[10:29] To some it is through nature. To others it's through the repeated message of Christ. Who will suffer more? Surely those who had the opportunity. Again and again.
[10:39] And let that go. As a matter of fact. In Christ's parable of the unfaithful servants. In Luke chapter 12. It speaks of some receiving many blows.
[10:50] While others received few blows. And the punishment. In that parable. Is based upon the knowledge. Their knowledge of the master's will.
[11:01] And how they responded. To what they knew about the master. That points. To. Different degrees of punishment. Not based on the amount of weight of your sin.
[11:14] But the rejection of the offer. Of Christ. The apostle Paul makes it even clearer. In Romans chapter 2 verse 5. Today's passage. That we speak.
[11:25] That speaks of a hard and shameless heart. Biblical theologian. Anthony Hokema. Explains it this way. And I quote.
[11:38] Not every lost person will undergo the sufferings of Judas. God will be perfectly just. And each person will suffer precisely. What he deserves.
[11:50] End quote. Now you may say. Well that's not fair. It's not fair for somebody to go to hell. I thought God was a God of love. Oh I got news for you.
[12:01] He is a God of love. Let me tell you about love. Love is sending your only son to die. In the place of sinners. So that they'll have the opportunity to respond.
[12:13] Love is giving the word of God. To make it clear. And the messengers to proclaim that. With clarity. Love is coming to us. When we are dead in our transgressions and sins.
[12:26] And awaken us. To sense his pull. And to realize our debt. Love is running into a burning house.
[12:37] To awake the people. And to tell them. The consequences come. When they roll over. And pay no attention to the warning.
[12:48] And ignore their hope. So how deep is hell? It's deep enough. For all sin to be justified. How.
[12:59] How wide. Is hell. It's wide enough. To hold all. Who reject God.
[13:13] Hell was not made. For us. Matthew 25. Verse 41. Tells us. That God created hell. To house. The demons. And his host.
[13:24] Of fallen angels. Called demons. Who. Rebel. Against God. And. Fell. From. Heaven. And Isaiah chapter 14.
[13:38] Describes for us. As best we can understand. How the devil. An angel. Fell from heaven. In prideful. Rebellion. It's written.
[13:50] Poetically. But I encourage you. To receive the message. It says in Isaiah chapter 14. Verse 12. How you are fallen from heaven. Oh day star.
[14:00] Son of dawn. How you cut down. To the ground. You who laid the nations low. You said in your heart. I will ascend to heaven.
[14:13] Above the stars of God. I set my throne on high. I will. Sit on the mount of assembly. In the far reaches of. The north. I will ascend above the heights.
[14:25] Of the clouds. I'll make myself. Listen to this. I'll make myself. Like the most high. No you won't.
[14:37] I added that. But you are brought down. To Sheol. To the far reaches. Of the pit. Those who see you. Will stare at you. And ponder over you.
[14:48] Is this the man. Who made the earth tremble. Who shook kingdoms. Who made the world. Like the desert. Like a desert. And overthrew its cities. Who did not let his prisoners. Go home. All the kings of the nations.
[15:00] Lie in glory. Each in his own tomb. But you are cast away. Away from your grave. Like a loathed branch. Clothed. With the slain. Those pierced by the sword.
[15:12] Who go down. To the stones of the pit. Like a dead body. Trampled underfoot. You will not be joined. With them in burial. Because you have destroyed. Your land. You have slain.
[15:22] Your people. May the offspring. Of evildoers. Never more be named. Satan. Cast out of heaven.
[15:33] Did not want to go alone. He wants you to join him. Therefore I want to be clear. He works overtime.
[15:43] To lead us astray. And to send us to hell. Satan's deception and lies. Along with the stubborn hearts. And hard heads of people.
[15:54] Are filling the portals of hell. With the condemned. And 2 Thessalonians 1.8. Tells us who goes to hell. 2 Thessalonians 1.8.
[16:06] Says this. Those. Who do not know God. And those. Who do not obey. The gospel of our Lord Jesus. So how wide is hell?
[16:18] There's room for more. It's wide enough. Decades ago. Off the shores of Massachusetts.
[16:29] The submarine. S4. Sank. It had been rammed. By another vessel. And quickly. It bottomed. To the ocean floor.
[16:41] The submarine. Became a prison. To the crew. Rescue ships. Came in. As soon as possible. Divers went down. Attempting to rescue. And as they neared.
[16:53] That vessel. They heard a tapping. On the inside. Inside. As they listened. To the tapping. They realized. It was a Morse code. Message.
[17:04] It was a question. Being tapped out. On the side of that submarine. And the question was. Is there any.
[17:15] Hope. Thank God. That there was somebody. On the other side. Who had the capacity.
[17:26] To get them out of their situation. Who sent back. To that person. Inside that submarine. A wonderful message. When they tapped back. There. Is. Hope.
[17:38] We are cutting. Away. For you. To escape. Can you imagine. The one who sent that message. If there is no hope.
[17:53] If there had been no answer. You cannot escape. The. The men and women in that sub. Would have consumed the remaining oxygen.
[18:05] Waiting to die. With no hope of rescue. My friend. That is a small. Picture. Of hell. It is a place.
[18:16] Of utter. Misery. Utter misery. Without. Relief. No lessening. Of frustration. No escape.
[18:28] From reality. No chance. Of change. No hope. The apostle Paul said. In first Corinthians. 15. 19.
[18:38] If in Christ. We have hope. In this life. Only. We are of all people. Most to be pitied. But thank God. There is eternal hope. But only.
[18:51] To be grasped. In this life. Claimed. Here. And then enjoyed. For all of eternity.
[19:03] The French author. George. Bananas. In his classic work. The diary.
[19:13] Of a country. Priest. Put it this way. He said. But just you wait. Wait for the first quarter. Of an hour's silence.
[19:26] Then the word. Will be heard of men. Not the voice. They rejected. Which spoke so quietly. I am the way. The resurrection. The life.
[19:37] But the voice. From the depths. I am the door. Forever locked. The road. The road. Which leads nowhere. The life.
[19:48] The everlasting. The everlasting. Dark. How long is hell? It is everlasting.
[20:01] It is eternal. How deep is hell? It is deep enough. For the most wretched. Wretched. Suffering. How wide.
[20:13] Is hell? It is wide enough. To capture all. Who turn down. The offer. Of God. The good news.
[20:24] Folks. Is. And the only reason. I share all that. The good news. Is. Is. You don't have to go to hell. You don't have to go to hell. Jesus died.
[20:37] So you don't have to. And you can spend eternity. With him. But that will only come. When you acknowledge. Your need for Christ.
[20:48] Surrender your life. To him. Ask him to forgive you. And to cleanse you. And to come into your life. And to save you. He will not only change. Your life now. He will change it. For all.
[20:58] Of eternity. If you've never done that. Today's the day of salvation. He'll save you today. If you answer that tugging.
[21:10] Within your heart. That the Holy Spirit's giving you. With every head bowed. And every eye closed. I asked this morning. Is there one here.
[21:22] Who maybe have heard the message many times. Maybe never heard it. But in reality. When you look at your life. You can't go back. To a point in your life. Where you know for certain. You have eternal life. And you'll go to heaven.
[21:33] When you die. Let's clarify that today. Let's take the opportunity. To nail that down. To make that right.
[21:46] Maybe you're here. And you're like. The three men. That was just baptized. There's been a time. In your past. When you've accepted. The Lord Jesus. But you've never followed.
[21:57] The Lord. In baptism. In baptism. I believe. Biblically. It is the first step of obedience. For the believer. And I believe. You hinder your walk. With the Lord. Until you follow him.
[22:08] In obedient baptism. If you've never been baptized. As a believer. But you know you're saved today. I encourage you to come. We'd love to guide you. In that process.
[22:18] We'll schedule you. In the future. Maybe you're here. And God's drawing you. To this church. God's doing a wonderful move. In First Baptist Church. And I'm thankful for that. And I know that God.
[22:29] Is working in hearts. And lives. Some of you have shared that. With me. God's leading you. To be a part of this congregation. I encourage you to come. We'd love to help you. In that process. Maybe you're here.
[22:42] And you know. There's things in your life. That are hindrances. Between you and God. And you need to lay that down. Before him. Maybe you're here. And you know. Of people who desperately. Need the Lord Jesus.
[22:53] Whether they realize it or not. And God's laid them. Upon your heart today. And you want to lay them. At this altar. And ask God. To open up opportunities. For you. To share hope with them.
[23:04] I never pretend to know. What God's doing. In your heart and life. I can't discern that. Only you can. Between you and God. But I can tell you. With a surety. That you'll never be satisfied.
[23:15] Unless you're obedient. To the Father. And so I encourage you. As we stand in just a moment. To sing. You come. If you're not familiar. With that process. And don't have a whole. And have a lot of questions.
[23:25] You come. I'll be happy to guide you. In that process. We got time. We'll talk about it. We'll pray about it. We'll set up a time for it. If needed. I just want you to be obedient.
[23:37] And follow the Lord Jesus today. Lord Jesus. I love you. And I thank you. For your love for us. I ask your God. That you will work. And move. And are missed. And help us to simply follow. Your will and your way.
[23:49] In all that we do today. In Jesus precious name. Amen. If you would stand.