One of Three Believe in Hell

by Michael G. Mickey

(12-11-05)

A Scotsman article opens as follows: THE Devil's work is far from done. More than a third of Scotland's clergy still believe in the literal existence of Hell as a place, according to a new survey.

Did you catch that? The devil's work is far from done because more than 33% of Scotland's clergy still believe in a literal Hell? I'd say the opposite, personally! How about you?

If it's true only a bit more than a third of Scotland's clergy still believes in a literal, burning lake of eternal fire from which there will be no hope of escape or rescue, that tells us, conversely, that some two-thirds of Scotland's clergy has decided and are, in all likelihood, teaching that no such place exists! If that's true, a major portion of the devil's work is done --- and successfully done at that!

In the Bible, we're plainly told, as seen in Revelation 20:15, that everyone whose name is not found in the Lamb's book of life will someday be cast into a literal lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Those who are cast into the lake of fire will be there forever. It isn't like after-school detention! Once a person arrives in Hell as a result of his or her rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they will remain there forever! Period.

Revelation 14:11: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Demonstrative of the eternal, torturous characteristics of Hell, we see, in Revelation 19:20, the Antichrist (the beast) and his false prophet cast alive into the lake of fire we commonly refer to as Hell at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period to come.

Revelation 19:20: And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Will the flames of Hell consume the Antichrist and the false prophet's flesh, causing them to die? The clear answer in Scripture is no, as I will demonstrate momentarily.

In Revelation 20:1-3, after the Antichrist and his false prophet have been dealt with, we see Satan captured and cast into an abyss where he will be imprisoned for the duration of the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ upon the earth which we're told will take place after the Tribulation Period.

Revelation 20:1-3: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Although one would think a thousand-years of freefalling in utter darkness would cure Satan of his wickedness, it doesn't. Immediately upon being released, he hatches a plot to overthrow Christ on the earth. Once again, he fails and is subsequently cast into the lake of fire, bringing an end, once and for all, to Satan's wickedness causing havoc in the vast expanses of God's Creation.

Revelation 20:10: And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Did you notice that the beast and the false prophet, having been ablaze in the flames of Hell for 1,000 years, are spoken of in the present tense when Satan arrives in Hell to join them? Hell, we are told in Revelation 20:10, is where the beast and the false prophet ARE, not where they once were! And they shall be tormented together in that godless place both day and night forever and ever and ever!

While it may be true that only one in three clergy in Scotland believe in a literal place called Hell, all those who have died in their sins and are presently awaiting God's final judgment are screaming out in agony at this very hour.

Three out of every three of them now believe in Hell.

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