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An Inconvenient
TruthLuke 16:19-31
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Luke 16:19–31 (CSB) - “There was a rich
man who would dress in purple and fine
linen, feasting lavishly every day. 20But a
poor man named Lazarus, covered with
sores, was lying at his gate. 21He longed
to be filled with what fell from the rich
man’s table, but instead the dogs would
come and lick his sores. 22One day the
poor man died and was carried away by
the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich
man also died and was buried. 23And
being in torment in Hades, he looked up
and saw Abraham a long way off, with
Lazarus at his side. 24‘Father Abraham!’
he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and
send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in
water and cool my tongue, because I am
in agony in this flame!’
25“‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that
during your life you received your good
things, just as Lazarus received bad
things, but now he is comforted here,
while you are in agony. 26Besides all this,
a great chasm has been fixed between us
and you, so that those who want to pass
over from here to you cannot; neither can
those from there cross over to us.’ 27“‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to
send him to my father’s house—28because I have five brothers—to warn
them, so they won’t also come to this
place of torment.’ 29“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses
and the prophets; they should listen to
them.’ 30“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if
someone from the dead goes to them,
they will repent.’ 31“But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to
Moses and the prophets, they will not be
persuaded if someone rises from the
dead.’”
1. The Vindication of
this Doctrine
The Bible affirms its existence.
Jeremiah 17:4 (CSB) – “You have set my
anger on fire; it will burn forever.”
Isaiah 14:15 (CSB) – “But you will be brought
down to Sheol into the deepest regions of the
Pit.”
Deuteronomy 32:22 (CSB) – “For fire has
been kindled because of my anger and burns
to the depths of Sheol.”
Matthew 25:30 (CSB) – “And throw this
good-for-nothing servant into the outer
darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:41 (CSB) - “Then he will also say
to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who
are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels!’”
Matthew 25:46 (CSB) - “And they will go
away into eternal punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life.”
Mark 9:43 (CSB) - “And if your hand causes
you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter life maimed than to have two hands and
go to hell, the unquenchable fire.”
Mark 9:47–48 (CSB) – “It is better for you to
enter the kingdom of God with one eye than
to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48where their worm does not die, and the fire
is not quenched.”
Revelation 14:9–11 (CSB) – “If anyone
worships the beast and its image and
receives a mark on his forehead or on his
hand, 10he will also drink the wine of God’s
wrath, which is poured full strength into the
cup of his anger. He will be tormented with
fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels
and in the sight of the Lamb, 11and the smoke
of their torment will go up forever and ever.
There is no rest day or night for those who
worship the beast and its image, or anyone
who receives the mark of its name.”
Revelation 19:3 (CSB) – “Hallelujah! Her
smoke ascends forever and ever!”
Revelation 20:10 (CSB) - The devil who
deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire
and sulfur where the beast and the false
prophet are, and they will be tormented day
and night forever and ever.
The character of God
necessitates it.
Our own sense of justice
demands it.
The sinfulness of man
deserves it.
Luke 12:47–48 (CSB) – “And that servant
who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare
himself or do it will be severely beaten. 48But
the one who did not know and did what
deserved punishment will receive a light
beating.”
Matthew 11:24 (CSB) - “But I tell you, it will
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on
the day of judgment than for you.”
Luke 20:47 (CSB) – “[Pharisees] devour
widows’ houses and say long prayers just for
show. These will receive harsher judgment.”
The cross of Christ demands it.
2. The Arguments
against this Doctrine
#1: Biblical references to
destruction imply annihilation.
Philippians 3:19 (CSB) - Their end is
destruction; their god is their stomach; their
glory is in their shame.
(See also 1 Thess. 5:3, 2 Thess. 1:9, 2 Peter
3:7)
#2: The inconsistency of
eternal punishment with God’s
love.
#3: The disproportion between
sins committed in time and
punishment that is eternal.
#4: Evil’s continuing presence
in God’s universe mars its
perfect reflection of His glory.
3. The Heart Lessons of
this Doctrine
If lost people knew about hell,
they would ask us to warn not
only them, but their loved ones
as well.
Each of us is responsible for
warning the lost about hell.
If we fail to warn the lost, our
hearts should break out of pity
and love.
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