The devotion before this one was “Death for a Christian.” There, everything is perfect in every way. Today, we will look at “Death for the Unbeliever” where everything is totally opposite. Nothing is good, nothing is to be desired about this death. To die without Christ is a choice some people make. All of us can choose Christ and the provision he has made for our eternal souls, or we can rebel and live life our way. It is our choice.
When we die, there are no more opportunities to choose Heaven or Hell. At death, your fate is sealed. The decision you make here about Christ will determine your eternity. There are no places to wait in limbo or purgatory. There is either Heaven or Hell. There is no man that can absolve your sins. Only the perfect one Jesus Christ has the power to forgive. He and He alone is the only way to inherit eternal life. It is not our good works that afford us eternal life in Heaven. We are not on a merit scale weighing out our good against our bad. After all, Jesus is the standard and He is perfect. We can never measure up to Him. Are we to do good works? Absolutely, but not for points. We do good works out of a heart of gratitude for what He has done for us. It is the way to show others who He is and lead them to Him. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains that it is by God’s grace not our good works. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
In Luke 16:19-31, we get a brief picture of what eternal life for the unbeliever will be like. The rich man cared nothing for the things of God on this earth. He didn’t even care about his fellow man. When he died, he lifted up his eyes in Hell. He was in torment! He was conscious and very much aware of the torment he was in. He could see Abraham “afar off,” and Lazarus, the one he had treated so badly. They were in paradise. He cried out for mercy but there was none. He wanted one drop of water, allowing us to know that there is nothing in Hell that will ease the pain for one second. Verse 26 reveals to us that there is a great distance between Heaven and Hell, and you cannot pass from one to the other. Since he could not find comfort in himself, he then remembers his brothers and seeks help for them.
Luke 16:19-31 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
Several other verses in scripture give us glimpses into hell. Matthew 8:12 and Matthew 22:13 teaches us there will be utter darkness. A darkness that light never penetrates. We saw in Luke 16, those in Hell will have a constant thirst that cannot be quenched. In Revelation 9:2, it is described as a bottomless pit. I remember as a child waking up startled because I felt like I was falling. It is an awful feeling. In Revelation 19:20, the smell will be a horrible stench of brimstone burning. Brimstone is sulfur, and the smell of it burning is putrid! Revelation 21:8 allows us to see some of the people the unbeliever will spend eternity with.
Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Revelation 14:9-11 gives another account of the torment and horrible destiny of those who are unbelievers. Matthew 8:12 allows us to see a bit of the agony of their pain. They will be gnashing their teeth forever. Albert Barnes in his commentary describes it like this: “The image expresses the fact that the wicked who are lost will be shut out from the light of heaven, and from peace, and joy, and hope; will weep in hopeless grief, and will gnash their teeth in indignation against God, and complain against his justice. What a striking image of future woe! Go to a damp, dark, solitary, and squalid dungeon; see a miserable and enraged victim; add to his sufferings the idea of eternity, and then remember that this, after all, is but an image, a faint image, of hell!”
There are many other passages in scripture that gives a description of hell, but I think you get the picture of how awful it will be. Just as Heaven is perfect and greater than can be imagined, Hell is worse than any words can describe.
The wonderful news is that you don’t have to experience this! Matthew 25:41 tells us that God did not create Hell for us. The original intent was for the devil and his angels. You have a choice. If you are not a believer, realize that God is waiting for you to accept Him. He has done his part by providing Jesus as the payment for your sin. There is hope, and it is not an accident that God brought you to this devotion in your life. History proves that Jesus existed and that he died and rose again. What are you waiting for?
