The colloquialism, “like hell it is” is meant to convey skepticism or intense disbelief.
During the 2019 Christmas season, the heavily anticipated big-screen adaption of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s 1981 Broadway musical, Cats, premiered nationwide. Once enthusiastic critics and moviegoers summarily panned the film, mainly for the odd look of the characters. Reviewer Simran Hans of The Observer wrote, “Many of its uncanny images are sure to haunt viewers for generations.”
I remember two friends discussing their post-movie reactions. One friend said, “Actually, I think it’s an ok film.” The other friend quickly shot back, “Like hell it is! Did you enjoy that? That movie is pure garbage!”
Here’s a statement, which is sure to evoke the same response as the latter friend. While in this instance, hell is in a figurative sense, there’s a literal place of the same name. Jesus confirms its existence in striking detail in Luke 16:19-31. Here, Jesus talks about the plight of one of its newest residents who begs for the chance to warn his family not to follow him there. The Apostle John also testifies of the realm in Revelation 20:11-15.
But what’s sure to add fuel to the fire, per se, is that hell is actually a sign of God’s love. How? He respects us enough to make a choice: either surrender to Him or walk away from Him.
Undoubtedly, someone will ask, “How can a loving God send someone to hell?” He doesn’t. Unfortunately, a person decides, and He respects their decision. Take a patient, who’s inflicted with a terminal illness. A doctor introduces a life-saving cure, but the patient rejects it and dies. Who’s responsible for his death? The patient bears sole responsibility.
Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
The Lord is a Gentleman. Although God respects us and gives us a choice, we must realize there’s an eternal consequence, which comes with our decision: life now and heaven with Him or death now and hell apart from Him.
Jesus promises in John 14:1-3, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
On the other hand, King David warns in Psalms 9:17, “The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.”
My intent isn’t to frighten anyone. I hope to give enlightenment to God’s great love for everyone. The Apostle Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:9, “He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” The definition of the word repent is “to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life.”
God says in Deuteronomy 30:19, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live.”
The Apostle John writes in 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”
Jesus describes Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He’s the Almighty God, and He’s incapable of deception (Isaiah 9:6, Titus 1:2). He leaves no room for skepticism or disbelief from John 3:16 where He says unequivocally, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
The Savior of the world loves you and awaits your decision.
How will you choose?
