This Vision of Hell Saved A Man’s Life

“It is not a question of God sending us to hell. In each of us, there is something growing, which will be hell unless it is nipped in the bud” — C.S. Lewis

The vast stadium was suddenly quiet as the question hung in the air. “Are you willing to surrender your life to Jesus Christ?”

Then the invitation to come forward. Over 50,000 men faced the choice between heaven and hell, and the convicting presence of God was everywhere.

I remember standing in the presence of God at this Promise Keepers gathering in Minneapolis. More specifically, I remember the battle taking place during the invitation. Several weeks before Promise Keepers, Sherrie encouraged me to invite a friend to the meeting. I thought about it—but was hesitant because I wondered if a Promise Keepers meeting would make him uncomfortable. I worried that asking him might cost me a deeply valued relationship.

I placed “invite your friend” on the back burner, and I forgot all about it as the days went by. But Sherrie did not forget—and several times gently reminded me to make the phone call. But each time I picked up the phone, I pictured myself wounding or offending him.

One of the things I love about my quiet times with Jesus is that he tells me the truth when I ask him a question. On one occasion, I asked Jesus a question about my heart.

“Why am I so open about the gospel with strangers but hesitant when speaking to my friends?” Jesus whispered, “Because you worship approval instead of me. Approval is an idol in your life.”

We think of idols as ancient relics, but an idol is anything we treasure instead of Jesus. The idol of approval feels good as our coworkers approve of our overwork. Idols whisper that approval is more important than truth. But the problem with idols is summarized by C.S. Lewis: “Idols always break the hearts of their worshipers.”

The Apostle Paul understood that approval is a game we cannot win. “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant” (Galatians 1:10).

During the 1800s, George Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans, established over 100 schools, and offered education to 120,000 children. But before the Holy Spirit could speak to George about orphans, he had to speak to him about approval. In a journal entry, George Müller testifies:

“There was a day when I died, utterly died,

died to George Müller and his opinions, preferences,

tastes,

and will,

died to the world, its approval

or blame of even my brethren,

and friends

and since then

I have studied only to

show myself approved unto God.”

George Müller died to the idol of approval, and at that moment, thousands of children were given life.

Now, as Promise Keepers was only a few days away, approval had to die so my friend could live. As I repented for loving approval more than the lost, I picked up the phone. This time the call was effortless. As I began to explain about the conference, my friend interrupted me. “I’d love to go!”

Now we were standing side by side as the invitation for Christ was given. All around us, men were stepping into the aisle and mak- ing their way to the stadium floor. Now the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

“Tell him, ‘If you want to go forward, I’ll go with you.’”

Then, of course, the battle began to rage again. I imagined my comment offending him.

At this moment, something happened that had never happened before. As I closed my eyes, I saw my friend surrounded by flames, and his face was in anguish. He was in torment and screaming. It was a glimpse of hell.

I turned to my friend, “If you want to go forward, I’ll go with you.”

His response stays with me to this day: “I was hoping you would say that. Let’s go!” We walked together, stood together, and prayed together as he gave his life to Christ. In case you are wondering, our friendship was never the same!

I know. Talking about fire and brimstone is a thing of the past. We are too sophisticated to bring up hell as we share the good news of Jesus. Yet the Bible is filled with references to a place of torment and separation from God. A place called hell.

Over and over, Jesus spoke about hell. In Luke 16:23, Jesus describes hell as a place of torment. In Matthew 25:30, he describes hell as outer darkness. To the people in New Testament times, Jesus compares hell to “Gehenna,” a trash dump where worthless things are thrown away and then consumed in fire (Matthew 25:30).

The contrast between heaven and hell is sobering. Hell is a place of weeping, suffering, and gnashing of teeth. In heaven, there is no more suffering. Hell is a bottomless pit where you feel like you are falling forever. Heaven is safe and secure with walls that are two hundred feet thick! In hell, there is total darkness, while in heaven, there is no more night. In hell, you are hungry and never satisfied. Heaven features a river of life that brings healing. Hell is devoid of God’s presence, while heaven is where you see God’s face and are never separated from him.

I have heard testimonies where the primary reason cited for receiving Jesus was to escape the fires of hell. But the primary reason we invite someone to follow Jesus is the pure delight of loving Jesus. The miracle of being adopted by him and receiving his Spirit to live within us!

As you look for the one, never hesitate to share the consequence of sin. As A.W. Tozer once said, "We need preachers who preach that hell's still hot, heaven's still real, sin's still wrong, and the Bible is God's Word." Most of all, never hesitate to share the gospel. "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?" (Romans 10:14)

As followers of Jesus, let us declare that everyone deserves the opportunity to discover and worship Jesus. Let us consider this stirring challenge: “If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, let no one go there unwarned or unprayed for.” (Charles H. Spurgeon).

As I worry about a friendship, Jesus counts the cost. As I treasure approval, Jesus treasures the lost.

Reflect:

Who has God brought into my life that needs Jesus? Do I want their approval more than their salvation?

Do I avoid sharing the truth of God’s Word concerning hell?

Equip:

How do I look for the one going to hell?

The Presence of God: Processing the issue of approval begins in the presence of God. In my case, the longing for approval stemmed from a belief that God disapproved of me. Before any rescue missions, spend time at the foot of the cross with the one who came to rescue you. "The resurrection means that God has accepted and approves of Christ's work on the cross. Therefore He accepts and approves of us!" (Nancy Leigh DeMoss)

Consider Eternity: As a teenager, my Dad and I rode along in his pickup truck, and he asked me to imagine something. "Imagine that every 10,000 years, a sparrow flies up to Mount Everest and takes one peck at the mountain. When the mountain has been reduced to dust, eternity will have just begun." Then Dad said, "Eternity is too long to miss Jesus."

Temperature Check: If hell is really a consuming fire, then we need to take our spiritual temperature. "If there be any one point in which the Christian Church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness, it is the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world” (Charles H. Spurgeon).

Kneel with Jesus: Amy Carmichael served Jesus in India for 55 years, and rescued thousands of children from sex slavery. She risked her life to save their lives because she knelt with Jesus. “Sometimes it was as if I saw the Lord Jesus Christ kneeling alone, as He knelt long ago under the olive trees. And the only thing that one who cared could do, was to go softly and kneel down beside Him, so that He would not be alone in His sorrow over the little children” (Amy Carmichael).

Let’s Pray:

Jesus, you have commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations. I say “Yes” to this command! Forgive my apathy and the many times I have loved approval more than the lost. Change my heart, oh God. Open my eyes and break my heart for what breaks yours.