Hell preaching

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Reformingstudent

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I know this is one the most hated subjects to talk about but when was the last time anyone heard a message about hell and mans need of escaping it? I know you can't scare a person into the Kingdom but isn't it needful once in a while to warn those who maybe perishing what awaits them when they die? I honestly can't remember when I last heard a sermon on the subject of hell and the terror that awaits the unrepentant if they die in their unbelief. May God have mercy on so many preachers who know the truth but are afraid to proclaim it.

Eze 3:18 If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.
 
Why can't fear be part of conversion? I mean a part from Christ it's very scary! In fact, I think that's missing in much of today's preaching. What do we need to be "saved" from!?
 
Tom,

If the preacher is effectively communicating the gospel in his messages (Christ centered preaching) then sin, judgment and grace will be consistently proclaimed. When the preached text covers hell, it should be preached.
 
PuritanBouncer said:
Why can't fear be part of conversion? I mean a part from Christ it's very scary! In fact, I think that's missing in much of today's preaching. What do we need to be "saved" from!?
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I thank God for the Baptist preacher who told my dad the truth about his spiritual condition before he died of cancer over 20 years ago. He was straight forward about it and let my dad know where he was headed if he did not repent and trust in Christ. Some times a good scare is good for the soul. Better to be scared out of a sound sleep then die in a house fire. Problem is though, a lot of people are perishing and they just don't know it and a lot of them that do don't seem to care.
 
because modern day Christianity has been made to seem like some goofy, feel good, fluffy, social club where yuppies gather to seek their purpose, acquire the fire, and keep promises. They sing love songs that could play on top 40 pop stations and no one would know the difference, and when the services are over just about all of them act like eveyone else in town that do none of that stuff.

When Christianity is presented as a need to avoid the eternal torments of Hell that all of us DESERVE because we're worthless sinners deserving of nothing but misery and tribulation avoiding that only when God is merciful, few come to Church and even less put mony in the collection plate.

You are SOMEBODY is what everyone wants to hear, not you are NOTHING outside Jesus Christ, turn to Him and repent.
 
Um, both Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt told me that there is no such "place" as hell, it is merely "disconnection from God." :drool:

Put that in your postmodernistic pipe and smoke it.
 
kvanlaan said:
Um, both Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt told me that there is no such "place" as hell, it is merely "disconnection from God." :drool:

Put that in your postmodernistic pipe and smoke it.
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And the gospel is not about repentance and discipleship, it's about "getting connected" with God and other people.
 
Here's a sermon entitled "Hell", preached at our church March '07 by Rev. Paul Murphy. Vividly portrays the terrors of hell and how this reality should stir evangelistic fervor in the heart of Christians.

Well worth the listen.

http://immanuelurc.org/Hell.mp3
 
I dont see how the topic of hell can be avoided. When we talk about being saved it is good to know what exactly we are being saved from.
 
I wasn't there but my pastor preached a sermon on hell at the local homeless shelter two years ago and people in my church are still talking about it. But that's like my pastor he once preached a Christmas sermon called Think I Have not come to bring peace but the sword.
 
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom. 1:16
 
"Sinners in the hand of an angry God" is a classic, Hell ha sa context and it is that context that is important.

The classic error is to forget that we all deserve hell, it is because of hell we know how serious sin is.
 
Reformingstudent said:
I know this is one the most hated subjects to talk about but when was the last time anyone heard a message about hell and mans need of escaping it?
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I haven't yet preached "about hell," but then again I haven't preached "about heaven" either, simply because I preach expositionally. And where we have covered thus far in Scripture, the topic of "hell" hasn't appeared yet. But our Sunday morning bible study has covered the topic of "hell."

And my sermons are always evangelistic every Sunday, always intentional in referencing whatever subject the sermon is about to the character and nature of God, the creation and fall of man, the works of Christ, and our need to respond or suffer eternity in hell.
 
PuritanBouncer said:
Why can't fear be part of conversion? I mean a part from Christ it's very scary! In fact, I think that's missing in much of today's preaching. What do we need to be "saved" from!?
Click to expand...

I agree with this to a certain extent, but I don't think fear of hell in itself should be the reason someone seeks Christ. If the motivation for "conversion" is to escape hell, then the reasoning is inherently self-centered rather than Christ-centered. I'm not saying hell shouldn't be preached in all its terror, but I am saying the focus of any sermon, including a sermon on hell, should be ultimately be Christ's redemptive work rather than hellfire and brimstone.
 
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