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.