When I was a boy, my mother used to tell me stories about her childhood in Greece.  She spoke about the beautiful mountains in Karpenisi.  She told me about the friendly villagers who fed her and treated her as their daughter...  She described the delicious fruit and vegetables that grew on their land.  And stories about the terrible World War II, and running to the caves to hide for their lives...  My mother told me many things about Greece when I was a young boy in America.  I had never been to Greece in my life before 1985.  But I believed my mother, and I believed that there was a literal place a land known as Greece!  And I went there...
   I want to ask you a question, Is There a Hell?  Is it true that men and women go to Hell?  Is there a place called Hell?  None of us have ever been there before.  But thank God someone who loves us has told us all about this terrible place and has warned us not to go there! 

   “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14,15)
     Hell is a literal place!  Hell is not the grave.  Some heretics, like the Jehovah’s Witness’s or the Mormon Church teach that Hell is just the grave.  This is a lie from Satan!  The Bible states clearly that Death and Hell will be delivered up to be judged by Jesus Christ. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.”  The Bible says that Hell is a PLACE of torment. The Devil will be thrown there “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”  But that is not the worst thing about Hell.  The worst thing about Hell is that it is eternal punishment and suffering.”  ...and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Rev.20:10)  

   Some people like to think that when we die our suffering is over.  When we die we cease to exist.  But I believe the Word of God, don’t you?  I’ve never been to Hell, but Jesus preached warnings continuously about Hell!  “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:29 
    The Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples and He told them about a Certain rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus.  The rich man had no concern for the things of God, he was enjoying his worldly riches when suddenly he died.  “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,....” Luke 16:23  Where did the Lord Jesus say this man was?  Christ Jesus was warning us about this terrible place Hell, the land of eternal suffering!
    Hell is the Reason Christ Died for Our Sins.  The Apostle Paul said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”   (I Timothy 1:15)  Save us from what?  In the book of Acts in chapter 16 the Philippian jailer asked , “...Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  Acts 16:30  Again I ask you, SAVED from what?  The answer is clearly taught in the Holy Scriptures.  We are saved from eternal condemnation, saved from everlasting fire!  Jesus Christ said, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  Matthew 25:41  I believe the Lord Jesus!
   The wages of sin is death.  We are all born sinners.  You don’t have to teach a fish how to swim, it swims by it’s very nature.  You don’t have to teach man how to sin.  We are born sinners.   “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  (I John 1:8-10) Jesus died on the Cross to save sinners!
   Hell is the Place most people are going when they die!  “ ... WIDE is the gate, and broad is the WAY, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat:”   Every individual must examine his or her own heart and discover if they are “IN CHRIST” or not.  Jesus told them to, “Enter ye in at the strait gate...”  “ Because strait is the gate, and NARROW IS THE WAY, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”  (Matthew 7: 13,14) Believing in Jesus is the only WAY.  Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the truth and the life...”  He didn’t say, “ I am a way for salvation...” The Lord Jesus did NOT say, “Believe in your opinions...”  He did NOT say, “Believe in your Church and you shall have eternal life”.  He did NOT say believe in the Catholic Pope or the Archbishop and you shall be saved...  He said BELIEVE in ME and you shall be Saved. 
   The wise man Solomon said,  “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the WAY of death”  You say, “yes but many people have been ‘baptized’ and are therefore Christians.  They have done many good things for the Church...  The bible tells us,”MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me...” (Matthew 7:22,23)  RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WILL GO TO HELL BY THE MULTITUDES!  Notice, they call him Lord, they do wonderful works...
    Lastly, Our Friends and Relatives are going to Hell!    Every day millions of people are going to Hell!  Hell is a real place.  You can go to the airport and get on an airplane and go to China today.  Perhaps you’ve never been there...  But it is still there.  They have a billion people with yellowish skin and slanted eyes who live there.  Believe that!  Go to the center of the earth in your imagination and see the suffering of the eternally damned.  Look at the ground.  If you could see them the are screaming in pain because they wouldn’t surrender to Christ.  While they had a chance, they refused to place their faith in the substitutionary death of the Saviour.  Maybe they trusted their good works.  Maybe they trusted their “Christian” heritage.  I don’t know.  But I believe  the Word of God.  “...he that believeth not is condemned already.” We must go to God in prayer.  “He that believeth on him is not condemned” (John 3:18)  You say, I’d ask Christ to come into my heart and life but people would laugh at me.  Is there a Hell?  You say, I’d confess my sins to Jesus, our Great High Priest but then I would have to give up my life style.  Is there a Hell?  You say, I’d warn my friends and relatives about their eternal souls but they might get angry with me...  Is there a Hell?  Is there a Hell? Is there a Hell?  Put your trust in Jesus Christ today!  Bow your head in prayer and confess your need to the Saviour now!
                                                                                                                                                    Tom Meador