Jesus Cancels Our Reservations in Hell - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 1

Jesus Cancels Our Reservations in Hell
By Lynette Kittle

“But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” - Luke 12:5

Nowadays a growing number of people claiming to be Christians don’t believe in hell. So what’s the problem? Is it necessary to believe in hell to be a Christian? Can’t we still love God and believe in Jesus but not believe in hell? Hell is essential to being a Christian, without it there is no need for a Savior. If there is no need for a Savior, then there is no need for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, which is exactly why the devil is deceiving people, even some who call themselves believers, to deny the existence of hell. To deny the reality of hell is to reject the truth of the Bible. Most importantly, to deny hell is to reject the truth that we are sinners who need a Savior to pay the price for our debt.

How Bad Can Hell Be?
Some might say if there is a hell, how bad can it be? Jesus made sure to tell us about hell, mentioning it quite often while living on Earth. According to Him, it’s much worse than physical death: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Jesus describes many other conditions far better than experiencing hell, so much so, He instructs people to get rid of anything in their body that would lead them to hell:

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29).
“And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell” (Mark 9:45).
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire” (Matthew 18:8).

Hell’s Residents Include Angels, Religious Leaders, and Name Callers
Shockingly, hell holds some residents that might surprise us. 2 Peter 2:4 reveals, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment.” Jesus made some pretty strong statements to the religious leaders of the day. “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? (Matthew 23:33). Likewise, calling Christian brothers and sisters names in our anger can bring pretty harsh results.

“But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22).

Hell Is Certain Without Jesus
Sadly, hell is certain for all who reject Jesus as their Savior. All sinful humans belong to the devil. Jesus alone can free us from hell’s claim. By accepting His sacrifice on our behalf, we acknowledge He is the only One who has the authority to save us. Jesus paid the debt of our sins with His blood. Without Him, the devil has a claim to and authority over all unrepentant sinners.

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15).

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Hell is a real place and a certain, unknowing destination for countless individuals. Ask God to open opportunities for you to tell others how they can cancel their reservations for hell and live instead forever with Jesus.

Further Reading:
Nothing Can Be Worth This

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.