Don't Preach About Hell??

Hell is a reality. We all agree there. Where we differ is that some of us believe it ought to be left out of our proclamation of the gospel.

So I ask you, was Paul joking when he said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" [Rom.1:16] ?

The gospel is the power of God for salvation. Salvation from what?

To leave the concept of punishment for the wicked out of the gospel is to deny the gospel of the very reason it is preached. You cannot preach salvation to someone unless they need salvation. They cannot need salvation unless they are in danger of hellfire.

To preach to people that they can "Come to God because He loves you and wants to be with you" alone makes coming to God entirely optional. "I can if I want to, but there is no punishment awaiting me if I don't." This kind of evangelism strategy not only leaves half the truth out of the gospel, it also removes the urgency! There are people in need of salvation, and Jesus could come back in raging fire tonight! We have souls to save lest they be lost forever!

I don't care what anyone says. Hell is real, and it is an integral part of the gospel. I guarantee you, someone who is convicted by the reality of hell will not only go out and preach the gospel in full force, but they will win far more souls for Christ than someone whose more worried about stepping on toes than about preaching an uncomfortable, but all to real, TRUTH.

 by Ryan

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