Gary Varvel: Iran's humanitarian purpose

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President Biden’s administration swapped prisoners with Iran and released $6 billion to the terrorist nation as long as they promised to only use the money for “humanitarian purposes.” Duped again.

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Does hell really exist?

According to Gallup 59% believe there is a literal place called hell. Twenty years ago 71% believed. Why the drop?

Probably because most preachers today never mention hell. By contrast, Jesus preached more about hell than he did heaven.

The only thing I know about hell is found in an ancient book that accurately predicts the future and recorded the words of Jesus — the Bible. So, if you find the Bible offensive, stop reading here.

Believe it or not, Jesus was a hell-fire preacher. Here are a few examples:

In Matthew 5:22 Jesus said, “…anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus warned about adultery and said if your eye or your right hand causes you to sin, remove it because it’s more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”

In Matthew 10:28 Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear God who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

In Matthew 23:33 Jesus called the pharisees “snakes” and asked, “How will you escape being condemned to hell?”

In Matthew 25:41 Jesus said, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Some people joke about hell as being a place to party with their friends but that’s not what Jesus said.

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus described hell. He said a poor man named Lazarus died and angels carried him to Abraham’s side, the abode of Old Testament believers. But a rich man died and opened his eyes tormented by flames in Hades. There was a great gulf separating the two places. The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his 5 brothers so that they wouldn’t end up in Hades. But Abraham said, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets (the Bible), neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.”

Some people believe in annihilationism. They refuse to believe in hell or they say that hell exists but unbelievers will be destroyed there and cease to exist.

But Revelation 20:10 says the devil “was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

The beast and the false prophet were cast into the lake of fire 1000 years before the devil joins them. That doesn’t sound like they cease to exist.

But who goes to hell? Revelation 20:15 says, “And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” The obvious question is, how do you get your name in the book of life?  Answer: By repenting of your sin and trusting in Jesus.

Most people are trusting in their goodness to get them the heaven but look at what Jesus said in John 3:18, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Condemned already?

Look, no one is perfect. We’ve all sinned and the wages of sin is death. That’s the bad news.

But the good news is Jesus, who never sinned, paid our death penalty to save us from hell. He said in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”

So what do you believe? Did Jesus fabricate hell to scare people into following him or is he truly the Lord who saves us from a real place called hell?

To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, Jesus was either a liar, lunatic or Lord. If hell isn’t real, then Jesus is a liar who died for nothing which would make him a lunatic and an immoral teacher. But if everything Jesus said was true, then He is Lord and heaven and hell do exist.

Lastly, in Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Which road are you on? Eternity is a long time to be wrong.