Vine – Your Faith Has Made You Whole

Can a Christian Go To Hell?

A Christian’s salvation is eternally secure as long as he or she does the will of the Father and lives in holiness, and bears good fruit in their lives.

Matthew 7:21 says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”

Some Christians have forfeited their eternal security in heaven by living a lifestyle of disobedience and lawlessness. Some examples include:

Not walking in love; hatred; prejudice; murder; malice
Abuse of any kind, and causing strife and discord
Bitterness (which defiles many) and unforgiveness
Any form of witchcraft, sorcery, horoscopes, etc.
Any form of sexual immorality, including porn addiction
Embezzlement, stealing, corruption, lying, deceit
Pastors and leaders leading the flock astray through their teachings or being bad examples
Demonstrating irreverence (through words and deeds) to the Holy Spirit and His Anointing and Anointed Ones
Pride and rebellion
Lifestyle of drunkenness, gambling, carousing, vices

The Lord said in His Word that those who practice such things cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God has a two-fold definition: 1. God’s system of doing things 2. Heaven.

Revelation 22:14-15 talks about those who will want to get into heaven, but the gates will be closed for them and they won’t be able to enter in.

Revelation 22:14-15 says, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Galatians 5:19-25 gives examples of the works of the flesh, and then says that they which live in such a way cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Then it lists the fruits of the Spirit, and encourages us as Believers to walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-26

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The thing that the majority of Christians struggle with is offense. People hurt you and did you wrong. Then it leads to anger, resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness.

In Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus tells us the story of the man who had an enormous debt and could not pay it back. He was facing prison time if he didn’t pay back the debt, and his children taken as slaves. He begged for mercy and the creditor had pity for him and canceled the debt owed.

However, there was a person who owed this man (who was forgiven of much) a very small debt and had no way to pay it off. The man who was forgiven of much had no mercy on the man who owed him a small debt and had the person put in prison. When the creditor found out about this man’s hypocrisy (he was forgiven of much, but failed to forgive someone else for something of lesser debt), he was filled with wrath. He had the man put in prison and turned over to the torturers.

When we fail to forgive others, then God cannot forgive us. And we need forgiveness in order to enter into Heaven, because we as Believers miss the mark quite often and need God’s grace. There are many Christians in Outer Darkness (a section of hell) today that are there due to unforgiveness and hatred.

The torturers speak of demons tormenting people. Usually offense is the door in which demons enter people’s lives to torment them. Also, every time people view internet porn, it releases scores of hideous demons into their lives and home, and these demons wreak havoc.

Strife in the household, church or work environment is another way demons wreak havoc, and the sheep are scattered.

In the Apostle John’s writings, his three key words he uses the most often are: love, life and light. These words are interconnected. If you walk in one, you will walk in all three.

John says that if we claim to love God, yet hate our brother, then we lie and the truth is not in us. He also says that those who do not walk in love are in the darkness, and cannot inherit eternal life.

For years I struggled with offense, anger, bitterness and unforgiveness towards some family members who had abused me for around 21 years. God gave me warnings through dreams that I was in trouble and headed for Outer Darkness in hell if I died at that time.

I had to turn the pain over to the Lord, and ask Him to put love in my heart and help me to forgive. For me, it’s been a process of healing that has taken many years. When people hurt me, I tend to internalize it, and I’m learning how to let go and turn people over to the Lord.

If you have a root of bitterness in your heart, the Word says it defiles people. However, the Holy Spirit can remove all bitterness from your soul and fill you with His love and compassion. No one is worth going to hell over. Let go of the offense. If not for their sake, do it to make sure you go to Heaven someday.

Years ago I heard the true story of the pastor in Africa who had gotten in an argument with his wife one morning, and then later on that day was killed in a car crash.

He talked about how he went to hell for 2 or 3 days. He saw fellow pastors there, and was shocked because he thought they were in heaven. One was there for stealing the tithes and offerings, and embezzlement. Others were there for adultery, not walking in love, failing to teach people the whole counsel of God and for other reasons. This pastor was there for being abusive to his wife.

After he was in hell for 2 or 3 days, he was transferred to heaven, and shared how glorious it was.

Meanwhile, after he was killed his wife held on to the Scripture in Hebrews 11:35 that says that women received their dead raised to life again. She, along with others, prayed and believed that he would come back to life. His body was even partially embalmed.

Where they live, there was a Rinehard Bonnke meeting going on. They took his body to the meeting, believing that he would be raised to life. They took him in the casket to the basement while the meetings were in session. His wife and brothers in the Lord were interceding for his rising from the dead. He did come back to life. And now he shares his testimony and warns Christians, and especially pastors and leaders, of the reality of hell if you don’t walk in holiness. Pastors, teachers and leaders are held in stricter judgment than others in the Body of Christ.

In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus tells us the parable of the children of the kingdom. (The children of the kingdom are referring to Believers in Christ.) Some were cast into outer darkness and everlasting fire, while others received their reward and were granted to enter into Heaven. Jesus said that if you did it (ministered to) the least of these His brethren, you’ve done it unto Him. So therefore, there is a correlation between our works to help others, and receiving eternal life. We are not saved by works, but created UNTO good works (Ephesians 2:10).

In the parables right before this one in Matthew 25:1-30, are the five wise virgins and the five foolish virgins. A virgin speaks of the Body of Christ, chaste like a virgin awaiting her bridegroom. Five of them made it into heaven, and five were turned away because when the Bridegroom came, they were unprepared.

Then there is the parable of servants given talents. All of the servants, except for one, invested their talents and had more to present at the end of their lives. They heard the words from Jesus: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. You were made ruler over a few things, now you will be ruler over many things.”

A talent refers to something we are capable of doing, a natural gifting God gives to us. He wants us to develop and use our gifts, and to end up at the end of our lives with even more gifts.

This one servant was given one talent, but he was afraid and buried it in the ground. When the Master came, he gave the talent back to the Master, but he had done nothing with his talent, nor had he invested it. He could of at least put it into a savings account to earn interest. This servant was called an unprofitable servant, and his talent was taken from him and given to the one who had ten talents, plus he was cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

These are strong words Jesus spoke, but they are eternal realities.

John 15 talks about abiding in the Vine. Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. If we abide in Him, and He abides in us, then we will bear much fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. We can live fruitful lives if we will abide in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Also, abide in the Word of God, which renews the mind, transforms the soul, fills the hungry soul, and is like medicine.

Back to the subject of love, John said in 1 John 3:14-15:

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

It’s time to take an inventory of our soul. We need to ask God to highlight to us if there is any iniquity in our lives, so that we can have an opportunity to repent of it while we still have time on this earth.

Just pray this simple prayer, and begin to seek God with all of your heart.

“Dear Father God,

I come to Your Throne in the Name of Jesus. Show me if there is sin and iniquity in my life, and give me the grace to repent of it and forsake it. I am aware of this sin in my life _______ (and tell it to God what the sin is), and I need Your help to overcome it. I want to live for You. I want to spend eternity with You and my loved ones in Heaven. I want to get right with You. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and forgive every sin. Wash me clean by Your Blood. I receive your forgiveness. Fill me with Your love and grace, and empower me to forgive others who have hurt me. I give You my whole heart. Sweet Holy Spirit, please fill me afresh with Your Presence. I need You in my life like never before.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen”