Make no mistake about the reality of this
prison. Jesus did not intend to confuse anyone about
its nature and what awaits those who refuse the grace of God and through
faith begin turning from of their sin.
Luke 16:13 No
servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You
cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were
covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said
to them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows
your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination
in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John: since
that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it.
17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one pronunciation
mark of the law to fail. 18 Whoever puts away his wife, and marries
another, commits adultery: and whoever marries her that is put away from
her husband commits adultery. 19 There was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his
gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his
sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by
the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in
torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his
finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received
your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is
comforted, and you are tormented. 26
And beside all this, between us and you there
is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you
cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from there.
27 Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him
to my father's house: 28 For I have five brothers; that he may testify
to them, lest they also come into this place
of torment. 29 Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the
prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, No, father Abraham: but if
one went to them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said to him,
If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead. (AKJV)
Mark 9:43. And if
your hand causes you to sin, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter
into life maimed, than having two hands to go
into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44. Where their
worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
Matthew 18:8. Wherefore
if your hand or thy foot causes you to sin, cut them off, and cast them
from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed,
rather than having two hands or two feet to
be cast into everlasting fire.
Matthew 5:22. But I say
to you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother,
Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You
fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matthew 24:41 Then shall he
say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42
For I was an hungered, and you gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and you
gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked,
and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not. 44
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we you an
hungered, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison,
and did not minister to you? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Truly
I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these,
you did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away
into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
(AKJV)
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