Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - How Could A God Of Love Send Someone To Hell?

September 1, 2025 | S E | 27:40

Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - How Could A God Of Love Send Someone To Hell? | September 1, 2025

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Greg laurie: c.s. lewis put it this way, and i quote,
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"there are only two kinds of people in the end:
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Those who say to god, 'thy will be done,'
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And those to whom god says, in the end, 'thy will be done.'
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All are in hell because they choose it.
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Without that self-choice, there could be no hell.
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♪ this is the day, ♪
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♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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♪ this is the day, ♪
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♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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Greg: hot button issues.
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The title of my message is, "how could a god of love
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Send someone to hell?"
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So, a number of years ago, i was preaching, i was standing
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At the back door meeting people, and some guy comes up to me and
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Shakes my hand and says, "that was a hell of a
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Message, pastor."
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I'm like, "okay, is this your first time here?"
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You know, i was kind of hoping it would be more of a heaven of
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A message, but, i think, in his way, he was trying to
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Compliment me.
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But there's that word, hell, you know, and we sometimes--people
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Will say, "i don't like these hellfire and
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Brimstone preachers."
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Now, if by that, you mean someone standing on a street
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Corner with a sign with a slogan, "you're going to burn
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Hell," with flames added for effect, i would be with you.
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But, frankly, i can't remember the last time i heard a hellfire
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And brimstone message.
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And, by that, i mean, i can't remember the last time i heard
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Someone actually preach on the topic of hell.
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So, that's what i want to talk about.
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Now, i'm not suggesting we're gonna do this every sunday--all
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Hell, all the time at harvest, right--but i'm not gonna run
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From a subject because it's uncomfortable or because we have
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A misunderstanding of it.
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It's worth considering that jesus christ, who was the very
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Personification of love, spoke more about hell than all the
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Other preachers in the bible put together, why?
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Because the last thing god wants is for anyone to go to
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This place.
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So i'm gonna answer the question, how could a god of
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Love send someone to hell?
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And i'm also gonna answer the question, how can you say, as
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Christians, that jesus is the only way to god?
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How can you say that?
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That's so narrow minded; that's so intolerant; that's so
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Unloving, and all religions teach the same thing.
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Okay, we'll address all of those issues together.
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And this brings me to point number 1: when we come to this
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Topic--and, really, any topic-- we need to look at it
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Biblically, not emotionally.
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For some reason, there are some subjects that we have more of an
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Emotional reaction to than others, and this probably would
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Be one of them.
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So we need to think biblically.
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A poll by the pew research center revealed that people
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Define heaven and hell as follows: heaven is a place where
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People who have lived good lives are eternally rewarded, and hell
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Is a place where people who have lived bad lives will die and be
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Eternally punished.
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That's wrong--so that means the vast majority of people have a
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False view of heaven and hell.
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Heaven is not created for people who've lived good lives.
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Heaven is for forgiven people, not good people, and that's good
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News for all of us, right?
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And, even on our best day, we're nowhere close to being good
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Enough for heaven.
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It's for forgiven people.
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And hell is a place where people who've live bad lives will die?
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Listen, it's a place that's not even created for people.
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According to jesus, hell was created for the devil and
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His angels.
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It's not something that god wants to send any person to--
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And i'll explain that more in just a few moments.
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We've made hell a joke when it's no laughing matter.
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I mean, we punctuate our sentences, as i mentioned
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Earlier, with references to hell.
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For instance, if something is going wrong, people will say,
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"all hell broke loose."
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If you had a great time, "we had a hell of a good time,"
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We'll say.
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If you're mad at someone, "you can just go to hell."
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Then, the funny thing is, some of the people who tell others to
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Go to hell, don't believe hell exists.
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So, what are you really saying?
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"you can just go to a place that doesn't even exist."
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Doesn't have quite the impact, now, does it?
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There's actually a place in michigan named hell, that's the
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City, hell, michigan.
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And the way that came about is, in 1841, george reeves, an early
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Settler, found this little swampy area, and he bought it,
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And they were going to build a town there, and they said, "what
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Do you want to name the town?"
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He says, "i don't care; call it hell if you want."
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And they did: hell, michigan.
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So, if you want to go to hell, i guess you could go there.
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But hell is real, as is heaven, and there is an afterlife.
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J.i. packer, a theologian, said, quote, "an endless hell can no
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More be removed from the new testament than an endless
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Heaven can."
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Yes, there is an afterlife, and we need to think about it
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Carefully because we're all gonna enter it, maybe sooner
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Than we thought.
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And we decide in this life where we will spend the afterlife.
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Now, there's a lot of misinformation about hell,
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Ranging from hell being a big party, being ruled over by a
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Cartoon caricature called satan.
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Let me tell you a few things about the devil.
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He doesn't have red skin; he doesn't have pointed ears; he
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Doesn't have a tail; he doesn't have a pitchfork; and he doesn't
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Have hooves.
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That's a caricature of satan.
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Here's another thing maybe i don't know if you knew this
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Or not.
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The devil does not live in hell.
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Hell is created for the devil; ultimately, satan is going to be
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Sent to hell, but he doesn't rule from hell from some
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Fiery throne.
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The bible calls him the prince of the power of the air.
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He's just kind of moving around, as peter describes him, "like a
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Roaring lion seeking whom he may devour."
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In the book of job, the angels came to present themselves
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Before the lord, and satan was among them, and the lord said to
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Lucifer, "what have you been doing?"
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He said, "just walking around, roaming around, watching
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Everything that's going on."
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In the book of revelation, we're told, "he knows his time
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Is short."
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That's why it seems like the devil is working overtime
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Right now.
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The bible says, "in the last days there will be satanically
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Energized times," and we can all see it before our very eyes,
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Can't we?
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So, he doesn't rule from hell; he's going to be sent to hell.
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Now, we hear of demons; where do demons come from?
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Well, demons are fallen angels.
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Satan, the devil, lucifer, was once a high-ranking angelic
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Being, but he rebelled against god, and he took one-third of
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The angels with him, who now are fallen angels, also known
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As demons.
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These are the principalities and powers that the bible tells
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Us about.
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So, the devil has limitations.
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He can only be in one place at one time, in contrast to god
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Who's omnipresent, who can be everywhere all at once.
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The devil is not all powerful.
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He has certain power, considerable power, but
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It's limited.
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God is omnipotent, which means he has unlimited power.
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The devil has certain knowledge, though he doesn't know
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Everything; he knows some things.
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God is omniscient, meaning he knows all things.
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And hell is not a party; it's a place of outer darkness; it's a
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Place of isolation; it's a place that nobody wants to end up in.
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You know, more than half of the 40 parables that jesus told deal
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With eternal judgment and hell.
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So it's something we should pay attention to.
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Greg: i'm excited to announce that here at harvest
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We partnered with our friends at freewill.
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Of your choice.
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It's a creative opportunity to support the work we're doing
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Here at harvest ministries.
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So as you make your plans, i hope you'll consider
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Investing in this ministry so we can continue
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To preach the gospel and teach the word of god
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For years to come.
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You can learn more at freewill.com/harvest.
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Greg: so this is a description of the final judgment for
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All mankind.
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I would add, only non-believers will be present at the judgment
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We're going to read about here.
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Revelation 20, verse 11, john writes, "then i saw a great
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White throne and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth
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And the heaven fled away.
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And there was found no place for them, and i saw the dead, small
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And great, standing before god, and the books were opened."
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You might underline the word books--plural--more than one.
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"and another book was opened--" you might underline that--
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"which is the book of life.
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And the dead were judged according to their works, by the
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Things which were written in the books.
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The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hades
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Delivered up the dead that were in them.
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And they were judged, each one according to his works.
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Then death and hades were cast into the lake of fire.
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This is the second death.
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Anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the
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Lake of fire."
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So we start with a great white throne.
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It's great because of its awesome power and ultimate
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Purpose, and the purpose of that great white throne is judgment.
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And here we stand before god.
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Now, what happens to a non-believer when they die?
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A non-believer goes to hades, and, over in luke chapter 16,
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Jesus told an interesting story.
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It could be perceived as a parable--a parable is an
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Illustration, not necessarily a true story, but just an
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Illustration built on things people were familiar with;
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Parables were like earthly stories with heavenly meanings.
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But, in this particular account, he uses a name in his story; he
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Talks about lazarus and a rich man.
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Therefore, we don't think it's a parable.
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In other words, this is a behind the scenes peak at what happens
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On the other side.
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We have two men dying on the same day.
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One man is lazarus; he's impoverished; he's living off
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The table scraps of the rich man who is selfish and self-absorbed
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And is living an evil life.
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So they both die.
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So we have the picture of a believer and a non-believer
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Dying--and everyone dies; death is no respecter of persons.
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Believers as well as non-believers get cancer; they
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Have auto accidents; they have heart attacks; they die; we
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All die.
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But lazarus, the believer, goes straight into the presence of
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God at death in this story jesus told.
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Luke 16:22, "so the beggar died and was carried by the angels to
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Abraham's bosom.
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The rich man died and was buried."
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So, when a believer dies, in contrast to a non-believer, you
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Are ushered into the presence of god by an angel.
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I find that comforting, don't you?
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You wonder, "what happened to my loved one when they died?"
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Angel escorted them to heaven; that's an awesome escort.
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Sixteen years ago, my son left this life and went into the
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Afterlife after an automobile accident, and i believe that he
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Was escorted by an angel.
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You know, angels are very involved in your life, every
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Single day, but you're probably not even aware of what
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They're doing.
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Sometimes people ask, "do we have guardian angels?"
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I don't know with certainty, but i think maybe we do.
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But, if we don't have a guardian angel--maybe we've worn out a
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Few of them, i don't know--but, if we don't have a guardian
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Angel, we have angels actively involved.
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The bible says, "the angel of the lord surrounds those that
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Fear him."
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Sometimes they guide us; sometimes they stop us; they
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Protect us; they're involved.
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They're sort of like navy seals; you don't know what they did,
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But they just get the job done, right?
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It's angels are sort of like god's secret agents.
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And so, they're guiding us through life; they're
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Protecting us.
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And then one day they fulfill their final task, which is
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Escorting us into god's presence.
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And so lazarus dies and goes into the presence of the lord.
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But now the non-believer dies on the same day; he also goes to
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This place called hades.
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Okay, so, hades--this is all prior to the death and
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Resurrection of jesus--was where all people went, and it
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Had a comfort section and a torment section--or another way
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To put it, smoking and non-smoking, all right?
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So, if you were a believer, you went into the comfort section of
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Hades, into abraham's bosom and the care of abraham.
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And, if you were a non-believer, you went into the
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Torment section.
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And, in this vivid account that jesus gave in luke 16, we see
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The man in the torment section saying, "i wanna cross over.
00:14:04.542 --> 00:14:08.780
Give me--send me some water to cool my tongue."
00:14:08.780 --> 00:14:11.583
It's a really scary scenario laid before us.
00:14:11.583 --> 00:14:14.786
So, once christ died on the cross, he went to heaven.
00:14:14.786 --> 00:14:20.825
And, now, that's where every christian goes.
00:14:20.825 --> 00:14:24.062
Remember when jesus was crucified, and the criminal next
00:14:24.062 --> 00:14:27.532
To him said, "lord, remember me when you come into
00:14:27.532 --> 00:14:29.801
Your kingdom?"
00:14:29.801 --> 00:14:31.169
Jesus said, "truly, truly, i say to you, today you will be with
00:14:31.169 --> 00:14:34.405
Me in paradise."
00:14:34.405 --> 00:14:35.773
So, what happens to a christian when they die?
00:14:35.773 --> 00:14:37.942
Now we go straight to heaven.
00:14:37.942 --> 00:14:39.677
We don't go to the comfort section of hades.
00:14:39.677 --> 00:14:42.513
We go straight to heaven into the presence of god, as the
00:14:42.513 --> 00:14:46.217
Apostle paul says, "to be absent from the body is to be present
00:14:46.217 --> 00:14:50.788
With the lord."
00:14:50.788 --> 00:14:52.757
So the moment you take your last breath on earth, you take your
00:14:52.757 --> 00:14:56.294
First breath in heaven.
00:14:56.294 --> 00:14:58.296
You close your eyes on earth, you open them in heaven--and
00:14:58.296 --> 00:15:02.767
It's just like that, just like a flash.
00:15:02.767 --> 00:15:06.037
And paul writes also, "i wanna depart and be with christ, which
00:15:06.037 --> 00:15:10.041
Is far better."
00:15:10.041 --> 00:15:12.076
Far better, heaven's way better than earth.
00:15:12.076 --> 00:15:15.947
And the words that he uses could be translated, "far, far
00:15:15.947 --> 00:15:18.983
Better," or, as they would say in hawaii, "mo better,
00:15:18.983 --> 00:15:21.986
Bra," right?
00:15:21.986 --> 00:15:23.554
It's mo better, way better.
00:15:23.554 --> 00:15:27.091
Think of the purest joy on earth, multiply it 1,000 times,
00:15:27.091 --> 00:15:32.497
And you get a fleeting glimpse of heaven's euphoria.
00:15:32.497 --> 00:15:37.035
Of heaven, the bible says, "in his presence, there is fullness
00:15:37.035 --> 00:15:40.305
Of joy, and on his right hand, there are
00:15:40.305 --> 00:15:42.340
Pleasures forevermore."
00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:44.175
Point number 5, only non-believers will stand at the
00:15:44.175 --> 00:15:46.844
Great white throne judgment.
00:15:46.844 --> 00:15:48.746
So death and hades deliver up the dead that were in them, so
00:15:48.746 --> 00:15:52.216
The non-believer goes to this place of hades, this difficult
00:15:52.216 --> 00:15:57.655
Section--torment section, if you will--and now they come to
00:15:57.655 --> 00:16:00.425
The great white throne judgment.
00:16:00.425 --> 00:16:03.494
And you're judged from the books, plural.
00:16:03.494 --> 00:16:06.698
What are these books?
00:16:06.698 --> 00:16:08.066
No one knows, so i'll just make a bunch of stuff up.
00:16:08.066 --> 00:16:10.935
No, not really; this is based on other scriptures.
00:16:10.935 --> 00:16:15.173
Maybe one of those books is a book of god's law, you know, the
00:16:15.173 --> 00:16:20.178
Commandments of god that we've broken.
00:16:20.178 --> 00:16:22.880
Imagine, if every time you broke a commandment, it was recorded
00:16:22.880 --> 00:16:26.017
In a book; that'd be a big book, right?
00:16:26.017 --> 00:16:29.420
And the bible says, "god gave us the law that every mouth would
00:16:29.420 --> 00:16:32.757
Be stopped and all the world would be guilty before god."
00:16:32.757 --> 00:16:36.461
Maybe one of those books is a record of every time you heard
00:16:36.461 --> 00:16:40.598
The gospel and rejected it-- because some people would
00:16:40.598 --> 00:16:43.835
Probably say, "hold on now; i never heard this.
00:16:43.835 --> 00:16:46.204
I never heard someone say i needed to believe in jesus."
00:16:46.204 --> 00:16:49.707
Well, actually you did, and here's a record of all those
00:16:49.707 --> 00:16:53.478
Times you heard it throughout your childhood, and you rejected
00:16:53.478 --> 00:16:57.415
It--i don't know--with any certainty.
00:16:57.415 --> 00:16:59.384
But then, if you're not found written in the book of life,
00:16:59.384 --> 00:17:03.187
You're cast into the lake of fire.
00:17:03.187 --> 00:17:05.356
If you're a christian, your name is written in the book of life.
00:17:05.356 --> 00:17:10.461
That's the good news, right?
00:17:10.461 --> 00:17:16.534
But what about these people that don't have their name written in
00:17:16.534 --> 00:17:19.604
The book of life?
00:17:19.604 --> 00:17:21.506
They are sent to ultimate judgment.
00:17:21.506 --> 00:17:25.676
How could a god of love send someone to hell?
00:17:25.676 --> 00:17:29.814
Simple answer: god doesn't send anyone to hell.
00:17:29.814 --> 00:17:34.285
God wants you in heaven, but he's not gonna force you against
00:17:34.285 --> 00:17:38.523
Your will.
00:17:38.523 --> 00:17:39.857
He's not gonna say, "get up to heaven right now, young man.
00:17:39.857 --> 00:17:43.694
I don't care if you like it, you're going to heaven."
00:17:43.694 --> 00:17:45.897
No, if you don't wanna go to heaven, you don't have to go
00:17:45.897 --> 00:17:50.034
To heaven.
00:17:50.034 --> 00:17:51.402
And there are many that don't want to.
00:17:51.402 --> 00:17:53.504
J.i. packer, great theologian, said, "scripture sees hell
00:17:53.504 --> 00:17:58.176
As self-chosen.
00:17:58.176 --> 00:18:00.244
Hell appears as god's gesture of respect for human choice.
00:18:00.244 --> 00:18:04.682
All will receive what they actually choose, to be with god
00:18:04.682 --> 00:18:09.053
Forever worshiping him, or without god forever, worshiping
00:18:09.053 --> 00:18:13.891
Themselves," end quote.
00:18:13.891 --> 00:18:16.661
C.s. lewis put it this way,
00:18:16.661 --> 00:18:18.830
And i quote, "there are only two kinds
00:18:18.830 --> 00:18:20.832
Of people in the end: those who say to god, 'thy will be done,'
00:18:20.832 --> 00:18:24.936
And those to whom god says, in the end, 'thy will be done.'
00:18:24.936 --> 00:18:29.373
All are in hell because they choose it.
00:18:29.373 --> 00:18:32.610
Without that self-choice, there could be no hell," end quote.
00:18:32.610 --> 00:18:37.682
It's your choice, so i don't say god sends people there; you send
00:18:37.682 --> 00:18:42.620
Self there.
00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:43.955
The gates of hell are locked from the inside.
00:18:43.955 --> 00:18:47.125
If you wanna go to heaven, then you choose to follow jesus
00:18:47.125 --> 00:18:50.761
Christ, and he shows you how to do it.
00:18:50.761 --> 00:18:53.364
So i have to tell you what the bible says because, to promise
00:18:53.364 --> 00:18:57.869
Heaven and not warn of hell is not giving the whole gospel.
00:18:57.869 --> 00:19:02.807
You say, "well, what if i wanna spend eternity in heaven?"
00:19:02.807 --> 00:19:05.610
Well, then go the way god tells you to go.
00:19:05.610 --> 00:19:08.246
Let's say that you said, "hey, greg, i wanna go visit
00:19:08.246 --> 00:19:11.249
Harvest riverside."
00:19:11.249 --> 00:19:12.617
Okay, great.
00:19:12.617 --> 00:19:13.985
"how do i get there?"
00:19:13.985 --> 00:19:15.353
All right, well, you get on the 55, you get on the 91, and then
00:19:15.353 --> 00:19:19.423
You go up to riverside, and there's a little off-ramp
00:19:19.423 --> 00:19:21.826
Called adams.
00:19:21.826 --> 00:19:23.161
You pull off on adams, and you'll wait there for maybe 10
00:19:23.161 --> 00:19:25.296
Minutes--because, i don't know why, it's a really long light,
00:19:25.296 --> 00:19:28.466
And then it goes green, and it's red again, yeah, so--then you
00:19:28.466 --> 00:19:34.138
Keep going up, and it intersects with arlington, adams
00:19:34.138 --> 00:19:38.042
And arlington.
00:19:38.042 --> 00:19:39.377
That's where our church is; you can't miss it.
00:19:39.377 --> 00:19:41.279
"yeah, you know, i don't really agree with that."
00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.915
What do you mean?
00:19:43.915 --> 00:19:45.249
"i don't agree.
00:19:45.249 --> 00:19:46.717
I think all roads lead to harvest."
00:19:46.717 --> 00:19:48.953
What, are you insane?
00:19:48.953 --> 00:19:50.955
I just told you how to get there.
00:19:50.955 --> 00:19:52.757
"no, i think it's in san diego."
00:19:52.757 --> 00:19:54.859
Actually, it isn't.
00:19:54.859 --> 00:19:56.294
"well, we're gonna go to san diego and look for it."
00:19:56.294 --> 00:19:58.262
Have fun there; you're not gonna find what you're looking for.
00:19:58.262 --> 00:20:02.166
Or it'd be like buying an electric car.
00:20:02.166 --> 00:20:04.535
And so you pull into the gas station--and people have done
00:20:04.535 --> 00:20:10.141
This; i've seen videos of people trying to put gas in teslas; i'm
00:20:10.141 --> 00:20:15.179
Not making this up.
00:20:15.179 --> 00:20:16.981
And so, you're looking for a place to put the gas; there's
00:20:16.981 --> 00:20:20.885
Nowhere to put it.
00:20:20.885 --> 00:20:22.220
First of all, that's dangerous because that could be on fire,
00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:27.225
How do i say it, okay?
00:20:27.225 --> 00:20:28.793
So, "well, i don't agree with that.
00:20:28.793 --> 00:20:31.662
I don't think that this should run on electricity or a battery.
00:20:31.662 --> 00:20:35.433
I think it should run--" well, think whatever you want.
00:20:35.433 --> 00:20:38.336
It was designed to be plugged in and charged and run on a
00:20:38.336 --> 00:20:41.973
Battery, and this is the way you do it.
00:20:41.973 --> 00:20:44.542
But then we'll come to god, and we'll say, "well, i don't
00:20:44.542 --> 00:20:47.878
Believe that jesus is the only way to god.
00:20:47.878 --> 00:20:50.114
Why do you christians say jesus is the only way to god?"
00:20:50.114 --> 00:20:53.784
Well, technically, it was jesus that said it, so we're simply
00:20:53.784 --> 00:20:59.156
Repeating what he said.
00:20:59.156 --> 00:21:01.459
And jesus said--i think all of us know this verse, john 14:6--
00:21:01.459 --> 00:21:05.463
We can say it together, i'm sure, "i am the way, the truth,
00:21:05.463 --> 00:21:09.567
And the life.
00:21:09.567 --> 00:21:10.901
And no man comes to the father but by me--or through me."
00:21:10.901 --> 00:21:15.206
The bible says, "there's one god, one mediator between god
00:21:15.206 --> 00:21:18.576
And man, and it's a man, christ jesus."
00:21:18.576 --> 00:21:21.779
Peter preached and said, "there is salvation found in no other
00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:25.750
Name under heaven by which a man can be saved."
00:21:25.750 --> 00:21:29.654
So, there it is; why do we say it?
00:21:29.654 --> 00:21:32.256
Because jesus said it.
00:21:32.256 --> 00:21:34.225
Seventy percent of americans believe many religions can lead
00:21:34.225 --> 00:21:38.062
To eternal life, and strangely-- and wrongly--56% of so-called
00:21:38.062 --> 00:21:44.168
Evangelical christians say there are many paths to god apart from
00:21:44.168 --> 00:21:49.774
Jesus christ.
00:21:49.774 --> 00:21:51.108
Okay, they're wrong.
00:21:51.108 --> 00:21:53.177
A biblical christian who understands what scripture says
00:21:53.177 --> 00:21:56.814
Would go with what jesus said.
00:21:56.814 --> 00:21:58.482
"well, that's so intolerant.
00:21:58.482 --> 00:22:00.384
That's so narrow-minded.
00:22:00.384 --> 00:22:02.320
I believe all roads lead to god.
00:22:02.320 --> 00:22:04.622
I believe all religions teach the same thing."
00:22:04.622 --> 00:22:07.625
If someone says that to you, that's their way of saying, "hi,
00:22:07.625 --> 00:22:11.395
I'm completely ignorant."
00:22:11.395 --> 00:22:15.199
Because any look, even a casual glance, at the religions of the
00:22:15.199 --> 00:22:20.004
World would clearly show they don't all teach the same thing
00:22:20.004 --> 00:22:24.575
At all.
00:22:24.575 --> 00:22:25.910
As an example, christians believe in a personal god.
00:22:25.910 --> 00:22:28.079
Buddhists are pantheistic, denying the existence of a
00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:31.949
Personal god.
00:22:31.949 --> 00:22:33.851
So, the views just are different in every one.
00:22:33.851 --> 00:22:36.787
So don't say all religions teach the same thing.
00:22:36.787 --> 00:22:39.590
And then there's this one, "we're all children of god."
00:22:39.590 --> 00:22:44.328
No, you aren't; you're not all children--i know, i'm gonna
00:22:44.328 --> 00:22:47.665
Offend someone; i told you, right?
00:22:47.665 --> 00:22:49.066
Didn't i say that?
00:22:49.066 --> 00:22:50.434
You're not all children of god.
00:22:50.434 --> 00:22:51.969
"how dare you say that, greg?"
00:22:51.969 --> 00:22:53.771
Well, where in the bible does it say we're all children of god?
00:22:53.771 --> 00:22:57.575
Here's what the bible says, "for as many as received him, to them
00:22:57.575 --> 00:23:02.146
He gave the power to become sons of god."
00:23:02.146 --> 00:23:06.183
I am a child of god because i believed in jesus, and i was
00:23:06.183 --> 00:23:10.888
Adopted into his family.
00:23:10.888 --> 00:23:13.524
I'm adopted, right?
00:23:13.524 --> 00:23:20.030
I was adopted by a man named oscar laurie; he made me his
00:23:20.030 --> 00:23:24.301
Son legally.
00:23:24.301 --> 00:23:25.736
So that's a privilege; i now can take his last name, though i
00:23:25.736 --> 00:23:30.107
Didn't like it as a child, quite frankly, but i'm fine with
00:23:30.107 --> 00:23:34.245
It now.
00:23:34.245 --> 00:23:35.579
But, you know, it is a girl's name, after all, isn't it?
00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:37.681
So--but i am adopted, and the same is true when you become
00:23:37.681 --> 00:23:42.052
A believer.
00:23:42.052 --> 00:23:43.421
Now, i think we could say, we're all created by god; we're all
00:23:43.421 --> 00:23:46.924
Made in the image of god; we're all loved by god.
00:23:46.924 --> 00:23:51.362
But we're not all children of god.
00:23:51.362 --> 00:23:53.631
You become a child of god by believing in the son of god who
00:23:53.631 --> 00:23:58.102
Died on the cross for your sin and rose from the dead.
00:23:58.102 --> 00:24:01.105
You see, jesus is the only way to god because there's never
00:24:01.105 --> 00:24:04.508
Been anyone like jesus before.
00:24:04.508 --> 00:24:07.278
He wasn't a prophet; he wasn't a guru.
00:24:07.278 --> 00:24:10.848
He was fully god and fully man, and he walked among us, and he
00:24:10.848 --> 00:24:15.252
Lived a perfect life.
00:24:15.252 --> 00:24:16.654
Then he died a perfect death.
00:24:16.654 --> 00:24:18.689
And, with one hand, he took hold of sinful humanity, and, with
00:24:18.689 --> 00:24:22.126
The other hand, he took hold of a holy god, and nails were
00:24:22.126 --> 00:24:25.696
Pounded into those hands, and he died for our sin.
00:24:25.696 --> 00:24:29.366
That's why christ--and christ alone--is the only one who can
00:24:29.366 --> 00:24:33.037
Connect us to the father in heaven.
00:24:33.037 --> 00:24:35.306
That's god's way; this is god's lifeline.
00:24:35.306 --> 00:24:41.745
Let's summarize.
00:24:41.745 --> 00:24:43.747
How could a god of love send someone to hell?
00:24:43.747 --> 00:24:45.716
He doesn't.
00:24:45.716 --> 00:24:47.218
Hell was not created for people; it was created for the devil and
00:24:47.218 --> 00:24:50.588
His angels.
00:24:50.588 --> 00:24:51.922
You have a choice in the matter.
00:24:51.922 --> 00:24:53.390
If you reject god's provision and offer of forgiveness and end
00:24:53.390 --> 00:24:56.961
Up in hell, you have no one to blame but yourself.
00:24:56.961 --> 00:25:00.364
The gates of hell are locked from the inside.
00:25:00.364 --> 00:25:03.734
Issue number 2, how can you say jesus christ is the only way
00:25:03.734 --> 00:25:06.871
To god?
00:25:06.871 --> 00:25:08.239
To be technical, it was jesus who said it.
00:25:08.239 --> 00:25:10.241
He's the only one uniquely qualified to bridge the gap
00:25:10.241 --> 00:25:13.277
Between a holy god and sinful humanity.
00:25:13.277 --> 00:25:16.146
He died for our sins; he atoned for our sins; he rose again from
00:25:16.146 --> 00:25:20.618
The dead; and he himself said, he was the way, the truth, and
00:25:20.618 --> 00:25:24.622
The life, and no man comes to the father but by him.
00:25:24.622 --> 00:25:29.760
Greg: hi, my name is greg laurie.
00:25:33.564 --> 00:25:34.932
I started searching for god at a very young age.
00:25:34.932 --> 00:25:39.103
And my search led me into a lot of wrong directions, including
00:25:39.103 --> 00:25:42.740
Drug use, and i almost destroyed my life completely.
00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:46.577
But someone told me about jesus christ, and it changed my
00:25:46.577 --> 00:25:51.015
Life forever.
00:25:51.015 --> 00:25:52.383
And i want you to know that, whatever course your life is on
00:25:52.383 --> 00:25:55.119
Right now, it can change if you realize there's a god in heaven
00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:58.923
Who loves you; he has a plan for your life.
00:25:58.923 --> 00:26:02.793
I prayed this prayer to ask jesus into my life at the age of
00:26:02.793 --> 00:26:06.497
17, but here i am at the age of 70, and i can tell you, i made
00:26:06.497 --> 00:26:11.201
The best choice i ever could make.
00:26:11.201 --> 00:26:13.103
You can make that same choice yourself.
00:26:13.103 --> 00:26:15.406
You could just say, "jesus help me, forgive me of my sin.
00:26:15.406 --> 00:26:19.243
I wanna go to heaven when i die.
00:26:19.243 --> 00:26:21.145
I want a relationship with you."
00:26:21.145 --> 00:26:23.881
If you would pray a prayer like that, god will hear you and
00:26:23.881 --> 00:26:26.984
Answer you.
00:26:26.984 --> 00:26:28.352
Greg: greg laurie here.
00:26:30.888 --> 00:26:32.256
You know, at harvest ministries we're committing to reaching
00:26:32.256 --> 00:26:34.658
Unexpected people in unexpected places with an
00:26:34.658 --> 00:26:38.062
Unexpected message.
00:26:38.062 --> 00:26:39.697
And thanks to your financial support, we've been able to
00:26:39.697 --> 00:26:44.101
Touch people all over the world with the hope of jesus christ.
00:26:44.101 --> 00:26:48.572
Your gifts today not only help us reach millions across the
00:26:48.572 --> 00:26:52.343
Country through this television program, they also help us to
00:26:52.343 --> 00:26:56.547
Bring hope to people in their biggest need, whether through
00:26:56.547 --> 00:27:00.117
Our evangelistic events or our relief efforts, together we've
00:27:00.117 --> 00:27:04.054
Been able to minister to so many people devastated by the fires
00:27:04.054 --> 00:27:08.192
In lahaina on the island of maui.
00:27:08.192 --> 00:27:10.227
And also, your support has helped us partner to bring
00:27:10.227 --> 00:27:13.697
Medical help in the ongoing conflict in israel.
00:27:13.697 --> 00:27:16.967
So i'm asking you today to continue to support this
00:27:16.967 --> 00:27:20.104
Ministry so we can do everything possible to fulfill the
00:27:20.104 --> 00:27:24.375
Great commission.
00:27:24.375 --> 00:27:25.743
Let's do this together, and let me say in advance,
00:27:25.743 --> 00:27:28.746
Thank you and god bless you.
00:27:28.746 --> 00:27:28.746

Greg Laurie - How Could A God Of Love Send Someone To Hell?

September 1, 2025 | S E | 27:40

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