If hell could speak …

Too few Christians today know anything of the courage and boldness the likes of the Apostle Paul …

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes — the Jew first and also the Gentile,” Romans 1:16.

We’ve become so afraid of offending someone with the Gospel, we either don’t share it, or we change it to the point it’s unrecognizable. Being “culturally relevant” is the flawed reasoning given for our failure to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

It’s a lousy excuse.

If someone could speak to us from the perspective of suffering the hellish circumstance of life without God, what would they say?

Someone has done just that.

In Luke 16, we read the story of a rich man and a poor man …

“Jesus said, ‘There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side,'” Luke 16:19-23.

The first thing the rich man does is plead for the formerly poor man, Lazarus, to come to him and place just a drop of water on his tongue. After being refused the slightest easing of his torment, the rich man, in his agony, makes one more plea …

“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment,'” Luke 16:27-28.

This anguished soul begs that others be warned so they may escape the eternal agony he was suffering. If hell could speak, it would plead for us to preach the Gospel!

Warn them!

That’s exactly what Paul did with great courage and boldness. The apostle lays out for us his mission statement in Colossians 1:28-29:

“So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.”

If the example of the great ministry of Paul isn’t enough to motivate us to share the Gospel, then perhaps we should listen to that voice that speaks from hellish experience.

Warn them!

Scotty