23 minutes in hell (9 page)

In just the same manner, God did not leave us in a hopeless state concerning our eternity. Just as the judge paid the fine for his daughter, so likewise Jesus paid the penalty for all of our sins. He was brutally beaten beyond recognition as a man, severely whipped, and nailed to a cross where He suffered an excruciating death. He paid the fine in His life’s blood for the crimes that you committed: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Then He rose from the dead and defeated death.

Ray continues, “Now here’s the difference between being religious and being a Christian. There are millions of people on this earth who have never seen the serious nature of sin. They are in the dark about the judge’s ruling. They have no idea that they will end up in hell for crimes that they consider trivial. They know that they have to face God after death, but they think that their religious works (like Danny with his $700) will buy their way out of any trouble in which they may find themselves. And as long as they trivialize their sin, they will deceive themselves into thinking that they can work their way into heaven by their religious works. But it is as futile as the man who tried to row against the river until he went over the falls. God Himself has thrown us a rope in Jesus Christ. He is the only One that can save us from death and hell. But we must let go of our own efforts to save ourselves and take hold of the rope. The moment we cease our own religious ���rowing’ and have faith in Jesus, that’s when we find peace with God.”[6]

The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, least anyone boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).

You still may wonder how a good and loving God could send someone to that horrific place called hell. To put it plainly, He doesn’t. It is your rejection of the provision (Jesus) for your sin that sends you there. We all have a free will, and we can choose not to repent. (Repent means “to turn or change.”) In Deuteronomy 30:19, God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Will you believe Jesus? Or will you reject Him?

By choosing to do nothing, you have already made a choice. You choose death and hell forever. There are no “fence” positions. In John 3:18, Jesus says, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” I am horrified at the thought of anyone spending an eternity in hell. Please don’t take this lightly, but believe what the Bible has to say. It is your eternity you are dealing with.

Some may think that they have done too many things wrong in the past and that God could not forgive them. The Bible clearly says that God has plenty of mercy for everyone. Psalm 86:5 says, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.” He will forgive all of your sins the moment you ask, and He will remember them no more.[7] To receive Jesus as your Savior, please pray something like this:

Dear God, I confess I am a sinner. Thank You that Jesus took my punishment upon Himself when He died on the cross for my sins, and then rose from the dead, defeating death. Today I repent and place my trust in Jesus Christ alone for my salvation. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you have prayed this short prayer, then you have made the wisest decision you will ever make. Begin reading your Bible, starting with the Gospel of John. Find a Bible-believing church to attend, and go and tell someone what you have done, as Jesus said to do in Matthew 10:32. Pursue Him, and you will fulfill your purpose in life.

Chapter 6 Notes

1. Comfort, “Hell’s Best Kept Secret,” 113.

2. The story of Danny is adapted from Ray Comfort, “How to Live Forever…Without Being Religious” (N.p: n.d.).

3. “…nor thieves…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:10).

4. Comfort, “How to Live Forever…Without Being Religious.”

5. Josh McDowell, “More Than a Carpenter” (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1977), 115.

6. Comfort, “How to Live Forever…Without Being Religious.”

7. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Heb. 8:12).

Part II

Research After the Return: Questions and Answers About HELL

After returning from this experience, I wanted to know what the Bible had to say about this subject of hell. I recognized that my salvation would allow me to avoid this place of fire when I die, but other than that, I really knew very little. I had been a Christian for twenty-eight years, but I had never studied that area of Scripture. One thing I was sure of: if what I experienced was true, then I should be able to find proof of it in the Bible.

To my surprise, I discovered that there are approximately 150 verses that reveal some aspect of hell, together confirming everything I had experienced. I had no idea that the Bible included so many descriptions about this place. A few verses would have been welcome, but to find this many was overwhelming! The Bible tells us not to add or take away anything from His Word, so it was very settling to have such solid confirmation.[1] What is really important for us to understand is what the Bible has to say about this, not my personal experience. (See Acts 17:11.)

So my wife and I began researching the verses, as well as reading scholastically respected books on the subject and receiving information from others who have had an experience with hell. I have also acquired many teachings from a vast array of scholars who have spoken on the subject. That is not to say that I am now an “expert” on the subject of hell. I readily admit that I am not, or a scholar, or a theologian. However, you do not need to be a scholar to read and understand the Bible. It is written for the common man. I will attempt to address the issues in regard to the events I experienced in light of the Scriptures.

You might be thinking that the Bible can be interpreted many different ways, but that’s really not the case. If you are properly informed, the Bible is very clear in all that it has to say.

Why, then, does the Bible seem so controversial? Why does the truth seem so difficult to find? Most of the apostles were killed for speaking and writing the truth. Pascal, a French philosopher said, “I prefer to believe those writers who get their throats cut for what they write.”[2] Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator, even asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). The truth allures men, yet it eludes them also. One reason is because many are quick to condemn before they investigate. Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived (excluding Jesus), said it this way: “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov. 18:13). If we set aside our own opinions and seek true understanding, then we become the beneficiaries.

The main reason why truth is difficult to find is because the acceptance of truth is hindered by man’s pride and arrogance. All of us possess some knowledge, but none of us can know it all. Chuck Missler, an exceptional scholar with a genius IQ, has said, “The only sure barrier to truth is to assume you already have it.”[3] Man’s nature is to get defensive when told we’re wrong, and it is this stubborn unwillingness to receive instruction and/or correction that keeps truth from us. Billy Graham said, “The sin of pride particularly has caused the downfall of Lucifer in heaven; most certainly it can bring mortal man down too.”[4] He sums it up by saying, “He [Satan] forever tries to discredit the truthfulness of the Word of God; he coaxes men to deny the authority of God, and persuades the world to wallow in the deluding comforts of sin.”[5] If we can lay aside our presumptions and presuppositions, perhaps the misconceptions we have can be repudiated. The fact is, truth is found in the pages of the Bible. But there are many who do not want to recognize God’s Word as truth because of the light it sheds on our sin. Jesus Himself tells us plainly what truth is. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

My desire to uncover the truth about hell caused me to draw from many sources in my research. In doing so, I was able to address some of the questions that many have asked about hell. This section of the book contains many of these questions. With each question chapter, I will quote key biblical references, along with comments from respected leaders and my own personal thoughts. If you are interested, you can refer to Appendix A for an additional list of scriptures that I believe pertain to hell, and to Appendix B, which contains some additional comments from the “Hall of Fame.”

Part II Notes

1. See Deuteronomy 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18–19.

2. Pascal (1623–1662), French philosopher and mathematician who developed the modern theory of probability, “The Bible—Quotes from Famous Men,” Why-the-Bible.com, http://www.why-the-bible.com/bible.htm (accessed August 1, 2005).

3. Chuck Missler, “Return of the Nephilim,” 66/40 Radio Broadcast with Chuck Missler, available as an audio CD, VHS Video, or DVD from Koinonia House Online at http://www.khouse.org/6640/BP052 (accessed August 1, 2005).

4. Graham, “Angels: God’s Secret Agents,” 103.

5. Ibid., 106.

Chapter 7

What You Believe Is Important

Why should you believe me?

I can appreciate and understand why you might be skeptical in regard to my experience. I know I would be. I came from a conservative background where I received sound biblical teaching from conservative Bible teachers who would probably shun my experience. These learned PhDs and college professors would agree that hell exists and would not have a problem with most of the scriptures contained in Appendix A.

However, it is very likely that many of them would have an incredulous opinion about God taking someone there for an experience such as the one I had. And I would agree, for I too have been skeptical of such “experiences” in the past. Yet the fact remains that this did occur to me, and Scripture supports that such an experience could take place.

In looking back, it took nearly a year for me to settle down from the effects of this experience. A bad dream or even a nightmare would not nearly have the same effect on someone. I was completely traumatized after the return, and only the Lord, through the prayer of my wife, brought me out of it. My life will never be the same in how I view anyone who does not know Him. I will do all I can to share the truth with others.

If you choose not to believe me, it really doesn’t matter. It is not my experience that is important for you to believe, but what the Word of God has to say about the matter. I sincerely hope my experience will cause you to investigate the Scriptures for yourself.

Why should you believe the Bible?

Many people go through life never taking the time to investigate what the Bible has to say. Some think it is simply a collection of quaint stories and colorful metaphors. Others will say, “It is a good history book but has no relevance to my life.” Still others believe it is written for people who, in the past, were simple minded, or they believe that the Bible is no longer relevant in our modern society.

People will usually believe whatever religious beliefs they were raised with and not question them. They adhere to that old saying, “Never discuss religion or politics,” thereby remaining uninformed on the subject. It is not my intent to disparage another’s beliefs, but rather to extend to them facts to which they may not have had exposure. Dr. Chuck Missler said, “One of the penalties of our casual or reluctant attitude about death and dying is that most people are steeped in myths and misconceptions. Almost every commonly held belief is erroneous, misleading, and contrary to what we do know about the subject.”[1]

Many of us make plans for our retirement years to enjoy a secure future. If a trip to Europe is planned, we investigate thoroughly before departure, yet we pay little or no attention to our eternity. Why are so many willing to gamble with something of such significance and about which they have so little information?

I have known the Lord and lived by His Word for more than thirty-five years. In all that time, He has always provided for my needs, has helped me avoid many of life’s difficulties, and has resolved every problem I encountered. If I told you how blessed I have been, you would probably think that I was either exaggerating or boasting or was, perhaps, delusional. So I will refrain from such remarks. The point is this: if you live by His Word, He is faithful to keep His promises. I say this with all seriousness.

You might say, “Why put such importance on the Bible? Isn’t it just a book written by men, and men make mistakes?” The Bible is far more unique than any other book written. It has been scrutinized by an endless array of scholars, historians, archeologists, scientists, mathematicians, and the like for thousands of years. There have not been any discrepancies or errors that could not be cleared up with good scholarship. In the following paragraphs I have included a representative sampling of such credible scholarship.

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, a well-known Bible scholar, has said: “I myself have never encountered an alleged contradiction in the Bible which could not be cleared up by the use of the original language of the Scriptures and/or by the use of accepted principles of literary and historical interpretation.”[2] Dr. Montgomery is an extremely qualified scholar, holds two doctorates and seven undergraduate degrees, has written forty books and one hundred twenty-five journals, and is a founding member of The World Association of Law Professors.

Dr. Gleason L. Archer said, “I candidly believe I have been confronted with just about all the biblical difficulties under discussion in theological circles today… as I have dealt with one apparent discrepancy after another…. My confidence in the trustworthiness of the Scripture has been repeatedly verified and strengthened by the discovery that almost every problem in Scripture that has been discovered by man, from ancient times until now, has been dealt with in a completely satisfactory manner by the biblical text itself.”[3] Dr. Archer holds a BD from Princeton and a PhD from Harvard Graduate School, has a full law degree, speaks fifteen languages, and has done extensive studies in archeology, among other things.