What God Would Send People To Hell?

"Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 046

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“What kind of a God would send people to hell?” “If that’s the kind of God you worship; I want nothing to do with your God.”

Dr. Chris Gnanakan

Statements like these are understandable, unless you understand the true nature of God.

In this podcast, my guest Dr. Chris Gnanakan responds to these kinds of questions.  Chris shares about:

The DEPTH of God’s LOVE.The WIDTH of God’s MERCY.The HEIGHT of God’s JUSTICE.

Here are some of the Scriptures that Chris cites in this podcast:

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV) Does this verse say that God wants to send people to hell?

In 1 Timothy 2:4 we read that God, “…desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (ESV) Does this verse say that God wants to send people to hell?

Please remember that the wonderful promise of the Bible is this: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV)

To be sure you are ready to meet the Lord Jesus when you die, click HERE. 

So what kind of God would send people to hell? Please listen to find out.

Who is Dr. Chris Gnanakan?

Dr. Chris Gnanakan is originally from South India, and now lives with his family in Virginia. He is currently a professor at Liberty University’s School of Divinity, serving as a bridge between the mission field and the next generation of Christian leaders. Dr. Chris is also the Director of Outreach to Asia Nationals (OTAN), a mission organization that enables nationals to reach nationals in restricted-access countries with the Gospel. Chris holds three doctoral degrees.

You can learn more about Chris and contact him via his website: chrisgnanakan.com

Please be sure to listen to the previous podcast where Dr. Gnanakan talked about What exactly is hell?

For more biblical advice and insight into heaven and eternity, see my articles and podcasts:

• How Moving is Like Going to Heaven

• Six Reasons all Roads DON’T Lead to Heaven

• How to Prepare for Eternity Now and Face Death with Confidence Later

• Hungry for Heaven

• Who Will Get the Biggest Mansion in Heaven?

• Podcast: Isn’t Christianity arrogant to claim to be the only way to heaven?

• Facing Death Fearlessly

• 4 Desperately Hopeless Yet Common Approaches to Suffering and Death

• Podcast: If I commit suicide, will I go to hell?

To learn more about this “Christianity Questions and Answers” podcast and how to submit your questions, click HERE.

To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

You can leave a comment below.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this episode helpful, we’d love for you to rate the podcast in iTunes. This will help get this podcast in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Also, please Click here to leave a review – thanks so much for your help!

Have You Opened Your Spiritual Gifts?

The joys of humbly assessing and using your spiritual gifts

Podcast (listen-to-this-article-here): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:18 — 15.2MB)

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Before I opened my spiritual gifts, I have a vivid memory from a summer during college. A neighbor friend who knew I was attending Moody Bible Institute, watched me and heard some of my stories. One day he proclaimed, “I know what you’re going to do—you’re going to become a preacher.” Like Peter denying Jesus 3x before the cock crowed, I quickly said, “Naw, not me. I can’t imagine speaking in front of people.”

Incredible as it may seem, I very much like speaking in front of large groups of people. That’s the kind of change that happens when we open and develop our spiritual gifts. 

It was just a year or so later that I answered God’s call to ministry and preaching. Seems like my neighbor, who I am not sure was a Christian, knew me better than I knew myself!

And guess what—nowadays I absolutely love to preach! (BTW, if you’d like to have me speak for your group, please see my personal Speaking Page.)

What changed my heart? I opened my spiritual gifts.

You see, they really are gifts. Not just assignments, or curses, or jobs to do, but gifts!

I’d like to share with you 3 reasons it’s wonderful to humbly assess and use your spiritual gifts:

01. Spiritual gifts bring us joy

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.” (1 Corinthians 12:1 ESV)

The Greek word translated “spiritual gifts” in this verse and others is CHARISMA. At its root is the Greek word CHARA which means “Grace: that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness.”

God wants us to be informed about and open our spiritual gifts so we can find “joy, pleasure, and delight.”

Perhaps you also shudder at the thought of speaking in front of crowds. Does that mean you are called to preach? No!

But if you are being called to preach, God will do a work in your heart to where you do love to preach.

Recently I sent a gift to some friends. It was a DVD of a movie called “Monumental.” Later I got a message of gratitude—my friends said they were just sitting down to watch the movie.

I delighted to think of them having the joy of watching the DVD. That’s why I gave that gift to them—to bring them joy.

And that’s why God gives us spiritual gifts—to bring us joy.

02. Because they are gifts, our spiritual gifts should help us stay humble.

“Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers.” (Romans 12:3b GW)

If I earn something, I might have some excuse to feel prideful.

But if I’m given something as a gift, how can I be proud?

Do you get the picture? Gifts are not a basis for pride but for gratitude.

When in college, I had a so-so guitar. But a friend had a fancy Ovation guitar. She didn’t use it much and one day offered to give it to me so it could be used by the Lord through me. I accepted it and made a commitment to accept any invitation to use it for ministry. For years I led worship using that guitar.

I was quite pleased to use that guitar until it was stolen from our church in a burglary. But then the insurance purchased an even better guitar as a replacement!

If I was prideful about owning those guitars, that would have been stupid. They were gifts.

Likewise, if we are prideful of our spiritual gifts, that is stupid. They are gifts that we don’t deserve. We must humbly use them without pride.

03. When we open and use our spiritual gifts, we see ministries impacted and lives changed.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10 ESV)

God wants us to open and use our spiritual gifts to impact His work on earth!

Whatever gift you have received, it is important and God wants to use it to impact people. 

My Executive Assistant Patty helps me keep track of people’s birthdays so I can send a birthday greeting card. She has the gifts of administration and helps. When someone thanks us for remembering their birthday, it gives her joy to see the fruit of her labors.

It doesn’t matter what your gift is, you will see impact and that will bring joy!

• You might have the gift of shepherding and find joy in caring for people.

• You might have the gift of evangelism and love seeing people come to faith in Jesus.

• If you have the gift of leadership, you’ll love leading a group to effectiveness and productivity.

It’s the same with any of the spiritual gifts.

For two sites with listings of spiritual gifts and helpful explanations click HERE or  HERE. Both these sites also have a spiritual gifts inventory to help you discover your spiritual gifts.

In conclusion, if you are a Christian, God has given you a gift that you should use to bless others and thereby be blessed (1 Peter 4:10). 

Don’t be timid, but don’t be prideful either. Just discover, open and use your gift to humbly serve the Lord and bless others. In doing so you will find joy. 

PLEASE NOTE: Facebook and other social media are quite random. You might or might see my next article. But email is reliable. Please subscribe to my updates via email so you won’t miss any of these articles, podcasts or videos.

What Exactly Is Hell?

"Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 045

Podcast (listen-to-this-article-here): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:48 — 15.4MB)

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People use the word “hell” all the time, but rarely in its proper context. What exactly is hell?

Most of the time it’s used:

• In a joke

• As an expletive such as “hell yes” or “what the hell”

• As a threat such as “he can just go to hell”

• With no regard to the depth of meaning and warning in Scripture
  

Dr. Chris Gnanakan

People want to think of hell as

• Imaginary

• Unreal

• A myth

• A joke

• Impossible

But what does the Bible say? What exactly is hell? 

That’s the question addressed by my guest on this week’s podcast. My guest is Dr. Chris Gnanakan. Here’s a short biography:

Dr. Chris Gnanakan is originally from South India, and now lives with his family in Virginia. He is currently a professor at Liberty University’s School of Divinity, serving as a bridge between the mission field and the next generation of Christian leaders. Dr. Chris is also the Director of Outreach to Asia Nationals (OTAN), a mission organization that enables nationals to reach nationals in restricted-access countries with the Gospel. Chris holds three doctoral degrees.

You can learn more about Chris and contact him via his website: chrisgnanakan.com

The goal of this podcast is to get clear on what the Bible really says and teaches about what exactly is hell.

Chris’ and my goal is not to puff up or downgrade biblical teaching. It is to simply and clearly present exactly what the Bible says about hell.

Here are some of the verses regarding exactly is hell that are referenced in this recording:

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14-15 KJV)

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.” (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 NIV)

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25 ESV)

The wonderful promise of the Bible is this: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV)

To be sure you are ready to meet the Lord Jesus when you die, click HERE. 

For more help with death, dying, judgment, salvation and eternity, check out these resources:

• How to Handle the Death of a Loved One

• Facing Death Fearlessl

• 4 Desperately Hopeless Yet Common Approaches to Suffering and Death

• How to Prepare for Eternity Now and Face Death with Confidence Later

• What Can We Learn from a Cemetery Under a City Park?

• Podcast: If I commit suicide, will I go to hell?

To learn more about this “Christianity Questions and Answers” podcast and how to submit your questions, click HERE.

To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

You can leave a comment below.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this episode helpful, we’d love for you to rate the podcast in iTunes. This will help get this podcast in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Also, please Click here to leave a review – thanks so much for your help!