Theology / Heaven and Hell

  • Degrees of Punishment

    Romans 2:1–11

    Hard as it may be for us to conceive, Scripture seems to teach that there are degrees of punishment in hell. Today’s passage reminds us of how those who never trust Jesus store up wrath for themselves. Unrepentant murderers ...Read More

  • Glorifying God in Heaven

    Hebrews 12:18–29

    At issue in the worship wars is not old versus new but God-honoring worship versus irreverence. There are contemporary forms of worship that strive to keep God at the center, and there are traditional forms of worship that fail to ...Read More

  • Life After Death

    John 14:1–4

    It is possible to become so preoccupied with the cares of this world that we forget that our deaths are not the end. The sufferings and travails of life will one day give way to the bliss of heaven for ...Read More

  • Life After Death

    John 14:1–4

    In many ways, the world teaches us to dread the day of death. Yet while death in and of itself is an intruder in the created order and an enemy to the people of God, there is a sense in ...Read More

  • No More Tears

    Revelation 21:1–22:5

    Try to imagine the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. Maybe it is a painting, a landscape, or a person. As wonderful as that image may be, it cannot be compared to the beauty we will see when we ...Read More

  • Our Glorious Future

    1 John 3:2

    Christ’s work of salvation is comprehensive, involving not only rescue from the penalty and power of sin but also from sin’s corruption. We who are in Jesus can look forward to the day when even our bodies will ...Read More

  • Rising from the Dust

    1 Corinthians 15:35–49

    Unfortunately, many early Christians found it hard to get rid of the Greek philosophical notion that matter is bad while spirit is good. That is not a biblical concept. The earth and all on it, including human beings, was originally ...Read More

  • Sitting on a Suitcase

    Philippians 1:18b–26

    When a believer dies, it is natural for the friends and family of the deceased to feel a profound sense of loss. But the deceased, if a Christian, feels no pain since he is ushered immediately into the presence of ...Read More

  • The Awful Reality of Hell

    Matthew 13:24-43

    Hell’s primary purpose is to punish sinners. While that does not apply to believers, there are still at least two reasons to study the doctrine. First, the better we grasp the horrors of hell the more we appreciate God ...Read More

  • The Beauties of Heaven

    Revelation 21

    The greatest aspect of heaven is the presence of God. Our worship should serve as a brief taste of the glories of being in His presence. Remember as you go to public worship this Sunday that you are entering the ...Read More

  • The Blessedness No One Has Imagined

    1 Corinthians 2:9–10

    The first question and answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism tells us that our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In glory, we will enjoy God face to face and experience His loveliness and holiness directly ...Read More

  • The Great Separation

    Matthew 25:31–46

    If we must give an account to God for our careless words, then surely we should seek to be more careful with the words we speak to others (Matt. 12:36–37). Knowing that the Lord is just should make ...Read More

  • The “Innocent Native”

    Matthew 9:9–13

    All people are without excuse before God. The knowledge that apart from Jesus Christ there can be no salvation ought to motivate us strongly in support of missions. Purpose this day to support missionaries at home and abroad. Pray regularly ...Read More

  • The New Jerusalem

    Revelation 21

    In Romans 8:18, the apostle Paul tells us that “the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Only when we take an eternal perspective can we be ...Read More

  • The Point of No Return

    Luke 16:19–31

    Second Corinthians 6:2b tells us “now is the day of salvation.” If we put off trusting in Christ, like the rich man in Jesus’ parable, we may not have an opportunity to trust Him later on. Today the Savior ...Read More