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Sin and Hell – Seriously? Mark 9:42-50
Sin and Hell – Seriously? Mark 9:42-50
There are a multitude of reasons that can be given on why the subjects of sin and hell are not taken seriously but none of them are good reasons. Basically, sin seems to not be a very big deal and hell is a long way off. Jesus had a different viewpoint of both.
Sin is of utmost importance. There are many things that sin brings into our lives the moment we sin. These include pain, heartache, deception, etc. Jesus skips all of that and goes to the ultimate consequence. It is sin that separates one from God (Isa. 59:1-2). It is sin that brings spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-2). It is sin that will bring about one being cast out of the presence of God and into hell.
Hell in this passage is translated from the word 'Gehenna'. It is always used of the final end of the wicked. It is Jesus who has said more about this than any other person recorded in the Bible and he should know. It is prepared for Satan and His angels (Matt. 25:41). It is a place of constant torment. Revelation says: "the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Rev. 20:10). Again, it states: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name" (Rev. 14:9-11). It is described with words that should instill fear into every man: unquenchable fire, worms that die not, utter darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.
What should one do in order to avoid this end? Jesus instructs us to take whatever measure would be necessary. We need to be careful in dealing with the answer that He gives. On one side, I am convinced He is not readily advocating mutilation of the body. Rather such language is used to emphasize the degree to which we should struggle against sin. Most people, if they literally and immediately were to be confronted with having their hands cut off or their eyes gouged out the moment they sinned, would find a way of abstaining.
Yet, in stating the above, I also worry about how that diminishes the actual lesson that Jesus was teaching. It to a degree diminishes the awful consequences of sin. It in some measure removes the danger of sin. In that way, it emboldens us in sin.
Jesus came to save us from the condemnation of eternity in hell. Sin is the basis of all such condemnation. Jesus had to die in order to achieve our salvation from such. HOW can we continue in sin? How can we downplay the death of our Savior? How can we scoff at sin in our lives and pretend it doesn't matter? At this point, willful sin becomes greater than the sin. It becomes a rejection of the very death of the Son of God. It despises the blood of Jesus and spurns the very grace of God. Sin is to be understood as a serious matter to God's people.
Hugh DeLong
