One day, when then Vice-President Calvin Coolidge was presiding over the United States Senate, one Senator angrily told another to go “straight to hell.”
The offended Senator complained to Coolidge as presiding officer. Coolidge looked up from the book he had been leafing through, while listening to the debate, and wittily replied:
“I’ve looked through the rule book,” he said, “You don’t have to go.” Wow! What about that!
With all the discussion these days about the concept of Hell (i.e., http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/03/08/doing-away-with-hell-part-one/), the greatest truth to remember about Hell is that no one really has to go to that awful place. We do have a choice.
We can heed the Word of God, repent of our sins, receive the offer of God’s grace, and be gloriously saved. As Paul says in Romans 8:1: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The key to no condemnation from God is to be found, of course, in Christ Jesus.
For, as John says (I John 5:12)… “He who has the Son has life…”; but “he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” I trust you have found Christ. If so, you have the assurance of life – life abundant and life eternal one day in a wonderful place called Heaven.
If not, unfortunately, you will have to experience the awful reality of eternity apart form God in a place called Hell. As you consider these things, please remember: “Read the Book (the Bible) and you will discover something wonderful: You really don’t have to go (to Hell)!”