A Fate Worse than Death

Recently my friend, Danny, posted a video. It featured a woman chiding a street preacher for calling on people to repent. She was a Christian, you see, but this wasn't the way to do it. And the crowd was cheering her on.

I was struck, at first, with the ludicrous fact that this woman was publicly calling on the man to repent from publicly calling on people to repent. The irony was thick. It was only made thicker by the fact that this woman self-identified as a Christian while chiding the man for doing exactly what Christ did (Matt 4:17; Mark 1:15). But the preacher made his point. If you understood that people were in dire need, wouldn't you, if you cared and could, do all you could to meet the need? And, as a Christian, don't you believe that people need Christ?

There is a point to all this, a point so very often missed by unbelievers (surprise, surprise) and believers (now that is a surprise) alike. Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt 10:28). There really is, you see, such a thing as "a fate worse than death". The descriptions in Scripture for the outcome of those who die without Christ are not merely unpleasant. They're horrible. Biblically, Hell is a reality. It isn't hyperbole. And it isn't potentially pleasant. It is absolute and eternal misery.

So how is it that we should not be doing what we can to urge people to skip this outcome? Why is it sad when people try to call for repentance? Why would a Christian be opposed to urging people to something far, far better than eternal misery? On the other hand, what does it say about people -- I'm talking primarily about so-called Christians here -- who think we would be best in keeping that stuff to ourselves? And what does it say about us when we shirk the call to make disciples? The world thinks we're just out to make converts. We know better. Or ... do we? Something to think about.