“You must have a more or less distinct impression of the terrible wrath of God and the terror of his judgment, or you will lack energy in the work and thus lack a fundamental condition for success.” (Charles H. Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892)

“I desire always to have both heaven and hell before my eyes.” (John Wesley, English revivalist preacher, 1703-1791)

William Booth always said to his young fellow evangelists: “I would like to send you all to hell for two weeks!” It was clear to everyone what he meant. If these young people had been surrounded for some time by all the cries and sighs of the damned, they would have gone out with an unparalleled passion to preach the gospel. The impression of hell would have caused them to warn of this terrible place. They would have had clearly in mind what someone once said: “Eternity for the saints is a day without sunset. Eternity for the ungodly is a night without sunrise.”

This effect of the horror of hell is even confirmed by the Lord Jesus Himself when He tells us about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16). When the nameless rich man opens his eyes in Hades, the suburb of hell, he says: “‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment’” (Luke 16:27, 28).

Do you realize how terrible hell is? Do you have any idea what awaits those around you who die without Christ? Unfortunately, hell has almost completely lost its horror for the people of our time, as it seems to be associated only with fun, gambling, love, and pleasure. Has the devil succeeded in relativizing the horror of hell for us Christians too? It is important for every soul-winner to always be aware of how terrible it is there.

The descriptions the Lord Jesus uses show clearly how terrible this place really is. He, by the way, preached about it much more often than about heaven. He uses various terms in the four Gospels to describe hell:

• 15 times “fire/flame” (Mt 7:19; 13:40, 42, 50; 18:8, 9; 25:41; Mk 9:43-48; Lk 16:24; Jn 15:6)
• 7 times “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk 13:28)
• 3 times “utter darkness” (Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30)
• 17 times “judgment” (Mt 5:22; 10:15; 11:22; 12:36.41.42; 23:33; Mk 12:40; Lk 10:14; 11:31.32; 12:58; 20:47; Jn 5:24.27.29; 12:48)
• 4 times a place without forgiveness from God (Mt 6:15; 12:31; Mk 3:29; Lk 12:10)
• 3 times a state in which God rejects the person (Mt 7:23; 25:41; Lk 13:27)
• “perdition” (Mt 7:13)
• “eternal torment/punishment” (Mt 25:46)
• “damnation” (Mk 16:16)
• “torment” (Lk 16:23-28). Even though this is a description of Hades, the place where the dead unbelievers are now, this passage makes clear to us the awfulness of the place without God.
• 3 times “perish” (Mt 18:14; Jn 3:15.16)
• In addition, John the Baptist also used the terms “wrath of God” (Jn 3:36) and “wrath to come” (Mt 3:7; Lk 3:7).

The bleak outlook of the unbelievers

Indeed: “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31). Peter asks movingly: “What will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? … Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:17, 18). We know the answer. In a place without light, without love, without fellowship, without hope. A place of suffering and torment. A place without an emergency exit. A place of eternal weeping without relief. A place without forgiveness and inner peace. A place where they are forever under the righteous wrath of God.

What could be more obvious for us than to persuade those around us? What could be more appropriate than to lay aside all fears and simply share the gospel? What could be more plausible for a Christian than to go out and warn his fellow human beings? Henri Rossier writes: “If the consequences of the judgment seat were really before our souls, how would we feel compelled to call out to people? Flee from the wrath to come!”

Always keep in mind what the Lord Jesus has saved you from. The preacher Johann Heinrich Volkening said: “Being saved gives you a sense of salvation.” That is true! If you are really aware that you will never have to experience the terror of the Lord, it will be important for you to protect other people from it too. Do you have the terror of the Lord before your eyes? Does it drive you out to the people? Or should the opening verse rather read as follows: “Since we do not know the terror of the Lord, do we not persuade people”?