Real Love Wins: A Theology of Hell – Burk Parsons

Real Love Wins by Burk Parsons | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

The informed reader will note that the above-titled article by editor Burk Parsons in the latest issue of Tabletalk is indeed intended to overthrow the false teaching of pastor Rob Bell in his book Love Wins (For more on this do a search on Bell on my blog and you will be led to several articles.). This new issue of “TT” is on the doctrine of hell, the solemn, plainly biblical, but oft-neglected truth of eternal punishment for impenitent sinners.

I started to read the special articles on this subject yesterday and was impressed with the clarity and conviction of the writers. It is truly a doctrine vital to gospel, and it is denied, distorted, and neglected to one’s everlasting peril. Parsons introduces the matter in his editorial linked above, from which I also quote here. I urge you to read all of it, as well as the opening featured article on the subject by Dr.John MacArthur, “The Disappearance of Hell” – must reading!

One of the more loving and merciful things Jesus did was preach on hell. He preached on hell more than He preached on heaven, and He did so in order to point the lost to Himself as the way, the truth, and the life apart from condemnation and eternal punishment in hell—which He created. Although most preachers have not denied the doctrine of hell outright, they might as well have, since it is entirely absent from their sermons. My guess is that many preachers think that preaching on hell is unkind, unloving, and offensive. They are certainly right that it is offensive in that preaching on hell offends our false perceptions of self-righteousness. However, such an offense is a most kind, loving, and blessed offense, as it points all men to their desperate need for the righteous life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. If preachers do not preach sin, wrath, death, and hell, their supposed preaching of the gospel is practically useless. If they do not preach what we’re saved from, then their message of what we’re saved to is worthless. For as Charles Spurgeon said, “When men talk of a little hell, it’s because they think they have only a little sin and believe in a little Savior.”

If we don’t believe in hell, the good news isn’t really that good. And if we don’t believe in hell, we have no good reason to believe in heaven either. Hell is a foundational doctrine of the historic Christian faith, and to deny it is to deny the faith, because if we don’t believe in hell, we don’t believe Jesus. We cannot deny hell and accept the words of Jesus.

I also want to point you to Ligonier’s free Kindle (and other digital forms) book for the month. For February they are giving away R.C.Sproul’s The Prayer of the Lord, a treatment of the Lord’s Prayer.

The daily devotions continue on the NT book of Romans.