WORSE THAN HELL?????

    Truly our hearts go out to the people suffering in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. We feel for them, and pray for them, that they will find relief and comfort.
    The woman whose brief interview appeared on CNN pled, even demanded international aid "now, not tomorrow, now!" and went on to say, "It's worse than hell, worse than hell!"
    Now when people suffer they sometimes exaggerate and say things without thinking. This may have been the case with this woman, because one thing is for sure: no matter how bad the suffering on earth, there is nothing worse than hell! I repeat, There is nothing worse than hell!

    Those who are in hell don't endure it for a few hours or days and then rebuild, like survivors of natural disasters. They are there forever. Those who are in hell cannot be interviewed. There is no one to talk to; they are alone, cut off from everyone. No aid can come to them. There is no Red Cross for people in hell. There is no relief, and no let up in the suffering. They cannot sleep it off. They will never wake up to a better day. There is no music in hell, no concerts, no parties, no conversation, no hanging out with friends, no movies, no meals, nothing but unrelieved suffering. There are no lawyers to represent them, no pleas or deals to be made. There is no hope. There is no end. Their suffering is not from wind and water, nor tornado, nor passing earthquake nor falling buildings. There are no homes or cars to be destroyed. It is eternal torment. In Luke 16 Jesus Christ spoke of a man who after death was tormented in flame and not able to receive visits, relief, or ever have any hope of leaving. It is not a parable, but a true story. And that man is still there suffering thousands of years later. Revelation 14:10-11 says of those who refuse the Gospel and Salvation in Jesus Christ:  "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."  Jude 1:13 says  "to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."  

Be very clear about this. Nothing is worse than hell! You may not like it or agree with it, but it's real, and more certain than the next breath you are about to breathe.
    But there are many things better than hell. Any day in a cancer ward is better than hell. Any day of suffering and misery on earth is better than hell. Any day of sadness and personal loss on earth is better than hell. Because as bad as it can be, it could be worse, and it is worse in hell. Nothing is worse than hell. There is no such thing as hell on earth. There is only hell in hell! And as long as you are alive, you have an opportunity to escape hell by having the guilt and condemnation of your sins taken away, forever!
    There is a place supremely better than any day on earth, and infinitely better than hell: HEAVEN! There is no sickness there, no sorrow, no sin, no death, no crying, no hunger, no anger, no lies, no loneliness, no unhappiness. Wouldn't you like to be there, and never have to leave?
    Every one who repents of his sin and trusts in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be there. No one deserves to go to Heaven, for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). People like us, all of us, with contaminated hearts and minds (see Mark 7:20-23) have no business getting into a place like Heaven. Nothing that defiles or is unclean can enter there (Revelation 21:27). So we have to be cleansed and forgiven and given new life in order to reach that wonderful place, the abode of God, angels and saints. And the cleansing and forgiveness come through the one who took our punishment, paid the wages of our sins for us, dying at Calvary. He rose from the dead and ascended back to Heaven. He is the Lamb, the Substitute who paid the debt of sin, took our punishment. God forgives, cleanses and gives eternal life to all who place their trust in Jesus Christ. These are washed from their sins (Revelation 1:5), and therefore can enter Heaven. Because they trust in Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), they are cleansed and made fit for Heaven. Are you one of them, friend? I truly hope you are, because there is nothing worse than hell.

Carl Knott