Hope For The Nations, Lesson 3, Fall 2006

“Without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14b, NIV)

Things God can’t do:

  • Hide his presence – He could not keep his presence secret (Mark 7:24)
  • Be pleased outside of faith (Hebrews 11:6)
  • Have darkness and sin in His immediate presence (1 John 1:5; Hebrews 12:14; James 1:17)

Holiness can NEVER touch sin:

  • Exodus 19:10-13 – touching the place of God’s presence brings immediate death
  • Leviticus 5:2-3; Numbers 19:11-13,16 – touching death and uncleanness instantly tarnishes a person
    • The dead animals and people of the Old Testament typify sinfulness (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:56; Ephesians 2:1,5; James 1:15), therefore, God shows that a mere touch of sin will make someone completely unclean
  • Leviticus 11 – an animal’s separation from the earth determines if it is clean or abominable (see Lev. 11:20-21, 41-42 for example)
  • All of these examples reveal the nature of God.  He too cannot touch or be touched by sin for even a second.

Hell

  • Hell = exact opposite of God’s presence (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)
    • Separation from God’s presence cannot be imagined by people on this side of eternity, because God’s presence is given even to the unrighteous on earth (see Matthew 5:44-45)
    • Since hell is the opposite of being in God’s presence, the magnitude of suffering and pain in hell reveals the magnitude of grace and blessing of God’s presence.  To the degree that God’s presence is good, hell must be this bad.
    • Exodus 3:2 – burned, but not consumed
  • Hell was originally created for Satan, not people (Matthew 25:41)
    • You either choose to follow God or Satan; there is no middle ground (Deuteronomy 30:15; Acts 26:18).  Those who choose to follow Satan in this life will follow him in the next life.
    • At judgment seat of Christ, everyone will know that they deserved hell, because all is laid bare (Heb. 4:13)

What about the good people who don’t know Jesus?

  • Luke 18:19 – Jesus says that no one is good except God.
  • Heb. 12:14 – God’s standard must be holiness, for He is unable to touch any uncleanness and sin
    • High Jump Contest –
      • Man’s standard:  Some men can jump higher than others, therefore some are better than others.
      • God’s standard:  The high jump bar is on the moon.

“Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (James 2:13, NIV)

  • Problem:  God does not want any person to suffer hell (Lamentations 3:33; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9), but it is also impossible for Him to dwell with any sin, and He must remain a perfect judge (1 Peter 4:5).
  • Solution:  “the blood of Jesus Chris His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:9)
  • Every single person is within reach of this solution (Acts 17:26-27)