Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 75

March 16, 2018;      Matthew 25:41;       25/260(IV);        ‘Hell is For the Devil’

Matthew 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:       NKJV

God the Father and the Lord Jesus never wanted anyone to go to hell, except satan and the angels who rebelled with him against the Father, in eternity past.  Adam, when he was created was not going to die.  As long as he obeyed the Lord and did not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he would be immortal.  Even after he sinned, people back then lived incredibly long.  Once Adam sinned, the earth was cursed and people were separated from the Lord with no way back to Him.  They were destined to go to hell if the Father did nothing about their plight.  The Lord shared the Gospel with Abraham (Abram then), explaining that one day the Messiah would come and redeem humanity from their sins.  If those who lived in the time of the Old Testament believed that one day the Messiah would come and save them from their sins, they were saved.  The Bible teaches that when Abram heard the Gospel, he believed and it was accounted to him as righteousness.  We, living after the Lord Jesus paid the price for our sins, once we believe that and are born again, our eternity is sealed.  Forever we will be with the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  It was never the will of the Lord that anyone go to hell.  People’s nature without the Lord is pride.  They are often arrogant and self centered because that is what is in their spirit.  Often they are not easy to like because of this.  In spite of this we must do everything we can to see to it that no one we can share with goes to hell.  Hell was not made for them and once they are saved, the ones you do not like could become your best friend.