Another formative moment, following on the last I wrote about (see yesterday's post), was when I went to the home of friends in Maryland to hear the late Dr. John Gerstner talk about Jonathan Edwards' view of hell. I know, it doesn't sound like a fun night's entertainment, but it was in the context of a bible study, and it was such a tremendous opportunity to meet and listen to Dr. Gerstner! He began by stating that Christ talked far more about hell than anyone else in the bible, and went on to exposit many passages. He explained how Edwards understood the passage in Matthew where Jesus describes "the worm that never dies," and the "fire that is never quenched". The worm continues to eat at the soul and the fire to burn because for eternity the person in hell continues to hate God and rebel against him. And there, but for the grace of God, would each of us be.
What struck me that night for the first time, was not so much the philosophical ramifications of this truth, but that fact that *I* should be heading for such torment. But I'm not. God snatched me from the fire, and saved me, through nothing in me. Only because he chose to love me and save me. Wow. When I really grasped that, I couldn't stop crying, thinking of the magnitude of God's gift to me. I was overcome by gratitude.
My copious tears worried our hostess, however. She asked if I was alright, and was I afraid of hell. I told her no, I was overcome by God's goodness in saving me from it. Her dear husband said, "Well, we should all cry about that on a regular basis!"
To be continued...
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