WHO IS GOING TO HELL (...Contd)

...contd
THE BASIS OF DOCTRINE IS THE WRITTEN WORD

First of all let me say this: Doctrines are never to be built on personal experiences. No matter the vision or the person, doctrine must be built on the word of God. Paul said ‘all scripture… is profitable for doctrine’ (2 Tim 3:16). The following verses of Paul are also instructions to bear in mind.
“But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Gal 1:8-9
“Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.” 2 Thess 2:2-3 NLT
Visions can only confirm what is written in the word of God. Anyone may have a vision, but it must align with the written word of God for us to even consider acting upon it. At least, it should not disagree with the word of God. I don’t care who the people are; in fact the Lord Jesus told us that it is not really necessary to send messengers from heaven or hell to people on the earth because there are enough preachers and scriptures around to help people believe if they are willing to believe (Luk 16:31). What I hear of these recent accounts of visits to hell disagree with the word of God.

WHEN JUDGING, GOD LOOKS HERE

Next I wish to show how God judges people.
Whenever God wants to judge, He looks at the heart.
“…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Sam 16:7-8
“But I, God, search the heart, and examine the mind.
“I get to the heart of the human.
“I get to the root of things.
“I treat them as they really are,
“not as they pretend to be.” Jer 17:10 THE MESSAGE
If anyone tells you that God judges and sends people to hell because of their clothes, jewellery and make-up, then the fellow is not talking about the God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus. Listen, God will NEVER send any person, man or woman, to hell because of their outward appearance. God judges people for having a heart of disobedience toward Him and for the heart of wickedness in relating with their fellow human beings.
You will not find even one place in the whole Bible, especially in the words of Jesus, where people were sent into damnation because of what they wore or the jewellery they used. Anointing of faces (creams and make-up) is not a new thing; it was practiced in the days of Jesus, Paul and Peter and they NEVER said it is a reason why God sends anyone into damnation. When Peter spoke in 1 Pet 3, he was saying true Christian beauty is not about external appearance but the inward quality of a godly heart; it was not a ban on dressing of hair.

Christians are supposed to dress decently and modestly. We are to look good but not ‘sexy’ or expose parts of our body so as to seduce people (some parts of the body are called private for good reasons). The Bible talked about the attire of a harlot (Prov 7:10) and a good Christian woman will avoid such. Once you don’t have ‘sexy’ in your heart, trying to show us your body or vainly displaying your wealth, then augmenting your face, using jewellery are not at all against modest dressing (Ez 16:10-14). The virtuous woman was described as being very well dressed (Prov 31:22). Again let me state – the most important dressing for a woman, and anyone for that matter, is a fine character (Prov 31:30). I am emphasizing however that it is not against the will of God for a woman to be adorned externally. Decency and modesty are the watch words of Christians. God never said women should not wear jewellery and therefore will not send them to hell for it. Whoever said God told her He sent people to hell for wearing weave-on or jewellery saw a God that is not the one of the Bible.
What many people now practice is a form of self-righteousness; they are trying to get a feeling of righteousness by punishing themselves in a manner not commanded by the Lord. But Paul warns thus:
“Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial… saying they have had visions about these things.” Col 2:18 NLT
Before getting to the real substance, let us briefly see things that are stated clearly as reasons God may send someone into eternal damnation.
"But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Rev 21:8

Please notice that no one was put in there for the kind of clothes and jewellery they wore or the kind of hairstyles they had. The sins are sins of the heart which manifests in evil deeds. I noticed that those people who are claiming they went to hell did not identify these kinds of people listed in the verse above there but were seeing mundane things like clothing and cosmetics. Recollect the young lady my wife told me about which I mentioned earlier; I told my wife to tell her that it is okay to change her looks the way she did (it’s a free world, isn’t it?), but that she should realize that she will go to hell faster if she harbours any evil thoughts about anyone, borrows without repaying, is envious of anyone or goes to bed with a man she is not married to. Those are the ‘weightier matters of the law!’
...To Be Continued