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The First Way - Cowardice
What qualifies you to go to hell? Let's look at what the Word of God has to say.

"But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive..." (Rev. 21:8 AMP)

We can know from this passage of Scripture that cowards will not enter into the Kingdom of God. Someone might ask, "What do you mean by 'cowards'?" I mean individuals who are afraid to serve God - people who are afraid of public opinion, afraid of not being cool, and afraid of missing out on the fun.

They don't believe what God said in His Word about the real fun that's ahead of them if they serve Him. No matter how much fun we're having as Christians, we haven't seen anything yet compared to the fun we're going to have in Heaven!

Cowards are too afraid to receive God and to live for Him in the face of persecution - in the face of people talking about them, coming against them, and not understanding them. Cowards want to be comfortable. Well, the Word of God says that no cowards will enter the Kingdom.

The Second Way - Unbelief
Those who don't believe will not enter the Kingdom of God.

"...as for the unbelieving and faithless..." (Rev. 21:8 AMP)

There are some people who will read this and say, "Well, I just don't believe what he's teaching," and they'll put it aside. If you do that, then you have made a choice - a choice not to believe God's Word. And, according to the Word of God, that's not a good choice.

"...and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers..." (Rev. 21:8)

This verse goes on to talk about other things that will qualify you for hell. One of those things is murder, and, I tell you, abortion is murder. I don't care whether saying that is politically correct or not. I'm not interested in being politically correct. I'm interested in telling you what God says in His Word, because I'm going to have to face God and answer to Him if I don't tell you. And I fear God, not you.

The Third Way - Sexual Immorality
Another thing that will keep you out of the Kingdom of God is sexual immorality.

"...and the lewd and adulterous..." (Rev. 21:8 AMP)

Revelation 21:8 also talks about sexual practices. With God, there is only one sexual practice that is allowed, and that is having sex with your married partner who is, of course, of the opposite sex.

Fornication is sin, and the Bible says it's worthy of death (Jude 1:7). The same is true with adultery. Homosexuality, bestiality, and all sexual uncleanness is worthy of death - the eternal spiritual death that you will experience if you practice these things.

You might say, "Yes, but I can't help myself." You may feel that way now, but after five minutes in hell, you will think you could have helped yourself! If you think that what you're doing makes you so happy now, let me tell you, it's not worth eternal torment! (And it doesn't matter how young or how old you are - 12 or 92 - sin is sin, and God condemns it.)

Many people have made mistakes in this area of sexual immorality. But the good thing about God is that He forgives! Thank God for the blood of Jesus. When we truly repent from our heart, the Father forgives us. He forgives the stupid, foolish things we do and wipes the slate clean.

But don't think you're going to be able to keep living in sexual immorality and go to Heaven. You won't. When you die, you will wake up in hell, saying to your sexual partner, "I wish to God I'd never met you."

The Fourth Way - The Occult
Another thing that will keep you out of the Kingdom of God is the occult.

"...the practicers of magic arts..." (Rev. 21:8 AMP)

The occult includes all this horoscope business - talking about "What's your sign?" If someone asks you that, you ought to say, "Christian. That's my sign." There isn't any Sagittarius, Scorpio, Leo, and the like where determining your life and destiny are concerned. It's all witchcraft. There is such a thing as witchcraft, black art, and so forth, but it's all demon power, and it is worshipping Satan. You shouldn't be involved with Satan worship.

If you've been reading your horoscope in the newspaper, you'd better stop it. Tear it out of your paper. Stop saying, "Well, today is going to be my day because my horoscope says such-and-such." What's the matter with you? Don't you know that hell is hot? No stars are going to determine your destiny. Your choices determine your destiny!

There's only one Star that I look to in the sky, and that's the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the S-o-n, not the s-u-n. His name is Jesus, and He's the King of kings and the Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev 19:16). He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. He's the Beginning and the End (Rev. 1:8,11; 21:6; 22:13).

There is no other Name whereby you can be saved (Acts 4:12). At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord (Isa. 45:23; Rom. 14:11). Whether you want to or not, whether you believe it or not, whether you think you will or not, some day you will confess that Jesus is Lord, Savior, and the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The Bible says so.

Now you can do it while you're alive here on earth because you love Him and want to know and serve Him. When you confess Him on the earth, you become a member of the family of God. You can confess Him as Lord right now, or you can be made to do it as you're forced to your knees and banished into hell's fire. The choice is yours.

The Fifth Way - Idolatry
When anything means more to you than God, that's called idolatry.

"...the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God)..." (Rev 21:8 AMP)

If people mean more to you than God, or if things, careers, getting ahead, and having what you want means more to you than God, then you are an idolater, and you need to repent and receive God's forgiveness and mercy.

The Sixth Way - Lying
This next portion of revelation 21:8 is a strong statement: "All liars will have their part in hell."

"...all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed), [all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death." (Rev. 21:8 AMP)

This says, "all liars," talking about those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed. Do you know what you're doing when you're gossiping about folks and saying stuff that you don't have any business saying? You're getting yourself close to the licking flame! You'd be smart to keep your mouth shut, or you might end up in hell where I'm sure you'll want to tell the truth then! And you can tell all the truth you want while you're in hell, but it isn't going to change a thing.

God hates lying. He said, "...let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" (Matt. 5:37). In other words, God is saying, "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. Anything else is of the devil."

Friend, sin is serious business. There is a saying that goes, in effect, "Sin will make you pay more than you wanted to pay; it will take you further than you wanted to go; and it will keep you there longer than you wanted to stay." Sin will keep you out of Heaven.

Source: Hell: You Don't Want To Go There by Keith A. Butler
Excerpt permission granted by Word of Faith Publishing

Author Biography

Keith Butler
Web site: Keith Butler
 
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center. He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
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