The Way Out

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6 HCSB

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Hell? Early Egyptians referred to it as Tuat, situated under the earth. The ancient Greeks considered this lower world to be the realm of spirits. The Jews said that Hell originated just south of Jerusalem, where the filth and the wicked dead were cast out and burned. Italian poet Dante fancied this nether world to be a temporary Inferno several steps beneath Paradise. The Nation of Islam, led by Louis Farrakhan, teaches that Hell is whatever you make it. Christians believe that Hell is the future torture of the Devil and his angels;[1] the great garbage pit of the universe in which even death itself will eventually find its end.[2]

Regardless of how humans describe Hell, one thing is certain: the Bible teaches that Hell is very real. It is a place of suffering,[3] punishment,[4] misery,[5] terror,[6] anguish and agony.[7] No one in his or her right mind wants to go there.

To escape, Ancient Egyptians looked to Herhaf to transport them to the desired land of Osirus. The Greeks put a coin in the mouth of their loved ones in hope that Charon the boatman would ferry their souls across the river Styx. Dante relied on the Latin poet Virgil’s guidance out of the dark forest of terror into the empyrean realm of Heaven where his beloved Beatrice waited.

These pictures may be biblically incorrect, but they do represent the underlying drive of every human soul. We all realize that we are lost in dark, hellish places and that we need a guide. Too many people erroneously believe that God is not interested in meeting their desires; that somehow He has abandoned them to the outer darkness of unmet needs, unfulfilled dreams and unrequited love.

On whom can those experiencing a “living hell” depend? Who will mentor the bright management trainee, whose career is going nowhere simply because of his dark complexion? Who will lead the battered wife away from the cruel blows of her drunken husband? Who will offer poor, downtrodden, so-called social misfits a career change that promises more than perfunctory chores and minimum wages? What is their route to a happy ending? Which road should we follow? Which direction will lead us away from the insidious cancer of racism, the hell of sexual abuse, and the suffocating pressure of repression?

To steer clear of the fire and brimstone of this life and the next, the superior belief system must provide the following escape components: a map that is precise (the Qu’ran or the Bible); a role model that is pure (Farrakhan or Jesus); a method that is practical (works or grace); and a motivation that is powerful (hate or love).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.[8] He is your way out.

[1] Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4
[2] Revelation 20:13-14
[3] Matthew 18:34-35
[4] Matthew 13:41-42
[5] Matthew 8:11-12
[6] Isaiah 33:14
[7] Luke 16:23-24
[8] John 10:1-16