Expert: Clifford H. Readout, Jr. - 11/23/2010

Question
Dear Freind

John 16:8 - When he comes, he will prove the world to be in
the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

Yet many churches do not touch about Hell in their Sermons.

Isn't it right to say that " Salvation is not a necessity if
there is no Hell"

Blessings

Nihal Uduwara

Answer
Dear Nihal Uduwara,

Thank you for a thought provoking question.  There is more to it than you intended.

If your point is that churches need to give stronger warnings about the coming judgment and the hell that awaits the unsaved, I would agree.  But, I would prefer that those warnings be framed with emphasis on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the salvation He provides, and how we can experienced it in full measure.  Fear of hell cannot save.  Neither can desire for heaven.  But submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ does.

The churches need to remember that saving souls from death is an important part of their mission.
James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Christians know the Person, Identity, and Plan of God.  We know that He does not lie.  Accordingly, we accept His testimony about the reality of hell (both Hades and Gehenna), and the need for His sacrifice in Christ to offer us an alternative to going to the place of everlasting torment that results from the sins of men.

But, even if Christianity did not believe in hell, it is unlikely that the statement “Salvation is not a necessity if there is no Hell” would be correct.  It depends on how we define the word “salvation”.  The words translated “salvation” encompass the ideas of rescue, deliverance, liberation, and healing, as well as the escape from hell provided by submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Only the context of the verse can define which meaning applies to a particular verse.  Salvation is always “from” something and “to” something else.  Consider these two passages:

1Corinthians 6:9   Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians 5:13   For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.  16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Christians receive deliverance from the domination of sin in their lives when they submit to the Lord Jesus Christ.  A Christian is not only saved “to” heaven but also “to” righteousness.  True Christians are saved “from” sexual immorality, impurity, marital infidelity (adultery), sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, uncontrolled anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness or drug addictions, orgies, gender confusion, homosexuality (sodomy), thievery, covetousness, brutality, rapacious greed that cheats others, and things like these.

Those are all things that every human society considers to be wrong and makes laws to prohibit.  Any society would benefit from its people being saved “from” such things “to” the righteousness exhibited in the lives of those submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Any individual would greatly benefit from being delivered form those things, even if there were no such thing as hell and damnation.
Proverbs 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

I have lived in the USA, Canada, Japan, England, and Germany, and visited at least fifty-eight other nations.  The people in every nation suffer from the effects of human sin, and need to be saved from those harmful, sinful behaviors.  I would say, “Even if there were no hell, the Salvation of Jesus Christ is necessary for genuine civilization, beneficial society and an a worthwhile culture.”  No one but the Lord Jesus Christ delivers people from their sins.

I hope this helps,

CR