First Sunday after Trinity

That man in a time, when many deny God, for the most part no longer believes in hell, yes, that man even goes a step farther and pushes with his mockery of hell, is not surprising. If there is no hell, then one can certainly make fun about it. But hell exists, so mockery is ill-placed and someday will change into wailing. We stick with the Word of the true God, Who does not lie. We see from our text quite clearly that there is a hell, a place of agony. Whoever is in hell then suffers agony in his body, torments that are impossible to describe, as Christ shows us in the example of the rich man. He suffers torment in his soul. The rich man was worried about his five brothers, the thought of them frightens and scares him. The condemned torment each other with accusations, cursing and damning one another. They lament the squandered time of grace that now lies irretrievably behind them. They feel the absence of God like a never-ending death. Terrible fate of the damned! - Now that we have seen that there is a hell and what kind of place it is, let us for now do three questions, namely: 1. Who goes to hell? a. The rich man came to hell. He came to hell not because he was rich, but because he abused his wealth for pride, gluttony, and sloth. He was hard-hearted, unmerciful. He did this out of unbelief. He was condemned because he was unbelieving. However, he was an unbeliever because he either would not hear God's Word or would not hear it rightly. This he himself realized, but too late. b. Like the rich man, many still come to hell. There is no one in hell therefore because he has great possessions.1 However, wealth brings with it great danger. Confidence in wealth condemns, thus the poor who want to be rich are condemned. The godless use of earthly goods condemns. If wealth is used for pride, he brings it to hell.2 If it is needed for gluttony and luxury, for sloth and laziness, he brings it into doom. Thus no one can be [in hell] who is faithful. Finally, unbelief alone condemns, i.e., that one does not hear Moses and the prophets, does not believe [them]. Concerning the five brothers, we hear nothing further, except that they did not hear Moses and the prophets. This was enough for their condemnation. Unbelief brings everyone to hell, no matter how honorable. 2. Who comes out of hell again? No one. a. Objections: No one deserves punishment in hell; no one is responsible for the original sin that comes from other sins. Temporal sins could not earn eternal punishment, finally the sins still must be atoned for. Furthermore, the mercy of God permits no eternal punishment in hell. - One could refute this with reason. Some are put in prison for forty years for the sake of a crime that they committed in five seconds. It comes down to attitude. Why should the heart change when man dies or [is] in hell? - Guilt can also be growing; if interest on the principle is not paid, when expenditures always exceed revenue, the debt will not be smaller, but still greater, much less the prospect of coming out of hell.
1 2

False doctrine of the Socialists. Hymn 288:1-2 ("Why Art Thou Proud, Poor Clod of Earth?")

b. Scriptural evidence. Why seek according to grounds of reason, since Christ clearly says that no one comes out of hell, since Scripture everywhere teaches as clearly as possible the eternal punishment of hell?3 Whoever therefore does not want to languish forever in body and soul in hell, takes care that he not enter into it. 3. How is one preserved from hell? a. There are many answers: If one avoids the sins of the rich man and others. You have answered correctly; do this, you will live. Many are able to avoid such gross sins, perhaps doing it, but what else? Fear God above all things? Does the outward keeping come from the right source? Are we all to avoid sins? Are we all to do good works? The way of works leads not to heaven, but direct to hell. b. The right answer is: God must save you through His Son. He has redeemed you. That Jesus is born man, that protects us from hell. Believe that, and you have forgiveness of sins and salvation, and sanctification thus follows. God has given you His Word to believe; hear it, use these means rightly, for the preservation of faith. So do not despise God's Word. What about your Bible reading, your devotions at home? Where are you so often on Sunday? Do you not know that God is always talking to you when your pastor stands in the pulpit? Care for your soul, so that you are preserved from hell. - O merciful God, accept our soul into Your Hands at our end, give our body a gentle rest and raise us up on the Last Day to eternal joy! E.H.

Mark 9:44, 46, 48. Hymn 434:11 ("Eternity, Thou Word of Fear").