Topical Bible: Hell: Human Power Cannot Preserve From

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Hell, as described in the Bible, is a place of eternal separation from God, characterized by suffering and punishment for the wicked. The Scriptures make it clear that no amount of human power, wealth, or status can prevent one from facing the consequences of sin and being cast into hell.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 49:6-7 : "They trust in their wealth and boast in great riches. No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God." This passage emphasizes the futility of relying on material wealth or human resources to secure one's eternal destiny. The psalmist underscores that redemption and salvation are beyond human capability and cannot be purchased or earned through earthly means.

2. Proverbs 11:4 : "Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." Here, the writer of Proverbs contrasts the ineffectiveness of riches with the power of righteousness. On the day of judgment, human power and wealth hold no value, and only righteousness, which comes from God, can deliver from eternal death.

3. Matthew 16:26 : "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Jesus poses a rhetorical question to highlight the ultimate futility of worldly gain when it comes to matters of the soul. The implication is clear: no earthly achievement or possession can compensate for the loss of one's soul to hell.

4. Luke 16:19-31 : The parable of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates the stark reality that human power and wealth cannot prevent one from the torments of hell. The rich man, despite his earthly prosperity, finds himself in agony after death, unable to alter his fate or receive comfort. This narrative serves as a poignant reminder that earthly status does not equate to spiritual security.

5. Revelation 20:12-15 : "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened... And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." This apocalyptic vision reveals that all individuals, regardless of their earthly power or status, will be judged by God. The ultimate determinant of one's eternal destiny is whether their name is written in the book of life, not their human accomplishments.

Theological Implications:

The consistent message throughout Scripture is that human power is insufficient to preserve anyone from hell. Salvation is a divine act of grace, accessible only through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that it is not by human effort or merit that one is saved, but by the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. As Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

In summary, the Bible presents a clear and sobering truth: human power, wealth, and status are powerless to prevent the eternal consequences of sin. Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can one be assured of salvation and escape the reality of hell.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 32:27
And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be on their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Relation Between the Human Will and the Divine Agency.
... glories of heaven and the terrors of hell may be ... and overwhelming as the divine
omnipotence, cannot fail to ... point at which the sphere of human power comes into ...
/.../chapter v the relation between.htm

The Imperfection of Human Knowledge
... thou art there: If I go down to hell, thou art ... Add to these, myriads of human savages
that are freezing among ... the "times and seasons in his own power." And we ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 69 the imperfection of.htm

On Divine Providence
... Let all earth and all hell combine against you; yea ... no human wisdom can foresee,
and no human power can resist. ... the weights." In many cases they cannot help; in ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 67 on divine providence.htm

C??sarius of Arles.
... the one is planted in heaven; the other in hell. ... himself up to the attraction and
training power of grace ... Then it is added, "Since, then, human nature cannot ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/neander/light in the dark places/caesarius of arles.htm

Regeneration
... sure, and none of the gates of hell can overthrow ... sublime, great, spiritual subjects,
which far transcend human thoughts and ... For it is not in the power of man ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 8 regeneration.htm

On Faith
... to do him honour; and all hell resounded with ... subordinate agents, of either angelical
or human spirits, to ... preserve them by his own immediate power; yea, and ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 122 on faith.htm

Pride Catechized
... brings in something of trust in works, or human power, it is ... and whose godly lives
prove the sanctifying power of the ... so long as we were out of hell, we should ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 46 1900/pride catechized.htm

The New Nature
... It is a matter out of the range of human power it is ... perished doing their Master's
will in saving human life, and ... Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor wilt ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/the new nature.htm

Whither Goest Thou?
... that one of the best tests of human character is ... chasteneth not?" He that will go
to hell will find ... is needful that the fire should exercise its power upon thee ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 35 1889/whither goest thou.htm

Seventh Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Resist Sin.
... service, you will of course receive yours"death and hell. ... He has also power to avoid
sin and to constantly ... be effected by any law, any human ability; faith ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/seventh sunday after trinity exhortation.htm