There are some who think they can scare others into becoming a Christian through the threat of going to Hell. According to scripture, Hell is a real concern and God can certainly use the fear of it as a means of bringing a person to Himself. But to beat the non-believer over the head with the threat of burning in Hell is as about as useful as fashioning ones hand to the shape of a gun (index finger pointed out, thumb up) and threatening to shoot...there is no evident firepower behind the threat of burning in Hell if the person does not believe that Hell is real to begin with.

Jesus said in John 10:26, "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep" and in John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." In the story that Jesus told concerning Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), the rich man, who is in Hades, asks Abraham to send someone to his brothers from the dead, so that they would believe and repent. Abraham's reply was, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets [scripture], neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead" Luke 16:31.

The point is, God can use Hell or anything else He chooses as a means of getting a persons attention; but unless God opens a persons heart to believe it's not going to happen...not even in the presence of such a miracle as someone returning from the grave. So, while this poem is about Hell, a reality that scripture sets forth, it is not my intention to threaten people with it, especially those who do not believe in God or the Bible to begin with.

This torment is everlasting
and the pain that I feel;
How foolish was I to ever deny
This place called Hell was real.

Not even in my nightmares
Did I know such pain and fear;
Nor did I ever dream
That I would end up here.

This darkness that surrounds me
Is like the blackest night;
I’d give everything I ever owned
Just to have a glimpse of light.

I pray these flames will consume me,
But I continue burning on;
and though the souls here are many,
I feel completely alone.

I know there is none to help me,
Still for help, I moan and wail;
But my screams are only swallowed up
In the darkness of this Hell.

 Deep in my soul I realize,
I have no other to blame;
Though many continued to warn me,
I never called on Jesus’ name.

If I had only called upon Jesus,
His death would have set me free;
But I rejected the love of the One,
Who paid sin's penalty.

If given another chance,
I’d surely seek His face;
But, I’ll die forever without Him,
In this God forsaken place.

"And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment…
And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy
on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his
finger in water and cool off my tongue;
for I am in agony in this flame."
Luke 16:23-24 (NASB)

© 1998 A. Mitchell Moore, Jr.

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