One fact that must be accepted by all is that our presence on this earth will come to an end. Various theories have been put forth regarding what awaits us after our journey through life has been completed. Many have been assuaged by noted authors or from the pulpit that all will be well for us in the next world if we simply obey tradition or follow the road that makes us feel good inside. Unfortunately, this mindset may lead to an eternally fatal mistake.

"Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment" by Robert A. Peterson takes to the mat various theories that put the believers of such in the greatest jeopardy that can ever be imagined. Before unequivocally proving the truth of orthodox biblical teaching he defeats the notions of the unlikelihood of life after death, that everyone goes to heaven (Universalism), that unbelievers get a chance after death (Postmortem Evangelism), and that unbelievers are destroyed once and for all with no eternal consequences (Annihilationism).

Robert A. Peterson proves with rational scholarship and overwhelming evidence that these four alternative views are nothing more than speculation, wishful thinking or an evasion of the obvious facts contained in Scripture. These theories can only sound reasonable if taken out of context or the truth blurred by human attempts to play the role of God. It is absolutely crucial for everyone to realize that hell is real and that Jesus Christ spoke about it more often than he did of heaven and in greater length than anyone else in the Bible and in a most unambiguous way.

"Hell on Trial" also explores the Bible’s teachings on hell as given by both the Old and New Testament and cites the views of important people throughout the history of the church. There’s also presented a topical summary of the Bible’s teaching on hell and a connection of eternal punishment with other important beliefs regarding God, Christ’s saving work, heaven, punishment and sin . The final chapter confronts three difficult questions regarding purgatory, the fate of those who never heard, and what happens to babies who die.

Peterson quotes a message given by J. I. Packer in 1972 that still holds relevance with modern society today. "The subject of divine wrath has become taboo in modern society, and Christians by and large have accepted the taboo and conditioned themselves never to raise the matter." The author is fully aware of the unpopular nature of this subject and states "but for the sake of God’s glory, the truth of his Word, the cross of Christ, and the mission of the church, I am burdened to defend the orthodox doctrine of hell."

The "Hell on Trial" book makes an indisputable case that "we must tell people the truth: without Jesus as Lord and Savior they are headed for eternal judgment of God." Here’s just one example from Scripture in line with the way that this eternal judgment will be exercised as given in Matthew 13:49-50. "This is how it will be at the end of age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Let’s now investigate the testimonials of those who have actually witnessed the consequences of hell to further our belief and understanding of the critical nature of this subject.

Bill Wiese, author of "23 Minutes in Hell. One Man’s Story About What He Saw, Heard, and Felt in that Place of Torment" describes his experience that began at 3:00 a.m. on Monday, November 23, 1998. "I was horrified as I heard the screams of an untold multitude of people crying out in torment. It was absolutely deafening. The terror-filled screams seemed to go right through me, penetrating my very being…This place was so terrifying , so intense, and so hostile that it would be impossible for me to exaggerate the horror" The futility and utter despair of his situation is expressed by his statement that "I saw many people reaching out of the pit of fire, desperately trying to claw their way out. But there was no escape."

Choo Thomas, a Korean-American woman and author of "Heaven is So Real!" spoke of frequent visitations by Jesus and journeys to celestial paradise with Him. She is committed to share her experiences with everyone to emphasize anew the biblical truths about heaven and forthrightly declares that God has chosen her as an instrument and the book as a vehicle to tell of the truths of Scripture. Her testimony reveals that nothing can compare to the perfect splendor and bliss of heaven. Chapter Six entitled "A Place Called Hell", however, reveals the plight of those who do not know or believe in Jesus.

The author was led by Jesus to look over the top of a mountain where she "could see fumes and dark smoke rising from a deep pit. It was like the crater of a volcano, and inside I could see flames scorching a multitude of people who were screaming and crying in the kind of agony that only the severely burned truly know." There was no exit for those that led a life of sin and there was an eternal doom for each and every one of them. There was, unfortunately, a circumstance later shown to Choo Thomas by Jesus to emphasize the critical factor of accepting Him only as the Savior of mankind no matter how "good" by worldly standards you are.

"It was so hard to look into the pit of hell, but immediately my attention was directed toward a figure who was waving at me. Through the smoky haze, I could determine that the person was a woman. Then I heard her voice. She was speaking in my native Korean tongue, and she began to scream: ‘Hot! Hot!’. I knew that voice. The smoke cleared, and I looked directly into the eyes of the tormented woman. I immediately recognized my mother! …My own mother was screaming for help from the gaping pit of Hades. My heart stopped. A knife of cold hopelessness stabbed at my heart. My mother was in hell!...I wanted so desperately to reach out and take my mother’s hand so that I could lift her from the licking tongues of fire that swirled all around her. It was the worst moment of my life." There is no better way to emphasize that Jesus is the only way to salvation while there is still time. We can only meet God on His terms, not ours!

Get right with God if you haven’t already. Share this information with friends, family, co-workers and even your enemies. Make a copy and send it anonymously if you feel uncomfortable but do something! Become connected with a Scripture-focused church. Don’t let the world and its trappings lullaby you to eternal hell.

The last paragraph of "We Saw Heaven, True Stories of What Awaits You on the Other Side" by Roberts Liardon sums it up that "as you study God’s Word for yourself, you will begin to see the glories of Heaven in your own life. The Bible really does reveal to us that Heaven exists and that it has been prepared for those who have believed on Jesus Christ and put their faith in His work at the Cross. We have much to look forward to in our eternal home with Him!" Will you accept the invitation?

("Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment", "23 Minutes in Hell. One Man’s Story About What He Saw, Heard, and Felt in that Place of Torment", "Heaven is So Real!", and "We Saw Heaven, True Stories of What Awaits You on the Other Side" and the Bible can be purchased at http://www.christianbook.com )

Relevant Quotes:

"It is our bounden duty to warn sinners of their fearful peril. To remain silent is criminal." - A.W. Pink ("Eternal Punishment", Introduction)

"The scripture speaks of the ‘Lake of Fire’ (Revelation 20:14), "Wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:42) where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:44). If we really believed in Hell, we would plead with sinners." - Ray Comfort ("Hell’s Best Kept Secret", page 73)

"The duration of Hell is endless. Although there are degrees of punishment, Hell is terrible for all the damned. The occupants are the devil, evil angels, and unsaved human beings." - Robert Peterson ("Hell on Trial", page 201)

"Indeed, all other senses will be affected too: the ear with hideous noises, shrieks and yells from fellow damned sinners; the eye with fearful, ghastly, and horrible spectacles; the smell with suffocating odors and nasty stench, worse than that of carrion or that which comes out of an open sepulcher." - Thomas Vincent ("Fire and Brimstone", pages 111-112)

"Hell is a place of unrelieved torment and horrible misery…a place of impenetrable darkness…a place of fire…a place of unrelieved torment for both body and soul. Hell will be horrible for everybody there, but some people will suffer more than others." - John MacArthur ("Hell-The Furnace of Fire", tape #GC2304)

"The reality of Hell is so far beyond our experience that language cannot adequately describe it." - Edward Donnelly ("Heaven and Hell", page 33)

Jesus said "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." - John 15:6 (King James version)

"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death." - Revelation 21:8 (NIV version)

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." - Timothy 2:5 (King James version)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16 (King James version)