SALT Week 3
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What kinds of things do people believe about what happens after we die?
“10 out of 10 people die.” It’s obvious, but yet it seems that many people live as though they don’t take this spiritual reality seriously. Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think that?
“10 out of 10 people die.” It’s obvious, but yet it seems that many people live as though they don’t take this spiritual reality seriously. Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think that?
Do you think most people are uncomfortable talking about death?
Although many people find the topic of death uncomfortable, most are intrigued by the idea of an afterlife. Why do you think that is?
[S]earch the Bible
[S]earch the Bible
According to Scripture, there are two distinct options for what happens after we die: praise or pain.
According to Scripture, there are two distinct options for what happens after we die: praise or pain.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
This is Jesus speaking here. What is He saying the difference is for those who believe in Him and those who don’t?
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
What is Jesus saying about other ways to God?
Are these words from Jesus difficult to hear? Why or why not?
As believers, can we just dismiss them if we don’t like them?
How might they bring urgency to our efforts to share our faith with others?
and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
How does this passage make you feel?
[A]pply the Truth Personally
EXPLAIN The passage we just read used the phrase: “forever separated from the Lord.” Look at your handout. There you’ll find an interesting quote from C.S. Lewis, a famous Christian author. Here’s what he said about Hell:
EXPLAIN The passage we just read used the phrase: “forever separated from the Lord.” Look at your handout. There you’ll find an interesting quote from C.S. Lewis, a famous Christian author. Here’s what he said about Hell:
Sin is man’s saying to God throughout life, “Go away and leave me alone.” Hell is God’s finally saying to man, “You may have your wish.” It is God’s leaving man to himself, as man has chosen.
Sin is man’s saying to God throughout life, “Go away and leave me alone.” Hell is God’s finally saying to man, “You may have your wish.” It is God’s leaving man to himself, as man has chosen.
What do you think of this statement?
Does it surprise you to hear that people choose Hell when they choose to push God away? Why or why not?
How do you reconcile the reality of a loving God and the reality of Hell?
EXPLAIN This last question is one many people struggle with. But the struggle comes because we often don’t grasp the full character of the God of the Bible. Love and justice are both part of God’s very essence. Often, the 21st-century version of God is that He is just loving, instead of just and loving. Our culture usually minimizes the just part of God—which demands absolute justice, holiness, and perfection— and maximizes the loving part of God, which shows mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
EXPLAIN This last question is one many people struggle with. But the struggle comes because we often don’t grasp the full character of the God of the Bible. Love and justice are both part of God’s very essence. Often, the 21st-century version of God is that He is just loving, instead of just and loving. Our culture usually minimizes the just part of God—which demands absolute justice, holiness, and perfection— and maximizes the loving part of God, which shows mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
Do you think it’s possible that God’s attitude toward sin and evil are actually born out of His great love for us? Why or why not?
God hates sin and evil because they harm us and separate us from Him
God hates sin and evil because they harm us and separate us from Him
How did God demonstrate His love for us?
Is Hell necessary? Why or why not?
EXPLAIN Hell is necessary, because God’s love is not coercive—He does not force us to love Him back and accept His free gift of salvation available through Jesus’s work on the cross. People are free to choose to reject God’s love and remain “forever separated from the Lord,” as it says in the passage we just read.
EXPLAIN Hell is necessary, because God’s love is not coercive—He does not force us to love Him back and accept His free gift of salvation available through Jesus’s work on the cross. People are free to choose to reject God’s love and remain “forever separated from the Lord,” as it says in the passage we just read.
What do you think Heaven will be like?
Surveys show that more people believe in Heaven than Hell. Why do you think that’s the case?
EXPLAIN Most conversations you’ll have about the afterlife will brush up against the reality of Heaven and Hell. So we’re going to take a few minutes right now, so you can solidify in your own head some of what we’ve just been talking about. On your page, there’s some space to write down your thoughts. Take some time right now to respond to the question you see there: How would you describe what Heaven and Hell are like to someone who has never read the Bible? Write a brief description of each.
EXPLAIN Most conversations you’ll have about the afterlife will brush up against the reality of Heaven and Hell. So we’re going to take a few minutes right now, so you can solidify in your own head some of what we’ve just been talking about. On your page, there’s some space to write down your thoughts. Take some time right now to respond to the question you see there: How would you describe what Heaven and Hell are like to someone who has never read the Bible? Write a brief description of each.
Which do you think would motivate you more: seeing the pain of Hell for 24 hours or seeing the joy and excitement of Heaven for 24 seconds? Why?
“What am I doing about this?” If there’s really a Heaven and really a Hell, and people are going to one or the other based on Jesus and what they believe about Him, what am I doing?” Does this eternal reality create any urgency within you to tell others about Jesus? Why or why not?
Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all.
For I did not hold back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.
If you had the cure for cancer, would you tell a friend who was dying of cancer about it? If you have the cure for an eternity spent apart from God, would you not do the same?
EXPLAIN Take a minute or so right now to write down on your handout the names of some of your friends who don’t know Jesus. You’ll find a little circular graphic there, to remind you that these are people you want to pray for with passion, care for with love, and share the truth with. This prayer-care-share process may take days, months, or even years, but the important thing is to never give up on your efforts to introduce others to Jesus.
EXPLAIN Take a minute or so right now to write down on your handout the names of some of your friends who don’t know Jesus. You’ll find a little circular graphic there, to remind you that these are people you want to pray for with passion, care for with love, and share the truth with. This prayer-care-share process may take days, months, or even years, but the important thing is to never give up on your efforts to introduce others to Jesus.
[L]isten to Others Deeply+
[L]isten to Others Deeply+
You should be aware that one of the most common responses to what it takes to get into Heaven is “to live a good life” or be “good enough” compared with other people. Therefore, it’s helpful to have an illustration that explains why Jesus said “good enough” isn’t “good enough.” Here’s one illustration you might use:
You should be aware that one of the most common responses to what it takes to get into Heaven is “to live a good life” or be “good enough” compared with other people. Therefore, it’s helpful to have an illustration that explains why Jesus said “good enough” isn’t “good enough.” Here’s one illustration you might use:
Let’s say I baked you a cake and burned it. If I covered it with white frosting and gave it to you, the cake would still be burned, even though you couldn’t see it. Putting frosting on it doesn’t change the fact that the cake is ruined. Thinking that we can cover our sin with our “good enough” efforts is like putting frosting on a burned cake. God sees right through the “frosting” to the sin that lies inside each and every one of us
Let’s say I baked you a cake and burned it. If I covered it with white frosting and gave it to you, the cake would still be burned, even though you couldn’t see it. Putting frosting on it doesn’t change the fact that the cake is ruined. Thinking that we can cover our sin with our “good enough” efforts is like putting frosting on a burned cake. God sees right through the “frosting” to the sin that lies inside each and every one of us
[T]alk About the Gospel
[T]alk About the Gospel
EXPLAIN Once you’ve opened up the conversation and better understand where the other person is coming from, talk about the Gospel. Say something like:
EXPLAIN Once you’ve opened up the conversation and better understand where the other person is coming from, talk about the Gospel. Say something like:
Did you know the Bible says that “nothing impure will ever enter” Heaven (Revelation 21:27)? That means our efforts to be “good enough” by doing good things are like putting white frosting on a burned cake. Underneath the frosting, the cake is still burned. That’s why we need the forgiveness of sin that Jesus came to provide.
Did you know the Bible says that “nothing impure will ever enter” Heaven (Revelation 21:27)? That means our efforts to be “good enough” by doing good things are like putting white frosting on a burned cake. Underneath the frosting, the cake is still burned. That’s why we need the forgiveness of sin that Jesus came to provide.
Do you know where you are going when you die? The Bible tells us that if we put our faith in Jesus alone to forgive us for our sins, we can be restored to a relationship with God and receive the free gift of eternal life that starts now and lasts forever. But it takes a decision. I invite you to make that decision today.
Do you know where you are going when you die? The Bible tells us that if we put our faith in Jesus alone to forgive us for our sins, we can be restored to a relationship with God and receive the free gift of eternal life that starts now and lasts forever. But it takes a decision. I invite you to make that decision today.