I CAN'T STAND YOU - GO TO HELL!

WOW!! That’s a lot of anger to tell someone that. Are you using that phrase as a figure of speech? Did you say it in jest? I would venture to say that most people that use that harsh language really mean it. Do not say you didn’t mean it because if you didn’t, you would not have said it. Personally, I’m offended by the expression, in jest or otherwise. It’s a cruel and ungodly thing to say. No Christian should EVER say to someone” GO TO HELL!” Call me a prude if you want to, but let me take it to another level.

To tell someone to go to Hell is tantamount to murder. Why? It’s an expression of hatred. Jesus in Matthew 5:22 states, “But I say to you that whosever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. The prior verse, verse 21 says that whoever murders shall be in danger of judgment. Not only is the act of murder punishable, the thought of it is evil and is murderous at heart. The murderous act begins in the mind and in the heart. The term Judgment is the greek word krisis which contains several meanings-the primary of which means the process of investigation, the act of distinguishing or separating. Just like today’s judicial system, evidence is examined in a trial and the result will be either an innocent or guilty verdict. How much more will God judge our evil intentions? Why would anyone tell someone they claim to love to go to Hell? Apparently you don’t love them. You have to hate them to tell them that. We need to think very carefully about what we say before we open our mouths.

Here are some reasons why we say the harmful things we say to one another: Let’s first take a look at Matt 15:18-20, Jesus said, “But the things that proceed out the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man. Matthew 12:34 says, “Brood of vipers! How can you being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” From these two verses alone we see that it is the heart that is the problem. People are filling their hearts with the wrong things and thus they are contaminating, blackening the soul. We must follow the example of King David, ”create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Have you done that? If not, do it today for your own well being.

Another reason we do not want to consign someone to Hell is because it’s not God’s desire.

Ezekiel 33:11, “Say to them, as I live says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?”

The Lord is displeased when we rejoice over the failure of the wicked:

Proverbs 24:17-18, Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

We ruin our witness to the lost

Proverbs 25:26, A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

When we curse men with ungodly speech, this gives the unsaved an occasion to dishonor God; in this instance, it’s our fault.

Demanding someone’s damnation is the total antithesis of why Jesus came.

Luke 19:10 – Jesus said, “I came to seek and save that which was lost.”

God came to the earth to save men through his perfect blood sacrifice, not condemn them.

Look at John 3:17 – Jesus said, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

So, in essence what you’re doing when you condemn someone to Hell, you’re actually a hindrance to the kingdom of God and a tool for the devil. Once again, your hate speech is murderous at heart and that’s the “Modus Operandi” of Satan himself, to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). You have cast your vote with the arch enemy of Almighty God!!

Beloved, I would watch my mouth if I were you (James 1:19). As wise man told me long ago. “you have two ears and one mouth; you should listen at least twice as much as you speak.” That’s a good rule to live by don’t you think?

The perfect description of a forked tongue

In the book of James 3:2-10 it says, For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is perfect man, able to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. (Here’s the analogy) Look also at ships: although they are large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be.

My friend, that says it all.

What I would recommend to tame your tongue: Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16).

Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11).

Remember the Word of God contains dynamic, explosive power to change your behavior if you let it. The more the word gets in you, the more Christ-like you’ll become. We should all be making this our life pursuit.

This is a difficult one, very difficult: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14).  Dear Lord, help me with this one, please!!

Do not overcome evil by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).