Beyond Scared Straight

In the month of January, A&E premiered a show called “Beyond Scared Straight”. It highlighted the stories of several teens who’d lost their way in life and was headed down a path that would lead to prison. Counselors and parents decided that they would allow these teen to have a prison “experience” in hopes it would get them back on track. For some it worked, for others it did not.

As a viewer, I sat on my couch and made promises of how I would never do anything that would result in prison time. Being able to witness their experience reinforced my desires to remain on the “straight and narrow”. Though many of us feel that we live life in a manner that would not result in a prison sentence, we fail to acknowledge that the life we lead could result in eternal damnation.

The speaker Sunday at church teachings came from Revelations 21:7. However, I took the liberty of reading beyond that into verse 8.

Rev 21:7-8
Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them, they'll be sons and daughters to me. But for the rest—the feckless and faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars—for them it's Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!"

Verse 8 in this passage is something I’ve been told many many times. I’m sure someone has always mention or said in one way or another “their is a lake of fire waiting on you” (I would hear my grandmother say this to my grandfather and others she didn’t care for). Yet unless you understand exactly what that means, the true impact of the passage means nothing.

First understand just what Lake of Fire is. Imagine burning forever. Its not your body its your soul. FOREVER. There’s no water, no one to save you. You had your chance to get saved and do the right thing and you choose against it. It will be your second death."Brimstone," also referred to as sulfur, evokes the acrid odor of volcanic activity. So to sum it all up, you burn for eternity with the type of substance that erupts volcanoes.

There has been many who say that Lake of Fire and Brimstone is not going to be the literal experience (as if they know), but this particular passage is just describing and comparing the experience. Either way its not something I would want to go through.

I’m not perfect and I can be transparent enough to admit that I am still struggling with the awful sin of lying. However, just the thought of knowing that my fate is burning forever is enough to scare me straight. We probably won’t get that “Lake of Fire and Brimstone” experience like on the “Beyond Scared Straight” series. Nevertheless, the Bible gives a description several times that is enough to remind me to get on the right path.

I admit, I have not been able to make myself read Revelations (the entire chapter). I really don’t believe I’m ready to face that there will be a end to this earth. I don’t think I want to acknowledge that there will be a punishment for my sins if I don’t start doing EVERYTHING God says do. That doesn’t stop me from knowing that a punishment does exist. There will be a rapture. And there is a Lake of Fire and Brimstone waiting for those who didn’t want to do right. The thought alone is enough to scare me straight. I encourage you to have your own reality check. Read Revelations. Do research. Understand that your sins will not go unpunished. For me, I’m beyond scared straight.

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