Belief in Hell: Blessing or Curse?

As a Christian, what do you believe in?  

Where we discover something good, there is always something to oppose the positive with an equal measure of negative, or so it seems.

It is a given that if we believe in God, we must believe in Satan.

Diabolical contrast is common with other things, as well:  

Where there are BLESSINGS, there are CURSES.

Where there is LOVE, there is HATE.

Where there is HEALTH, there is PLAGUE.

Where there is LIFE, there is DEATH.

Where there is HAPPINESS, there is SADNESS.
Where there is TRIUMPH, there is MISFORTUNE.

While HEAVEN exists, the only alternative is HELL.  

While these contrasts exist, I have heard a few people explain that since they believe in Jesus Christ, there is no need to believe in Satan or his eventual final residence:  
Hell.
I confidently counter that belief with Biblical evidence that it actually exists.  If it didn't exist, Jesus, prophets, apostles, disciples, kings, and others would have never described it in such detail.  Hiding our heads in the sand does not make Hell disappear, nor does it change the fact that it is real;  it actually opens us up to attacks, because we choose ignorance over acceptance.  How do we pray against something we don't believe in or fail to acknowledge? Just as Heaven is as real as Los Angeles, Hell is as real as Houston.

So... Hell:  

It has been known to be a pretty "hot" subject at times...  I believe it exists in some exoteric dimension completely outside of my imagination's finite realm.  It is definitely not searchable on Google Maps, but it is real.  I have 6000% faith that God created this horrendous destination for Lucifer and his demon legions, not for us.  Even though, by design, it was not meant for us, it surely isn't something to take lightly, because we too can end up there.

I once heard someone hypothesize about pain on Earth versus literal hellacious pain.  It was basically said that when we experience so much pain that our neurological system can't handle it, we either (1) go into shock, or (2) go insane to escape the distress.  The hypothesis stated that, in Hell, we have neither of those reality avoidance defense mechanisms.  Whether that is true, I do not know.  What I do know is that it is Biblically revealed that those who go there feel an overly-intense and domineering pain... FOREVER and ever.  

There are no clocks in eternity.  There is no concern for time there.  It goes on forever. It is humanly unfathomable.

As for Heaven is concerned, according to my imagination, the exact opposite of Hell exists:  I utterly can't even begin to conceptualize my future's awesomeness...  Hopefully, I'll tell you when we get there. Just imagine a life without worry, guilt, pain, sickness, or any other negative affliction for FOREVER and ever...  That too is unfathomable.
  As much as I can't imagine how breathtaking my hopeful Heavenly destination will be, I cannot imagine the horrible pain of spending my eternity apart from God.

"Heaven is going to be a place of resurrected relationships.  You're going to be reunited together with your loved ones that have gone before you who have believed in Jesus." 
-Greg Laurie

Again... While HEAVEN exists, the only alternative is HELL:  an eternity apart from our Father.  

We cannot have one without the other.  That is just how it is.

With all of this said, is belief in Hell a curse or a blessing?

Does Hell's existence scare me?
No, I am a child of the Most High God.
Am I scared of going to Hell?
No, because the Bible specifically states that those who are
IN CHRIST
will share in an eternal paradise that is to come for those who believe in Him.

To me, belief in Hell should bless our minds enough to keep us out of it, thus causing us to continually strive for 'the Kingdom of Heaven and all of its righteousness.'  It is a given that if we believe in Heaven, and all of its greatness, the opposing destination MUST exist.  

A disbelief in Hell's existence is a curse of ignorance, nonacceptance, and/or apathy. Curses are borne by Satan, not God.

On Second Thought, I Might Not...

Just Imagine

What if you could go just one day without sinning?  

I think some may have asked themselves this very question at some point in life.  I know I have.  

The Impossible: Perfection

Jesus Christ went His entire life without sinning even once.  You ask me, "WHAT?!?!" as the turntable needle drags across the record, making a screeching sound, then killing the room's vibe.  Yes.  It's true.  Jesus walked the Earth as the Purest of the pure. There will never again be, nor was there ever one like Him.

To me, Jesus never committing sin is probably the most amazing feat for mankind to accomplish (of course, besides dying on a cross, defeating Hell, resurrecting, and saving all of us from eternal condemnation.  He has a magnificent resume.  You should check it out, sometime.  It is listed in the New Testament.).  He, the Son of God, thus making Him the Most Perfect example of a sin-free (hu)man, never found Himself crossing the razor-thin, brittle line between perfection and sin.  To only sin 100, even 1000 times in a lifetime would be absolutely miraculous. But no... Jesus Christ didn't even commit one.  

This doesn't mean He wasn't tempted to sin, because He definitely was, as Biblical evidence points out; He just didn't succumb to it.  To me, this is totally amazing and it gives me total hope, faith, and confidence in the One who stands between Judgement and me; He is our Savior.  

What does "savior" mean to you?  

Savior-  (Paraphrased definition from Merriam-Webster's dictionary) - the One who saves us from danger or destruction; the One who brings salvation.  

Think of how profoundly the word "savior" pertains to us:

Without a Savior, we are 
hopeless, 
dead, 
and 
condemned...
... and not just for today, but for eternity.

Perspective

Sometimes, it is difficult for me to go just 5 minutes, scratch that, 5 seconds, without a sinful thought.  I can't even help thinking sinful thoughts; they just land in my brain.  How can I go a whole day? How could Jesus go His whole life?  Only God's Son could do that...  

In Psalm 119:11, the whole inspiration for this blog entry, the author wrote to God, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."  

Think about what this verse might have meant to its author when reflecting on and writing it.  I believe many of us read or think of this verse, and, while it may strike importance in our minds, it seems pretty cut-and-dry.  Until recently, I read into it the same way, but something changed the last couple of times I meditated on it.  

Changed Perspective

From my [changed] perspective, I believe I relate with what the author is trying to say, here... The author is not only claiming imperfection; the author is saying that with enough of God's divine Word stored up, or hidden, in their heart, there is an actual possibility that sin could be more easily avoided, thus generating an ease of obedience.  It doesn't say, "...I won't sin..." It says, "...I might not sin..."  (emphasis mine.)

In saying, "might not," the author is transparently realizing that, in our flesh, we are far from "righteous" or "good", but there is a possibility, albeit slight, that we [temporarily] might not sin against God if we hide His Word within our hearts.  When I think of the word, "might," in connection with anything, I think of possibilities.  In this case, I think to my self, "What if there is a possibility that I might not sin for even just a small amount of time?"  Just the idea of the possibility is completely awesome!

Notice that Psalm 119:11 also speaks not of the mind, but of the heart, or else it might have been written, "...I'd think about not sinning..." Realistically, humans cannot avoid the act of sinning, or sin itself, but with God's Word in our hearts, obedience is very imminent.

In closing, I only have one thing to say:  
We honor who or what we love most.  Our love's origin is from the heart.