“No!” IS GOD’S ANSWER TOO

Frankly, the little boy’s voice behind us moved me more than the preacher’s booming voice coming across the pulpit in front of us. The child’s one word was weighted more than the many words--not that the many words were not poignant and powerful. That boy’s one word was “No!” The auditorium was crowded. The preacher was concluding a moving message. To bring it home, the man of God boomed a penetrating question to the congregation: “Do you want people to die and go to hell because you weren’t faithful?” As the preacher drew a breath for his next statement and the congregation sat in quiet contemplative conviction, a young boy a few rows behind us cried out a clarion clear, “No!” Children of that age, during the preaching, are normally busy doing something rather than appearing like they are listening—drawing or coloring pictures, playing with a hot-wheel, etc. But I have discovered as a parent, grandparent, and preacher, they are listening and catching far more than one would imagine. Also, children that age don’t recognize a rhetorical question--a question asked to make a point and cause reflection, with no expected verbal response from the listeners. That child was listening and answered as if the minister were in a dialogue with only him. Preacher: “Do you want people to die and go to hell?” Boy: “No!” “No!” as in “Of course not!” “No!” as in “That’s too horrible to even think of it’s happening.” “No!” as in “who could wish anyone go to hell.” “No!” as in “We can’t let that happen without trying to stop it.” It may seem odd, but, though I was hearing the voice of a young boy, probably not much past a toddler’s age, it was as if I heard the voice of God answer the first part of the preacher’s question, “Do you want people to die and go to hell?” In the child’s voice, I heard God’s voice too, “No!” I heard God’s heart behind the voice, “The Lord is not …willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Pe 3:9). The stark reality is people without Christ do die and go to hell. No amount of new atheism, post-modernism, pluralism, or watered-down, progressive Gospel can change that. But does God desire for folks to go to hell? Ask Him. “God, do you want people to die and go to hell?” He will answer with one Word, “Jesus.” “Jesus” is God’s “No!” to the question of whether God wants people to die and go to hell.” “Jesus” is God’s answer to the question as certainly as “No!” was the boy’s answer. Let’s listen to the dialogue again: Preacher: “Do you want people to die and go to hell?” God: “Jesus.” Because of Jesus, the Word made human, none have to go to hell. His death paid the penalty for our sins. His resurrection assured our subsequent pardon. All who accept Him through faith and repentance are rescued from the destiny of hell. By sending Jesus to die for us, God said, “No! I don’t want people to go to hell.” I just rewound the memory tape in my mind and listened again. Preacher: “Do you want people to die and go to hell …?” Boy: “No!” And there it was. I rewound the memory and listened again to make sure. I was not mistaken. In that boy’s voice was the voice of God. God answered “No!” too.* God answered, “Jesus.” --Pastor Clifford Hurst *”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.” (Joh 3:16).