My post yesterday was one that wasn’t enjoyable to write, nor is it something I often like to think about. Hell is not a place I want to go, nor is it a place I want anyone to go. The thing is, ignoring it doesn’t help people avoid it. Pretending hell is not a very real possibility does not make it less of a threat. Instead, reading what the Bible has to say about hell (which is actually more than it says about heaven), helps to prepare me for what I’m up against.

Still, it’s unpleasant to talk about. Most of us don’t like to think that people will go there, or that people we love and have already lost may very well end up there. Sadly, that’s the reality of it all, and with that reality in our sights, let us aim all the more to evangelize to the lost and dying world around us.

But, to end our week on a happier note, I want to talk about ways to avoid hell. I like lists, so I’ve composed a short, simple one today.

1: Stay in the light. As we mentioned yesterday, hell is a place of darkness. On the contrary, Christianity is a life of light. God is light (1 John 1:5), and therefore, if we’ll stay in the light (in God), we won’t spend an eternity in hell. Now, how does one ‘stay in God’? Galatians 3:27 tells us that ‘so many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ‘. If you and I want to be in light rather than darkness, we have to put on Christ. When our lives are hidden in Him (Col. 3:3), we will no doubt be hidden from the darkness that is so desperately reaching out for us.

2: Keep company with light. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us that evil companions corrupt good morals, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to abstain from even the appearance of evil, and Psalm 1 shows us an example of those who will not walk, stand or sit with the wicked. The Bible is replete with passages about people who kept company with the wrong kind of people, and ultimately met their demise. If we want to be in heaven with our God and father forever, we would do well to surround ourselves with the ones who will also be in heaven with their God. Having righteous companions will make you stronger (Ecc. 4:12) and less likely to succumb to the dark one.

3: Learn about light. If we never learn what living in the light looks like, how will we abide there? But, if we’ll study from God’s precious and inspired word, we’ll see firsthand what a life of light is to look like–evangelizing, giving, not complaining–and we’ll be more apt to living that kind of life ourselves. Satan uses every trick and trap, his most effective being ignorance. If he can keep us from learning exactly what God wants from us, he can keep us from living in eternity with our Father. If he can distract us from our life of light, he can destroy us. But, if we’ll keep our minds focused, and learn what it truly means to walk in the light as He is in the light, we will have our paths lit (Psalm 119:105) and the devil will flee from us (James 4:7) .

I know that studying about/thinking about/talking about/reading about hell isn’t pleasant. I know it’s not generally something we do on a weekly basis. And yet, periodically, it might be beneficial to refocus our minds, and tell ourselves point blank that satan is trying to get us there–to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth–to the place of darkness and eternal torment. When we see him for what he really is, and where he’s really trying to get us to go, we’ll be more adamant about fighting and fleeing.