Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

There is no mention of Hell in any of the sermons in Acts.

Acts 2:40 "...Save yourself from this untoward generation"
Acts 3:23 "And it shall come to pass that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."
Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Acts 5:31 "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."
Acts 7:53 "Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."
Acts 8:24 "Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me."
Acts 10:42-43 "And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
Acts 13:38-39 "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethern, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

There may be more accounts but I think these are sufficient. And it seems that Hell is not mentioned once. It's not hard to understand how forgiveness of sins could be preached to jews and those that believed in God. However, since Hell is not mentioned what did salvation mean to those that had it preached to them? I don't think that the jews of that time had any idea about what hell was. What were they being told to be saved from?

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

I think they did???

But that is a very good question.
It will be intersting to read what others think. ??

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

i think that hell is ultimately the motivation for being saved because of our flesh and its unability to understand the long-term consequences of it's actions - if the jews didnt understand hell then it would have been more difficult for them to live for GOD or understand true salvation

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

good observations jfrog!!

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

Hell has absolutely NOTHING to do with why I am a Follower of Jesus Christ. Nothing. Zilch.

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

Very good question. I hope someone knows the answer.

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

Wonder what Paul said that caused this reaction?

24: And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25: And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. Acts 24:24-25

What was meant by the preaching of "judgment to come"?

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

To my knowledge, (which is rather limited on this subject) hell is not a doctrine found in the old testament. This is why I was saying that the Jews did not know what hell was. If it can be found in the old testament or shown that jews of that time believed it for some other reason then my question is answered. Salvation would seem to definately refer to hell in that case.

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

Good question. I think it could be said that when God told Lot to flee Sodom and Gohmorrah that he was telling him to flee the "judgment to come". So just because scripture refers to "judgment to come" does not necessitate that the reference is to any kind of judgment in the afterlife because it might simply be referring to a judgment on a nation or city or even something horrible that might happen to an individual in this life.

That being said the verse you quoted and even a few of the ones I quoted could definetly be interpreted as meaning judged to heaven or hell. Especially Acts 10:42 where it refers to Jesus as the "Judge of quick and dead". I mean if hes judging the dead one might naturally assume that he is judging them into heaven or into hell. But there are also a great many other ways that we can take this verse. So even it isn't conclusive to use as showing the apostles preached about hell. Though it doesn't show that they didn't either ;)

Re: Sermons in Acts and Hell
 

An everlasting Hell where souls were tormented for millions upon billions upon trillions of years was not known in the Old Testament. Yet the destruction of the soul of the wicked was.

4: Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4

This was the same doctrine taught by Yeshua.

28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. 10:28

This fire judgment is shown us in Malachi.

16: Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
17: And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18: Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

1: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. Mal. 1:1

This is the reference Yeshua had in mind:

40: As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41: The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42: And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matt. 13:40-42

The "furnace of fire" Yeshua mentioned sounds a lot like Malachi's fiery oven. The "tares" sound a lot like Malachi's "stubble".