Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth: We Gotta Talk About It

Matthew 13:42 “They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

We gotta talk about this. When we witness to others, when we attempt to disciple in the name of Jesus, we talk about salvation. But do we talk about the alternative?

Frequently, Christians come in contact with people who are Atheists or have an alternative vision of God that has evolved with society, and “modernized.” Some may say, “well, I don’t think that Hell exists because there’s too much suffering in the world and God is about love and salvation.” Sometimes as Christians, we face much more harsh language that often insults our intellectual quotient. And when a discussion begins to digress, offer up this: “What if you are wrong?” 

Think of it – let’s just entertain the idea for a moment that Christians have it all wrong. We give praises to God, we seek salvation from Jesus, we grow in our walk with Christ – and in the end, the Atheists were right. So what? The worst thing that can happen is that you, the dead Christian, will lose your credibility on Earth. Who cares? You’re dead. But – what if they are wrong.

We all know people we love who refuse to believe or accept Christ. We all know people who we are painfully praying for to turn away from their sins, seek salvation and drown in a sea of God’s grace. But ask yourself this: are you in sorrow for them because they will not inherit the kingdom or because they may go to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Gnashing of teeth” – what an uncomfortable statement. Anyone who visits the dentist regularly and has their teeth scraped could cringe at the thought of gnashing your teeth for all eternity. Weeping and gnashing of teeth for all eternity. 

So – let’s talk about it. The alternative to inheriting the kingdom is going to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. To love others as Christ loves us is to be honest, even with the stuff Christians don’t want to talk about: Hell. We have to tell people the alternative. We have to. Jesus didn’t hide it from us; “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is mentioned seven times in the New Testament. Jesus told us about it. It’s real. And we must tell others about it too.

We have to speak out. There are two options; only two options. Option one: accept the salvation Jesus offers, turn away from sin, and walk a life of discipleship. Option two: weeping and gnashing of teeth. That’s it. Those are the options. There is no middle ground and as Christians, we have to address the less glamorous side of the truth. 

There is no denying that option one leads to the greatest reward – eternity with Christ. However, to not inform people of the second option is doing an injustice to those we love who struggle with their Earthly desires to sin and denounce God. We must recognize that discussion of Hell is as much of the truth as the discussion of Heaven.

How do we describe the alternative to people? Jesus explains it: weeping and gnashing of teeth. Revelation 21:8 describes even more detail, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magical arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Weeping and gnashing of teeth and a fiery lake of burning sulfur.

And Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). If Hell is the weeping, the gnashing of teeth, and the lake of burning sulfur; Jesus is the way, the truth, and the LIFE. Hell is the second death. Jesus is the life; the eternal life.