Hell...Right Outside of Columbus?

What if Hell was right outside of Columbus, Indiana? What if people went there before they died and not after? What if people could get into a car and drive to Indiana to witness the suffering of the lost firsthand? What if everyone who hadn’t believed in Jesus by the age of thirty was cast into the Lake of Fire and there was no second chance after three decades on earth? If this fictional scenario was factual reality then convincing every person on the planet under the age of thirty to follow Jesus would become the greatest social justice movement in the history of the world. Local churches would line up to throw resources behind this urgent and immediate cause. Christians would share the gospel to the younger generation with boldness, passion and urgency.
Well, the Lake of Fire is not outside of Columbus, but it is just on the other side of the border to this life. Hell is not the immediate consequence for every thirty year old, but it is the wages for everyone who has ever sinned no matter what their age (Romans 6:23). Every person on this planet is just one breath away from heaven or hell at every second of every day. In light of this brutal reality we must use our every breath to convince every one within our reach to believe in Jesus before it’s too late. We must embrace sharing the gospel with everyone as the greatest cause in human history.
So with that said, no single act in the Christian life is as dangerous as evangelism. Bible study, prayer and attending church aren't dangerous, they are disciplines. But when you actually open your mouth to proclaim the gospel to someone, you risk some kind of loss. In some countries that could be your life. But in America it is most likely your reputation, a relationship, or maybe even a pending promotion. When you share the gospel, even in a loving way, you could be subjecting yourself to mockery or, at the very minimum, alienation by co-workers, classmates, family or friends. When you proclaim Christ’s controversial message to those you know, you are picking up your cross in a visceral and vocal way. You are proving that you are willing to die to that relationship, if need be, so that that person can hear and have the opportunity of being transformed by the gospel. Now that is dangerous and that is evangelism.