What Does The Bible Teach About Hell?

[Cinnamon-mom]

by Charlie H. Campbell

Tonight we want to take up a doctrine of the Christian faith that has drawn lots of fire from the critics. The doctrine of hell, and the everlasting punishment of the wicked. The Bible makes it absolutely clear that the unrighteous will spend eternity separated from God in a place of conscious torment. Despite hell's unpopularity these days, there are numerous references in the New Testament that warn of hell and the judgment that await the unrighteous.

The Bible describes "hell" as a place of...

--outer darkness (Matthew 25:30)

--weeping (Matthew 8:12)

--wailing (Matthew 13:42)

--gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50)

--flames (Luke 16:24)

--everlasting fire (Matthew 25:46)

--a furnace of fire (Matthew 13:42)

--separation from the righteous (Matthew 25:46)

--eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

--torment (Luke 16:23)

--everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46)

--and as the lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20)

The Bible seems to exhaust the human language describing just how awful of a place hell will be.Who said these things about hell? Peter? No. Luke? No. All but two of these descriptions I just read to you were uttered by Jesus Himself. Jesus had more to say about hell than He did about heaven!

In spite of the Bible's clarity on this issue, Satan has deceived millions of people into believing a variety of other softer options. Satan, "the father of lies" (John 8:44) never ceases to take advantage of those who are willing to lay aside Biblical revelation for something that is more palatable.

• Many today, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, believe in annihilationism. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God will annihilate the unrighteous, and that the unrighteous will simply just cease to exist.
  

• The Hindus, the Hare Krishna's, and those who hold to the teachings of the New Age Religion believe in reincarnation.
  

• Buddhism points people to a state of nirvana, which literally means a "blowing out." This is described as a permanent, transcendent state of being with no suffering.
  
  
• The Mormon Church also denies the Biblical teaching on hell, and teaches that all, even the worst of sinners will find a place in the lower levels of heaven.[1]
  
• And many others today, even in some Christian circles, are beginning to believe in what is called Universalism. Universalism is the belief that through the death of Christ all will eventually be saved!

All of these views share a common idea or lie behind them: "There's no need to really worry about what awaits you or the others after death."

Not only have many people rejected the Biblical teaching on hell (opting for a softer view) they are posing some difficult questions, and raising some challenging objections about the issue. Questions and objections that we as ambassadors of Christ, should be prepared to answer.

So I'd like to spend the rest of our time this evening considering some of these questions and objections and then offer a thoughtful, Biblical response to each one of them.

The first objection is this...

1. "A God of love would never send anybody to hell."

Isn't it interesting that everybody thinks that God is so loving? Where does mankind get the idea that God loves the whole world, including sinners?

--The Buddhist scriptures, the Tripitaka? No.

--The Hindu Vedas? No.

--The Qur'an? No.

Answer: The idea of a loving God that permeates our culture comes from the Bible.

It is the Bible alone [2], among religious literature, that presents God as gracious, loving, merciful and forgiving of sinners.

People get their idea that God is loving from the very same book that teaches us about hell! And it's important to point this out to people who raise this objection: The Bible, that reveals that God is loving, reveals that God is also HOLY and JUST.[3] Because God is loving, He is just.

And because He is just, adulterers, murderers, thieves, liars, fornicators, idolaters, etc. must be punished. Think of a judge down here at the local court that let rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, and thieves go. That would be an unloving act against humanity wouldn't it?

Think of the parents who might let their kids run around the neighborhood hurting other kids, stealing, and so on with no repercussions, no penalties, no punishment! The loving thing for these parents to do would be to punish their children. A loving judge, a loving parent, condemns the law breaker justly in order to love his neighbors.[4]

The same is true of God. It would be unloving for God to let sinners go on into eternity with no ramifications for the evil things they did in this life. It's important to remind people of that.

So, will God judge sinners and punish them? Yes. Why? Because He is loving. He is just. But it's also important to remind the person who raises this objection ("A God of love would never send anybody to hell.") how God has, in His love, taken the punishment for mankind's sins upon Himself, that we might be freely, and justly be forgiven.

A second objection is this:

2. "God will not send good people to hell."

Many people who believe in hell's existence, and who even believe others are going there, have deceived themselves into thinking that God will not send them there.

Why? Well, they reason, "I'm a good person."

So let me ask you a question. Will God send good people to hell? The answer is, no. God will not send good people to hell. God sends sinners to hell.

Here's the thing that we need to communicate to people who think that good people will go to heaven: According to the Bible there are no good people. The Bible says we are all sinners!!

--Jesus Himself said in Luke 18:19, "No one is good but One, that is, God."

--Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no, not one;"

--Isaiah 53:6 says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way."

--Jesus even referred to His disciples as being "evil": "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13)

On man's scale a person might appear pretty good, but according to the Word of God, the Bible, each one of us, in our natural state is an unrighteous, evil person. Those are the people that deserve to end up in hell. Sinners. People like you and me (before we were born again). And those are the people, if they reject God's offer of forgiveness, who will end up there.

A third, and somewhat related, objection/question is this:

3. "Why would God have created us, if He knew in advance that so many people would be eternally lost?"

That seems to be a reasonable question. Let me ask you this. Did God know, before He created the world, that many would freely reject Him, and end up eternally separated from Him? Yes.

God is omniscient. His foreknowledge is perfect. So then, why did He create us, even knowing in advance that many would be lost?

I believe the simplest answer is this: Just as the Lord knew many would reject Him, the opposite is also true; He also knew that many would freely receive Him and enjoy eternity with Him.

Apparently, even knowing that many would reject Him and end up in hell, He felt it worth it, so that we who would receive Him, could have fellowship with Him, and Him with us.

Why should God have not created humans, just because some would refuse to submit their lives to Him? That would allow evil to triumph over good. One wouldn't refuse to start a family because he realizes that some of his descendants will reject the gospel and end up in hell. Why? Because he knows that many will not.

 

I realize that by having kids, I am becoming the trunk, if you will, to a large family tree, if the Lord should tarry [illustration on whiteboard].

I realize that it is very likely that some of these descendants of mine will reject the gospel. Do I then refuse to have a family because these will suffer? No. Why? Because many of my descendants (Lord willing) will not suffer in hell and will get to enjoy the glories of heaven forever! And those who do suffer will end up in hell of their own free accord. By me fathering (or grandfathering, etc) them, I am not in any way forcing them to go to hell. They, like all, will have the option to receive God's mercy and forgiveness. So I'm not going to withhold the blessings of eternity from my children and other descendants, because of the evil actions of others.

This is also true with God. He knew that many would reject Him, but He also knew that many would receive Him.[5]

A fourth, and somewhat related, question is this:

4. "Why didn't God just create a world in which no one would end up in hell?"

This is also a popular question. To prevent hell, and the judgment that must be meted out against unrepentant, unrighteous sinners, God would have had to create a world in which sin would not take place.

As we've already noted, sin demands punishment. To prevent sin from occurring, God would have had to create people without free will, a world in which everybody must do only that which pleases God.

A world like that would have been a world full of robots, rocks and trees.

That would have been a meaningless world for God. In order for a genuine loving relationship to exist between God and people, people must be free. Free to love Him, or free to hate Him. But with freedom comes the possibility of evil. And evil necessitates God's punishment. The truth of the matter is that God created the best of all possible worlds.

Ask people today on the street if they would like to live their lives in accord with all of God's holy demands. Well, of course the answer on the streets will be "No." The majority of people in the world want to move freely about, from one unholy pursuit to another.

God has given mankind the very world that mankind wants to live in. A world in which they are truly free. What they don't like is the thought that there will be serious consequences for what they do with their freedom!

[MAKEMYDAY101]

Jul. 1, 2009 at 6:28 PM

WOW.. WELL DONE! NICE POST... 

 

---

Powered by CafeMom Toolbar - Get yours today!

[MAKEMYDAY101]

Jul. 1, 2009 at 6:29 PM

 Deuteronomy 32:22   For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

  2 Samuel 22:6   The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 


  Job 11:8   It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

  Job 26:6   Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

  Psalms 9:17   The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

  Psalms 16:10   For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

  Psalms 18:5   The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

  Psalms 55:15   Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

  Psalms 86:13   For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

  Psalms 116:3   The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

  Psalms 139:8   If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

  Proverbs 5:5   Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

  Proverbs 7:27   Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

  Proverbs 9:18   But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

  Proverbs 15:11   Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

  Proverbs 15:24   The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

  Proverbs 23:14   Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

  Proverbs 27:20   Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

  Isaiah 5:14   Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

  Isaiah 14:9   Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

  Isaiah 14:15   Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

  Isaiah 28:15   Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

  Isaiah 28:18   And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

  Isaiah 57:9   And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.

  Ezekiel 31:16   I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.

  Ezekiel 31:17   They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.

  Ezekiel 32:21   The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.

  Ezekiel 32:27   And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.

  Amos 9:2   Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

  Jonah 2:2   And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

  Habakkuk 2:5   Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

  Matthew 5:22   But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

  Matthew 5:29   And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

  Matthew 5:30   And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

  Matthew 10:28   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.

  Matthew 11:23   And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

  Matthew 16:18   And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

  Matthew 18:9   And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

  Matthew 23:15   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

  Matthew 23:33   Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

  Mark 9:43   And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

  Mark 9:45   And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

  Mark 9:47   And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

  Luke 10:15   And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

  Luke 12:5   But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

  Luke 16:23   And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

  Acts 2:27   Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

  Acts 2:31   He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

  James 3:6   And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

  2 Peter 2:4   For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

  Revelation 1:18   I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  Revelation 6:8   And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

  Revelation 20:13   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

  Revelation 20:14   And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Now either you beleive the bible or you don't I can not and will not argue with you... But if you beleive the bible is not accurate on this one subject.. then tell me how you can beleive it on any other subject?

Personally if I Beleive the bible.. I MUST BELEIVE IT ALL..