When it comes to hell, we have no reservations about stating that blatantly wicked people like Adolf Hitler are there. But where does one draw the line? How wicked does one have to be to end up in hell? How do you know you haven’t crossed the line?
Because God created us with a moral conscience, we automatically understand the idea of right & wrong. Though, due to our corrupted sinful nature, we often get right & wrong mixed up (Tit 1.15, Isa 5.20). Nonetheless, we readily recognize when we have been wronged & we can identify gross evils such as mass murder, rape & the like. Most folks would be certain to agree that God will administer justice to the latter "sinners". So if God is absolutely just, He will punish the mass murderer. Will He punish someone who murders 3 people? How about 1? The Bible explains that if we merely have anger which generates hatred & cursing, we are as guilty as a murderer (1 Jn 3.15, Mt 5.21-22). Even if we never physically express it, it is the same sinful condition of the soul. How will He deal with anyone who has hated?
You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. – Jesus in Mt 5.21-22
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. – 1 Jn 3.15
While we may struggle where to draw the line & would certainly want to draw it as far from ourselves as possible, God’s demarcation is perfectly clear – He demands absolute moral perfection & cannot tolerate any sinfulness in His holy presence (Ps 5.4, Ex 19.21, Rev 21.27). Since God created mankind, He has the authority to define how we should operate. Such morality is based on God’s very character. Whenever we break God’s moral law, it’s called sin & we’re all guilty (1 Jn 3.4, 1.8, Eccl 7.20). And sin is serious because it rejects God's authority, violates His holy character & cuts us off from Him (Isa 59.2). Part of God’s character is justice – when His law is broken, it demands punishment. While breaking God’s law brings about the natural consequences in this life that God kindly was protecting us from, it also has eternal consequences – this is where hell comes into play.
God is eternal & He has created us to live with Him forever. But when we reject God by sinning, we are in essence telling God we don’t care about Him & we don’t want to be with Him - we act like He doesn't exist (Ps 10.4, 36.1-4). In fact, God says such an attitude is hostile & considers us enemies (Rom 8.7, Col 1.21). Unless our sin is dealt with, we will leap into eternity only to find God’s absolute justice, condemnation & punishment. Our sin against an eternal God will ultimately be met with His ceaseless wrath & eternal separation from Him in hell.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. – Heb 10.26-27
Still there are some who claim that when you die, that’s it – you’re just done – finito. They say this life is all there is, then it’s over & there’s nothing. Yet because we’re made to live forever, deep down there’s something in us that recognizes that’s not true. This is why many people are afraid to die – not because there might be nothing, but because there might be something. And they are uninformed about that something.
However, God not only wants us to be well aware about the reality of hell, but more importantly how to avoid it which we’ll discuss shortly. Consequently, God graciously gave us the Bible with ample warning & explanation. And He even sent His own Son (Heb 1.1-2). When we consider that Jesus had full knowledge of what awaits us on the other side of death, would we expect Him to hold back information that would help us? Even though He knows we don’t like hearing about it, Jesus loves us & wants us to know the truth. Following are some fast facts that Scripture reveals about hell:
We have but 2 options before our last breath. We can ignore this information because we don't like it & stay the course of holy retribution. Or right now, we can take God up on His exceedingly merciful & gracious offer. Because God loves us so much, He made a way out by sending His only Son – Jesus Christ. When Jesus came as a man, He lived a sinless life of moral perfection that is impossible for us to live. Yet, He was falsely accused & condemned to death by crucifixion. While those who did it are guilty, this was God’s plan – Christ came for this purpose. When He died, He was taking the punishment for our every sin. But to demonstrate His power over sin & death, Jesus was raised to life (resurrected) & has returned to heaven.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. – Ac 4.12
The only way God has provided for us to be saved is known as the Gospel which means Good News & it certainly is. It is a matter of acknowledging to God that you have sinned against Him, earning His just wrath. It is trusting that when Jesus was brutally beaten & killed, He was taking on God’s full punishment for all of your very own sins – past, present & future; God’s Eternal Son took your eternal hell & satisfied His own justice (2 Cor 5.21). It is believing that Jesus came back to life to give you eternal life even beyond death.
For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. – Jesus in Jn 3.16-18
Upon doing this, God fully forgives all your sins & Christ’s perfect moral life qualifies you for heaven. And God not only wants to save you from hell, but also wants to save you to Himself – He wants you to have a relationship with Him. So if you pray to Him confessing you're a sinner deserving hell, then trust in Christ's forgiveness, God will give you eternal life with Him starting now! Now get to know Him by reading His written Word to us (the Bible) & pray often to seek His direction in your life.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit – 1 Pt 3.18
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. – Jesus in Jn 17.3
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Rom 6.23
This terrifying description of hell is what Jesus died to save you from. So if you haven’t already believed the Gospel & made Jesus Christ your Savior, do so now & begin your life with God today!
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. – 1 Jn 5.13
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. – Jesus in Mt 7.13-14
Because God created us with a moral conscience, we automatically understand the idea of right & wrong. Though, due to our corrupted sinful nature, we often get right & wrong mixed up (Tit 1.15, Isa 5.20). Nonetheless, we readily recognize when we have been wronged & we can identify gross evils such as mass murder, rape & the like. Most folks would be certain to agree that God will administer justice to the latter "sinners". So if God is absolutely just, He will punish the mass murderer. Will He punish someone who murders 3 people? How about 1? The Bible explains that if we merely have anger which generates hatred & cursing, we are as guilty as a murderer (1 Jn 3.15, Mt 5.21-22). Even if we never physically express it, it is the same sinful condition of the soul. How will He deal with anyone who has hated?
You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. – Jesus in Mt 5.21-22
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. – 1 Jn 3.15
While we may struggle where to draw the line & would certainly want to draw it as far from ourselves as possible, God’s demarcation is perfectly clear – He demands absolute moral perfection & cannot tolerate any sinfulness in His holy presence (Ps 5.4, Ex 19.21, Rev 21.27). Since God created mankind, He has the authority to define how we should operate. Such morality is based on God’s very character. Whenever we break God’s moral law, it’s called sin & we’re all guilty (1 Jn 3.4, 1.8, Eccl 7.20). And sin is serious because it rejects God's authority, violates His holy character & cuts us off from Him (Isa 59.2). Part of God’s character is justice – when His law is broken, it demands punishment. While breaking God’s law brings about the natural consequences in this life that God kindly was protecting us from, it also has eternal consequences – this is where hell comes into play.
God is eternal & He has created us to live with Him forever. But when we reject God by sinning, we are in essence telling God we don’t care about Him & we don’t want to be with Him - we act like He doesn't exist (Ps 10.4, 36.1-4). In fact, God says such an attitude is hostile & considers us enemies (Rom 8.7, Col 1.21). Unless our sin is dealt with, we will leap into eternity only to find God’s absolute justice, condemnation & punishment. Our sin against an eternal God will ultimately be met with His ceaseless wrath & eternal separation from Him in hell.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. – Heb 10.26-27
Still there are some who claim that when you die, that’s it – you’re just done – finito. They say this life is all there is, then it’s over & there’s nothing. Yet because we’re made to live forever, deep down there’s something in us that recognizes that’s not true. This is why many people are afraid to die – not because there might be nothing, but because there might be something. And they are uninformed about that something.
However, God not only wants us to be well aware about the reality of hell, but more importantly how to avoid it which we’ll discuss shortly. Consequently, God graciously gave us the Bible with ample warning & explanation. And He even sent His own Son (Heb 1.1-2). When we consider that Jesus had full knowledge of what awaits us on the other side of death, would we expect Him to hold back information that would help us? Even though He knows we don’t like hearing about it, Jesus loves us & wants us to know the truth. Following are some fast facts that Scripture reveals about hell:
- The dominant characteristic of hell is that there is eternal separation from God (2 Thes 1.8-9).
- The inhabitants of hell will be the perpetual focal point of God’s wrath (Jn 3.36, Rom 2.8, Eph 2.3, Col 3.5-6).
- Hell is everlasting (Ps 92.7, Rev 20.10).
- When referring to hell, Jesus often used the phrase “weeping & gnashing of teeth” (Mt 13.41-42, Lk 13.28).
- There will be unending, agonizing torment & anguish (Lk 16.22-28).
- It will also be a place of endless punishment (Mt 25.46, 2 Thes 1.9, Rev 14.11).
- The Bible commonly notes hell’s unquenchable fire & burning (Mt 13.42, 25.41, Mk 9.43, 48, Isa 66.24).
- It’s also known as the “lake of fire” or "lake of fire and sulfur" (Rev 20.10, 14-15, 21.8).
- Though there is fire & burning, hell is a place of perpetual darkness (Mt 8.12, Jd 1.13). While God is certainly not limited to our known means of fire & burning, we do know of types that don’t emit light (some chemical burns, alcohol fires, etc.).
- There is permanent regret & the Bible indicates that those in hell may be aware of those in heaven, but not the other way around (Lk 16.26).
- There is no way out – no way to ever escape, get to heaven or even get temporary relief from the agony (Lk 16.24-26).
- Jesus likened hell to a garbage dump outside Jerusalem called Gehenna that was a wasteland of continually burning refuse & dead bodies of executed criminals.
- Unbelievers that die now will go to an intermediate hell known as hades that will be eventually & finally emptied into eternal hell – this is known as the second death signifying the final separation from God who is the source of life (Rev 20.13-15, 21.8). There is absolutely no chance for pardon or parole for good behavior in either hades or hell.
- The bodies of those who have rejected the Gospel will be resurrected & transformed into bodies built for eternal punishment (Mt 25.41-46, Rev 20.5).
- The bodies of those in hell will be designed to be burned without being consumed & tormented without annihilation (Isa 66.24, Mk 9.47-49). God’s ability to do this was manifest in the burning bush (Ex 3.2) & will be further exemplified during the Tribulation Period (Rev 9.5-6).
- Unbelievers will be thrown into hell by God (Lk 12.5, Mt 5.29).
- Hell is also prepared for Satan & his fallen angels known as demons (Mt 25.41).
- Satan is not currently in hell, but is roaming the Earth deceiving & tempting people (1 Pet 5.8, Job 1.7) - including promoting the insidious lies that "hell isn't real", "you haven't done anything to deserve hell" & "a loving god wouldn't send people to hell".
- Satan along with the Beast & the False Prophet of the Tribulation Period will be permanently cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20.10, 19.20).
We have but 2 options before our last breath. We can ignore this information because we don't like it & stay the course of holy retribution. Or right now, we can take God up on His exceedingly merciful & gracious offer. Because God loves us so much, He made a way out by sending His only Son – Jesus Christ. When Jesus came as a man, He lived a sinless life of moral perfection that is impossible for us to live. Yet, He was falsely accused & condemned to death by crucifixion. While those who did it are guilty, this was God’s plan – Christ came for this purpose. When He died, He was taking the punishment for our every sin. But to demonstrate His power over sin & death, Jesus was raised to life (resurrected) & has returned to heaven.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. – Ac 4.12
The only way God has provided for us to be saved is known as the Gospel which means Good News & it certainly is. It is a matter of acknowledging to God that you have sinned against Him, earning His just wrath. It is trusting that when Jesus was brutally beaten & killed, He was taking on God’s full punishment for all of your very own sins – past, present & future; God’s Eternal Son took your eternal hell & satisfied His own justice (2 Cor 5.21). It is believing that Jesus came back to life to give you eternal life even beyond death.
For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. – Jesus in Jn 3.16-18
Upon doing this, God fully forgives all your sins & Christ’s perfect moral life qualifies you for heaven. And God not only wants to save you from hell, but also wants to save you to Himself – He wants you to have a relationship with Him. So if you pray to Him confessing you're a sinner deserving hell, then trust in Christ's forgiveness, God will give you eternal life with Him starting now! Now get to know Him by reading His written Word to us (the Bible) & pray often to seek His direction in your life.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit – 1 Pt 3.18
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. – Jesus in Jn 17.3
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Rom 6.23
This terrifying description of hell is what Jesus died to save you from. So if you haven’t already believed the Gospel & made Jesus Christ your Savior, do so now & begin your life with God today!
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. – 1 Jn 5.13
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. – Jesus in Mt 7.13-14
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