What Happened To Hell?

What Happened To Hell?

Intro.

A. Some teach against eternal punishment of the wicked, others just ignore it.

1. Robert Ingersoll (famous agnostic 1833-1899) said: “The idea of hell was born of revenge and brutality on the one side, and cowardice on the other...I have no respect for any human who believes in it. I have no respect for any man who preaches it...I dislike this doctrine, I hate it, I despise it, I defy this doctrine...This doctrine of hell is infamous beyond all power to express” (J. Tuten, article in Apostolic Doctrine). (He wrote a book on “Mistakes of Moses,” didn’t like anything in the Bible!)

2. Jehovah’s Witnesses: “The doctrine of a burning hell where the wicked are tortured eternally after death cannot be true, mainly for four reasons: (1) Because it is wholly unscriptural; (2) because it is unreasonable; (3) because it is contrary to God’s love; and (4) because it is repugnant to justice” (Let God Be True, p. 80).

3. Northwestern University School of Education released questionnaire given to 500 ministers of various religious groups:

%Affirm                    %Deny

There is a hell                                                       31                             69

There is a heaven                                                  59                             41

There will be a judgment day                                  61                             39

We should teach on hell                                         20                             80

There will be life after death                                   92                             8

(Whatever Happened to Heaven and Hell, Shenandoah Lectures, 1993)

B. Some brethren have written against it and many more do not believe that hell is eternal punishment - judging from their attitude toward it. When warned they make such statements as:”I won’t be alone” or “You will be on the front row.” Why would one who believes what the Bible says about hell have to be begged to stay out of it??? (Ignore it and it will go away!)

Body:

A. Bible words explained:

1. Sheol (Hebrew), Hades (Greek) - Ps. 16:10 “For You will not leave My soul in Sheol”;

Acts 2:27 “Because You will not leave My soul in Hades.”

a. Does not refer to hell - intermediate state of soul - “all receiving,” some say unseen realm.

b. Described in Lk. 16:19-31: the beggar - to Abraham’s bosom (v. 22), the rich man was buried “and being in torments in Hades” (vs. 22,23).

c. The soul of Jesus went to Hades (Acts 2:27,31) or to Paradise (Lk. 23:43). There can be no change after death (Lk. 16:26 “...between us and you there is a great gulf fixed”)

d. This will end at the second coming (Rev. 20:12-15).

2. Gehenna (Hell) - used 12 times (11 by Jesus), exception Jas. 3:6 “...the tongue is set on fire by hell.”  (Mt. 5:22,29,30; 10:28; 23:15,33; Mk. 9:43,45,47; Lk. 12:5)

a. The valley of Hinnom, parents made children pass through fire to Molech; became known as valley of slaughter (Jer. 7:31-34; 19:2,6); a garbage dump outside Jerusalem in which fire continually burned..

b. Body and soul cast into it - so not Hades - follows the resurrection (Mt. 10:28; Jn. 5:28,29).                 

c. The existence of Hell cannot be denied without a denial of Christ Himself!

B. Descriptions of Hell:

1. Second death (Rev. 20:14; 21:8).

a. Death does not mean annihilation (non-existence) but separation: Mt. 8:22 “But Jesus said to him, Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Jn. 5:24-29; 1 Tim.

5:6; Jas. 2:26.

b. Necessary inference in Mt. 22:32 “I am the God of Abraham...” (If annihilated, no resurrection (Adam and Eve were created - nor resurrected). 

c. First death - physical; second the eternal separation of man from God.

2. A lake, furnace of fire (Mt. 13:41,42; Rev. 20:10).

3. Outer darkness (Mt. 22:13).  (Do not think of literal - but real pain of fire and darkness.)

4. Everlasting punishment (Mt. 25:41,46 you cannot punish what does not exist!)

a. The righteous - night and day (Rev. 7:15); no night there (21:25).

b. The wicked - night and day (Rev. 14:11; 20:10); is outer darkness (Mt. 25:30).

c. The duration of both is the same - One eternal day, one eternal night!

5. A bottomless pit (Rev. 20:3). (Sensation of eternally falling!)

C. Who will go there?

1. The devil and his angels (Rev. 20:10; Mt. 25:41 “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”)

2. The wicked (Rev. 21:8).

3. Those who do not obey (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

4. Those who work iniquity/unlawfulness (Mt. 7:21-23)

5. Unfaithful church members (Mt. 25:1-13).

6. Only those who belong there will go!

D. What about degrees of punishment?

1. Many stripes and few stripes (Lk. 12:47,48) Man told me that if he were lost, it wouldn’t be too bad on him because he had been a good person. When he suddenly died, his said “Daddy knew the truth, he told me he knew!” (Rich man remembered, Lk. 16:27-31.)

2. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widow’s houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation” (Mt. 23:14).  (2 Pet. 2:21 “better not to have known...”) Any degree will be bad!

Concl.

A. Will do no good to accuse God of being unjust. “Would you punish your child eternally for disobeying you?” No, and neither would I reward him eternally for obeying!

B. Is it contrary to God’s love? He loved us enough to provide a perfect sacrifice and gave instructions about how to obtain salvation. Some forget that He is also just (Rom. 3:5-8,24-26).  If lose soul over hurt feelings (if that hypocrite goes to heaven, I’ll be with him” - he’s not going; will you be with him?), fleshly lusts, material possessions - Mt. 16:26.