The debate over hell has been rekindled. On several occasions, known and unknown preachers have sought to give their views of hell. More recently, a famous preletor for young people has denied that hell is real and/or eternal. Some of his books have been translated into our language as well as his Nooma series.
I'm talking about Rob Bell, who recently caused strangeness in the Christian world by stating, ''A loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering'.'
Is? It seems that it has been fashion1 (or resurgence of ancient heresies) to deny the existence and eternity of hell.
All in the name of announcing a message that transitions with "well-being" and, above all, with the pluralistic philosophy and pseudotolerance of our century. In order to convey the image of contemporary, tolerant and "bona fide" "pastors and preachers", these recast God's love, teaching that "a God of love will cast no one into hell."
Is it contradictory for a God of Love to condemn men to hell? If God really is love, then how can he send someone to hell?
In the text we read we find the seriousness with which Jesus warned about this terrible place. Jesus did not say that it was a state of mind, as some "modern and sweet preachers" want.
In fact, in this thematic exdisplay, we will see what Scripture teaches about this terrible place and some objections raised by those who deny the eternal character of punishment. We ask God to grant us care, compassion and, above all, faithfulness in stepping on this land.
OPTIONS OFFERED FOR THE FINAL DESTINATION - ARE BIBLICAL?
It doesn't seem like a good option for someone to spend eternity in pain. This is what is deduced from the word "hell" and from the expressions used by Jesus: torment and suffering. However, other options have been offered about the eternal destiny of men. I want to evaluate them at this moment, because they answer the question: what happens to us when we die? Next we will turn to the biblical text under examination. They are:
I. Reincarnation – has been the most popular vision. Those who teach this conception tell us that we have multiple and successive lives. In the tomb of Alan Kardec has the following motto: "To be born, to die, to be reborn and to progress always; this is the law." Scripture does not teach reincarnation. Rather, she says, "Men are commanded to die once, after that judgment" (Heb 9: 27).
II. Materialist/Naturalist – this group, although smaller, has a strong expression. They tell us that we have no soul, that we are just a body, and that when we die, we cease to exist. Taking the Scriptures as authoritative, we find the Lord Jesus saying: “And fear not them that kill the body, and cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who is able to perish both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28).
III. Universalists – some contemporaries have adopted this view. Among them is Rob Bell himself. It is also the theory expounded in the book The Shack (William P. Young, Ed. Sextante, 2008). They teach that in the end everyone in hell will be saved and hell emptied. Because they think that all religions lead to God, they understand then that all people will be saved. However, this is not what Jesus Christ taught. In fact, the very death of Jesus is a sign that only a few will be saved (Cf. Mt 202.8; Mk 10:45). Isaiah also said echoed in Paul: “Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: Though the number of the children of Israel is like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved” (Rom. 9:27).
IV. Purgatory – this is the doctrine espoused by Roman Catholicism. In fact, apart from the Apocrypha of 2 Maccabees 12:46, the Scriptures do not recognize such a doctrine. What does she teach? Let us listen to what the Catholic Catechism says: “Those who die in the grace and friendship of God, but are not completely purified, although their eternal salvation is guaranteed, undergo, after their death, a purification, in order to obtain the holiness necessary to enter into the joy of heaven” (CC, 1030 – 1032).
v. Annihilationism – is the belief that unbelievers will not suffer eternally in hell, but that, after some time, they will be extinguished and cease to exist. Although men of God like John Stott believed in this doctrine, in light of Scripture and Church History as recorded in the Confessions, the Christian position has been that the wicked will suffer eternally in hell. Hear what the Scripture says: “And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are; and day and night they will be tormented forever and ever.” (Rev. 20:10; Cf. 14. 9 -11; 19:20).
THE BIBLICAL TEACHING ABOUT HELL
Three times in the text, Jesus warns the disciples: “It is better for you to enter into the life-kingdom of God – crippled, lame and blind – than to go to hell” (v. 43, 45, 47). To each warning Jesus also adds something about hell: “to the fire that never goes out [ARA-unquenchable] (2x)” followed by another qualifier: “where your beast does not die” 2.
What a terrible description coming from the sweet voice of the Lord!
We need to remember that the disciples were not impressed by the description. Why? Although it was a new revelation in the ministry of Jesus, the description was already known by the disciples in the reading of the Prophets: “and they shall go out [the elect], and see the corpses of the men who have transgressed against me; for its worm will never die, neither will its fire ever go out; and they will be a horror to all flesh” (Is 66. 24). Given the words of Jesus and now considering the whole of biblical revelation, let us see what the biblical teaching is about this place.
First, hell is a real place - Jesus says people "go to hell." The verb (eiseltein) used implies "to move" or "to separate". In our text it is used with the preposition (eis) and the noun ten geennan. This grammatical construction gives the notion of space. So what Jesus means is that one is "set apart into Gehenna." But what was Gehenna?
The word translated “hell” (Gehenna) was a reference to a place called the “Valley of Hinnom” (Cf. Josh 15: 8; 16:18; 2 Kgs 23. 10; 2 Chr 33.6). It was south of Jerusalem and there, the ancient apostate Jews sacrificed their children to the pagan god Molech (Cf. 2 Chr 16.3; 21.6; Jer 7.31; 19.5.6; 32.35). It was King Josiah who put an end to this practice and turned the place into a city dump. There were thrown the carcasses of animals that were burned day and night. There was a fire under the dunghill, and because there was no shortage of carrion, there was never a lack of worms.
It came to be, therefore, the designation of the place of God's judgment and would come to be called “Valley of Slaughter” (Cf. Jer 7:32;
19, 6, 7). By saying, then, that the wicked “go to Gehenna [hell]” one gets an idea about the horrible place. Certainly there was no other figure to demonstrate how terrible and miserable hell is. There was no more shocking description to describe suffering and torment. So, we affirm in light of the Scriptures, hell is a real place.
Second, it is a place of conscience – why, by saying that “this is better than that”, Jesus Christ reveals that those who go to hell are aware of their choices. They could have chosen to “be left without a hand, a foot, or an eye” and enter the kingdom of God, but they chose to lose their life. Similar image presents in v. 42 – “it had been better for him that they put a millstone around his neck and that he be cast into the sea” – in which the one who was a reason for stumbling blocks for a smaller believer was aware of the stumbling caused. Also the stumbling block was aware of his neck stone and the place where he was launching himself. Likewise, those who go to hell will know where they are and why they are there.
Third, it is a place of permanent suffering – when Jesus says that “the fire never goes out and the worm does not die”, he points to a permanent reality. What keeps the fire burning is the existence of material for combustion. In hell there will be no shortage of material for combustion. Of course, using the reference to “fire” one can talk much more about suffering under divine judgment than under “literal flames,” according to some commentators. Says Anthony Hoekema: “The purpose of the figures, however, is that the inner torment and anguish, symbolized by the worm, will never end and the outer sufferings symbolized by the fire will never cease. If the figures used in this passage don't mean endless suffering, then they won't mean anything.”
Several times Jesus uses similar figures to speak of eternal suffering. For example, Jesus said it is a place described as a “furnace of fire” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 13:50; ); Jesus said that the righteous will go into eternal life, but the wicked into “eternal torment” (Mt 25:46). Now, it would not make sense to think that the righteous will be with God for all eternity and, in the same text, Jesus thinks that the torment is temporary. Hell is also called “darkness” (Mt 25:30; 22:13). In another designation is that those who are destined for hell “wrath and indignation […] tribulation and anguish” (Rom 2: 6-9). According to John, the wicked will be “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). According to Revelation 19:20, the Beast and the False Prophet were cast alive into "the lake of fire and brimstone." However, after a Thousand Years they were still there, where they will receive the company of the devil (Cf. Rev 20:10).
Fourth, hell is the place of God's Wrath – when Jesus says “fire that never goes out,” it tells us not only of suffering, but also of God's wrath.
In more than 600 places, the Bible speaks of God's wrath. In the specific case of hell, fire is not purifying, but the "fire of the wrath of God". There are some who tend to place the attributes of God against each other, as if by chance some attribute of God prevailed over the others. However, God's justice, as well as his love and sovereignty, demand the existence of hell4. Because God is just, he cannot behold sins (Heb 1:13). Because God is love and loved the world, those who reject this great love reject such a great salvation (Heb 2:3). Because God is sovereign, evil must be defeated. God will win in the end (Rev 20). Hell, therefore, is the effect of the Wrath of God. It follows from this that hell is not ruled by Satan, but God also reigns in hell. As William Hendriksen said: 5 “hell is hell because God is there, God in all his wrath (Heb 12:29; Rev 6:16). Heaven is heaven because God is there, God in all his love. It is from this presence of love that the wicked is banished forever.”
Fifth, Jesus teaches that it is possible to get rid of going to hell – by saying “this is better than that”, Jesus presents a way to be cast into hell. Given the larger context (8:34ff), it is clear that the “followers of Jesus Christ” because they renounced their sins, denied themselves, took up their cross and even lost their lives “for the love of me [Jesus Christ] and the Gospel” (cf. 8:35). Thus, when making the comparison between what is “better”, we are facing the Lord's test to know who is his disciple or not. Those who do not renounce their sins here will have to suffer with them far from the Glory of God, in eternal suffering. Jesus presented the price to avoid.
Another thing, twice Jesus says “enter into life” (v. 43, 45) and once he says “enter the kingdom of God”. We learn from the interlocutor John that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:7). By “new birth” Christianity teaches to be “the sincere joy in God, through Christ (1) , and the strong desire to live according to God's will in all good works (2). (Isa 57:15; Rom 5:1,2; Rom 14:17. (2) Rom 6:10,11; Gal 2:19,20)” (Heidelberg Catechism, p. 90).
Jesus himself recognized that hell was not prepared primarily for man, but for the "Devil and his Angels" (Mt 25:41). And to save man from going to hell, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). However, because man remains indifferent to Jesus Christ, that is, does not believe in the Son, then “he will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).
AND THEN?
There are themes in Scripture that are painful. Talking about hell is one of those topics. However, the doctrine of hell is part of Biblical Theology, and as proof of this, the Lord Jesus and His apostles taught it repeatedly. As Bishop John Ryle said, “There is no mercy in hiding the subject of hell from men. As fearsome and tremendous as hell is, it must be a reality strongly inculcated upon all, as one of the great truths of Christianity. The apostle John, in the book of Revelation, often described it. God's servants today should not be ashamed to confess their belief in this matter. If there were not unlimited mercy in Christ, for all who believe in him, we might as well dodge this dreadful topic” (1994, p. 119).
Don't think it's easy to talk about the millions who will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Some friends even think my position is a bit Dantesque and therefore medieval. However, my task as a minister of the Gospel is to speak the truth, to follow in the footsteps of the Master, even if, when expounding this doctrine, some feel uncomfortable with it. Many are striding along the path of hell, walking over a great abyss that does not open to swallow some of such, as it swallowed alive Dathan, Korah and Abiram (Num. 16. 30-33) because of the many mercies of God , from that same God they provoke their wrath.
Many still love their sins and deceptively believe that they can enjoy eternity with God without their sins being forgiven. What a surprise many will come to realize that they are under the Wrath of God, simply because they are reluctant to love God. It is not love for friends and enemies if the danger they are in is not announced. Perhaps some need to feel the fire of the abyss burning under their feet.
I address those who have not yet awakened to conversion and the danger they are running.
Hell is for everyone who is not in Christ. They will bear the brunt of the wrath of God. It was John who said that God himself will fight against those who are unconverted or who think they are. The Lord Said, “I alone stepped in the winepress, and of the peoples there was none to me; and I trampled them in my wrath, and crushed them in the earth with my fury; and his blood splattered my garments, and I stained all my garment” (Is 63:3). Again John, the Disciple of Love, saw the terrible scene: “And out of her mouth came a sharp sword, to smite the nations with it; and he will rule them with a rod of iron; and he himself treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of Almighty God” (Rev 19:15).
There is nothing between them and hell but the mercy of God. But remember: He is angry and who can stop him from acting against his sins? Some mistakenly assume that all is well with them because they have health, prosperity, joy, go to church, and enjoy the common blessings of God. But that is no guarantee that they will be freed from hell. The only guarantee is found in the Lamb of God, who suffered the Wrath of God for men. If this is not the love of God, in giving up his Son for sinners, then we do not know what love is.
And I am aware that this message is not popular. I also know that some will meet people who will try to dissuade them from the reality of hell. But, “why the cross and all [Jesus'] suffering, unless there is hell? Christ's death loses its eternal meaning unless there is a separation from God from which people need to be saved.” 6. Don't think, too, that hell is just a threat, not a reality. If so, God would be a liar. God does not use lies to attract men.
As he said, this is not a popular message. But it is true because the Bible is true, because Jesus Christ is true and cannot lie. Let God be true and men be liars (Rom 3:3). My friends, our view of our sins is not a minimum of what God sees in us. The preacher Jonathan Edwards once, supported by a strictly biblical view, gave us a picture of the sins of men:
Your iniquities make you heavy as lead, hanging down, pressed towards hell by your own weight, and if God allowed you to fall you would sink at once, descend with the greatest speed, and plunge into that bottomless abyss. Your health, your care and prudence, your best plans, all your righteousness, would be of no avail to sustain you and keep you out of hell. It would be like trying to hold an avalanche of stones with a spider's web. Were it not for the mercy of God, the earth would not bear you for a moment, for you are a burden to her. Nature groans because of you. Creation was forced into slavery, involuntarily, because of your corruption. It is not with pleasure that the sun shines on you, so that its light enlightens you to sin and serve Satan. The earth does not willingly produce its fruits to satisfy your lust. Nor is it willing to serve as a stage for the display of your iniquities. It is not voluntarily that the air feeds your bodies, keeping the flame of your bodies alive, while you spend your life serving the enemies of God. The things created by God are good and were made for man, through them, to serve the Lord. It is not with pleasure that they serve other purposes, and they groan when they are outraged for serving purposes so contrary to their purpose and nature. And the earth itself would vomit you out were it not for the sovereign hand of Him whom you have so offended. Here are the dark clouds of the wrath of God hanging over your heads now, carried by a threatening storm, full of thunder. Were it not for the restraining hand of the Lord, they would immediately break upon you. The sovereign mercy of God, for the time being, curbs that rushing wind, otherwise it would come with fury, your destruction would occur suddenly, and you would be like chaff scattered by the wind”
Therefore, God is exhorting them, in the name of Christ, by this word begging them to be reconciled with God (2 Cor 5:11-20). There aren't many options. It's being in Christ or far from him. It's heaven or hell. Don't play Christian, don't play believer, don't play religious or even atheist. Is the Lord Jesus your God and Savior? In fact, have you already received it and, therefore, can you be counted among the Elect of the Lord? The ax is already at the root and “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Mt 7:19), said the Lord Jesus. Where are the fruits? The Lord further said, “If anyone is not in me, he will be cast out, like a rod, and wither; and they gather them and cast them into the fire, and they burn” (Jn 15. 6). If this is not a reality in your life, then the Wrath of God remains upon you and you will be cast into hell, the place that was created for the devil and his angels. By rejecting the presence of God, you will be in the company of the devil and his angels. Escape into the merciful arms of the Lord Jesus while there is still time!
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