What About Hell?

By Tim Hitchcock

 

Introduction:

Many criticize God's character over the issue of hell.  People say things like: "How could a good and loving God make such a foul and terrible place?" or "How could He possibly send anyone to that kind of destination?"  This has led to:

1.)    Denial (Could such a site exist?)

2.)    Rejection (Perhaps, wicked men just cease to exist.)

 

The purpose of this message is to set the record straight.  To do that, we want to try to answer two questions.  These will form our outline as follows:

1.)    What happens after we die?

2.)    How is God's love revealed?

 

What Happens After We Die?

Most people, unless they are unmitigated atheists will acknowledge some kind of resurrection of the dead or some continuation of existence on some other plane.  The real problem has to do with evil men.  What do we do with those whose character seems to drip with wickedness?

 

Even the most tolerant of liberal theologians has difficulty with those like Hitler or Stalin or Manson.  There is a level of malevancy that says there can be no room in heaven for such as these.  They showed no inclination of repentance or remorse for their horrible deeds.  Could a good God allow them to share space with Him?

 

What do we then do with them?  If you perceive hell as unloving, vengeful, and un-New Testament, perhaps the easiest solution is to assume their demise.  They simply cease to exist.  Is this what the Bible says?

 

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29)

 

If you have a red letter Bible, Jesus Christ spoke these words.  Notice that He instructed that both good and evil would rise from the dead.  The good will be raised unto life and the evil unto damnation.  Neither good, nor evil will cease to exist at the grave.  Both will be resurrected.

 

The obvious question should be: "What happens until that takes place?"  Jesus gave us an example of what happened prior to His resurrection.  We find it in the book of Luke:

 

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seethe Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31)

 

First of all, observe that this not a parable.  The Bible says, "a certain rich man and a certain beggar man".  These were real people.  This is an actual case history cited by Christ to teach a lesson.  Notice, also, that He names the beggar.  God remembers the names of the righteous.  The wicked are forgotten.

 

Observe that both good and evil died.  They went to a temporary resting place where they were separated by a fixed gulf.  They could not cross from one side to the other.

 

Lazarus was in Abraham's bosom.  To the thief on the cross Jesus called this Paradise.  It was a place of comfort.  On the other hand, the rich man went to hell.  He was not comforted but tormented.

 

That brings us to an important question: "What was the nature of his torment?"  Verse 24 speaks of flame and thirst.  This is our first clue.  All of their passions and desires go with the lost to the grave.  But they are unable to quench even one of them.  The rich man thirsted but could do nothing to satisfy the craving.  He remembered the love that he had for his family but could not help them.  He had the will but no way to accomplish it.

 

Notice also that the only ones he could see were across the gulf in Paradise.  Other than that view across the span he was in total isolation.  For the last two thousand years his solitude has been complete, because Christ emptied out Abraham's bosom when He rose from the grave (Ephesians 4:8).  Today Christians go straight to heaven when they die (II Corinthians 5:8).  The lost still go to hell.

 

So, what is this resurrection to damnation about?  If the unsaved are already in hell, then what is this?  What are they raised up to do?

 

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  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.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15)

 

Notice that hell delivered up the dead that were in it.  Hell is a temporary holding place for those who die without Christ.  The lake of fire is eternal.  Those who are not found written in the book of life will spend all of eternity there.

 

There is one more bit of information that we need to glean before moving on.  This one is found in Mark 9:

 

"And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.  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: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  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 fire that never shall be quenched; Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  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: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:42-48)

 

Observe verses 44, 46, and 48.  "Their worm dieth not."  The dead do not cease to exist.  "The fire is not quenched."  Their unsatisfied passions and desires continue to burn for all of eternity.  These fuel the torment.  The more they cultivate the worse it is.  If they develop an addiction to drugs, they will still crave it.  There will be no satisfaction.

 

How Is God's Love Revealed?

The first thing we need to understand is that God did not prepare hell for people.  Matthew 25:41 says, "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels".  Notice that hell was prepared for the devil and his fallen angels.

 

God is not willing that any should perish (II Peter 3:9).  He even went to the ultimate extreme to make our salvation from hell possible.  He gave His Son to pay our penalty for our sins. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

 

So why do people go to hell?  That is the real question.  The answer is that God has given us volition (Romans 10:13).  I cannot make anyone believe.  Each person must decide for themselves.  We have to choose for our own selves to follow Christ.  God will not force anyone to believe.

 

Hell is an isolation chamber made for the devil and his fallen angels.  It is a place for those who have decided that they do not want to retain God in their lives.  God will not force Himself on them.  If they do not want Him, then this is their place.

 

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.  Amen.  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:21-32)

 

This is one of the most awful passages in the Bible.  Verse 28 says, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over..."  This is what hell is about.  This is the final destination  -- the lake of fire.  This is where people go who do not want God.  God simply gives them up.  Three times this passage says that God gave them up (verses 24, 26, and 28).  The consequence is incredibly wicked sin that is devastating to all that it touches and eternal condemnation.

 

Ignorant and ungodly people think this sounds great.  They think that with God out of the way they will be able to have one big eternal party with all of their friends.  But it is not what they think!

 

God wants us to know that hell is a place of eternal aloneness.  Your friends may be there, but you will have no contact with them.  Why?  A loving God will not allow sinful people to abuse others.  That is exactly where sin leads.  Can you imagine having an eternal party with a Hitler or a Manson?  Hence it is solitary confinement.

 

Someone says, "Okay, so I cannot party with my friends, at least I can party by myself."

That is not true either.  You will be free to think every passion, desire, and perversion you have ever cultivated in this life, but a loving God will not allow you to carry them out.  You will not be able to foist your ungodliness on anyone else and you will have no provision for anything even including basic desires such as food and water.  You did not want God.  He is the one who provides for us.  You will simply seethe and burn within never able to do anything at all to quench the fire of the worm that dieth not. It will eat at you forever and never consume you.  It will just continually knaw at you.

 

As if that were not enough, you will be in complete and total darkness without even a hint of light.  Years ago, my wife and I visited Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.  On the particular tour that we took, we went down many steps into the gigantic cavern.  Finally reaching the bottom, the guide had us put our hand directly in front of our face.  He then turned out the lights.   We were in consummate darkness.  We could not even see our hand.  Jesus Christ is the light of the world and without Him there is no light at all. (John 8:12)

 

Conclusion

If getting down on my knees and begging would help you to choose Christ, I would gladly do that for you.  If you are reading this message without Him, I urge you to consider your ultimate destination.  Do not make God give you up?  Hell is a horrible place!

 

By the same token, if you know Christ, consider your friends and loved ones.  Do they know Him?  Is there any sin in your life that hinders them from coming to Him? I urge you to deal with your sin, allow God to change you, and do whatever it takes to reach them while it is still possible.  Tell them the Good News about Jesus.  Pray and weep for them.  Beg them if you must.  No one has to go to hell.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is the way of escape (John 14:6).