Post by Sheila on May 11, 2024 9:24:40 GMT -5
So many people today, including some Christians, want to ignore the fact that hell is a real place. Some members of the clergy, scattered throughout all denominations, refuse to teach their congregations about its existence by skipping over those passages in the Bible or come right out and teach that hell doesn't exist even though the Bible teaches otherwise. The main way people deny the existence of hell is to convince themselves that since God is a loving God, he would never punish anyone in such a place of torment. Others, such as the universalist, agree there is a hell, but the punishment is only temporary and, after a short time there, the people will be allowed to enter heaven. In other words, to them hell serves as a place of purification similar to the Catholic view of purgatory.
One good example of the denial of hell as a real place of suffering and punishment is provided by the Jehovah's Witnesses [1]. They teach that the word translated as "hell" is actually a reference to the grave. In the grave, "the dead are unconscious and cannot feel pain". Hell can't exist as many Christians teach because "the idea of eternal torment is repugnant to God", so people are simply left in the grave where they have no idea where they are or what's happening to them. They insist that "God has set death, not torment in a fiery hell, as the penalty for sin". This is a much different teaching than what's found in the Bible where we're told that some people will join the feast in the kingdom of heaven, while others "will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:11-12). A person can't weep or gnash their teeth if they're unconscious in the grave.
Chapter 25 of the book of Matthew gives the example of the sheep and the goats. The sheep are the followers of Jesus and the goats are those who aren't. On the day of judgement, the goats are told, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (verse 41). The description is of an actual place of punishment even though a name is not given to the place. This punishment is further described in verse 46 where it says that the goats "will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous people to eternal life". This chapter destroys the universalist idea of hell being only a temporary stop on the way to heaven. It specifically says the punishment is eternal, which means it never ends. It also shows that hell isn't simply lying in a grave and being unconscious. There's no logical reason or proof found in Scripture to believe the people who go to heaven are fully aware of and can enjoy their reward for a righteous life yet the other people aren't aware of and suffer the punishment for their unrighteousness.
The Bible, in fact, does give an illustration of someone being aware of the punishment they receive after death. Luke 16:19-31 tells about the difference between the life of the rich man and Lazarus after their deaths. Even if you read this only as a story Jesus made up to teach a lesson, it does show what it's really like after death. For the rich man to have the conversation presented, he had to be aware of his situation. We're told he was "in torment" (verse 23), "in agony of the fire" (verse 24), and that he was "separated from heaven by a chasm" (verse 26). That he was being tormented and in agony is proof he was completely aware of his surroundings. The chasm that separates the two places shows that both heaven and hell are actual places which can be physically separated from each other. Now answer this question. If Jesus provided such a description of the rich man's agonizing punishment, why do people insist on denying this type of punishment is a reality?
Another question for anyone who denies the existence of hell is why do they celebrate at the fact that, in the end, there are certain people who do end up in hell? These people deny hell exists as a punishment for sinners who aren't saved by the blood of Christ, while believing it exists for the likes of Satan and the false prophet. They're happy beyond belief when they read about when the beast and the false prophet are "thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Revelation 19:20) and the devil is also thrown into that lake where "they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). They feel this is a just punishment for such evil beings. Then they turn around and say people won't go to hell when they die even though we're warned that after the final judgement that any person whose name isn't "written in the book of life" will be "thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). If hell is a real place and the torment an everlasting punishment for the devil and the false prophet, it's also a real place and the punishment just as harsh for anyone who has ever lived on this earth.
Some people have told me that teaching the truth about hell won't "scare people into accepting Christ". This is true. In fact, telling people about hell and eternal punishment only turns some people further away from any belief in Jesus. Yet this is no excuse for not teaching people about hell. Christians need to tell other people about the entire Bible and this is especially true of the men and women who preach from the pulpit. People need to hear everything, not just the stuff which makes them happy and feel comfortable. Hell isn't a happy or comfortable place, but it is real.
1. JW.org; The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
* All quotes are from the New International Version of the Bible.
One good example of the denial of hell as a real place of suffering and punishment is provided by the Jehovah's Witnesses [1]. They teach that the word translated as "hell" is actually a reference to the grave. In the grave, "the dead are unconscious and cannot feel pain". Hell can't exist as many Christians teach because "the idea of eternal torment is repugnant to God", so people are simply left in the grave where they have no idea where they are or what's happening to them. They insist that "God has set death, not torment in a fiery hell, as the penalty for sin". This is a much different teaching than what's found in the Bible where we're told that some people will join the feast in the kingdom of heaven, while others "will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:11-12). A person can't weep or gnash their teeth if they're unconscious in the grave.
Chapter 25 of the book of Matthew gives the example of the sheep and the goats. The sheep are the followers of Jesus and the goats are those who aren't. On the day of judgement, the goats are told, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (verse 41). The description is of an actual place of punishment even though a name is not given to the place. This punishment is further described in verse 46 where it says that the goats "will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous people to eternal life". This chapter destroys the universalist idea of hell being only a temporary stop on the way to heaven. It specifically says the punishment is eternal, which means it never ends. It also shows that hell isn't simply lying in a grave and being unconscious. There's no logical reason or proof found in Scripture to believe the people who go to heaven are fully aware of and can enjoy their reward for a righteous life yet the other people aren't aware of and suffer the punishment for their unrighteousness.
The Bible, in fact, does give an illustration of someone being aware of the punishment they receive after death. Luke 16:19-31 tells about the difference between the life of the rich man and Lazarus after their deaths. Even if you read this only as a story Jesus made up to teach a lesson, it does show what it's really like after death. For the rich man to have the conversation presented, he had to be aware of his situation. We're told he was "in torment" (verse 23), "in agony of the fire" (verse 24), and that he was "separated from heaven by a chasm" (verse 26). That he was being tormented and in agony is proof he was completely aware of his surroundings. The chasm that separates the two places shows that both heaven and hell are actual places which can be physically separated from each other. Now answer this question. If Jesus provided such a description of the rich man's agonizing punishment, why do people insist on denying this type of punishment is a reality?
Another question for anyone who denies the existence of hell is why do they celebrate at the fact that, in the end, there are certain people who do end up in hell? These people deny hell exists as a punishment for sinners who aren't saved by the blood of Christ, while believing it exists for the likes of Satan and the false prophet. They're happy beyond belief when they read about when the beast and the false prophet are "thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Revelation 19:20) and the devil is also thrown into that lake where "they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). They feel this is a just punishment for such evil beings. Then they turn around and say people won't go to hell when they die even though we're warned that after the final judgement that any person whose name isn't "written in the book of life" will be "thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). If hell is a real place and the torment an everlasting punishment for the devil and the false prophet, it's also a real place and the punishment just as harsh for anyone who has ever lived on this earth.
Some people have told me that teaching the truth about hell won't "scare people into accepting Christ". This is true. In fact, telling people about hell and eternal punishment only turns some people further away from any belief in Jesus. Yet this is no excuse for not teaching people about hell. Christians need to tell other people about the entire Bible and this is especially true of the men and women who preach from the pulpit. People need to hear everything, not just the stuff which makes them happy and feel comfortable. Hell isn't a happy or comfortable place, but it is real.
1. JW.org; The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
* All quotes are from the New International Version of the Bible.
Copyright © 2024 by Sheila Rae Myers