It
has become crucial for me to write to reaffirm the biblical truth on the subject.
This is because there seems to be a growing tide of divergent views on the
subject in recent years, ranging from the belief that “there is nothing like
hell fire”, “hell is only temporal, not eternal”, “hell in the Bible is only
fictional” and many other divergent views.
When
it comes to a subject like this, it is important not to look at it from a human
perspective because human wisdom in itself is limited and perverted on most occasions.
Thus, I will not just be reaffirming what I was taught from my earlier walk
with the Lord but what I have verified as the truth from the scripture.
Over
the years in Christ, I have grown from being driven by the fear of hell fire to
a life that is simply driven by love for God the Father and love for humanity.
And I have found out that the latter is far better. God wants us to be driven
not by the fear of hell fire but by love for Him and love for our fellow
humans. Thus, the aim of this article is not to instill fear in you, but to
give you a good and balance biblical base knowledge of the subject, because if
you are not well informed, it will definitely affect other sensitive areas of
your Christian walk.
Thus, how real
is hell fire?
Hell is real. Some Old Testament scriptures that prove this fact
are: Deuteronomy 32:22. Job 10:21-22. Psalms 6:5, Isaiah 14:9-20. While some
New Testament scriptures that proves this fact are: Matthew 3:10-12, 5:22,
7:19, 23, 8:11-12. 13:40-42, 50, 22:13, 25:30, 23:3. Mark 9:43, 48, Luke 16:22,
23:43, Ephesians 4:8-9, 1 Peter 3:18-22, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Peter 2:4, Rev 20:15. 2
Thessalonians 1:7-9, 2 Peter 3:6-7, Jude 1:6-7, Revelations 19:20, Revelations
20:11-15, Revelation 21:7-8.
If anyone claims to be a follower of Christ, such must of
necessity believe the words of Jesus Christ. And our Lord Jesus never left any
stone unturned on this subject as seen in the following scriptures: Matthew
3:10-12, 5:22, 7:19, 23, 8:11-12. 13:40-42, 50, 22:13, 25:30, 23:3. Mark 9:43,
48, Luke 16:22, 23:43.
What
is hell or hell fire?
Hell or hell fire can be used interchangeably. It is a place or
realm of torment after this present life. Hell is not a physical place but it
is a spiritual realm. Likewise, the torment of hell is not physical but
spiritual.
“And
do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear
Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew
10:28
Hell is actually the realm where God’s grace is absent (John
3:36). For presently in this life, everyone still enjoys God’s goodness. “… your Father in heaven; for He makes His
sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust.” Matthew 5:45.
Hell is also referred to as “the second death” (Revelations 21:8).
What
was the original intention why God created hell?
Hell was primarily made for the devil and his angels, not for
humans.
“Then
He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into
the everlasting fire prepared for the
devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41.
“And
the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He
has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great
day;” Jude 1:6.
Is
God going to intentionally send people to hell?
No. God is not intentionally sending anyone to hell. However, it
is natural that a man will end up in the same location with the person he is
following. Thus, everyone that follows the devil will end up in the same
location with him.
Hell is not God’s choice but man’s choice (Galatian 6:8). The
choice a man makes is what guarantees his or her eternal destination.
Thus, hell is the final destination of all the wicked and evil
doers.
“The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will
hear His voice and come forth- those who have done good, to the
resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation.” (John 5:28-29).
How can you
reconcile the fact that God who is love and merciful will send humans to hell?
Humanly speaking, there seems to be
some contradiction between a God whose mercy endures forever, and One who would
burn sinners in a fiery furnace not for an hour, or a day, but for eternity.
Some have used scripture like Psalms 30:5 that says, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life…” to
build on a doctrine that says, “hell is temporal” or that “God’s mercy will not
allow Him to send anyone to hell”. That might sound convincing, only when you
forget that God is multifaceted. The same God of love is said to be a consuming
fire (Hebrews 12:29). For He is not just a “fire” but a “consuming fire”. How
do we reconcile that? What is God consuming with fire?
Those who based their theologies only on the
“mercifulness” and “gentleness” of God lacks the complete picture of the person
of God Almighty. God in not only loving (1 John 4:8-10), merciful (Exodus 34:6, James
5:11) and gracious (Exodus 33:19, 1 Peter 2:3), but
He is also holy (Isaiah 6:3, Revelation
4:8), just (Neh. 9:32-33; 2 Thessalonians 1:6),
and He hates sin (Psalms 5:5-6, Habakkuk
1:13). God punishes sinner (Jeremiah
50:31, Matthew 25:46; 2
Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Peter 2:9, Hebrews 10:29).
Hell fire must
be a temporal place since the anger of the Lord is “but for a moment” according
to Psalms 30:5?
Hell goes on forever. It is a place of eternal condemnation and
not a temporal place or a thing that will last for a thousand year or million
years, it will last for eternity according to the scripture. The following scriptures
are attestations:
i.
“These shall be punished with EVERLASTING
DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” 2
Thessalonians 1:9.
ii.
"If
your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is
better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands
or two feet, to be cast into the EVERLASTING FIRE.”
Matthew 18:8.
iii.
"And
these will go away into EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT, but the righteous into eternal
life." Matthew 25:46.
iv.
In Mark 9:43, 45, Jesus refereed to the fire in hell as, “THAT
SHALL NEVER BE QUENCHED”.
v.
"Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them,
since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after
strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment
of ETERNAL FIRE" (Jude 7).
vi.
These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts
when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without
water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead,
uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like
foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved FOREVER," (Jude 12-13).
Beside these scriptures, there are other scriptures that point to the
fact. Except if the words “eternal, everlasting and forever” means something
else in those passage.
Didn’t
the concept of hell fire originated from false preachers that wishes to
manipulate people for personal gain?
There is no doubt that there are false preachers who are using the
fear of hell to scare people for personal gain. But that doesn’t negate the
fact that the subject of hell did not start today but from the Old Testament,
down to Jesus, the Apostles and the Fathers of faith all through history.
Is the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in hell
a true-life story?
The story of Lazarus is a parable and parables are fictional
story. It will be wrong to conclude that hell is a fictional place/thing
because of the figurative story of Lazarus and the rich man in hell. Basing an argument
only on one story of the Bible while neglecting other related passage to make a
point, is not a wise move.
What is the danger of having a different view about the
subject of hell other than the one in this article?
- It will give room for lawlessness. Everyone will do as they please.
And don’t forget that human’s without Christ are naturally wicked.
- It will discourage the righteous from continue in righteousness.
- It paints God as a God that is not just in dealing with the wicked.
What is the escape route from going to hell?
Believing in Jesus Christ is the path way to
escape going to hell. And forgiveness is available to every human.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH but HAVE
EVERLASTING LIFE.” John 3:16.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count
slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH
but that ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” 2
Peter 3:9.
I hold this submission until someone proves me otherwise, not with
human’s wisdom but based on the scripture given in this articles and other
related scriptures.
In conclusion, if you are born again, hell should not be your
focus because you have passed from death to life. The fear of hell should not
be your driving force. However, you need this knowledge to keep you in check
and also to help you see the need to rescue others from such eternal condemnation
according to Jude 23.
If a man thinks there is no eternal hell and eventually finds
himself there, what will he do? Thus, it is better to err in the side of
caution than to finally realize that hell exits while you thought it never
exits.
I am open to constructive questioning and criticism. Contact me
through my Facebook inbox or through my mail gavin4peace@yahoo.com.
Peace.
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