By R.E. Olsen
According to traditional Christian doctrine, Hell is a place of future punishment and the final destination for evildoers and unbelievers. It is described in the Bible using various terms such as “eternal fire,” “outer darkness,” “a place of weeping and torment,” the “second death,” a “lake of fire,” and “unquenchable fire.”
Hell is probably the most hated truth in the Bible. Many people shrug off the fear of God. Some people would like to believe that Hell is not real and Jesus did not teach about it. They believe in Heaven, but do not believe in Hell.
Satan loves it when we minimize hell. That way more people will go there.
Just because you don’t like something doesn’t make it any less real. Hell is just as real as Heaven. Jesus clearly and explicitly teaches that Hell is a real place to which the wicked and unbelievers are sent after death.
“And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” –Matt 25:31-33
Some people are uncomfortable with the idea of eternal punishment so they use euphemisms for Hell, like being separated from God, or say it’s just a metaphor. The Lake of Fire may be metaphorical, but that’s not to mean it should be underestimated. The depiction is meant to represent a reality that we do not understand. It’s highly likely that those in Hell would give anything and everything to be in a Lake of Fire instead.
“And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.” –Matt 18:9
That’s how bad the punishment will be for the evildoers. They spent their days on earth storing up His anger for themselves. Now it’s finally time to receive their payback; they earned it. The wages of sin is death. They are separated from God’s love, not His wrath.
“These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” –Revelation 14:11
The legal system says that criminals have to be punished. God’s law sets a holy standard and the punishment is more severe. If you think you’re somehow going to get out of it, think again!
“For God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment.” –Matt 23:33
Hell is a place to deconstruct immortal beings. The process is uncomfortable and takes a long time, an infinite time. The essence of being is diminished like a damped sine wave, or like a gong struck once and the vibration slowly dies away. God is taking away His gifts to give to others that appreciate them.
“And fear not those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” –Matt 10:28
Did you ever hear a pastor say that Jesus never preached Hell, he only preached Love? Seriously??? Read the Bible! Jesus was the greatest Hell-fire preacher ever.
Jesus warned of Hell from the start of His ministry. Jesus preached about the horrors awaiting unsaved lost ones. He did it in public. He did it in private. He did it with the saints. He did it with sinners. Jesus speaks much of it. He wasn’t afraid of making people feel uncomfortable.
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” –Matt 5:22
“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” –Matt 25:46
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.” –Matt 18:8
“And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” –Rev 20:10
“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” –Rev 20:13-14
Although much of this is obscure, one thing is very clear. You do not want to go there!