A note on Hell
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Whole books have been devoted to the study of hell. A brief note such as this, therefore, cannot be exhaustive, but simply lay out the facts as Scripture teaches us. It is likely that if our Lord Jesus himself had not taught on the subject of hell, no one would believe in its existence – for serious thought of eternal punishment is terrifying to men and women. Yet, Jesus spoke of hell more than he spoke of heaven. The idea is so repugnant to us that various theologians have come up with ideas and theories to explain it away. Here we must submit to the clear teaching of our Lord and learn from it. Here are a few New Testament references to hell: Matt 8:11-12; 13:41-42; 25:31-46; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 16:19-31; Jude 3-13; Rev 14: 9-11; 19:3; 20: 11-15. Just in these verses hell is described this way:
- A place of outer darkness
- A place of weeping and gnashing of teeth
- That it is better to enter heaven maimed than into hell physically whole – reference to the degree a believer should go to avoid and withstand sin.
- A place of torment where the flame is not extinguished nor the worm die.
- A place where the worst of physical pain and agony and continued burning (flame) is the norm.
- A place of “blackness of darkness forever.
- A furnace of fire
- A lake of fire
- A place of eternal separation from the blessings of God
- A prison
- A place where those there will have no rest day or night The English term “hell” encompasses several different terms known and understood to the Jewish community for whom they were written. In much of the Old Testament the word “sheol” is translated “hell” which meant the realm of the dead, the grave, a death pit, subterranean realm. The connotation of the term is prominently associated with a place of punishment. “Hades” a New Testament Greek term also refers to “the unseen world” in conjunction with the dead. In Luke 16 Jesus describes this in some detail as having two areas with a great chasm between them, on one side are the eternally blest – Abraham and Lazarus – and on the other the eternally damned. This term is used in Matt 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27, 31; Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14. The English term Hell is also the translation given to “the Valley of Hinnom” or “Gehenna”. This was a geographical valley just outside of Jerusalem that was used much as a city garbage dump in which refuse and dead bodies of the poor were thrown and in which there was a continual fire burning. This became a “visual” lesson to Jesus’s audience concerning the “forever burning” of those who reject God. The following references are places where this concept is used: Matt 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:42, 45, 47; Luke 2:5; James 3:6. What scripture teaches us is
1) that hell is real. Punishment in hell is eternal torment – not temporary or passing away. Some ask, and rightly so, if all the descriptions in the Gospels of hell are to be taken literally or figuratively. There is a high likelihood that the Lord used language that would speak most clearly to us about hell’s horrors, and therefore they are at least in some degree symbolic. However, that should not be a comfort – as if the punishment will not be so bad. On the contrary, where symbolism is used, it disguises the depth, extent and horror of the real thing. If these descriptions of hell are symbolic, then we must conclude that the reality is much worse.
2) that God’s character and holiness far exceeds our comprehension or imagination. We need to cultivate God’s thinking and principles into our lives to come to grips with His holiness and the awfulness of sin.
3) God has demonstrated His tremendous grace to sinners in giving us salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
How this should turn us to worship, love and obey Him! Footnote: This writer believes that the reference to “hell” in what is known as “The Apostles’ Creed” is a reference to “Hades” as used in the New Testament. Therefore, there is no need to think of Jesus as being punished with the lost there, but to have comforted and encouraged those who, with Abraham, wait for the glorification of their bodies upon Jesus’s next return to reign on earth. Jesus’s work of atonement was completed on the cross when He himself said, “It is finished!”