No Clear Understanding of Hell

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 Most believers and unbelievers have no clear understanding of Hell. They’re hung-up on God casting all persons together into a literal lake of fire forever. The fire is all they have ever heard about Hell. Picturing burning flesh horrifies them. “If that’s what Jesus said and what the Bible teaches, its heartless cruelty, it’s unjust. I can’t believe a loving God would do that,” they say. Let’s look at what the Bible actually teaches about Hell.

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The Biblical Hell is Separation from God.

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Sin is unacceptable to a holy or perfect God and a pure or perfect Heaven. Being infinite and perfect none other is like God or can come into his presence in self-centered rebellion. “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8). “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you” (Isa. 59:2). “No fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Eph. 5:5). God must separate the wheat from the tares less it choke out the wheat.

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The Biblical Hell is Mental Torments, Not Physical Torture.

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“They will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). The Bible uses many metaphors or pictures to communicate the nature of Hell. Yes, a fiery furnace, lake of fire even flames are mentioned (Matt. 13:42; Lk. 16:24; Rev. 21:8). But fire is only one of many pictures. Fire as we know it consumes human flesh. But the worm is not consumed since persons in Hell have imperishable bodies (Mk. 9:44; Jn.5:28; Rev. 20:13-15). The fire then must be non-literal representing God’s all-present wrath and judgment which abides on evil doers forever (Jn. 3:36; Deut. 4:24; Ps. 18:8; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). The Bible teaches degrees of punishment—that’s impossible if all were thrown together in a lake of fire. Bible teachings are literally true, but not necessarily true literally. Like other languages, the Bible uses symbols and figures of speech. For example, are we canabals actually eating Christ's body and drinking his blood or is it meant as symbol and memorial (Matt. 26:26-28).

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We cannot dismiss all the other pictures that give a fuller description of the nature of Hell. Jude 12-13 gives several pictures of Hell as clouds without water, trees without fruit twice dead, raging waves of the sea, wandering stars reserved in blackness forever. Outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth are other pictures (Matt. 8:12; Acts 7:54). Hell is worse than loss of eyes or limbs (Matt. 5:29-30). All these pictures seem to represent torments such as the sense of guilt, loss, shame, emptiness, deadness, corruption, aloneness, anger, despair of everlasting destruction.  

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 The Biblical Hell is Punishment According to Knowledge and Degrees of Sin.

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If all sinners are thrown together into a lake of fire, it seems all get the same punishment without distinction. No human judge would give the same sentence to both a man who stole food to feed his starving family and a serial killer. That would be most unjust. Would the all-knowing and completely just God do any less? Even the picture of being beaten with many stripes or with few is a metaphor of degree (Luke 12:47-48). The torments of Hell are self-inflicted. Sinners in Hell reap only what each sowed throughout life (Gal. 6:7-8). They didn’t want truth, God, and righteousness, so God let’s them have their way (Rom. 1:18-32). Scriptures phrases show degrees of punishment in accord with each person’s sins—more tolerable (Matt. 11:22-24), according to his deeds (Rom. 2:6), worse punishment (Heb. 10:29).

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The Biblical Hell is the Undying Worm in Outer Darkness.

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 Worm in the Bible is a term of contempt to those thought vile and despicable. “The son of man who is a worm (Job 25:6). “ But I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me” (Ps. 22:6-7). This was prophesied of Jesus bearing our sins dying in our place on the cross (Matt. 27:39-44).

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Darkness in the Bible stands for deception, Satan and sin that are unlike God who is truth and righteousness. Persons jest that they will party in Hell with their friends, but that’s not biblical teaching. Outer darkness is away from the city of God’s light and glory. Black darkness is being confined to a self-made prison alone forever. There will be no more beautiful sunsets and landscapes, no more warm sunshine or cool breezes, no more good times with loving family and friends, no more exciting sports or fulfilling activities. Persons who didn’t thank, appreciate and praise God for his goodness to them in life will find it all taken away. There’s no goodness and love in Hell—only God’s wrath and self-inflicted torments.

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The Biblical Hell is God’s Eternal Wrath.

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Hell is day and night meaning forever or no respite or relief. The Bible doesn’t teach annihilation, a second chance, or reincarnation into many lives as some like to claim. Our choice to accept or reject God is fixed or sealed at death (Rev. 22:11).The Bible is clear that Hell is eternal punishment. “These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:46).

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Weeping and gnashing of teeth means Hell is eternal conscious punishment, not annihilation. Hell lasts as long as God and Heaven last. Life’s sins receiving eternal judgment is not overkill since sinful human nature in Hell is unrepentant, unchanged. And yes, God is a hundred percent for reformation—it’s called life--the Holy Spirit speaks to sinners about it throughout their lives (Jn. 16:8-11). Sinners in Hell still despise their Lifegiver as much as they ever did if not more. There is no second chance. “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 22:11). Moreover, reincarnation into multiple lives is absurd. Can we seriously believe a frog knows about its karma in past lives or a person will know their karma if they become a frog? And what is karma but an abstract impersonal principle that knows nothing and can judge nothing?  

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Can saints be happy knowing a loved one may be in Hell? Can they enjoy a meal knowing many people in the world are starving? Without sin and Satan we will see things completely God’s way. Our theology is to be based upon what God has told us in his Word or we’re shut up to human guesses without authority. Scripture is plain that the future Heaven promised to God’s people is a place on the new earth of beauty, service, worship, security and fulfillment without death, sorrow or pain for there will be no sin in Heaven (Jn.14:1-4;, 2 Pet. 3:12-13; Rev. 21; 22). But we can’t help being sinners! That’s the reason we need a Savior (1 Jn. 1:8-10). And God gives us abundant warnings and invitations through plagues, sicknesses, judgments, preachers, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, abundant facts, logic, conscience, nature, dreams, visions, even this article. So mankind is without excuse. God didn’t create people to go to Hell and even though He knows who will.

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Hell proves God is holy, just, and Lord over evil. His promises of Heaven and warnings of Hell are true. Persons created in his image have dignity, rights, freedom, responsibility, and ethical mandates. Everything we think and do has ultimate consequences and meaning. God is fulfilling his great plan that is wise, powerful and good beyond our understanding.   

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Dear friend, if I may call you that. In trusting Christ as Lord and Savior, we’re not going to be perfect. I can’t guarantee you things will go your way or work out better for you in this life. But based upon the authority of God’s Word, I can guarantee you can enter a love-trust relationship with our Life-giver, Judge, and King of the universe and that we can fellowship together one day in the new Heaven and new earth. It will be more wonderful than we can ever dream.

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Won’t you now say, “Lord, I’m the sinner deserving Hell? But I trust in the Lord Jesus dying for me bearing my sin and I take him as my Savior and Guide from now on. Thank you, Lord. Now live for Him and share Him with others. You may want to send these articles to others who may trust our Lord for forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life. God bless your ministry of faith, love and hope. 
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