What is Hell?

SHORT DEFINITION:
Hell is a prison of eternal torment.

LONG DEFINITION:
Hell is a prison of eternal torment created for demons who are set against the throne of God. (2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 20:10-15) While God's desire is that no human enter Hell (2 peter 3:9), those who do not believe in Jesus Christ will not receive forgiveness and will be condemned. (John 3:17) No sinner will enter Heaven. When we believe in Christ, He cleanses us of our sin. We are no longer sinful. However, those who reject Christ will not be cleansed. They refuse to repent of their sin and accept God for who He is. Their sin will stay forever. Hell is filled with unrepentant sinners who reject the Word of God thus calling Him a liar. (1 John 1:10) They will never accept Christ or forgiveness. They accuse God of their sins. As such, they will be forever tormented for such vile blasphemy and evil. (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 21:8; Mark 9:43-47; Matthew 5:29-30; Matt 18:9; Isaiah 66:24)

Some Important Points About Hell:

1. Hell is a place of justice.
2. Hell is a second death.
3. Hell was created for the devil and his angels.
4. God loves all humanity and does not wish for anyone to enter Hell.
5. We have all been given a choice.

1) Hell is place where justice is served.

Justice is about making right when wrong has been committed. As such, justice demands an eye for an eye. Whatever crime has been committed, a penalty of equal proportion must be paid.

In Psalms 33:5(NIV), it says, "The Lord loves righteousness and justice..." God is good. He is so good, in fact, that all His ways are righteous and just. God is completely fair showing no partiality. God bring justice upon all and demands justice of all. In Deuteronomy 19:21, justice is clearly defined. The Lord said through Moses, "Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." Justice seeks to be fair. If a person should take your life, they should also lose their life. The punishment is always equal to the crime committed. Justice shows no pity or favor, but always upholds balance and equality.

At first, it may seem that Hell is too great of a penalty for sin. Why would God torment someone for eternity for stealing a candy bar? The difficult comes in our temporal and Godless point of view. God is an eternal being who is holy, holy, holy. He is most sacred beyond all measure whose worth is infinite in weight. This become aparent when we realize the entire universe and all creation exists because God exists. Life, itself, hangs in a delicate balance being dependent upon God Himself for sustenance. To illustrate, imagine a town of people who all depended upon a single pond as their main source of drinking water. As long as that pond stayed clean, everyone would enjoy great health. However, if just one person was to defile the water by bathing in it or such, then everyone would suffer. God's Word is like the pond. The whole universe operates according to His command. If just one creature were to defile God's Word with disobedience, then all of creation would suffer. We see this truth being worked out daily around us as people suffer due to the sins of humanity.

God is holy, holy, holy. His Word is precious. Therefore, to sin against God is a most serious offence, one of eternal proportions. If anyone sets themselves against God's throne seeking to do away with God and His way, they are setting themselves against the very being that makes all good things. In other words, every enemy of God is evil. God has prepared Hell to deal with evil and bring justice. Hell is God's response to evil. He will vanquish all evil and punish sinners for all eternity.

At this, someone might say, "Why doesn't God just annihilate the defiant creature? Wouldn't it be easier if they just didn't exist?" This is a contradiction in terms because what they are asking is God to change. God created all things out of His love. God is the giver of life. He doesn't destroy life. He is a Creator, not Destroyer. He gave life to those beings who in turn used that life to turn against Him. They, by their own choice, decided to turn against God. If God were to annihilate them, then He would be changing Himself. Rather, God gave them life and the choice to sin. It was His Word, His absolute and unchanging Word, that came forth and made life possible. If God were to change His Word, then how could anything exist? His Word is supreme and it is on that basis that all other things are able to have existence. Rather than change His Word, God has given consequences. They continue to exist in a realm of eternal torture and destruction. They cannot be destroyed for God desires that they exist. He desires they have life. However, by their own choice, they wish to defy God, the essence of life. They suffer by their own choice, not by God's choice.

The demons are sent to Hell for trying to take over God's throne. They have made war against God seeking to take His position of power. God is good. His very nature is good. And so, anything that defies God, defies the very essence of goodness itself. The demons have made themselves evil seeking to destroy God. Their desire is to destroy goodness. They are relentless in their goal and will not stop until they succeed or are sent far away.

Humans, however, do not harbor such vile hatred. Rather, we are sent to Hell for rejecting God's love and authority. Jesus said in Matthew 12:31 "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." Blasphemy, we know, is to make oneself equal with God. (John 10:33) We can be forgiven every sin, except to say that we are equal with God. So how is a human does this?

Jesus boldly proclaimed, "Repent!"(Matt 3:2) Obviously, if God is telling us to repent, this means that we have done something wrong. God is boldly telling all humanity, "You have sinned against me." We have sinned against God. We have hurt Him and wronged Him. We need to repent. Throughout the bible, God tries to show us this. He gives us the Ten Commandments. Have you broken any of these? He comes to earth as Jesus Christ and tells people plainly, "Repent or die." He has also given us a conscious and inside we carry the guilt of sin. It ravages our soul and causes us to feel empty inside. However, people refuse to repent. Instead, they accuse God. They say, "There is nothing wrong with me. I am a good person." In this way, they are making themselves equal with God. He says, "You are wrong." In reply, they say, "I am not. You are." They will not see or recognize their sin. They make war with Him.

How can God forgive someone when they will not admit they are wrong? God cannot impart forgiveness on anyone who says, "I did nothing wrong. I am a good person." They discredit God's justice. They condemn God to justify themselves. (Job 40:8). And so, what can God do? He has offered to help them. He has given them His Son. He has sought them and tried to speak inwardly. They will not listen. And so, they remain an enemy of God.

At the day of judgment, God will hold them accountable for every deed. He will judge them for what is in their heart. When He says, "You have sinned against me and my people." They will fight against Him. As a result, they will be sent to Hell because they refuse to love God. They refuse to give all their honor and worship to the true and living God. Instead, they will follow the devil in whom they trusted.

God is an eternal being. Justice says, "An eye for an eye." So, what is the punishment for sinning against God? Eternal torment. A person who sins against God must face eternal torment for they have committed an eternal crime. There is no hope for such people.

2) Hell is a second death.

The bible speaks about a first and second death. Hebrews 9:27 (NIV), says, "...man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment..." Because sin has infected all flesh, we are doomed to die. The first death is not something many people have avoided. As we look around the world, whether we are Christian or not we experience the first death. After the first death, we all face judgment. However, the bible also say that judgment has been reserved for the "last day." There is a special day set aside in the future when all creature, humans and angels alike, will be judged. There are many, many scriptures that talk about the "last day" or the "day of judgment" or the "day of wrath." One scripture talks about how demons are bound in darkness until that day. Jude 1:6(NIV) says, "And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day."

The bible also speaks about "second death." Revelation 20:14(NIV) says, "The lake of fire is the second death." When speaking about Hell, we must be careful to distinguish between the first and second death. The King James version of the bible can often be misleading as it uses the word "Hell" for both the first and second death. However, when we talk about a fiery place of torment, this is the "lake of fire" or Hell as we know it. When a person experiences the "second death," they are sent to Hell. This is a place of final judgment where there is no possibility of return.

3) Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels.

In Matthew 25:41(NIV) Jesus says "Then He will also say to those on His left, `Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels." God has prepared a place of punishment to bring retribution for the crimes they have committed against all humanity. Satan deceived Eve in the garden, and has been lying and manipulating humanity ever since. He is the cause of a great amount of evil brought about on earth.

Humans, however, will also be sent to Hell as a result of their crimes committed against God. When a person gives into the Devil, putting Satan first above the true God, they make the devil their King. Jesus called the Devil, "the prince of this world" in John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11. He is called the "prince" because he controls humanity through deception and lies. He lures humanity through selfish desires like lust and greed, and he enslaves humanity by our sin. When we give into the devil, then we crown him prince. Later, the devil's people follow him into Hell.

When you understand that this whole thing is a love story, then you begin to see what is happening. God desires our love. It is the first commandment. You shall have no other God before me. Love God with all your heart, mind, body, and soul. In return, God wants to love us. In this way, we can have a loving relationship with God. However, the devil comes in like a thief. He wants to use humanity to leverage his own plan. The devil wants God's throne. He wants to have all God's power. But how can he? God is too great. So, the devil pursues and attacks humanity. He can lure humans away from God through temptation. He then can use humanity to attack and hurt God.

Like a loving Father, God only wants our love. But instead, like a rebellious teenager, we often attack God with hurtful words. So what can God do? He came to earth as Jesus Christ to tell us how much He loves us. However, will we accept? Will we accept God's love? Those who reject Jesus are rejecting God's love, and so, what can God do? He says, "If you love the devil and his ways, then you shall be with the devil. He is going to hell and you will follow your prince to Hell." It is like a loving father who pleads for his teenage daughter to leave the wicked man who abuses her. She refuses to listen and so the father can do nothing but let her go with him.

4) God loves all humanity and does not wish for anyone to enter Hell.

2 Peter 3:9(NIV) says "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God wants everyone to be saved from sin, but the choice is ours. Will we love God? Or will we love another?

The Devil is called the "father of lies" by Jesus in John 8:44. There is only one true God, all other Gods are just a lie. They don't really exist as truth. This means that if we believe in any other as God, allowing that other to take God's place, we believe in a lie. We either believe in the one true God or we believe a lie. This means that when we believe in anything other than the true God, the devil becomes our father. We either belong to the true God or the devil who is the father of lies. And so, the children of the devil follow the devil into Hell.

God wants us all to be His children, but He cannot force us. The choice is ours. We may either choose the truth (in John 14:7 Jesus says "I am the truth"), or we choose a lie (which is the devil). This highlights two very important facts: A) A person goes to Hell because of their own choice. B) Eternally, God does not want them to perish.

A) A person chooses to go Hell. Obviously, God is the judge. Because God is the judge, many people think that God is also the one who sends people to Hell. This is not true. A person's wickedness sends them to Hell. God is simply the judge. To illustrate, let's say a man murders a gas station attendant. The entire incident is caught on tape with several witnesses. It is obvious, the man committed murder. The man is caught and taken before a judge and jury. At the end of the trial, the jury decides to send the man to prison for life. He has no hope of getting out. The question is: why did the man goto prison? Is it because the jury sent him there or was it because the man committed a crime? Was the jury wrong to punish the man?

B) God loves humanity. We are like children to Him. His does not want anyone to perish. In Ezekiel 18:32 (NIV), God says, "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!" God's will is that everyone live a full and abundant life. This is His will, and we know that God never changes. In Numbers 23:19(NIV) it says, "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind." And so, God's will never changes. Forever, God always wants the same thing. He wants people to repent and live.

However, the people who are sent to Hell refuse to repent. It would not matter what God said or did, or what happened to them, the people refuse to repent. Even when enter Hell and burn in torment, they will not repent. Instead, they will eternally blame God accusing Him of wrongdoing. They will blame God for their own suffering and evil.

6) We have all been given a choice.

Will we seek out the one and true God and worship only Him? Will we sincerely make Jesus Christ our Lord so that we may do the will of God?

By His death on the cross, Jesus offered forgiveness to everyone. Jesus came down from Heaven and was born a perfect man. This means that the blood of Jesus had eternal life. Everyone else spawned from Adam and Eve. They were filled with the curse of sin and suffered death from it. We all die because sin has cursed us. However, Jesus was without sin. His life was perfect. So, within the body of Jesus was eternal life. That is why He said in John 5:54, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Within the body of Jesus was the Spirit of life. He had eternal life. So, on the cross, His eternal life was given as a sacrifice. Christ died for our sins. We deserve Hell, but Christ saved us.

However, this can only true for those who accept the gift. Christ offered His life to everyone. The choice is ours. Will we accept this life? Will we call out to Jesus Christ for salvation and let His Spirit transform us into a new creation?

Before a person can accept such a gift, they must realize their sin. We have all sinned against God. We have all disobeyed His commandments. Jesus said to all of us: "Repent!" We must repent. This means that we recognize our sin and choose to turn from it. Have you wronged God? Do you see how you have? Are you willing to change? Are you willing to give up your ways and pursue God's ways?

When we realize how utterly sick we are to have sinned against God and hurt Him, then we can fall down and accept forgiveness brought by Christ. We can say, "Please Jesus, help me. I have sinned against God. Please take my sin and give me a new life. I do not like the wretch I am."

The choice is ours to make. Will we choose Jesus who is life, or will we choose Hell the second death?

Conclusion:

At the heart of all this lies God's sovereignty. God is the author and creator of everything. He knows what is best. Those who challenge God's authority are challenging all that is good. They are evil.

Because of sin, God has lost His loving authority over humanity. Jesus Christ came to restore this lost authority. At the heart of this is a question we must all face. Will we recognize that Jesus Christ is God? In Jesus Christ, God came down from Heaven to earth and showed Himself. Christ is God. Anyone who wishes to follow God and His ways must follow Christ. And so, we all are faced with a question? Will we abandon our ways and follow Christ who is God? Will we come back under God's authority and do things His way? Or will we continue to do things our way?

Sin has so plagued and corrupted humanity that our nature is rebellious. Our entire being is sinful. Because of this, the idea of having God as our supreme authority doesn't sit well with us. The sinful nature inside craves sin. It wants to be free to sin. It doesn't want to obey God. This is why we need more than forgiveness, we need salvation. We need Christ to cleanse our past sin and give us a new nature so that we don't continue to sin. This is what Christ is offering and why He says that we must be born again. We need a new nature that desires to obey God.

When we desire to obey God, then obedience is easy. We want to do what is right in God's eyes. We want to please Him. This is the goal that we may enjoy being under God's authority, so much so, that we sing praises to Him. We sing with joy and obey with love.

Bible Notes:

It is important to note that some versions of the bible translate the Greek word "Hades" as "Hell", thus confusing the first death with the second death. The Day of Judgment has been reserved for an appointed time, and no one will be locked into Hell unto after the Last Day. In addition, some are held in "gloomy dungeons" in Hell until the day of Judgment. This holding place is called the Abyss.

The phrase "worm does not die" (Mark 9:48; Isaiah 66:24) is referring to the stain of sin that will never be washed away. (see Jeremiah 2:22) The worm spoken of in the scripture leaves behind a crimson stain when it dies.

The Greek word "gehenna" is translated "hell" in the following scriptures:
Matthew 5:22,29,30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43,45,47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6