Any series of messages on Hell will not be popular in this day when
modern thinking is so anti-Bible. I might also add that such
preaching will not even be accepted by most preachers of our nation
for a sermon on Hell and Judgment is seldom heard from the pulpits
of our day.
Our primary reason for preaching on this subject is that the Bible
teaches the reality of Hell. Jesus spoke more about Hell than
Heaven. If we want to be true to the Bible and true to Jesus we must
in all honesty preach on Hell. People usually have one main
argument against such preaching. "God is too good to send people to
Hell", they say.
The Lord is good, true! And in His great mercy He has provided a way
of escape but people send themselves to Hell by rejecting His only
way of salvation. It is important to sound forth the truth of
Hell because the multitudes will never hear such preaching from our
modem pulpits. God says we must warn people, "Son of man, I have
made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the
word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the
wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor
speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life;
the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; BUT HIS BLOOD WILL I
REQUIRE AT THINE HAND" (Ezek. 3:17,18).
While it is true that the present generation has almost eliminated
Hell from its vocabulary (except in profanity) and has tried to
extinguish the fires of Hell with humanistic philosophy, yet the
Bible remains the same. It is the unaltered Word of God.
"Hades" "Tartarus" "Gehenna"
In studying the word Hell in the Scriptures, we find three different
Greek words translated "Hell".
1. Luke 16:22,23, "...the rich man also died, and was buried; And in
Hell (Hades)..."
2. Matthew 23:33, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye
escape the damnation of Hell (Gehenna)?"
3. 2 Peter 2:4, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but
cast them down to Hell (Tartarus)..."
These three different words which are three different places we find
translated by the one word Hell. A study of these will help us to
understand what God's Word teaches about Hell.
Tartarus
First, the Greek word Tartarus is found only once in the New
Testament. In 2 Peter 2:4 we read, "For if God spared the angels
that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Tartarus) and delivered
them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
Let us also read Jude 6, "And the angels which kept not their first
estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great
day."
Hades
In Old Testament times and in the days of Christ's ministry upon
earth, the spirits of all the dead departed to a place known as
Sheol in the Hebrew and Hades in the Greek. Sheol or Hades was
divided into two sections — one for the saved called Abraham's bosom
and one for the unsaved which was the place of torments. These two
places were separated by a great gulf so that one could not pass
from one to the other.
Since Christ's resurrection and ascension the righteous dead are no
longer in Hades but are in Paradise. Today when the saved die they
go directly into the presence of Christ which is far better (2 Cor.
5:8). But what about the unsaved dead? Their abode has not yet been
changed. When an unsaved person dies he goes directly to Hades
(Hell) which is the place of torment. The Bible makes it clear that
all the unsaved dead go the Hell and remain there until they are
resurrected to appear before God at the Great White Throne Judgment.
In Revelation 20:13 we read, "...death (the grave) and Hell (Hades)
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every
man according to their worth.
Hades was the place for the unsaved dead in the time of Christ and
still is. The Bible passage that best presents a picture of Hades
(Hell) is Luke 16:19-31. "There was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his
gate full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dog came and licked his
sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by
the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was
buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and
seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and
said to Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he
may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou
in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus
evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And
beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so
that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can
they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray
thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's
house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him,
They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said,
Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they
will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the
dead."
This Scripture passage is not
a parable. When our Lord spoke In parables He always said something
like this: "Hear ye therefore the parable..." or "Another parable
put He forth unto them..." A few times He used the word "like" where
a particular truth was compared to some familiar object or scene. In
this passage Jesus mentions two specific persons, a rich man and the
beggar Lazarus. Jesus did not say that this was a parable, neither
did He say it was "like" some other Bible truth. Here Jesus speaks
about two definite men and in order to prove the reality of Hell, He
gives us this account of what happened to the unbelieving rich man.
Some of you may say, "Well, I think this passage is just a myth."
Such an attitude, however, is a denial of the truth of God's Word.
In the first part of Luke 16, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees about
the danger of loving money unto the damnation of their souls. He
then gives a definite account of what is going to happen to all who
love their money more than they love the Lord. Many people, even
today, seek to gain the things of this world at the expense of their
souls. In Matthew 16:26 we read. "For what is a man profited, if he
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul?.
Now notice Luke 16:19, There was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously everyday."
Here Is a picture of a man of wealth living as if life would go on
forevermore. I want you to notice this: there is one thing that
riches cannot keep us from dying. I believe with all my heart this
man was a good moral upright man. No doubt he obtained his money
honestly, looked after his family, and was respected in the
community. Perhaps he even gave money to charity.
In verses 22 and 23 we read, "the rich man also died, and was
buried: And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments." Neither
his money nor his good works could keep him out of Hell. How
surprised he was for he did not expect to go there.
I believe there will be many people like the rich man They live good
respectable lives, but they do not care for their souls. They are
more occupied now with living than with dying. But when they die
they will be also occupied with living, for they will be alive in
the torments of Hell forever.
In this passage we are clearly told that Hell is a definite place.
"The rich man also died...And in hell he lift up his eyes." In verse
28 we read that the rich man was anxious to warn his brothers. "lest
they also come into this place..." Hell is a place just as real as
Halifax or New York. It is not a "condition" here upon the earth.
People are not passing through Hell now.
Hell is a place of torments. It is a place of terrible suffering and
pain. In verse 24 the rich man cries, "I am tormented in this
flame." In verse 25 Abraham says to the rich man, "thou are
tormented. In verse 28 we also read of "this place of torment."
The grave is not Hell. Man is alive in Hell. In Rev. 14:11 we have
the same truth, "The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever
and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast
and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
Hell is a definite place of fire torments. Notice verse 24, "...send
Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my
tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."
Is there no hope of escape from Hell? None whatever! No one can get
out of Hell once they arrive there. Verse 26, "And beside all this,
between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which
would pass from hence to you cannot: neither can they pass to us,
that would come from thence." The gulf is fixed. I want you to
notice another important fact. The rich man in Hell, prayed. People
in Hell are praying today. Why? Because they have an interest In the
eternal welfare of their loved ones who are left upon the earth.
Verses 27 and 28, 'Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that
thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five
brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into
this place of torment,"
I pray to God that we might have the same compassion for the souls
of loved ones and for the lost multitudes. It is too late in Hell to
warn men and women to flee from the wrath to come. But it is not too
late now. I am so thankful that our radio and literature ministry is
a soul-winning ministry. If God's people were more concerned for the
eternal welfare of souls we could do even more to reach the
multitudes with the Gospel of Christ. Oh, beloved, let us arise and
tell the nation that JESUS SAVES!
The key to the right understanding of this passage is verse
30,"...if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent."
The rich man went to Hell BECAUSE HE DID NOT REPENT OF HIS SINS. He
is now concerned about his brothers and feels confident that if
someone from Hell visited them. they would repent of their sins and
escape God's eternal Judgment. Men do not go to Hell for smoking or
drinking whiskey or stealing. Men go to Hell because they will not
repent of their sins and accept the Saviour. I know that many
of you today are not born again Christians. You are not taking
seriously the welfare of your immortal soul. I want to leave the
following two verses of Scripture with you:
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only,
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life": and Revelation 20:14, 15, "And death and
Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire.."
Which "whosoever" applies to YOU?
2. THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
As we've seen from our previous chapter, the Scriptures plainly
teach there is a place called Hell. While the reality of fire
judgment seems to be the worst punishment, yet I want you to notice
that in Hell they remember. Luke 16:25, "But Abraham said, Son,
remember..." Memory can be a blessing or a curse. Here it will be a
curse for the unsaved will remember eternally with no escape.
I read the other day about a
famous picture in an art gallery in Brussels. This picture is
entitled. "A View of Hell." The central figure is a man with folded
arms and a familiar cocked hat on his head. There is no name given,
but there is no need, for he is at once identified as Napoleon
Bonaparte. On the face of the Emperor there is a look of amazement
and astonishment mingled with dread and fear. He looks about him and
beholds an awful scene.
In the light of the flames burning about Napoleon, you can see back
of him the ranks of the slain in battle. Little children stretch out
clenched fists at the emperor. Mothers with agony on their
countenance surround him. They are holding up the bleeding,
amputated arms and legs of the slaughtered. One woman has the head
of her husband in a sack, and another carries the torso of a dead
and mangled body. A raw and bloody arm, severed at the shoulder, is
thrust close to the face of Napoleon. At one side is a naked body,
upheaved with a sword plunged into the abdomen. On the faces of the
children, the wives, and the mothers are depicted rage, horror,
anger, hate, and infinite pain and sorrow. It is a terrible picture.
It represents Napoleon in Hell remembering the agony which he caused
through a lifetime.
I feel constrained to say that if a man has no hope in Christ he has
nothing. If you are outside of Christ, no matter who you are, you
are facing eternity in a place called Hell.
General William Booth of the Salvation Army used to tell the story
of a family in the city of London well known to Salvation Army
workers. The members of this family were avowed enemies of the
gospel and infidels concerning the faith. There were four members of
the household - father, mother, son, and daughter. They were so
positive in their antagonism to the gospel that they had publicly
declared they did not want a Christian to enter their home at any
time. But a young Salvation Army girl had a great yearning for the
souls of these people and she was determined to try to enter their
home and bear at least one testimony for Jesus Christ. And so one
day, climbing up the stairs to where they lived, she came to the
landing just below the open door of their apartment. As she paused
for breath, she heard the tones of a man in mature years, strong,
firm and confident, saying, "Hold on, my son, hold on! You are sick
now. It may be you must even die, but we know there is nothing
beyond. We have reasoned it all out. We have read all the books. We
know all the arguments. We have exploded the Christian myth long
ago. There is nothing but a step into the dark and then sleep,
peaceful and permanent. Do not be afraid. Hold on! Hold on!"
Then there was a moment's silence, after which the sobbing voice of
a women cried in great and yearning tenderness: "O my precious boy!
Mother's heart breaks for you, but you must not be afraid. You will
be going to sleep directly as gently as ever you did when a babe on
Mother's bosom. You remember that we investigated all the questions
relating to any possible life beyond this. You know our faculties
were all strong and vigorous when we reached the definite and
deliberate conclusion that there is nothing beyond but darkness, and
death is but a step into it, and then sleep. Son, hold on! Hold on!"
Again there was a heartbreaking pause. Then as the Salvation Army
girl waited, she heard the voice of the boy's sister as she said, "O
my brother, do not falter now. All real knowledge, conviction, and
understanding of life and death came to you in the days of health.
Do you not remember the books we read, the arguments we made, and
the conclusions to which we came? Just hold on now for a little
while, then all will be over and you will sleep. There is nothing
beyond; just hold on."
And then wavering upon the air, a voice laden with great tragedy of
despair, between choking gasps for breath. said, "Hold on? That is
the trouble! There is nothing to hold on to! There is nothing to
hold on to as I go out into the dark." My friend, without
Christ, there is nothing to hold on to. If you have not placed your
hand in the nail-scarred hand of Jesus, then you have nothing to
hold on to. Eternity will not only mean darkness but it will be full
of suffering, torment, and everlasting woe for you.
Look to Jesus. Receive Him now as your Saviour. Believe in Him. He
has said, "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall
he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die" (
John 11:25,26).
THE RESURRECTION OF THE
UNSAVED
In Revelation 20:13 we read, "Death (the grave) and Hell (Hades)
delivered up the dead which were in them." This is a picture of the
unsaved dead being resurrected. You will recall in our previous
chapter how we saw that only the spirits of the wicked dead are in
Hades. The spirits of the righteous dead were taken up to Paradise
with Christ and are now with Him.
The resurrection of the unsaved dead will take place one thousand
years after the resurrection of the righteous, that is, one thousand
years after the second coming of the Lord. This is inferred in
Revelation 20:5, "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished." This event leads to the Great White
Throne Judgment as described in Revelation 20: 11-15: "And I saw a
great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for
them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up
the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they were judged every man according to
their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
God's Word teaches that there
is coming a day when men and women who have rejected Christ as their
Saviour must stand before God in Judgment. While the world is
primarily occupied with living - making money and having things -
one day the activities will cease and each unsaved person will meet
God. The first fact to notice about the Great White Throne
Judgment is that no righteous people from among the dead will be
there. Only the dead who have rejected Christ will stand before God
at this judgment. What a scene it will be! Here will stand the king
and servant, the rich and poor, the high and low. There will be no
escape for them.
We read in verse 12 that "the books were opened." These books will
contain the names of the unsaved people of all ages as they stand
before God. They will also contain the Divine record of the lives of
each individual. Every sin, every evil thought, every rejection of
Christ will be recorded and will be displayed on this Judgment Day.
"And another book was opened, which is the book of life." In this
book the records of all of God's people are kept. And if the names
found in the other books are not recorded in this book then there is
no hope for them. It will be Divine proof that they have rejected
Christ and deserve God's judgment. "And the dead were judged
out of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works." God knows every sin of every sinner and the record is
now being kept. In that day the record will be revealed and each
sinner will be judged according to his works. We may try to hide
from God now. We may succeed in hiding our sin from others. But in
that day nothing will be hidden from God. The wicked works of all
the unsaved will be judged.
"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them." We know, of course, that
death holds the bodies of the dead and Hell holds the spirits of the
wicked dead. None of the wicked dead will be overlooked or
forgotten. All must stand before God. "And death and hell were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death. It is God's
guarantee that sin will never enter into His new creation.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast
into the lake of fire." Notice that God's final Judgment upon men
and women is a judgment that takes place because their names were
not written in the book of life. Their names may have been written
upon the church rolls but they were absent from the book of life.
They had never been born again.
3. The Lake of Fire
In our previous chapter we saw that at the Great White Throne
Judgment all whose names were not written in the book of life were
cast into the lake of fire. The Greek word for the lake of fire is
Gehenna and this is the final Hell. The first ones to be cast into
this place will be the beast and the false prophet (Rev. 113:20).
One thousand years later Satan and his angels will also be cast in
(Rev. 20:10). Then, all the wicked deed will be delivered up from
Hades (the present Hell) to stand before God at the Great White
Throne Judgment after which they, too, will be cast into the lake of
fire.
It is of Gehenna not Hades that our Lord spoke so frequently. Here
are some of the passages where Jesus refers to this final Hell:
Matthew 5:22, "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and
whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the
council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of
hell fire (Gehenna)."
Matthew 5:29, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and
cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy
members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast
into hell (Gehenna)."
Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell (Gehenna)."
Matthew 18:9, "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 (Gehenna)."
Matthew 23:15, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made,
ye make him twofold the child of hell (Gehenna) than yourselves."
Matthew 23:33, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye
escape the damnation of hell (Gehenna)?"
Mark 9:43, "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better
for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into
hell (Gehenna), into the fire that never shall be quenched."
The Bible teaches clearly that this Gehenna, this final Hell, is a
place of fire. Note also the following references: Rev. 20: 15, "And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire." Matt. 5:22, "Whosoever shall say, Thou fool,
shall be in danger of hell fire." Matt. 18:8, "to be cast into
everlasting fire." Matt. 18:9, "Hell fire." Mark 9:43,45, "Fire that
never shall be quenched." Mark 9:44,46, "Where their worm dieth not,
and the fire is not quenched." Rev. 21:8, The fearful, and
unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers,
and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part
in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death."
There are some who tell us that the fires of Hell are not literal
but symbolic only of punishment. Certainly there is no reason to
believe this but let us suppose it is true and that the fires are
symbolic of the punishment of Hell. Would that make the punishment
any easier to bear? Not at all! The reality would be greater than
the symbol. Therefore the Punishment would be great and awful and
terrible as represented by fire.
The Bible gives another true picture of Hell in Matt. 8: 12, "Cast
out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth." Other verses are: Matt. 13:42,50; 22: 13; 24:51: 25:30; and
Luke 13:28. Hell is a place of outer darkness and there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
ANNIHILATION
There are those who teach that the wicked are annihilated at death,
never to be brought back into existence.
The Jehovah Witnesses teach that the wicked are annihilated at
death, then recreated to be given a second chance. But those who
refuse this second chance for eternal life will be cast into the
lake of fire and will be annihilated for good. They will cease to
exist. They say that such words as destroy, destruction, perish, and
consume, mean annihilation. One of their favourite texts to try to
prove their point is 2 Thess 1:9, "Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction." Let us study some of these words in
the Bible to see their true meaning. First, the word destroyed
or destruction cannot be translated as annihilated or annihilation.
Job 19:20, "He hath destroyed me on every side." He could not have
been annihilated and still live to tell of it.
Job 21 :17, "How oft cometh their destruction upon them." How could
they be put out of existence many times?
Isaiah 34:2, "For the indignation of the Lord is upon all
nations...he hath utterly destroyed them." The nations are not yet
out of existence.
Hebrews 2:14, "That through
death He (Christ) might destroy the devil." The devil is not out of
existence yet.
Now the passage in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 reads, -Who shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from
the glory of His power." Those who teach the annihilation theory say
no one could go out of the presence of an OMNIPRESENT GOD without
being put out of existence. Our reply Is that Cain went out
from the presence of the Lord (Gen 4:16) without being put out of
existence. Those who are banished from the presence of the Lord are
banished from His presence in Heaven. The word destroy does not mean
annihilate.
Second, the word perish never means annihilation. In John 3:16 we
read, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish..." They use
such verses as this to prove their theory that the wicked shall
perish. To them the word perish means to go out of existence
forever.
The Greek word for perish is apollumi and means "to render unfit for
the intended use." In Matthew 9:17 the bottles into which the new
wine is put are said to break, "the bottles break, and the wine
runneth out, and the bottles perish." This simply means that the
bottles are rendered unfit for their intended use. They have not
been put out of existence.
In Luke 15:17 we hear the prodigal son say, "I perish with hunger."
He was certainly not annihilated. And in 2 Peter 3:6 we read, "The
world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." But the
world was not put out of existence. Finally, the word consume
does not mean annihilation.
Galatians 5:15, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed
that ye be not consumed one of another." Paul was not referring to
them annihilating one another.
We can see therefore from the Bible that the words destroy,
destruction, perish and consume do not mean annihilation or to put
out of existence.
RESTORATION
Some teachers believe that after the wicked have been punished in
the lake of fire they will be taken out and transferred to Heaven.
The main verse they use is Acts 3:21, "Whom (Christ) the Heaven must
receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."
Let us notice, however, that the restoration is to be for all things
"which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets." There
is not one place in the Bible where it is taught that the wicked and
Satan will be restored to Heaven after their punishment.
If we are going to believe the Bible as the inspired Word of God,
there is no way to escape the truth of the lake of fire for all
those who die in their sins. And yet, I do not know how it is
possible for Christians to say they believe in the fire torments of
Hell and do so little to rescue the perishing and care for the
dying. It is because of the reality of the lake of fire that
we broadcast the Gospel and send forth our printed literature. I
believe the time is short and what we do to warn lost souls we must
do quickly. If you are not saved, I plead with you in Jesus' Name to
turn from your sin and receive Christ as your own Saviour. He is
waiting to impart unto you eternal life.
4. Some Questions Answered
Is Hell's Punishment Forever?
There are many who say that while Heaven's bliss is forever and
ever, punishment in the lake of fire is not forever and ever. The
Bible uses the same word, however, when it speaks of everlasting
life and everlasting punishment. If the word means everlasting for
Heaven then it must also mean everlasting when used in relation to
Hell. In Matthew 25:46 we read: "And these (the wicked) shall go
away into EVERLASTING punishment: but the righteous into life
ETERNAL." While this text refers primarily to the nations, it also
applies to individuals.
Let us notice the two words EVERLASTING and ETERNAL. The punishment
of the wicked is EVERLASTING and the life of the righteous is
ETERNAL. When we look at the Greek we find that both words come from
the same one in Greek, aionios. This Greek word is translated by two
different words in this text and therefore both words have the same
meaning - ETERNAL. In view of this fact we can say that the
punishment in the lake of fire will be just as long as the life of
the righteous. Christ Himself spoke this text and used the same
Greek word in relation to the duration of time for both the wicked
and the righteous.
Some would tell us that this word aionios only means age long or for
a period and not forever and ever. Let us notice that in the New
Testament this word is used at least seventy-one times and in all
but four places it is translated as eternal or everlasting which
means endless duration. No other meaning could be read into such
texts.
The same Greek word is used when speaking of the existence of God in
Romans 16:26: "...the commandment of the everlasting (aionios) God."
Here it certainly means endless duration and if it means that here
it must mean the same when it is used to speak of the punishment of
the wicked. If the punishment in the lake of fire can come to an end
then it would be just as logical to believe that the existence of
God will come to an end.
Another term found in the New Testament certainly proves the fact of
endless punishment and endless bliss.
This phrase is used when speaking of the righteous in Rev. 22: 5,
"They shall reign for ever and ever. " Everyone agrees with that
statement.
The same phrase is used of
Christ in Rev. 1:1 8, "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and,
behold, I am alive for evermore... Who will doubt that Christ is
eternal?
The same phrase is used to describe the duration of the unrighteous
followers of the Antichrist in Rev. 14:11, "And the smoke of their
torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day
nor night." It is used concerning Satan in Rev. 20:10, ...and shall
be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Matthew 18:8, "...to
be cast into EVERLASTING fire." Matthew 25:46, "And these shall go
away into EVERLASTING punishment." 2 Thess. 1:8,9, "...them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ:...shall be punished with EVERLASTING destruction."
Nothing is more clearly taught in the Bible than the fact that the
punishment of the wicked in the lake of fire is for eternity.
Will A God of Love Send People to Hell?
Not at all! God has provided a way of escape through His Son the
Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners. Full
provision has been made for salvation, but those who refuse this
salvation determine their own destiny and choose Hell instead of
Heaven.
The following true story from American history is a good
illustration of this. A man by the name of Wilson was sentenced to
be hanged for murder. The Governor offered him a pardon which he
refused. The Warden did not know what to do and submitted the case
to the Supreme Court. The learned Judges considered all aspects and
concluded that a pardon is only a pardon when it is received. Since
Wilson refused the pardon he could not be freed. He had to be put to
death. So it is with every sinner who refuses God's pardon of
salvation. He must die and be consigned to the lake of fire for all
eternity.
How Can People be Happy in
Heaven When They Know Some Loved Ones Suffer in Hell?
In Job 24:19,20 we read, "Drought and heat consume the snow waters:
so doth the grave (Sheol, abode of the spirits) those which have
sinned. The womb shall forget him (the sinner)...he shall be no more
remembered." And in Isaiah 65:17 we read, "For, behold, I create new
heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor
come into mind." The Bible teaches that after the unsaved are cast
into the lake of fire their existence will be erased from the
memories of the righteous in Heaven.
What Must A Person Do to Go to Hell?
We don't have to do one thing to be lost. We are already lost until
we are saved. We don't have to wait until we die to be condemned. We
are already condemned (John 3:18) and on the way to Hell if we have
not experienced the new birth.
Is Heaven Closed to the
Unsaved Dead?
In Revelation 22:11 we read, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust
still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still.: and he that
is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let
him be holy still.." Let us also read John 8:21, "Then said Jesus
again unto them, I go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in
your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come..."
There is no doubt that as we die, so we must remain throughout all
eternity. Death does not change our character nor our relationship
to the Lord.
How Can We Enter Heaven?
Jesus said in John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God." It is impossible for anyone to see the kingdom
of God without being born again.
How Can We Be Born Again?
First, confess that you are a sinner and in need of being born
again. "The scripture hath concluded all under sin" (Gal. 3:22).
Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God."
Second, realize that you cannot save yourself. Ephesians 2:8,9, "For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it
is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Third, recognize that salvation depends upon a personal acceptance
of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. "But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on His name" (John 1:12). Fourth, turn from your sin
and receive the Lord by faith into your life. "The blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
If you will do this from your
heart you will be born again and on the basis of God's Word you will
have, right now, EVERLASTING LIFE.
