Why is There No Escape From Hell?

 You might be surprised by this but some errant churches teach that hell won't last forever. Even the cultic house church I once attended believed that every person ever born would eventually be saved.

Even a casual reading of the Bible proves that there's no escape from hell. The most famous story of that place is told in Luke's gospel.

In Jesus' parable, a rich man found himself in hell and he begged Abraham in heaven to send the beggar Lazarus to cool his tongue with a drop of water. The rich man also asked that somebody warn his five brothers not to end up where he was.

Luke 16:25 and 26 (BBE) says, "But Abraham said, 'Keep in mind, my son, that when you were living, you had your good things, while Lazarus had evil things: but now, he is comforted and you are in pain. And in addition, there is a deep division fixed between us and you, so that those who might go from here to you are not able to do so, and no one may come from you to us.'"

Heaven, by contrast, is a place of perfect righteousness. When the universe has it's epic melt down and is replaced by new heavens and a new earth, only goodness will be allowed there. As 2 Peter 3:13 (BBE) states, "But having faith in his word, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, which will be the resting-place of righteousness."

And though some people think that the New Jerusalem will be a physical city, I believe it's actually the returning saints of Christ. The verse in Revelation 22:15 (BBE) shows that wicked people won't be part of God's new kingdom. "Outside are the dogs, and those who make use of evil powers, those who make themselves unclean, and the takers of life, and those who give worship to images, and everyone whose delight is in what is false."

A day will come when everybody who ever lived will be judged. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:10 (BBE), "For we all have to come before Christ to be judged; so that every one of us may get his reward for the things done in the body, good or bad."

Furthermore, the Lord wouldn't be just if he let the unrepentant and infinite sin of Christ-rejecting wicked folks pass without eternal punishment. Isaiah 45:21 (BBE) shows how serious he is about his righteousness. "Give the word, put forward your cause, let us have a discussion together: who has given news of this in the past? who made it clear in early times? did not I, the Lord? and there is no God but me; a true God and a saviour; there is no other."

We rejoice then that God won't pardon the unforgivable sin of rejecting him until death. And because we can count on his wise judgement, I'll include that in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? As I've written before, we have enough revelation in creation to know that there's an all-powerful maker.

On Saturday, I plan on posting about work and a Cat Stevens song.