Hell is Endless

Some Christians believe, as I once did, that hell isn't forever. The cultic house church minister whom I followed taught that everybody would eventually repent and God would then let them out of hell. This doctrine is called Universalism. People like it because they can't handle the truth that most humans will suffer conscious torment for the rest of eternity.

What then does the Bible, our only sure source of truth, say about hell? Those who think their works will save them are in for a rude shock. Christ condemned the ultra-fastidious Pharisees in Matthew 23:33 (BBE) when he warned, "You snakes, offspring of snakes, how will you be kept from the punishment of hell?"

We also learn from Scripture that hell was originally meant for demons. Jude 1:6 (BBE) describes it this way. "And the angels who did not keep to their kingdom but went out from the place which was theirs, he has put in eternal chains and in dark night till the great day of the judging."

But disobedient sinners will also be there forever. Christ warned in Mark 9:43 (BBE) of the endless agonies unsaved people will suffer. "And if your hand is a cause of trouble to you, let it be cut off; it is better for you to go into life with one hand than to have two hands and go into hell, into the eternal fire."

And need I remind those who doubt the eternal nature of hell about Hebrews 9:27 and 28 (BBE), "And because by God's law death comes to men once, and after that they are judged; So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation."

The Devil and all those who don't obey the gospel won't ever escape the agony of hell. As Revelation 20:10 (BBE) reads, "And the Evil One who put them in error was sent down into the sea of ever-burning fire, where the beast and the false prophet are, and their punishment will go on day and night for ever and ever.

And as hell is eternal, so is heaven. Revelation 22:5 (BBE) encourages faithful folks, "And there will be no more night; and they have no need of a light or of the shining of the sun; for the Lord God will give them light: and they will be ruling for ever and ever."

On Thursday, if our Lord hasn't returned, I hope to post about how those we call decent will still face hell.

Why Did God Create Hell?

In the past few posts, I explained about what hell is and who belongs in it. Since some folks might wonder why the Lord created hell in the first place, I'll attempt to answer that question.

Though God is merciful, he's also just. As Isaiah 13:11 (BBE) points out, "And I will send punishment on the world for its evil, and on the sinners for their wrongdoing; and I will put an end to all pride, and will make low the power of the cruel."

Since this is so, there must be a place of incarceration for those who rebel against the Lord. As Jeremiah 23:5 (BBE) explains about Christ, "See, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will give to David a true Branch, and he will be ruling as king, acting wisely, doing what is right, and judging uprightly in the land."

Jesus is that king and being king, he has power and authority over humanity. As he said in Matthew 28:18 (BBE), "And Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.'"

Furthermore, nobody escapes from God's justice. Luke 12:5 (BBE)record's Christ's warning about whom we must fear. "But I will make clear to you of whom you are to be in fear: of him who after death has power to send you to hell; yes, truly I say, Have fear of him."

Being religious won't save people from eternal torment either. Matthew 23:33 (BBE) was Christ's warning to the Pharisees but it applies to all self-righteous folks. "You snakes, offspring of snakes, how will you be kept from the punishment of hell?"

Furthermore, hell is unlimited in its dimensions. As Israel's people were warned about their sinfulness in Isaiah 5:14 (BBE), "For this cause the underworld has made wide its throat, opening its mouth without limit: and her glory, and the noise of her masses, and her loud-voiced feasters, will go down into it."

So we conclude that justice demands punishment and incarceration. Hell is that place where rebellious angels and humans are consigned. I'll emphasize this in my next book, You Think You're Going to Heaven? People wrongly condemn God for supposedly sending "innocent" people to hell. I'll show from Scripture that it isn't so.

If all goes well, I hope to feature a song on Saturday by a Canadian band regarding the downside of wealth.

What is Hell?

This sounds like a ridiculous question. Most people have been told that hell is where all the bad people go when they die. But what exactly is hell?

The Bible often speaks of hell as being below the earth. But our knowledge of the earth's core shows that there's nothing there but molten iron. Its spinning creates the magnetic field which protects us from solar flares and charged particles from space.

Hell is a quarantine dimension from which their is no escape. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, we notice that there is no possible interaction between heaven and hell. Luke 16:26 (BBE) shows this to be the case. "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."

Hell was originally meant for the Devil and his angels. Jude 1:6 (BBE) says of those rebellious demons, "And the angels who did not keep to their kingdom but went out from the place which was theirs, he has put in eternal chains and in dark night till the great day of the judging."

But this place of eternal punishment was repurposed by the Father to punish those who refused Christ's magnanimous offer of imputed righteousness. As we read in 2 Peter 2:9 (BBE), in regard to the power of God to keep the saints safe, "The Lord is able to keep the upright safe in the time of testing, and to keep evil-doers under punishment till the day of judging;"

And lest people think that hell is only for ungodly sinners, Matthew 23:33 (BBE) shows that religious people also go there. As Christ said of the Pharisees, "You snakes, offspring of snakes, how will you be kept from the punishment of hell?"

In future posts, I'll explore more aspects of this place where final justice is achieved. But on Saturday, I'll post about a song regarding travel and the greatest journey we can ever take.

The Party in Hell Error

I find it incredible that some people actually think that hell will be a fun place to be. There reasoning is that all the "fun" people will be with them. One foolhardy friend even said to me, "At least I'll be warm there."

But hell is anything but fun. It's a place of eternal torment. Think of that. We all have had terrible illnesses or times of tragedy but they all came to an end. Hell never ends and the thought of that is mind-boggling.

In Luke chapter sixteen, we read a parable about a rich man who died and found himself in hell. He wasn't partying with his sinner friends but was in agony. Furthermore, he wished that his five brothers would be warned by Lazarus, the poor beggar, not to end up where he was. Look at his request in Luke 16:28 (KJV). "For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment."

Jesus had much to say about hell. He warned in Matthew 5:29 (KJV), "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."

The metaphor of cutting off one's hand or plucking out of one's eye warns us of the seriousness our Lord places on salvation. In fact, the worst tortures people can do to us aren't comparable to what God will do to those who resist him until they die. Matthew 10:28 (KJV)shows just how foolish it is to joke about hell. "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."

Even more horrifying, people who call themselves Christians but haven't surrendered their wills to Christ have the worst punishment waiting for them. Matthew 23:33 (KJV) quotes Christ's condemnation of the most religious folks in Israel. "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"


I could point to many more verses about the horrors of hell but I'll save it for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Hell is nothing to joke about. It lasts for all eternity and there's no escape from it.

In my next post, I'll point out why so many people mock those of us brave enough to talk about hell. Watch this space.