While most people would probably say that they don’t believe hell exists, it shows up repeatedly in their conversations. “What the hell are you doing?” “That place is a hell on earth.” “Go to hell!” “Hell no!” If hell doesn’t exist, why do we repeatedly speak of it or tell people to go there? Jesus also used the word hell in his conversations. But he clearly believed that it exists and warned people of its severe punishment. In fact, Jesus used the word more frequently by far than any other writer or speaker in the Bible.
All Christians who affirm the Bible as true agree that the teachings about hell are the most difficult of all to understand and accept. A few years ago a well-known Christian leader wrote a book called Love Wins. Although he originally held that the Bible spoke of a future punishment in hell, he had now changed his mind. God was too loving a God to punish people for eternity. God’s character includes more than just love; he is also righteous, holy, and just.
But hypothetically, a judge’s son who has committed several heinous murders could appear in court before his father to be sentenced. No matter how much the father might love his son, as a judge he would be constrained to follow the law and sentence his son to a severe punishment, otherwise he would be disqualified as a judge. So it is with God. Although he deeply loves all people, he is a righteous judge. Love cannot overrule his role as judge. If it did, he would be disqualified as God and judge. He must follow the moral laws of right and wrong he has set in the universe.
The main word in the New Testament translated “hell” is gehenna. The word is derived from the Valley of Hinnom, located on the south side of Jerusalem. This valley was a place where human excrement, trash, the dead bodies of animals, and executed criminals were burned. The fires there were kept burning continually in attempts to destroy the worm-infested garbage. In the time of Jesus, the name gehenna came to be used of the place of everlasting suffering and divine punishment.
So what did Jesus say about gehenna or hell? First, he spoke of its endlessness. Hell is a place “where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out” (Mark 9:48 CEB). Jesus was actually quoting from the final words of the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 66:24). His teaching on hell was not much different from the Jewish Old Testament.
Some people interpret the word eternal to mean “ages.” They insist that the original word only meant “ages” (a time period), and ages are not eternal. But eternal is used of God’s character. He is “the eternal God” (Rom. 16:26). Also, in telling a parable about wicked and righteous people, Jesus said, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). So if hell isn’t eternal, neither is heaven. Verses like this also eliminate the possibility that everyone will eventually be in heaven.
Several Bible passages contain dreadful descriptions of hell. “And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night . . .” (Rev. 14:11). No wonder Jesus warned, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).
Jesus also spoke of God’s intent in creating hell. From the very beginning, hell was never designed for people. God never desired to send people to hell. It was originally designed to punish the fallen angels (i.e., demons). Nevertheless, Jesus will one day say to those who are wicked, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).
It seems unfair that God would punish people eternally for things that were done in a lifetime. This is certainly difficult to comprehend. Perhaps part of the answer is that we cannot fully comprehend the abominable nature of sin. We might think it the height of evil for Hitler to murder millions of Jews and thousands of others. But to God, the “little lie” we told might be the same to him as the evil of Hitler is to us. A person might use a racial slur in a casual conversation, thinking nothing of it. But this does not account for the pain such words can cause for other people. Our “little sins” are BIG to God.
Will people be repentant or sorrowful for their sins in hell? I don’t think so. The character of unbelieving people will not have changed. Immoral people in hell will still be immoral, ever controlled by selfish lusts. The hateful will continue to be hateful, unchanged by their punishment. The final chapter of the Bible speaks of eternity this way: “Evil people will keep on being evil, and everyone who is dirty-minded will still be dirty-minded” (Rev. 22:11 CEV). This is one reason that an eternal punishment is just and right for those who refuse to accept Jesus as Savior. Sin will continue unabated in hell. Bitterness and hatred toward God will still characterize the unbeliever’s true nature.
All those who have rejected faith in Jesus will stand before the Judge of the whole earth. In Revelation 20:11–15, this judgment is called the great white throne judgment (see question #45). Second Thessalonians 1:8 (NET) says, “With flaming fire he [Jesus] will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 8:12; 10:28; John 3:36; Romans 2:4–11; 2 Peter 3:7–10; Revelation 4:8–11; 20:10, 14–15