Hell is a Place of Lost Hope

We have seen that people choose hell by rejecting the light they have received from God.  We have seen that everyone is a sinner whose selfishness and pride call for divine punishment -- even the nice non-Christian who has so many fine qualities.  We have seen that Jesus Christ is going to judge every person individually and will sentence him/her to receive exactly what he/she deserves.  Now we are ready to develop the solemn fact that hell is a place of lost hope.

We who believe on Jesus Christ and therefore are confident that we will go to heaven would like to see everyone get there eventually.  We would very much like to find evidence in the Bible that the lost will get another chance to be saved after death.  And there always have been teachers who have held the viewpoint of another opportunity after death.  As much as we would like to think that ultimately all will be saved, we cannot honestly use the Scriptures to build a case for it.  The Bible does not promise or even imply that the lost will have another chance for salvation after death.

In summary, the future of those who die as unbelievers or rebels is not pleasant to contemplate.  When Jesus talked about hell, He spoke of  "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt. 8:12), of "the fire that shall never be quenched" (Mk. 9:43, 45), and of a place "where their worm does not die" (Mk. 9:44, 46, 48).  Even if many verses are inconclusive regarding the eternal conscious suffering of the lost, Revelation 14:11 and 20:10 indicate that at the very least, some of the lost will suffer conscious torment for all eternity.

The biblical doctrine of hell is designed to warn sinners.  It is designed to motivate believers to do all they can to reach people with the Gospel.  It is designed to show us how terrible sin is in the sight of an awesomely holy God.  Therefore, although we cannot visualize the timelessness of eternity or the exact nature of hell's suffering, we can be moved to godly fear and proper action.  And we can ultimately trust God to do what is right by friends and relatives who for one reason or another refuse the Gospel.  With Abraham of old we ask the rhetorical question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25), and leave the matter to Him.

The Fate of Those Who Never Heard

Many people have gone through this life without even once hearing about Jesus Christ.  Even among those who live in cultures where Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are observed, there are multitudes who never really hear the gospel.  And some who have had contact with professing Christians never give Jesus Christ serious consideration because of what they see in the lives of people who claim to be His followers.

What about such people who will die without ever having heard a clear presentation of the gospel?  Can we assume that God will find some way to open the doors of heaven to them?  We would like to believe that.  But the Scriptures make it clear that those who haven't heard the gospel are lost just as surely as those who refuse to believe on Christ.  Jesus declared that He Himself is the only way to God (Jn. 14:6).  Peter boldly told the Jewish rulers who had arrested him "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).  Paul referred to all who don't know Jesus as "those who are perishing" (2 Cor. 4:3) and described the Gentile world before the time of Christ as "having no hope and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12).  The heartbreaking fact is that people who have never heard the gospel are on their way to a Christless eternity.

God will hold those who never heard the gospel responsible for what they did with the light that they had in this world.  Paul said of the pagans that God had revealed Himself to them in nature (Rom. 1:18-21) and in conscience (Rom. 2:12-16).  They must give an account of what they did with this light and will be punished accordingly.

Hell is a Place of Fair Treatment

We have seen that hell is the place people chose, even if unknowingly, when they go their own way instead of listening to God.  We have also noted that hell is a place that will forever tell the truth about the real character of those who have rejected and resisted God's provision for their salvation.

Hell will be a place of fair treatment.  Before anyone goes there, that person will stand at a final judgment to determine the exact degree of punishment he or she will receive.  God will be perfectly fair.

The final judgment is depicted graphically in Revelation 20:11-15.  This is the great white throne judgement.  The Judge is none other than Jesus Christ (John 5:24-30).  All the unsaved will receive new bodies and will stand to be judged.  Then the books containing the life record of every person and the one special Book of Life will be opened.  The opening of these books shows that those who rejected God's gift of salvation will receive perfect justice.

The awesome picture of final judgment in Rev. 20: 11-15 led Thomas Carlyle to exclaim:  "What a magnificant conception is that of a final judgment!  A righting of all the wrongs of the ages."  The Lord Jesus Christ will take into account every circumstance overlooking nothing.  He will be the Supreme Court of the universe.  No one will be able to appeal His decisions.  In fact, no one will feel the need to do so.  Every person will acknowledge Him as Lord and admit that His verdict has been absolutely fair and right.  It is at this time, that everyone will recognize Him to be all He claimed to be, fulfilling the words of Philippians 2:9-11.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Hell is a Place of Truth

The second point we need to see is that hell is a place of truth.  Even though it is sometimes described as a place of outer darkness, it is a place of the light of truth.  Hell will finally expose the true nature of all who have consistently rejected the love and grace and mercy of God.  In the meantime, the true nature of human hearts is often buried under deceptive appearances.

Now, most people don't think of themselves as deserving of everlasting punishment.  Many who have chosen to live their lives apart from God don't look any different from others who openly admit their need of the forgiveness and mercy of  Christ.

But present appearances are deceiving.  While the Bible says that most people are headed for the lake of fire, many of them don't look as though they deserve a fire reserved for the devil and his angels.  Evil men like Stalin or Hitler or serial killers might seem to qualify, but not the rank-and-file of people who seem to live basically decent lives.

Yet, from the Bible's point of view, such evaluations are extremely misleading and even deceptive.  The Bible shows us that the fires and blackness of hell will make eternal statements about (1) the true wickedness of public enemies and (2) the true wickedness of good people,

The Wickedness of Public Enemies

In some respects, human wickedness is terrible to contemplate.  Think of what God sees as He looks down on the world of mankind.  He watches the murders, adulteries, thefts, fights and physical and emotional torment that occur day and night in every part of the world.  He sees the child abusers -- their lust, cruelty, and heartlessness.  He sees wives crying, children abandoned, friends and partners betrayed, governments oppressing, and religious leaders fleecing their trusting flocks.  

It is the moral and spiritual condition that God has been patiently tolerating ever since man's fall into sin.  Read the Apostle Paul's timeless and universal description of the human condition:  

(Rom. 3:12-18)  They have all turned aside, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one.........their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This is a striking picture of the dishonesty, the greed, the profanity, the deceitfulness, and the cruelty that continues to produce rapists, child molesters, embezzlers, and pornographers.  When the judgment of God falls, and when such persons are sentenced to the lake of fire described in Revelation 20: 11-15, the fire will make an eternal statement of truth about those who have lived their lives at the expense of others.

What we need to realize, however, is that Romans 3 was not written merely to tell the truth about those public enemies who will one day find their rightful place in hell.  It also describes:

The Wickedness of Good People.

A closer look shows that Romans 3: 10-18 doesn't just describe the judgment-deserving character of those we call public enemies.  Verse 10 expresses the inclusive argument of the first three chapters of Romans, when it says of mankind, religious and non-religious alike:

There is none righteous, no, not one, there is none who understands, there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside, they have together become unprofitable, there is none who does good, no, not one (3:10-12).

We don't like to think that good people deserve to go to hell.  But our good impression of decent law-abiding neighbours is not a real reflection of the truth.  We think naturally in man-centered ways rather than in the God-centered measurement described in Romans 3.  Man wasn't made to be a decent public servant.  He was made to glorify his Maker and to enjoy Him forever.  We weren't made to live decent, self-serving lives.  We were made to depend gratefully on the love and goodness of God.  We weren't made just to abide by the external requirements of civil and religious law.  We were made to worship God from our hearts and to love one another as He has loved us.

When we measure ourselves by that evaluation, the threat of hell becomes more of an issue.  The irresistible fire of judgment will expose the enormous deception that now hides behind social and religious courtesies and proprieties.

We have good reason to shudder at the thought of standing in God's presence on our own merits.  If we're honest, we must admit that apart from Christ we deserve to hear Him sentence us to hell.  In God's sight, no-one is really a good person.  (Romans 2: 12-16).

All people, at one time or another, sense that there is a God to whom they are morally accountable, that they have sinned, and that they need divine forgiveness.  But most men and women stifle these disquieting thoughts.  Some do so by denying the existence of a personal God.    Some do so by saying that what we call sins are merely weaknesses.  Others affirm that God is so loving that He will never punish anyone on the other side of death.  They don't want to acknowledge their sin and believe on Jesus Christ.  But the day is coming when they will stand before God for final judgment.  There they will see themselves as they really are.  Stripped of all their self-righteousness, they will recognize their guilt before God.  And nothing less than the lake of fire will ultimately tell the truth.

What Happened to the Subject of Hell?

Countless people among us seem obsessed with the subject of hell.  Even irreligious individuals talk of "going to hell and back" for something they love.  They speak of certainties as being  "sure as hell," or impossibilities as occurring "when hell freezes over."  And bad experiences are said to "hurt like hell."  Many otherwise polite people regularly inject colour, emotion, and profanity into their conversation by adding a casual or angry reference to hell to almost any combination of words.

Yet ironically, the more hell shows up in casual conversation, the less it is actually thought about -- even in religious circles.  The more such a word is used in an aggressive, profane way, the less threatening it seems to the user.  Accordingly, the subject of hell has become as prevalent in street talk as it is absent in Sunday sermons.

It wasn't always that way.  Historically, most religions have held openly to the idea of an after-death judgment followed by punishment for evildoers.

Our present reluctance to think seriously about the reality of future punishment may stem in part from an inadequate concept of God.  We have forgotten that He is a God to be feared.  The Russian theologian Berdyaev said, "It is remarkable how little people think about hell or trouble about it.  This is the most striking evidence of human frivolity."  (The Destiny of Man, Scribner, p. 33).  What he wrote more than 70 years ago is even more true today than when he penned it.

We do not do people a favour when we remain silent about the subject of hell.  Jesus, the prime example of God's love, spoke of hell repeatedly.  He said that some would rise from death to "the resurrection of condemnation" (Jn. 3:29).  He declared that those who go to hell enter the horrible place where "their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched" (Mk 9:44, 46, 48).  He also depicted it as a place of "outer darkness," where there "will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt. 8:12; 12:13; 25:30).

Bertrand Russell said he decided to become an atheist when he read the words of Jesus about hell.  But did he act wisely?  At least he was consistent.  He realized that hell deserves to be taken seriously.  He knew that it doesn't make sense to say you believe in Christ while rejecting what He and His book say about an eternal "lake of fire."

- from "Portraits of Eternity" by Herb Vander Lugt

Why Are Christian Positive Thinkers Wrong?

What Is Possibility Thinking?

Possibility thinking is Robert Schuller's Christian form of Positive Thinking.  He says, "I call it possibility thinking. Others call it faith."  In essence, he stresses never verbalizing negative emotions.  He also stresses conditioning the subconscious mind by programming positive thoughts into the conscious mind.  To Schuller, faith in oneself and self-esteem is vital to success.  He believes that in each one of us there resides an inner reservoir of divinely implanted creative potential which we can draw upon.  "Fill your life with the God Spirit and all kinds of power will break forth."

Schuller encourages Christians to use deep relaxation and meditation to enter the "alpha state."  He is wrong in teaching that Transcendental Meditation, for example, is not religious or anti-Christian.  It is both.  He is also wrong in teaching that the mantras with the "M" sound will help clear your mind from the distractions in the world.  Maharishi Yogi himself has said TM mantras are spiritual vehicles involving or invoking Hindu spirits or deities, which the Bible would identify as evil spirits or "demons."  Robert Schuller is also wrong in stating "it is important to remember that meditation in any form is the harnessing, by human beings, of God's divine laws."  They are clearly eastern or occultic.  They are used for occultic purposes, such a developing psychic powers or helping one realize one is God.  Schuller's form of meditation should be rejected by the church -- not accepted by it or practiced as a means of spiritual growth.

Robert Schuller's Religious Views

He believes what is needed is a "reformation of theology" along psychological lines.  He states that (1) "Christian theology has failed to accommodate" modern psychology; and (2) that Christian theology has failed to "apply the proven insights" of psychology to human behaviour.

Sin is Redefined

Schuller teaches "sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem."  Thus, "the core of sin is a lack of self-esteem."  The Bible teaches something altogether different.  Sin is transgression against God and His law, not against oneself. (I John 3:4).  David said, "Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned" (Psalm 51:4).  Robert Schuller teaches:  "Do not fear pride.  The easiest job God has is to humble us.  God's almost impossible task is to keep us believing every hour of every day how great we are as His sons and daughters. . . "  The Bible teaches "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" and "pride goes before destruction" (James 4:6, Proverbs 16:18).

Salvation is Redefined

Schuller teaches "to be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image. . . "  He teaches "pursuing possibility thinking is the way of the cross. . . the cross sanctifies the ego trip."  He means that the hardships we experience will keep our self-esteem in check just like the cross Jesus died upon was God's method to keep Jesus' self-esteem in check.  Does Schuller mean to say that Jesus didn't have a perfect humanity and required the humility of the cross to keep His self-esteem in check?  The proper answer to that question is no.  Jesus was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

The Bible teaches that salvation is repentance from sin (and self) and faith in Christ for forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18).  As a result of being "born again," a true Christian will surrender his life to God and deny his own way.  Thus, the Bible teaches that the way of the cross is self-denial, not Possibility Thinking (Matthew 16:24, 25).

Unbelief is Redefined

Schuller teaches unbelief  "is really a profoundly deep sense of unworthiness."  Unbelief in the Bible is mainly referring to man's rejection of God's gift of salvation, that is, belief in His Son Jesus Christ (John 3:36).  This is what Schuller does not mention.  In fact, where in the Bible does God ever mention that unbelief is man not thinking he has value?  Where does the Bible say unbelief is a profoundly deep sense of unworthiness?

Hell is Redefined

Schuller teaches, "and what is 'hell'?  It is the loss of pride that naturally follows separation from God. . . the person is in hell when he has lost his self-esteem."  The Bible, however, teaches that hell is a real place of eternal torment, black darkness, and weeping and gnashing of teeth, not a state of mind. (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:10-15; Matthew 13:42).

Evangelism is Redefined

Schuller teaches, "I do not think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality, and hence counter productive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth and un-Christian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition."  He also teaches "for the church to address the unchurched with a theocentric [God centered] attitude is to invite failure in mission."  The Bible, however, teaches that unless people are aware of their "lost and sinful condition" before a Holy God (a "theocentric attitude"), they will never be saved (Romans 10:13-15).  Schuller is wrong.  Jesus said, "and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations" (Luke 24:47).

Sanctification is Redefined

Schuller states, "God's ultimate objective is to turn you and me into self-confident persons."  The Bible teaches God's ultimate purpose is to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).  In conclusion, the above views of Robert Schuller are not biblical and should not be accepted by the Christian church.



For more information on Victory Churches and the Faith Movement, go to the Reference Library.  Click on any book title to get a brief overview of the book.  All books on the list are available through www.amazon.com. 

Eternity is a Long Time -- Choose Wisely!

Hell (Choice #1)

People's opinion of the biblical description of hell ranges from "slightly confusing" to "completely irrational." Although everyone agrees that the idea of punishment and suffering is distasteful, the Bible claims that hell is an actual place. At the crux of the matter lies a question we all must ask ourselves..."What do I believe about hell?"

What's Your Hell?

In my own life my first encounter with the idea of hell marks the beginning of my spiritual pilgrimage, I will never forget the experience of sitting on the front seat of our old Chevy, my feet not yet touching the floor, listening to a radio program with my mother. The radio preacher spoke on why we would all surely go to hell if we did not place our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour.

My parents raised me in a very safe and secure environment. We went to church regularly, and I believed in God with all of my heart. But until that moment I had never been told that hell was my certain destination unless God somehow intervened.

The next time I remember thinking about hell was in high school as we read Dante's Inferno. Dante saw hell as a place made up of levels of punishment descending into an abyss inhabited by Satan himself. Dante portrayed his personal enemies writhing in hell, suffering torments based on how they had lived.

Another concept is the "hell on earth" that we all experience while living in an imperfect world. We all seem to go through seasons of distress and trouble. My own mind flashes back to the war in Viet Nam, my parent's divorce and the terrible loneliness I sometimes felt as an adolescent.

No-one Wants To Go To Hell

By definition, hell is the worst possible place we could ever imagine. The Bible describes hell as a place filled with eternal suffering and separation from God. "Their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur...And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever." (Revelation 21:8; 14:11).

Jesus and Hell

Many people have no room in their "spiritual philosophy" for a place like hell but it is interesting to note that out of thirteen references to hell in the New Testament, twelve come from the very lips of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus describes hell as a real place, inhabited by real people -- conscious, thinking people -- eternally regretting their misspent lives. Why do you suppose that Jesus Himself would be the primary spokesman on such a distasteful subject? It's because His very mission on this earth was to help us avoid that awful place. In fact, He poured out His life so we could get into a right relationship with His heavenly Father.

The Scriptures teach that hell was not created for you and me. Neither were we created for hell. Instead, hell was designed as a place of confinement and punishment for Satan and his angels when they rebelled against God. "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'" (Matthew 25:41).

Avoiding Hell

Yes, we all have some concept of hell, perhaps conjured up by bad experiences or exposure to fanatical preaching. But hell really exists and is described vividly in God's revelation to us in the Bible. We can choose to reject this concept because it is distasteful or seems irrelevant to us now, or we can come to grips with its reality, based on the authority of God's word but no matter how we choose to deal with this information -- the reality of hell remains.

The Bible tells us that we are saved (from hell) by faith alone. In John 5:24, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." Whenever the Bible talks about salvation, it is always in reference to the eternal doom that awaits those who reject God. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36).

It's Your Decision

You see, we are all created for the purpose of knowing God and enjoying a relationship with Him. When we choose to exclude God from our lives, rejecting His desire to act as our loving, heavenly Father, we have made a decision with terrible and eternal consequences.

Many of us have not refused God outright...we have simply delayed making a decision about Him but psychologists tells us that we often deal with weighty choices this way. In effect, when we put off any decision -- that act itself is a choice. Jesus Christ said "he who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters" (Matthew 12:30). Today, I invite you to make the decision to receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour and enter into the privilege of becoming a member of His eternal family.

(written by Daniel Southern)

If you have decided to trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please e-mail us or visit http://www.emmanuelbarrie.org/ for more information.

What to do to go to Hell!

Absolutely Nothing!

We have already sinned enough to deserve Hell! "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a). "He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18b).

The place of condemned sinners? Hell. God's Word, the Bible, describes Hell as a place of torment, outer darkness, and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12b). It's "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44).

The Good News: God does not want you to go to Hell!

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9).

God provided the only way to be saved from Hell!

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15a).

You must turn from "your ways" and completely trust Jesus Christ to save you!

"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23b). "He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him." (John 3:36b).

It's Your Decision.

Why not take God at His word? Jesus said that whoever "cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37b). "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Will You Accept Jesus?

Why not pray and ask Him into your heart? "Jesus, I now admit that I am a sinner going to Hell, and I need You as my Saviour. I now cease to rely on myself, my religion, or anything I might do to save myself. I now accept You as my Saviour. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, You were buried, and You arose the third day. I trust in You with my whole heart. Thank You, Lord Jesus."

If you have trusted Christ as your personal Saviour as a result of reading this, and you want further help in the decision you have made or if you have more questions about the Christian faith, please contact us by e-mail or visit http://www.emmanuelbarrie.org/.