Grab Bag - Hiding Hell

There has been an increase of discussion lately about a place called Hell. Many questions are being asked about Hell: Is it real? Who goes there? How could a loving God punish someone like that? The list goes on and on. While this post will not be an in-depth study on the doctrine of Hell, we hope to give you a clear picture of what the Word of God teaches concerning this place.

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The Bible describes Hell as: a lake of fire, a fiery furnace, a place of torment, eternal punishment, everlasting burning, a bottomless pit, eternal fire, where people gnash their teeth, unquenchable fire, and a place where you cannot be forgiven… to name just a few. Hell was originally “prepared for the devil and his angels (demons)” (Matthew 25:41) but is now the punishment for “[anyone whose] name was not found written in the book of life.” (Revelation 20:15) Everyone that turns from sin and places their trust in Christ alone for salvation is in this book.

Hell is also the most despised doctrine of Christianity. Usually, it is the first Biblical teaching to be thrown out by cults, such as Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. In fact, many church leaders today are trying to explain away the doctrine of Hell so that they can appease the masses, like Rob Bell. Essentially, these false teachers are doing more harm than good because instead of warning people about the flames, they are trying to hide them.

Imagine a blind man is returning home and his house is on fire. He feels the heat but thinks to himself, “It’s that crazy Cleveland weather again!” A false teacher comes along and tries to hide the heat of the flames by pouring a cool liquid all over the blind man. The blind man is very thankful because he no longer feels the heat, but he doesn’t realize that he is now drenched in octane (odorless gas)!

Another reason we need to keep the doctrine of Hell is to provide a reason for Jesus. If there is no Hell, what is Jesus saving us from? Some would say death or annihilation, but those don’t really merit God needing to take such drastic measures. God sent His Son to die on a cross to pay our fine with His life’s blood. We all face death anyway, so why was the brutal death of Jesus necessary if there is no Hell.

Brethren, I encourage every one of you to make a mental note to discuss the reality of Hell when sharing your faith with others. Warn them of the coming judgment and the eternal punishment for sin. If they say Hell is a scare tactic, agree with them. Hell is so scary that you don’t want them to go there, which is why you’re telling them about it. Give them an ample reason to cling (for dear life) to that wonderful blood stained cross of Christ! Remember too, that neglecting or hiding the reality of Hell from people doesn’t help them at all… and it puts you in the same boat as cults and false teachers. May God bless you in abundance as you share the truth of the Gospel!