THE EXISTENCE OF HELL

By William R. Cunningham
July 6, 2003

INTRODUCTION

What do you know about hell? Hell is one of those topics that you really don't hear much about in church. I suppose when we think of hell we tend to think of ghouls and goblins that torture souls for eternity. We think of Satan as the king of hell and the ruler of darkness as he punishes all those who did evil while they were alive. However, is the biblical revelation of hell consistent with such beliefs? Furthermore, what if someone told you that he or she does not believe in hell? What if you had to explain the concept of hell with someone that does not have the correct view from a biblical perspective? Would you be able to talk intelligently about it? I believe that there are certain topics that Christians should be well versed and hell is one of them. The reason that I believe that Christians should be well versed in the doctrine of hell is because it is directly related to redemption, though we might not think of it that way.

This lesson is going to investigate the doctrine hell. I recently read an article that stated that hell does not exist. What made matters worse was that the organization that produced this document was labeled as a Christian organization. The article stated that the use of hell in the Bible is symbolic since ALL people will go to heaven in the end, even the likes of Hitler and Stalin. What made matters even worse about this article was that it appeared to make sense. However, I began to see many holes in the doctrine that it was presenting and found that it was very inconsistent with my knowledge of hell from the Bible. Therefore, I began a more detailed study of the topic of hell and found that the premise on which the article was based was very flawed, which rendered the article truly unbiblical.

I must admit that my experience with that article is a great example of how important it is to know the word of God for yourself. The Holy Spirit will indeed bring back to the forefront of your mind the things that you learned in the past regarding scripture. If I hadn't known the word of God then that article could have just as well deceived me. It made sense. That is the scary thing about it. It made sense and seemed reasonable that what the article claimed was true. However, when compared to the scriptures it quickly fell apart as you will see in this study.

Now the objective of this lesson is therefore to increase your knowledge of the concept of hell. I hope that you will be very knowledgeable about hell so that you can more effectively discuss these issues with those who do not understand them or who have unbiblical theories about them. For example, what would you say to someone who says that he does not believe in hell? What would you say to someone that declares that hell really doesn't exist? I hope to provide you with ammunition so that you would be able to talk intelligently to these people and bring forth the truth of the Christian faith regarding hell and how it relates to redemption.

WHAT IS HELL?

The first thing we need to do is to define what we mean by the word hell. This is because the word hell has been used to translate several Hebrew and Greek words.

First, the word "Hell" is used to denote the place of eternal punishment for the unrighteous souls. We are all probably familiar with that general idea of hell. Let's get a little more specific from a biblical context. The word "hell" also used to translate the Hebrew word "Sheol" and the Greek word "Hades," which mean the abode or place of the dead. Hell is also used to translate the Greek Tartaroo, which means to cast down into hell (or the deepest abyss). See 2 Peter 2:4 (this is the only time this word Tartaroo appears in the Bible).

Now consider the following scripture.

Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The word "hell" here is translated from the Greek word geenna (pronounced gheh' -en -nah). It is derived from the Hebrew gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), which literally was the valley of the son of Hinnom. It later was used to identify a valley west and south of Jerusalem and figuratively was the place or state of everlasting punishment.

Gehenna was the place where the Caananites worshipped Baal. Also the worship of the idol god Molech by child sacrifices took place in this valley. There was a continual fire burning for the worship of this god. See 2 Chronicles 28:3, 33:6). Eventually King Josiah put an end to these practices (2 Kings 23:10).

During Jesus' time, Gehenna was used as a garbage dump. It included all of the filth and refuse from the city as well as the dead bodies of animals and executed criminals. The stench was great. Usually the winds blew in such a way that the stench blew away from the city. However, when the winds shifted, the stench could be smelled within the city and you can imagine how bad the stench of rotting flesh and garbage must have been. Fires were usually burning so as to burn up the refuse. Maggots also did their work on the dead flesh and garbage. From this we get the reference of the word hell, which identified a place of horrible punishment.

Now consider the following scripture.

Matthew 11:23 (NKJV) And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

The word hell in this scripture actually is translated from the word "Hades," which means the place or state of the dead (departed souls). It is also rendered as unseen world.

It is important to realize that the various words used in the original language identified a place where departed souls resided and it came to refer to the place of eternal punishment. The Old Testament for the most part identifies hell as the grave or the abode of the dead. The New Testament identifies both the grave and the place of punishment, though the latter is referenced more often. Even the underlying Greek word "Hades" sometimes referred to the place of everlasting punishment. It all depended on the context.

In any case, the concept of hell that is revealed in the Bible and that relates to the Christian faith and redemption refers to a place where there is eternal punishment of the unsaved, which we will use in this lesson. This is the place where all those who have not been born again will spend eternity. They will be in torment forever and totally separated from God. Consider the following scripture references for more information on this aspect of hell.

1. Proverbs 5:5
2. Matthew 5:22; 10:28; 18:9
3. Mark 9:43
4. Luke 12:5; 16:23

The above are only a selected sample of the scriptures that pertain to hell. For you Bible study students, get out your Strong's Concordance and/or Nave's Topical Bible and review all of the scriptures that are identified.

The following are some of the descriptions that the Bible gives of hell.

1. Hell is a place of darkness. Being in hell is like being in darkness forever. See Matthew 8:12and 22:13.
2. Hell is outside the gate of the heavenly city. See Revelation 22:14-15.
3. Hell is away from the presence of God. See Matthew 25:41 and 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.
4. Hell is the blackest darkness (Jude 13)
5. Hell is the unquenchable fire (Mark 9:44)
6. Hell is a place of anguish (Luke 16:26)

However, the descriptions given above are thought of as relational. That is, they basically say that hell is where God is not or that it is in the opposite direction of God. For example, God is considered light whereas hell is considered darkness.

There is another very important thing we should realize about the Bible's revelation of hell. The Bible never declares that hell is a torture chamber where people are tortured forever. The bible does indicate that hell is a place of torment (Luke 16:28). However this torment is due to one's own decision to reject God's salvation and it is evident with the frequent mention of "gnashing of teeth" that this rejection of God continues throughout eternity.

Hell is a place where condemned souls will spend eternity and their condemnation is self imposed as they refused to respond to the love and grace of God through Jesus Christ.

The fire of hell is most likely real (as opposed to being symbolic) but it is not necessarily physical. Remember that we are referring to lost souls not bodies. The body rots in the grave whereas the human soul (or spirit) lives forever either in heaven with God or in hell apart from God. How can a spirit be burned with fire since we won't have the same body?

Another thing to realize in regards to the reality and physical aspects of hell is how hell is described in scripture. For example, at one point it is declared as being a place of darkness as we saw previously. At another point hell is described as being a place of fire. You and I know that fire produces a lot of light so it is impossible for a place to be dark and light at the same time (even God cannot do foolishness or nonsense).

The existence of hell

Does hell really exist? There are many that argue that hell really does not exist or it is not a place of everlasting torment, as we will soon see. However, is there any evidence that shows that hell really does exist? There are many arguments that we can site that give evidence of the existence of hell.

Jesus Taught About Hell

Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus especially taught us about hell in Luke 16:19-31. Other scriptures where Jesus taught us about hell are:

1. Matthew 13:40
2. Matthew 25:41b
3. Mark 9:43

The Bible as a Whole Teaches Us About Hell

The Bible presents the concept of Hell to us in many times as a mater of fact. The concept of hell in the Bible includes the words "Sheol" and "Hades." These refer to the grave and are used to identify the place of eternal punishment or torment.

Consider the following scriptures.

Revelation 20:11 through Revelation 20:15 (NKJV) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

And

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (NKJV) and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

The Bible as a whole reveals the place that we call hell. We know from the Bible that it is associated with death and torment. Some other scriptures regarding hell are as follows.

1. Deuteronomy 32:22
2. Psalm 9:17; 55:15; 139:8
3. Proverbs 5:5; 15:24; 23:14
4. Habakkuk 2:5
5. Matthew 5:29; 18:9; 23:15; 23:33

I'd like to quote one of the scriptures above to illustrate how important the concept of hell is in the Bible.

Proverbs 23:13-14 (NKJV) Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.

Here Solomon says that correcting a child with the use of a rod, i.e., a spanking will save the child's soul from hell. So you see that the Bible considers hell to be serious and of course a real place.

Justice Requires a Hell

We could not say that God is just if evil people like Hitler were not ultimately punished for their crimes. Also the justice of God would appear flawed if those who have not believed in Jesus Christ as savior and Lord were still allowed to enter heaven. Therefore, we can say that true righteous justice requires that there be a hell (and a heaven for that matter).

Though the wicked appear to prosper in this life and they appear to get away with all types of crimes, we are confident that they will be judged. This means that justice is not always served in our lifetimes but may occur in eternity. Jesus taught that the justice of God means that there is a hell for the unjustified to spend eternity and there is a heaven where the justified will go.

Consider the consequence if there was no hell. What would happen to those who never received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? What would happen to people that are mass murderers and who never repent. Consider someone like Hitler. If there were no hell then people such as Hitler would enter heaven just as those who confessed faith in Jesus Christ. This would hardly be just. Justice would be averted even if God were to annihilate the lost souls. There would be no penalties for sin. We will talk more about annihilation later. But for now, suffice it for me to say that the justice of God requires that there be a hell just as there is a heaven.

Free Choice Requires Hell

God created humans with a free will. We can either love God or reject God. The Bible declares that God is love (1 John 4:16) and therefore a loving God does not force himself on us. We could come to this with reason but the Bible declares that we have a choice to accept Christ and be reconciled to God and the Bible teaches us to love God (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37). If God forced his love on us then there would be no need for such instruction. Furthermore, if God forced us to be saved because of his love then there would be no need to preach the Gospel or the preaching of such would be a moot point since all would be heaven bound anyway.

Since we have the option to love or reject God then there must be someplace for each. Those who are saved remain with the Father in heaven forever. Those who reject God (reject Christ) will remain on the course to hell. Therefore, we chose where we would spend eternity, either heaven or hell. Heaven is the final place for the just and correspondingly, hell is the final place for the unjust.

Final Victory Over Evil Requires a Hell

How can the just have victory over evil when there is no punishment for the evil? There can be no victory over evil if the unsaved are permitted into heaven along with the just. In such a case, the unsaved would receive the same reward as the saved, which is contrary to Scripture. Jesus taught of a final separation between the just and the unjust (Matthew 13:24-30). Therefore, if there were no hell then we could not say that we have victory over evil. There would be no separation at the end of the age.

The Doctrines of Hell

There are certain doctrines or teaching that are closely related to the doctrine of hell, which I would like to briefly mention here. Some of the various teachings concerning hell are as follows.

1. Annihilation
2. Temporal
3. Symbolic
4. Eternal

Doctrine of Annihilation

The doctrine of annihilation declares that unregenerate (evil) souls will be annihilated (become no more, non-existent) and the righteous souls will go to heaven. Revelations 20:14 and 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 are used to support this doctrine. However careful observation of the Bible's revelation about hell shows that it does not support the concept or doctrine of annihilation.

For one thing the Bible indicates that there is existence in hell (Matthew 8:12) and that those in hell experience and are conscious of their torment. Revelations 19:20 and 20:10 indicates that the beast and the false prophet were not annihilated in hell during the thousand-year imprisonment. Actually, annihilation would be an escape from God's judgment and therefore is not consistent with the Scriptures regarding the wrath of God on all sin.

Temporal Hell

Some believe that hell is temporal. In other words, some hold that those who go to hell are only there for a definite period of time as opposed to eternity. There are many problems with this view. First, it presupposes that hell can rehabilitate and furthermore that an unregenerate soul can indeed be rehabilitated. This actually presupposes that a person can be saved after death whereas the Bible declares that we die and then we are judged.

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

The Bible does not suggest or present hell as a temporal place for unregenerate souls to be rehabilitated. Hell is the final place for the unregenerate (unsaved) soul. Hell will last forever because God lives forever and sin must be separated from Him (Psalm 90:1-2, Revelation 1:8). Heaven will last forever and there is no reason to believe that hell will be temporal. Another thing about the temporal aspect of hell is that the Bible does not support in any way the idea of a purgatory. We die and then we are judged (John 8:21; Hebrews 9:27).

Another problem with this view is that it presupposes that salvation can come from something other than Christ. It presupposes that a certain amount of punishment will drive a person to repentance and then to salvation. However, this view implies that the death of Christ is not sufficient for all and that for the most part that the redemptive act of Jesus Christ was unnecessary. I can hear the human spirit now reasoning as a child so to speak. It'll say, "I'll take a beating later so that I can do what I want now." Therefore, hell cannot be a temporal place because such is directly contrary to the foundation of Christianity in that Jesus Christ died for all and that all we have to do is believe in Him.

We must realize that punishment does not soften the heart else we would not have repeat criminals and we probably would have far less crime since the punishment of others and even of self would deter one from future crimes. Also consider that the grace and light of God does not exist in hell. Hell is a place that is devoid of the presence of God since God cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). There is therefore nothing in hell that would draw a soul to God. There is no grace, no light, nothing. There is nothing to rehabilitate a lost soul in hell anyway.

Sometimes the Bible uses the term, "gnashing of teeth." See Matthew 8:12, 13:42 for example. The word "gnash" means to grind the teeth as in hatred. This implies that those who are in hell do not move towards a heart of repentance. Instead, they become more defiant in their unrighteous state. Again, hell will not bring rehabilitation.

Hell is Eternal

An eternal God requires an eternal hell. It's that simple. We said previously that the Bible does not support the idea of a temporal hell. Therefore, if hell is not temporal then it must be eternal, which it must be (we already showed that it exists). There is no getting out of hell. One might argue that an eternal hell is unjustified for temporal sins. First consider that a temporal act is sufficient for eternal sins. That is, the redemptive act of Jesus Christ, which occurred over a definite period of time, was sufficient to redeem us from an eternal hell. So it would seem reasonable that temporal sins require an eternal hell.

Furthermore, I would like to point out that God is not merely punishing people for the things that they do. In other words, God is not condemning people to hell because the stole a car or whatever. People go to hell because they have rejected the Lord and savior Jesus Christ. People go to hell because they refused life and desired the darkness that they were already living in. People go to hell because they chose an eternity of separation from the light.

Hell is Symbolic

This view, which was the view of the article that I read that I described in the introduction of this lesson, suggests that Hell is not a real place. Furthermore, this view holds that there is no hell. If the hell presented in the Bible is symbolic then there is no hell else the Bible would point to the real thing. We have already shown you that the Bible shows that hell does exist and is a real place. Anything contrary to this goes directly against the revealed word of God.

Another aspect of this view of hell is that it implies that the Bible is not reliable and that the Bible can be interpreted by allegorical means. However, this is not true. The Bible can reliably be interpreted by the grammatical and historical analysis of the Scriptures. Introducing other forms of interpretation such as allegory only forces one to believe what the Bible does not say.

If the reference to hell in the Bible is symbolic then all references made by Jesus Christ were merely symbols. However, though Jesus did speak in parables, He did refer to a real hell, which you can determine by examining the scriptures that were given earlier in this lesson.

THE OPPOSITION TO HELL

I have discovered that there are many beliefs that are contrary to what the Bible teaches about hell. I will discuss some of these now.

1. Eternal punishment for temporal sins is unjust. This of course presupposes that our justice transcends the justice of God and that we understand justice more than God. That is the only way that we could claim in any way that God is unjust. In any case, we do know that Jesus died for us and saved us from an eternal punishment. Therefore, it would seem reasonable that there is an eternal punishment for temporal sins. Furthermore, we have shown the necessity of an eternal hell in our discussions above.
   
   Now only eternal punishment is fitting for crimes against an infinite God. This type of approach even exists in our judicial system today. For example, a crime against the President of the United States would be considered far more serious then crimes against a local person. So it is reasonable to believe that sin against an infinite God, the creator of all that is, would be likewise eternal.
2. Going to hell merely because one has not heard the Gospel is unjust. This presupposes that some who go to hell have not heard the Gospel. However, we have no reason to believe that a just God would send someone to hell simply because they have never heard the Gospel. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said that God has revealed himself to humans through the things that are seen (Romans 1:18-21). We call this special revelation. Therefore, no on is without excuse and all have knowledge of God that could ultimately lead us to Christ. Furthermore, we must assume that a just God gives everyone a chance to receive Christ.
3. All are promised eternal life. Those who persist in sin will suffer a loss of rewards during the millennial period (1 Corinthians 3:11-15 is used to support this view). The first thing that you will notice after examining the scripture is that it is taken out of context to support this view. Paul was not referring to judgment of individuals. He was referring to the judgment of our works and how we would be rewarded for them. He also emphasized that the work we do in this life be founded on Jesus Christ else it would be burned away when our works are tested. So this view is not consistent with scripture.
4. Jesus died for all sins therefore all humans will be saved. We discussed the consequences of this view earlier. This view implies that God forces his salvation even on those who would not receive it. For example, Hitler was not seeking after God, but by this view he would go to heaven anyway because Jesus' redemptive act paid for his sins. Though Jesus did die for even the sins of Hitler, it was up to Hitler to receive forgiveness and reconciliation by his own free will, which he did not. So this view too is not consistent with scripture.
5. Christ abolished all death so no one will experience it (1 Corinthians 15:26). This scripture is also taken out of context to support this view. First of all Paul was talking about the end of the age when Jesus comes back again. He wasn't talking about the redemptive act on Calvary. Jesus has indeed conquered death through the resurrection. However, that doesn't mean that death does not exist. It is not until the end when hades (the grave) will be thrown into the lake of firet and be forever removed from God's people.
   
   Revelation 20:14 (NKJV) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
6. Hell is about punishment for sins and therefore an eternal hell is unjust. Sinners could be rehabilitated over a period of time instead of suffering for eternity for temporal sins. We have already discussed this view previously. Suffice it for me to say that we cannot declare in any way the justice of God since his justice and ways transcends ours. Also, hell is not mere punishment. Hell is the consequence of unbelief in Christ. Hell is the choice that unbelievers have made in regards to eternal life.
   
   We said earlier in this lesson that hell is not a rehabilitation center where you can pay for your crimes and then be free to go to heaven. We said that this implies that there is another way to be saved apart from Jesus Christ and therefore makes the redemptive act of Jesus Christ a moot point. Also note that the Bible refers to the gnashing of teeth of those who are in hell (See Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28). The word gnashing (gnash) means to grate or grind ones teeth together as an expression of hatred and scorn. So there is no indication of anything leading people to repentance or of anyone heading in that direction. As a matter of fact, the more a person is in hell then the more they will deserve to be there.
7. The fires of hell annihilate the unregenerate soul. We have also discussed this view earlier in this lesson. Hell is not a place where people are consumed until they do not exist. Consciousness remains in hell as we see from the parable of Jesus in Luke 16. Annihilationism is contrary to what the scriptures reveal to us about hell. Also, annihilation results in the unbeliever escaping the penalty of their sins since annihilation is not preferred over anything.

The Consequences of Opposition

I have presented the consequences of each opposition to the biblical concept of hell in the discussion above. However, overall they all negate the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. By saying that hell doesn't exist or that it is temporal implies that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not necessary or at best not sufficient. Therefore, anything besides the biblical aspect of hell is directly opposed to the fundamental premise of the Christian faith, namely the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Another aspect of the consequences of these oppositions to biblical hell is that they all contradict or challenge the justice of God. No human can judge anything about God. The best we can do is accept what he has revealed to us in his holy word, the Bible. The sovereignty of God is challenged, so to speak, when we say that an eternal hell is unjust or that God is unjust for sending people to hell (when in fact hell is the choice of the individual).

The various unbiblical views of hell are in direct opposition to the foundation of the Christian faith. Without hell then justice could not be realized. Without hell there would be no need for Jesus Christ because there would be other means of salvation or, in the case of annihilation, it would all be meaningless. Therefore, the consequence of the beliefs of a nonexistence or unbiblical hell is that the core of the Christian faith is diluted and rendered meaningless.

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

The Christian perspective is quite simple. We don't have to be concerned about hell in regards to our eternity. Our place is secured with the Father forever. However, I feel that it is very important to understand various doctrines because there are many who oppose it or have extra-biblical points of view about it. We can then speak intelligently to these people and show them their error and hopefully bring them to Christ. Denying the existence of hell does not mean that it doesn't exist in the same way that denying that it is raining outside won't make the reality of the rain vanish.

Christians have heaven as their eternal home and it should be a priority to us to preach the Gospel of Christ not so much as to help them avoid hell but to help them have eternal life for the sake of the will of God. I do not believe in the fire and brimstone type preaching. The Bible says to preach the gospel (make disciples of all people) not to preach the avoidance of hell. So if you are a Christian you are blessed. Now try to extend that blessing to others who do not know Christ. Also, you can extend your knowledge of hell to help those in denial see the truth and also come to Christ.

GHOSTS

I think it is expedient that I discuss briefly something about ghosts. Do ghosts really exist? Are ghosts the spirits of lost souls? Can people really contact the dead such as dead relatives and the like? Well the answer is quite simple. First of all ghosts do exist but they are probably not what you think. Let me tell you what ghosts are not from a biblical perspective.

1. Ghosts are not dead relatives
2. Ghosts are not dead souls sentenced to roam the earth
3. Ghosts are not dead souls who have lost their way
4. Dead souls of people do not haunt houses and the like.

What are ghosts then? Ghosts are simply demonic spirits. They are the fallen angels that roam the earth. The Bible gives evidence of them with the demon possession of people. Consider the following scriptures.

1. Matthew 9:33; 12:43-45; 17:18
2. Mark 7:26-30
3. Luke 4:33

These scriptures are some of the biblical references to demons. It is evident from those and other scriptures that demons (evil spirits) are real. However, the Bible does not suggest that dead human spirits roam the earth haunting people and the like. God forbade the interaction with people that "speak to the dead" (See Deuteronomy 8:10-12). So it is not likely that you will be able to talk to your dead grandmother or uncle through a s ance or the like. Those are only demons deceiving you and it is why participating in such things opens you up to demonic attacks and even possessions.

SUMMARY

There are some that believe that all will go to heaven, i.e., all will be saved. These people believe that hell does not exist or at the least that no human will go to hell. Some hold that the references to hell in the Bible are symbolic. However, even a cursory examination of the scriptures will indicate that Jesus, the apostles, and others were referring to a real place when they wrote of hell. In other words hell is a real place.

Hell is a place of everlasting torment and those who reside in it do so by their own choice. A human being can avoid hell by coming to Christ had having his or her sins forgiven. However, the unsaved choose by his or her own free will to reject God. They condemned themselves to outer darkness forever.

Hell is a reality and it is taught in the Holy Scriptures. It is a place that the Christian need not concern themselves with since they have already inherited eternal life and will spend eternity with the Father. Also, hell has no authority over a believer