Is Hell Real?

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Martin Luther hated this doctrine, he said of all the doctrines he would like to eliminate from the word of God it would be the doctrine of hell. Many have postulated that hell is a tactic invented by the church to scare people into heaven –  merely cleaver marketing. Others have suggested that a loving God would in no way punish people eternally and that hell in the Bible is merely symbolic of eternal sleep. So what does the Bible say, how are we to understand this controversal doctrine? Is it fact or fiction?  

What we believe determines how we live!

Writing this article will be a progressive journey, due to its complexity and scope …. so follow along as l add to this each week. If this section which will also have a strong apologetic focus (give reason for why we believe), interests you, you may wish to subscribe so that when it is updated you will be notified automatically.

Saturday, June 12th, 2011

The Christian doctrine of Hell is one that is somewhat unpalatable to us. The questions that inevitably arise out of such discussions is: “How is Hell congruent with a God of love?”

Firstly we will trace the Biblical understanding of hell from the Old Testament into the New Testament and see what the evidence uncovers. Is it fact or fiction, is it in fact something that Christianity has come up with in order to scare people into belief in God and submit to Him; a form of people control if you like?   

The Tyndale Dictionary offers the following explanation on this controversial subject

Biblical Terms The Hebrew word “Sheol” in the OT is predominantly used for “the grave, the pit, the place of the departed dead” (Gen. 37:35; Job 7:9; 14:13; 17:13–16; Ps. 6:5; 16:10; 55:15; Prv. 9:18; Eccl. 9:10; Is 14:11; 38:10–12, 18). There does not seem to be a very clear distinction in the OT between the final destiny of the good and the evil. They all alike go to the grave, to the world below, a world of gloom, weariness, darkness, decay, and forgetfulness, where one is remote from God (Job 10:20–22; Ps 88:3–6), yet accessible to him (Job 26:6; Ps 138:8; Am 9:2). It is a place characterized by silence (Ps. 94:17; 115:17) and rest (Job 3:17). Other texts, however, seem to suggest some aspect of consciousness, hope, and communication in Sheol (Job 14:13–15; 19:25–27; Ps. 16:10; 49:15; Is. 14:9–10; Ez. 32:21). A few texts seem to suggest the threat of divine judgment after death (Ps. 9:17; 55:15). On the whole, Sheol was regarded with dismay and foreboding (Dt.32:22; Is 38:18).

It was not until the time of the post-canonical Jewish literature, the writings that were developed between the close of the OT and the beginning of NT times, that clear distinctions were made between the final destinies of the righteous and the unrighteous. The idea of separate divisions within Sheol for the good and the evil was developed. It is unmistakable that there was in Jewish thought, as reflected throughout the OT, a belief in a future and continued existence beyond death, however shadowy and indefinite the concept.

The Greek word “Hades” in the NT is used very similarly to “Sheol” in the OT. It was, in fact, used by the translators of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the OT, for Sheol. It designated in general the place or state of the dead, the grave, or death itself. In some versions the word is not translated at all but is transliterated simply as “Hades.” The NT is not always very explicit about the meaning of Hades, other than what has just been described. Use of the word often does not reveal much about the specific condition of the dead. There are some passages, however, that indicate a distinct advance over the use of Sheol in the OT. One NT passage definitely describes Hades as a place of evil and punishment of the wicked, and may appropriately be translated “hell” (Lk. 16:23). In all other instances, Hades indicates nothing more than the place of the dead.

The Greek word “Gehenna” is used in a number of NT texts to designate the fiery place for punishment of sinners and is often translated “hell” or “the fires of hell” (Mt. 5:22, 29–30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mk. 9:43, 45, 47; Jas. 3:6). It is usually used in connection with the final judgment and often has the suggestion that the punishment spoken of is eternal. Gehenna is derived by transliteration from the Hebrew of the OT “valley of Hinnom” or the “valley of the son of Hinnom,” a ravine on the south side of Jerusalem. This valley was the center of idolatrous worship in which children were burned by fire as an offering to the heathen god Molech (2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6). In the time of Josiah it became a place of abomination, polluted by dead men’s bones and rubbish (2 Kgs. 23:10–14) and by the garbage and filth of Jerusalem dumped there. A fire burned continuously in this valley. It thus became a symbol of the unending fires of hell where the lost are consumed in torment. It was a symbol of judgment to be imposed on the idolatrous and disobedient (Jer. 7:31–34; 32:35).

Another Greek word used to designate hell or “the lower regions” is “Tartarus” (2 Pt. 2:4), a classical word for the place of eternal punishment. The apostle Peter uses it for the fallen angels who were thrown into hell, “committed … to pits of nether gloom to be kept until the judgment” (RSV).

As noted above, there are, in addition to these terms, the very explicit and vivid phrases that clearly teach the doctrine of hell, as developed at the beginning of this article. The biblical doctrine is determined much more by these decisive phrases than by the somewhat indecisive but frequently used terms “Sheol” and “Hades.”

Hades as hell: a problem in translation

The KJV translators caused much confusion by translating two different Greek words (Hades and Gehenna) with the same English word, “hell.” Hades almost always denotes the grave or the place of the dead. Gehenna, a much rarer expression in the NT, denotes the eternal fires. Thus, hell, as most people think about it, is really Gehenna, not Hades. Unfortunately, this was not distinguished in the KJV. Modern translators have tried to correct the problem, but the popular misconception persists.

The Justice of Eternal Punishment It is difficult for us to understand the righteous judgment of a holy God who, on one hand, hates all evil, yet, on the other hand, loves the evildoers enough to sacrifice His only Son for their salvation from sin. Divine wrath is the necessary reaction of a holy God who hates all that is contrary to His righteous nature. When the only remedy for human sin is rejected and all appeals of a loving, seeking God for the reconciliation of rebellious sinners are refused, there is no other course of action that God himself can pursue but to leave the sinner to his self-chosen destiny. Punishment for sin is then the inevitable and inescapable response of holiness to that which is morally opposite, and it must continue as long as the sinful condition requiring it continues. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that lost sinners in hell are capable of repentance and faith. If in this life they did not turn away from sin and receive Christ as Savior with all the favorable circumstances and opportunities afforded them on earth, it is unreasonable to think they will do so in the life to come. Punishment cannot come to an end until guilt and sin come to an end. When the sinner ultimately resists and rejects the work of the Holy Spirit whereby he is convicted of sin, there remains no more possibility of repentance or salvation. He has committed an eternal sin (Mk. 3:29; Rev. 22:11), which deserves eternal punishment.

The impossibility of faith and repentance in hell is seen also from the tragic reality of the depraved will, conditioned and determined by its repeated rebellion against God. Sin reproduces itself in the will, and character tends to become irrevocably fixed. God responds to endless sinning with the necessary counterpart of endless punishment.

If the question is raised; How can a loving God send people to an everlasting hell? It must be replied that God does not choose this destination for people; they freely choose it for themselves. God simply concurs in their self-chosen way and reveals the full consequences of their evil choice. It must always be remembered that God is not only loving; He is also holy and righteous. There must be some adequate reckoning with justice in the universe where a revolt against God has brought evil consequences of enormous proportions.

While the duration of punishment in hell is eternal for all who have chosen that destiny for themselves, there are degrees of punishment proportional to the degrees of guilt of each individual. Only God is able to determine what those degrees are, and He will assign the consequences with perfect justice according to the responsibility of each one. Evidence of such gradations in future punishment is found in Scripture (Mt. 11:20–24; Lk. 12:47–48; Rev. 20:12–13; cf. Ez. 16:48–61). An obvious comparison is made in these texts between the differing intensities of punishment that are involved in the contrasting privileges, knowledge, and opportunities.

From all that has been said, it should be obvious that a variety of non-biblical views must be ruled out, however attractively they may be presented by their advocates and however popular they may be from time to time. Among these views are the erroneous, but sometimes persuasive, doctrines of universalism, annihilationism, and second probation. Universalism promotes the concept that God will save everyone in the end. Annihilationism teaches that hell is not a place of conscious suffering but of final extermination. And second probation is a notion that people can be delivered from hell.

It must always be remembered that the Bible is our rule of faith for the doctrine of hell, however difficult the doctrine may seem for natural reason or for human sentiment. Scripture leaves no doubt about the terrible nature and the eternal duration of hell. Rejection or neglect of this doctrine will have dire effects upon the mission of the church.