(Psa 103:4) Who redeems your life from destruction . . .
People seem to have a lot of questions about hell. Is it a literal place? Is it temporary or forever? Would a God of love send someone there? We have images in our minds of a devil with a pitchfork, flames and a lot of sweating people. But what does the Bible say about hell?
Hell is a literal place of incarceration made for the devil and his demons: (Mat 25:41) . . . the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. It was never meant for man. God wanted people with Him in heaven. But since man rejected God’s offer of salvation through the cross of His Son, hell is now reserved for the wicked: (Rev 21:8) "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Mark 9:43-44)
Some say it’s not fair that a God of love would send a person to hell. But God doesn’t send anyone to hell. A person consigns himself there by rejecting Jesus Christ as his Savior: (Mat 12:31) "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. You see the Bible says God is holy, just, and righteous and that He never changes (Mal 3:6). But He satisfied His own righteous demands against sin when He sent His Son to die on that cross. If a person accepts that remedy for sin then they will be saved. If not they will be damned. God’s love and justice both meet at the cross and are reconciled. (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Is hell forever? (2 Thes 1:9) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Yes, it is eternal. Some have fabricated the notion that there is an in-between state where a soul is decided upon. But that’s not true. A person must decide for Christ BEFORE THEY DIE. Satan’s greatest lie is that you’ll have time for Jesus later so don’t worry about getting serious now. But the Bible says NOW is the day of salvation! (2 Cor 6:2). Don’t leave earth without Jesus! Meet Him as your Savior . . . not as your Judge! (Phil 2:10-11) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
For Christians, the only hell we will ever experience are the fires of tribulation here on earth. And for the non-believer, the only heaven they will ever experience is the good times here on earth. Afterward there will be the great reversal of things (see Luke 16:19-31). This should be an encouragement for the believer to keep pressing on and for the non-Christian to accept Christ!
(Deu 30:19) . . . I have set before you life and death . . . therefore choose life, that . . . you . . . may live . . . !
Louie