It’s Reality
As the old saying goes, you are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. One such unalterable fact is the fact of a literal, eternal, burning hell. I am not taking a poll; I am declaring absolute, infallible truth. There is a burning hell. Perhaps the reader says, “I do not believe in a hell.” What does the Bible say to that? Notice Romans 3:3, 4 – “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true and every man a liar.” The scriptures plainly declare that one’s unbelief does not void the truth. Hell is a fact, and I do not strengthen its existence by believing in a place called hell. Neither does the reader diminish its existence by refusing to believe in hell. Refusal to believe in the Bible does not change its truth one iota. Not believing in God won’t pull Him off the throne; not believing in the Day of Judgment won’t keep that day from coming; not believing in the coming of Jesus Christ to this world won’t stop Him from coming; and not believing in hell won’t put out the flames! Hell is no less real because you refuse to believe in it. The flames are no less hot; the screams are no less real; the souls are no less tormented because of your unbelief.
The law dictating that souls who die lost end up in hell is as sure and steadfast as the law declaring the reality of gravity. Many today run through this life, heading swiftly into hell. They think that their own stubborn unbelief will shield them from the flames. A man may jump off the John Hancock Building, defying the law of gravity. However, we are all persuaded that he is certain to meet gravity at the ground, regardless of his unbelief in it. And the man who lives a Christless life is certain to find hell at the end of it, regardless of his unbelief in its reality. Billy Sunday said it correctly when he stated positively, “You will not be in hell five minutes until you believe that there is one.”
Why I Believe in Hell
I do not believe in hell because the thought of it is pleasant. I do not enjoy thinking about hell. I receive no pleasure in declaring to the unsaved reader that he is on his way to hell. As a matter of fact, there is a part of me that wishes there were no hell. There is another part of me, however, that understands that God is much wiser than I am; and if God thinks there needs to be a hell, there needs to be a hell.
I believe in hell because the Bible declares its existence. The Bible is the only source that we have on this subject. I know there are religious scholars to deny the existence of hell. Religious scholars they may be; but they are not Bible scholars. As for the man who believes that the Bible denies the existence of hell, one or more of the following is true about him:
1) He is either partially or completely illiterate.
2) He has a serious problem with reading comprehension. Perhaps a first grade reading course will help.
3) He has determined to disregard hell regardless of what the Bible teaches.
The Bible is as clear on few subjects as it is the subject of hell. I believe in hell because the Bible teaches hell.
The Preaching of Hell
There are those within the church who believe in hell, but seldom preach it. One minister told me, “I don’t think we ought to get people saved by preaching hell.” He went on to say, “Many Baptists try to get people saved by asking the question, ‘Are you sure you will go to heaven when you die?’ I try to show people that salvation results in living a Christian life NOW.”
That man is correct in many ways. Salvation is often presented as “fire insurance.” Many people have the idea that as long as they say a prayer of some sort before they die, their eternal destination is sealed. That’s all salvation is to them – a home in heaven someday. Salvation is much more than that. Salvation is the beginning of a relationship. Salvation begins a believer’s walk with God. I agree that too many look at salvation as an escape from hell ONLY.
In spite of these truths, the subject of hell is not off-limits to the preacher. While I agree that there is much more to salvation than simply being saved from hell, salvation from the flames of hell is part of it, and it is a major part of it. Even though there are some preachers who, in their preaching of salvation, emphasize eternity only, I still say that the subject of hell is not off-limits to Bible preachers. As a matter of fact, if a man is determined to be a preacher of the Word of God, he cannot preach the whole counsel of God and neglect to preach the literal, fiery hell.
Jesus Preached Hell
If I had no other reason for preaching hell, I would preach it because Jesus Christ did so, and He did so more than He preached heaven. I heard one preacher tell of how he preached on the subject of hell. After the conclusion of the service, a lady came to him, and said, “Your message was awful.”
“Yes, ma’am. Hell is an awful place,” the minister replied.
She went on to say, “Yes, but just the thought of your preaching of such a place. Jesus preached beatitudes. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart.’”
The minister then asked, “Ma’am, have you read the entire sermon from which you are quoting?”
“Oh, yes,” she confidently stated. “I have read all the beatitudes.”
“That’s not what I asked,” the minister said. “I said, ‘Did you read the entire Sermon on the Mount?’ Jesus, in that same sermon, said, ‘Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.’ Jesus went on to say, ‘If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.’ That was His first recorded sermon. In His last recorded sermon, Jesus asked this question, ‘How can ye escape the damnation of hell?’ Jesus preached hell.”
Paul the Apostle Preached Hell
Some time ago, while with a pastor, we stopped at a flea market. We stopped at the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ booth. They were giving away some of their literature, so we picked up some of it and took it with us. I grabbed a few books so someone else wouldn’t get them. Jehovah’s Witnesses’ literature is not recommended reading.
In one of the books, there was a chapter on the subject of hell. Of course, the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in a place called hell. They say that if the hell that Jesus preached was a literal, fiery hell, then why didn’t the apostles preach it? Oh, but the apostles most certainly preached hell! The apostle Paul never used the word, “hell,” but he preached everlasting punishment. Consider:
Philippians 3:18, 19 – “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is DESTRUCTION.”
I Thessalonians 5:3 – “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden DESTRUCTION cometh upon them.”
II Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, IN FLAMING FIRE taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
The Jehovah’s Witnesses also deny that there will be a Day of Judgment as the Bible teaches it. They deny the plain, Bible teaching that, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” They teach, rather, that the Day of Judgment is a one-thousand year period of “hope and restoration.”
Paul the Apostle, however, preached to Felix. Notice:
Acts 24:25 – “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and JUDGMENT to come, FELIX TREMBLED, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”
Let us understand this. Paul the Apostle preached “judgment to come.” As a direct result, Felix trembled. What do you think made him tremble? Was it “hope” or “restoration” that made him tremble? Jehovah’s Witnesses are dead wrong! There is a day appointed, according to Acts 17:31, when God shall judge the world by Jesus Christ!
Paul further declares in Romans 14:12 – “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Paul believed in the judgment of Almighty God. Paul preached this judgment as being “eternal judgment.” Notice:
Hebrews 6:1, 2 – “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of ETERNAL JUDGMENT.”
John the Revelator Preached Hell
Perhaps the most vivid picture of the final judgment is given by John the beloved Apostle.
Revelation 20:11-15 – “And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
John clearly declares that whoever was not found written in the Lamb’s book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The reader may say, “It doesn’t say that the lake of fire is eternal.” Actually, John didn’t say it here because he already said it in Revelation 14:10 and 11, which states, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
Paul the Apostle, as well as John the beloved, both preached the eternal judgment of hell.
Others Preached Hell
Jude referred to getting people saved as “pulling them out of the fire!” Jude also makes reference to those who will be "suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL FIRE!" Peter spoke of angels that had sinned, who were reserved in hell until the Day of Judgment. James associated hell with fire when he said, “it [the tongue] is set on fire of hell.” In the Old Testament, Moses associated the word, “hell” with fire when he wrote of God’s anger burning to the lowest hell in Deuteronomy 32:22. David spoke of hell when he said, “The wicked shall be turned into hell” in Psalm 9:17. Isaiah spoke of hell in Isaiah 33:14, which states, “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”
So, it is clearly established that the man who does not preach hell is a man who does not preach the Bible.
As the old saying goes, you are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. One such unalterable fact is the fact of a literal, eternal, burning hell. I am not taking a poll; I am declaring absolute, infallible truth. There is a burning hell. Perhaps the reader says, “I do not believe in a hell.” What does the Bible say to that? Notice Romans 3:3, 4 – “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true and every man a liar.” The scriptures plainly declare that one’s unbelief does not void the truth. Hell is a fact, and I do not strengthen its existence by believing in a place called hell. Neither does the reader diminish its existence by refusing to believe in hell. Refusal to believe in the Bible does not change its truth one iota. Not believing in God won’t pull Him off the throne; not believing in the Day of Judgment won’t keep that day from coming; not believing in the coming of Jesus Christ to this world won’t stop Him from coming; and not believing in hell won’t put out the flames! Hell is no less real because you refuse to believe in it. The flames are no less hot; the screams are no less real; the souls are no less tormented because of your unbelief.
The law dictating that souls who die lost end up in hell is as sure and steadfast as the law declaring the reality of gravity. Many today run through this life, heading swiftly into hell. They think that their own stubborn unbelief will shield them from the flames. A man may jump off the John Hancock Building, defying the law of gravity. However, we are all persuaded that he is certain to meet gravity at the ground, regardless of his unbelief in it. And the man who lives a Christless life is certain to find hell at the end of it, regardless of his unbelief in its reality. Billy Sunday said it correctly when he stated positively, “You will not be in hell five minutes until you believe that there is one.”
Why I Believe in Hell
I do not believe in hell because the thought of it is pleasant. I do not enjoy thinking about hell. I receive no pleasure in declaring to the unsaved reader that he is on his way to hell. As a matter of fact, there is a part of me that wishes there were no hell. There is another part of me, however, that understands that God is much wiser than I am; and if God thinks there needs to be a hell, there needs to be a hell.
I believe in hell because the Bible declares its existence. The Bible is the only source that we have on this subject. I know there are religious scholars to deny the existence of hell. Religious scholars they may be; but they are not Bible scholars. As for the man who believes that the Bible denies the existence of hell, one or more of the following is true about him:
1) He is either partially or completely illiterate.
2) He has a serious problem with reading comprehension. Perhaps a first grade reading course will help.
3) He has determined to disregard hell regardless of what the Bible teaches.
The Bible is as clear on few subjects as it is the subject of hell. I believe in hell because the Bible teaches hell.
The Preaching of Hell
There are those within the church who believe in hell, but seldom preach it. One minister told me, “I don’t think we ought to get people saved by preaching hell.” He went on to say, “Many Baptists try to get people saved by asking the question, ‘Are you sure you will go to heaven when you die?’ I try to show people that salvation results in living a Christian life NOW.”
That man is correct in many ways. Salvation is often presented as “fire insurance.” Many people have the idea that as long as they say a prayer of some sort before they die, their eternal destination is sealed. That’s all salvation is to them – a home in heaven someday. Salvation is much more than that. Salvation is the beginning of a relationship. Salvation begins a believer’s walk with God. I agree that too many look at salvation as an escape from hell ONLY.
In spite of these truths, the subject of hell is not off-limits to the preacher. While I agree that there is much more to salvation than simply being saved from hell, salvation from the flames of hell is part of it, and it is a major part of it. Even though there are some preachers who, in their preaching of salvation, emphasize eternity only, I still say that the subject of hell is not off-limits to Bible preachers. As a matter of fact, if a man is determined to be a preacher of the Word of God, he cannot preach the whole counsel of God and neglect to preach the literal, fiery hell.
Jesus Preached Hell
If I had no other reason for preaching hell, I would preach it because Jesus Christ did so, and He did so more than He preached heaven. I heard one preacher tell of how he preached on the subject of hell. After the conclusion of the service, a lady came to him, and said, “Your message was awful.”
“Yes, ma’am. Hell is an awful place,” the minister replied.
She went on to say, “Yes, but just the thought of your preaching of such a place. Jesus preached beatitudes. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart.’”
The minister then asked, “Ma’am, have you read the entire sermon from which you are quoting?”
“Oh, yes,” she confidently stated. “I have read all the beatitudes.”
“That’s not what I asked,” the minister said. “I said, ‘Did you read the entire Sermon on the Mount?’ Jesus, in that same sermon, said, ‘Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.’ Jesus went on to say, ‘If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.’ That was His first recorded sermon. In His last recorded sermon, Jesus asked this question, ‘How can ye escape the damnation of hell?’ Jesus preached hell.”
Paul the Apostle Preached Hell
Some time ago, while with a pastor, we stopped at a flea market. We stopped at the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ booth. They were giving away some of their literature, so we picked up some of it and took it with us. I grabbed a few books so someone else wouldn’t get them. Jehovah’s Witnesses’ literature is not recommended reading.
In one of the books, there was a chapter on the subject of hell. Of course, the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in a place called hell. They say that if the hell that Jesus preached was a literal, fiery hell, then why didn’t the apostles preach it? Oh, but the apostles most certainly preached hell! The apostle Paul never used the word, “hell,” but he preached everlasting punishment. Consider:
Philippians 3:18, 19 – “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is DESTRUCTION.”
I Thessalonians 5:3 – “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden DESTRUCTION cometh upon them.”
II Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, IN FLAMING FIRE taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
The Jehovah’s Witnesses also deny that there will be a Day of Judgment as the Bible teaches it. They deny the plain, Bible teaching that, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” They teach, rather, that the Day of Judgment is a one-thousand year period of “hope and restoration.”
Paul the Apostle, however, preached to Felix. Notice:
Acts 24:25 – “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and JUDGMENT to come, FELIX TREMBLED, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”
Let us understand this. Paul the Apostle preached “judgment to come.” As a direct result, Felix trembled. What do you think made him tremble? Was it “hope” or “restoration” that made him tremble? Jehovah’s Witnesses are dead wrong! There is a day appointed, according to Acts 17:31, when God shall judge the world by Jesus Christ!
Paul further declares in Romans 14:12 – “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Paul believed in the judgment of Almighty God. Paul preached this judgment as being “eternal judgment.” Notice:
Hebrews 6:1, 2 – “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of ETERNAL JUDGMENT.”
John the Revelator Preached Hell
Perhaps the most vivid picture of the final judgment is given by John the beloved Apostle.
Revelation 20:11-15 – “And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
John clearly declares that whoever was not found written in the Lamb’s book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The reader may say, “It doesn’t say that the lake of fire is eternal.” Actually, John didn’t say it here because he already said it in Revelation 14:10 and 11, which states, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
Paul the Apostle, as well as John the beloved, both preached the eternal judgment of hell.
Others Preached Hell
Jude referred to getting people saved as “pulling them out of the fire!” Jude also makes reference to those who will be "suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL FIRE!" Peter spoke of angels that had sinned, who were reserved in hell until the Day of Judgment. James associated hell with fire when he said, “it [the tongue] is set on fire of hell.” In the Old Testament, Moses associated the word, “hell” with fire when he wrote of God’s anger burning to the lowest hell in Deuteronomy 32:22. David spoke of hell when he said, “The wicked shall be turned into hell” in Psalm 9:17. Isaiah spoke of hell in Isaiah 33:14, which states, “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”
So, it is clearly established that the man who does not preach hell is a man who does not preach the Bible.
