Does Hell Exist?

Parts of outline by David Riggs originally.

 

1999018

Topic # 0299

 

I. Introduction.

A.    Why do some people who claim to follow the Bible not believe in the existence of Eternal punishment?

B.    We do not have to guess about this because some have told us plainly their reasons.

1.    For example, "The doctrine of a burning hell where the wicked are tortured eternally after death cannot be true, mainly for four reasons:

(a)  It is wholly unscriptural;

(b)  it is unreasonable;

(c)  it is contrary to God's love, and

(d)  it is repugnant to justice.

C.   Let us investigate each of these points in search of truth.

 

II. Is Hell Unscriptural???

A.    We need to look at only a few passages to see that hell is most certainly established and taught in the Scriptures.

1.    Matt. 25:41-46

a.    Words "everlasting" and "eternal" are the from the same Greek word in the original.  Thus, however long heaven is, that's how long the punishment is.

2.    Mark 9:43-48

a.    Expressions, "where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched" shows that it is eternal torment.

(1)  The expression, "worm does not die" shows that the body will not decay there.

b.    Jesus used the term "Gehenna" lit., "Valley of Hinnom" to describe the place of eternal punishment.

(1)  King Josiah defiled the valley of Hinnom.  2 Kings 23:10

(2)  Jesus borrowed the name of this despicable place, and used his own terms to describe the eternal one.

c.     Some try to explain away hell (Gehenna) by saying that Jesus was only referring to the city dump.

(1)  This could not be true, because the worm has died there, and the fire has been quenched there today.

(2)  Was there ever a city dump in the valley of Hinnom?

(3)  A few endeavor to make this third punishment a temporal one, and assert that fires were kept burning in the valley of Himmom, and that as an extreme punishment the bodies of criminals were cast into these fires. 

(4)  McGarvey says there is not the slightest authentic                 evidence that any fire was kept burning there; nor is there any evidence at all that casting a criminal into the fire there as ever employed by the Jews as a punishment." 

3.    Rev. 20:10; 21:8

a.    The term "for ever and ever" means "perpetually, without end."  It is used also of the existence of God (Rev. 4:9) and of the saints reigning in heaven (Rev. 22:5).

 

II. Is It Unreasonable?

A.    Observe:  "Let God Be True," :  "Imperfect man does not torture even a mad dog, but kills it.  And yet the clergymen attribute to God, who is love, the wicked crime of torturing human creatures merely because they had the misfortune to be born sinners."

B.    To some the "eternal" torment seems unreasonable.

1.    However, even mortal man punishes in accord with the crime.

a.    Someone who murders another is punished, not in duration to the time it took to commit the crime, but in accord with the crime itself.

b.    For example, it may have only took one minute to commit murder.  Should we then imprison the murder for only one minute?

2.    Man's problem is that he does not understand the seriousness of sin against God.  Heb. 10:26-31

C.   The fact that eternal punishment seems unreasonable to some, does not prove that it does not exist.  Isa. 55:8-9

1.    Charles Smith, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, said:

a.     "The whole scheme of redemption is foolishness to me.  Because our parents and forefathers disobeyed God, he would not be on good terms with us until his son was nailed on a cross.  This is not reasonable."  (Oliphant-Smith Debate, p. 61).

b.    Thus, the plan of redemption is foolishness and unreasonable to some.  Does this make it so?

c.     Also, some have decided that hell is only for the exceedingly wicked people, but not for the good ordinary people, like you and I.

(1)  We should let God decide!

2. Our faith is founded on the word of God, and not on human reason or emotion.

 

III. Is it contrary to God's love?

A.    Those who make such statements fail to consider the dual character of God.  Rom. 11:22

1.    Man has a tendency to reshape God into his own image. Psalm 50:21

2.    Hell is not contrary to God's love, but in accord with His wrath.

B.    God punishing those who sin does not display a lack of love on His part, but a lack of love on man's part.

1.    We must either repent or perish.  Luke 13:3

2.    The same word for "perish" is used in Matt. 10:28 and is translated "destroy."

a.    Luke shows in his parallel account that Jesus is referring to being "cast into hell" when he said, "destroy both body and soul in hell."  Luke 12:3-4

b.    But does the word destroy mean complete annihilation & no eternal torment as some claim?

c.     Do some of our religious friends have a point when quoting 2 Thess. 1:9?  Word "destruction" is used.  Again, this is the same word in the Mt. 10:28

3.    Vine defines the word,

a.    Apollumi - signifies to destroy utterly; to perish. The idea is not extinction but ruin, loss, not of being, but of well-being.

4.    We learn from other passages what the everlasting destruction is.

a.    Rom. 2:8-9 states that the wicked will be punished with tribulation and anguish.

b.    Rev. 14:11; 20:10 states that the torment will be for ever and ever.

c.     that which does not exist (annihilated) cannot tormented or have tribulation and anguish.

 

IV. Is Hell repugnant to justice?

A.    Webster's Dictionary says "repugnant" means "contradictory, inconsistent; opposed; antagonistic."

1.    "Justice" means "the quality of being righteous; impartiality; fairness; reward or penalty as deserved."

B.    With these definitions in mind, some would suggest "Eternal punishment is wrong because it is contradictory or inconsistent to the quality of being righteous or impartial."

1.    Who can believe that eternal punishment inflicted by an all-wise God on those who do not obey Him is not justice, or is not the penalty deserved?

a.    Atheist ask:  "Would you take your own children and throw them into a burning fire?"

b.    Answer: "What I would, or would not do does not change Gods' will in the matter.  God says He will do it, and we need to fear and respect Him."

2.    Doesn't God have the right to do whatever He wants? Rom. 9:20-21; Heb. 6:4-8

 

V. Conclusion.

A.    We see, therefore, four reasons to believe God will eternally punish or torment those who do not obey Him.

1.    It is based on Scripture.

2.    It is reasonable, according to God's revealed will.

3.    It is in accord with God's love and righteousness.

4.    It is according to God's justice.

B.    Where are you headed in eternity?

C.   Heaven? Hell?

D.   I N V I T A T I O N