What Is Hell Like?
Posted: Saturday, May 03, 2008
by John Waddey
firstcenturychristian
There is a Hell! It is a place of punishment for sinners. Paul says those who reject Christ face a worse punishment than death (Hebrews 10:29). Jesus said a wicked man died and found himself suffering conscious punishment in torment (Luke 16:23-26). We live under "the law of the Spirit" (Romans 8:2). Law without punishment is a farce. Hell is the punishment for disobedience. Christ's suffering to save us from hell testifies to its reality. He plainly taught a punishment in hell for the wicked (Matthew 25:46).
What is Hell like? God describes it as a furnace of fire (Matthew 13:42); outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30); unquenchable fire (Mark 9:48); a bottomless pit (Revelation 20:3); a lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 20:10); a place of torment with no rest (Revelation 14:10); a place of shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2); eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46); separation from the Lord (Luke 16:23-26); a place where Satan and his angels will be (Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41).
Those lost in Hell will suffer: remorse, regret, agony, misery, realization of hopelessness and helplessness; separation from God, heaven, God's people, and all goodness, joy, mercy and love. They will spend eternity with the vilest sinners.
Some Errors. The Bible does not present hell as a condition in this life. It mentions no purgatory. There will be no second chance. Souls in hell will not be annihilated. These are false doctrines contrived by Satan to destroy our fear of hell.
God does not want you to go to Hell (II Peter 3:9). He gave his Son to save you from it. If you are damned, it will be your choice, because you rejected Jesus.
Save yourself from Hell! Believe on Christ (Acts 16:31). Repent of your sins (Acts 17:30). Confess Christ (Romans 10:10). Obey Him in Baptism for remission of your sins (Acts 2:38). Be faithful unto death and receive a crown of life (Revelation 2:10).