Does hell really exist?

   An ever-increasing majority is denying the reality of Hell, a place of eternal punishment for those who reject the will of God (cf. Matthew 7:21, Revelation 21:8). So, let's address the question: "Is Hell a reality?"

            We are told in Nahum 1:2, as well as Exodus 20:5, that God is a jealous God.  However, if there is no Hell, what is God jealous of? If there is no Hell, then everyone will die and go to Heaven, so what is God jealous of?!

            If there is no Hell, then there is no Devil, because Jesus said Hell was created for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Was Jesus just "joking" when He made that statement?  And, therefore, if there is no Devil, then there is only one Master to follow and that would be Jesus, so what is God jealous of?  Jesus Himself said that all are following one of two masters (Matthew 6:24). If Jesus was lying, then that means everyone in the world, regardless of how they are living, are, in reality, following God! And if everyone is following God, what is He jealous of?!

            The truth is that God IS a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24), and the only thing He could be jealous of is losing you to someone else, and that someone else necessitates Satan, which in turn necessitates the reality of Hell (Matthew 25:41).

            If there is no eternal Hell, then for what reason did Jesus leave Heaven, come to earth, and die on the Cross? He said He came to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10). But, if there is no Hell, from what does He save us?  If there is no Hell, then God saves us from nothing! If God saves us from nothing, then God's mercy and grace have no value.

            In Romans 6:17, Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome saying, "But God be thanked..." For what? If there is no Hell, then no one is lost, and therefore, God couldn't offer us salvation from anything -- so why are we told to give thanks to God?!

 

            If there is no Hell, then what did Jesus mean when He said:

            *          "cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:30)? What place was He referring to?

            *          "and these shall go away into everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46)?

            *          "The hour cometh when they that have done evil will be raised unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29)?  What is this place of eternal damnation, if it is not Hell?

            *          "those that know not, and those who obey not the gospel will be on the receiving end of God's vengeance" (2Thessalonians 1:7-8)?

            *          "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night" (Revelation 14:11)?

 

            If anyone claims there is no Hell, then they will have to disprove all these Scriptures (and many more). In order to disprove these Scriptures, they will have to prove that the Bible did not come from the mind of God, and that can't be done! People have been trying to do that for 2,000 years -- they've all failed. As someone wisely said, "The Bible is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."

            The truth is: Hell is a reality, and all accountable people will go there who don't commit themselves to Jesus Christ in faithful obedience during this life.               

            (...continued in the next article)                          

 

Toby Miller