Patrick J van Rensburg
Is there a hell? What does the Bible say?
Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death
Open 21:8 Maar wat die vreesagtiges aangaan en die ongelowiges en gruwelikes en moordenaars en hoereerders en towenaars en afgodedienaars en al die leuenaars hulle deel is in die poel wat brand met vuur en swawel: dit is die tweede dood.
Psalm 9:17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.
Mat 13:49 It will be like this at the end of the age: the angels will go out and gather up the evil people from among the good Mat 13:50 and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.
2 Thess 1:8 with a flaming fire, to punish those who reject God and who do not obey the Good News about our Lord Jesus. 2 Thess 1:9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from his glorious might
Mat 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Away from me, you that are under God’s curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!
Mar 9:43 En as jou hand jou laat struikel, kap dit af. Dit is beter vir jou om vermink die lewe in te gaan, as om twee hande te hê en in die hel te gaan in die onuitbluslike vuur, Mar 9:44 waar hulle wurm nie sterf en die vuur nie uitgeblus word nie.
Many people do not believe in hell
If you don’t believe in hell you can’t believe in heaven. If you don’t believe in hell, you can’t believe in Jesus Christ. Why would Jesus have died on the cross? It would have been a waste of time.
If you deny the existence of hell, you deny the existence of Christ
John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Many people do not believe in hell – Groups of people who don’t believe in hell.
Atheists – The don’t believe in God or hell.
They believe that we involved from nothing and when we die, that is the end of our existence.
Ps 14: 1 Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
Annihilationist states those who did not accept Christ and all fallen angels will be destroyed so as to not exist. Believers will go to heaven
Reconciliationist is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy of God—will ultimately be reconciled to God – hell is a place of purification.
Universalist – God is a loving God and therefore no-one will go to hell. Everyone will go to heaven. Good and Bad will go immediately to heaven when they die
What is hell? –Hades/Sheol
Hades, which refers to a place of temporary torment that we might refer to as the immediate, or present, Hell. At the time of death, the souls of the lost go directly to Hades, where they suffer in torment until the time of the Great White Throne Judgment when they will be resurrected and cast into the Lake of Fire. Hades is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament word Sheol. The Greek and Hebrew words speak of the same place, the present Hell.
What is hell? – Gehenna – the Future hell
Gehenna is described in Scripture as
- a “furnace of fire” (Mat. 13:42);
- “everlasting punishment” (Mat. 25:46);
- “the mist [gloom] of darkness” (II Pet. 2:17);
- the “hurt of the second death” (Rev. 2:11 cf. 20:6,14; 21:8);
- “a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev. 19:20; 20:10; 21:8)
Gehenna, or the Lake of Fire, referred to as the future, or final, Hell because it is where all of the wicked from all ages will finally end up. Satan, the fallen angels, and all of the lost of mankind will reside in torment there forever and ever.
The purpose of hell
- A Place originally created for Satan and his fallen angels
- A place for sinners
Mat 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Away from me, you that are under God’s curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!
What to do to escape hell?
If you died today, how certain are you that you would go to Heaven?
Suppose you did die today and you stood before God and He asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” What would you say?
If you are not sure Here is good news
Eternal life is a gift – all by God’s Grace.
Romans 6:23 The Bible says, “. . . the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Rom 3:23 want almal het gesondig en dit ontbreek hulle aan die heerlikheid van God,
And because Heaven is a gift, like any other genuine gift, it is not earned or deserved. No amount of personal effort, good works, or religious deeds can earn a place in Heaven for you.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9
Ef 2:8 Want uit genade is julle gered, deur die geloof, en dit nie uit julleself nie: dit is die gawe van God; EF 2:9 nie uit die werke nie, sodat niemand mag roem nie.
WHY is it that no one can earn his way to Heaven? Because man is a sinner
Man is a sinner and can’t save himself. That is because we have a selfish and sinful nature. Rom 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:23 want almal het gesondig en dit ontbreek hulle aan die heerlikheid van God
Pro 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
If you wanted to save yourself by good deeds, do you know how good you would have to be? You would have to be perfect. With such a high standard, no one can save himself. However, despite our sin.
God is merciful. GOD LOVES YOU, BUT HATES YOUR SIN. God is merciful but He is also just! God is merciful and doesn’t want to punish us.
God is love.” 1 John 4:8. I have loved you with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3
Sin must be punished – Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished” Exodus 34:7 “
The soul who sins is the one who will die.” Ezekiel 18:4
GOD LOVES YOU, BUT HATES YOUR SIN
We Have A Problem God loves us and doesn’t want to punish us. But He is just and must punish sin. God solved this problem for us in the Person of Jesus
Jesus bridged the gap
Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus Christ, died on the cross to pay for our sins and purchase a place in heaven for us. Jesus – Who is He? Jesus is the your saviour “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) . . . and the Word(Jesus) was God. And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . . .” John 1:1,14
Jesus Christ came to earth and lived a sinless life, but while on earth. What did He do? He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for us.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity (sin) of us all.” Isaiah 53:6
Jesus Christ took our sin in His body on the cross and offers you eternal life (Heaven) now and forever, as a gift.
THIS GIFT IS RECEIVED BY FAITH
Faith is The key that opens the door To heaven. Saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our eternal life both now and forever. This means trusting in what He has done rather than in what we have done. “
Believe (trust) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved . . .” Acts 16:31
ACCEPT THE LIVING CHRIST AS SAVIOR “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in . . .” Revelation 3:20