What the Heck Happened to Hell?

As a nine-year-old on December 19, 1989, I received a phone call from my aunt, informing me that my Papaw passed away earlier that day. Other than a few goldfish and hamsters, that was my first experience with the reality of mortality. 

Papaw was basically a good ol’ boy from Texas, and a hardworking entrepreneur of sorts. He would buy and sell tractors and pigs, and also did a bit of farming. My favorite memories with him involved sitting by the TV as he watched wrestling. It didn’t matter if it was the WWF (now the WWE) or the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW), Pap was fully engaged and I quickly became a fan as well.

I remember crying at the funeral, but also feeling reassured that Pap was with Jesus after the minister delivered his message. I’ve probably been to about 30 funerals since then, and I cannot remember a time when the presiding minister didn’t offer similarly comforting words to those in attendance. If one only heard sermons at funerals, it might be tempting to become a universalist.

What is universalism? Allow me to let Paul Young, author of The Shack, explain this core belief of his from the pages of his new book, Lies We Believe About God.

“The Good News is not that Jesus has opened up the possibility of salvation and you have been invited to receive Jesus into your life. The Gospel is that Jesus has already included you into His life, into His relationship with God the Father, and into His anointing in the Holy Spirit. The Good News is that Jesus did this without your vote, and whether you believe it or not won’t make it any less or more true.

What or who saves me? Either God did in Jesus, or I save myself. If, in any way, I participate in the completed act of salvation accomplished in Jesus, then my part is what actually saves me. Saving faith is not our faith, but the faith of Jesus.

God does not wait for my choice and then “save me.” God has acted decisively and universally for all humankind. Now our daily choice is to either grow and participate in that reality or continue to live in the blindness of our own independence.

Are you suggesting that everyone is saved? That you believe in universal salvation?

That is exactly what I am saying!”

You can see Young’s universalism shining through in The Shack when “Papa” (a female playing the part of God the Father) exhorts Mack that he has now reconciled himself to the whole world. Mack responds almost in disbelief, “The whole world? You mean those who believe in you, right?” Papa, however, replies, “The whole world, Mack.”

Doesn’t universalism make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? No matter how you live, everything will ultimately turn out great for you in the end. Unfortunately for the universalists, they have to deal with the simple words of the New Testament.

Take a moment to read these three passages (though many more could’ve been cited) and see if you notice any reoccurring words.

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. – Matthew 7:13-14

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. – Philippians 3:18-19

It is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9

Destruction. Not merely temporary heavenly punishments. Eternal, fiery destruction.

But is that the testimony of the early Church? Please read these three short quotes that faithfully represent the overwhelming consensus of Ante-Nicene Christianity.

The way of darkness is crooked, and it is full of cursing. It is the way of eternal death with punishment. – Epistle of Barnabas 70-130CE, ANF Vol. 1, p. 235 [CD-ROM]

You should fear what is truly death, which is reserved for those who will be condemned to the eternal fire. It will afflict those who are committed to it even to the end. – Letter to Diognetus 125-200CE, ANF Vol. 1, p. 52 [CD-ROM]

Sinners will be consumed because they sinned and did not repent. … Those who have known God and have seen His mighty works, but still continue in evil, will be chastised doubly, and will die forever. – Hermes 150CE, ANF Vol. 2, p. 52, 81 [CD-ROM]

We should neither smile nor joke about men and women burning in hell. If we take Jesus at His word, more people will wind up in the lake of fire than in the new heavens and new earth.

The reality of hell should neither be the primary driving force behind choosing to follow Jesus nor telling others about Him. However, it should be a motivating factor. Just like I lived in denial of my Papaw’s death for a few days, we don’t like to consider the truth that every single person we love is going to die one day and face judgment. No amount of wishful thinking or fictional pseudo-Christian literature will change that universal law.

So, who do you know and love that isn’t following Jesus? Will you make it a point to earnestly pray for his or her salvation? What can you do to demonstrate the reality of the gospel to them this week?

We always think we’re going to have much more time with our loved ones, but we never know when that phone call is going to come. 

Simply Jesus Pt. 7: “Hell, Where Their Worm Does Not Die…”

Last week a cleaning lady came by our house. We usually get the same lady each month, but this time the company sent a different woman. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to always be ready to have a reason for the hope we have in Jesus, and that day I was provided with many opportunities to share.

From almost the moment she walked in, the lady (we’ll call her Shelby from now on) was asking me philosophical, psychological and spiritual questions. Shelby didn’t really get much work done that first 45 minutes, but it was fine with me; we covered a lot of ground. It seemed clear that she subscribed to the New Age movement, because she appeared to subscribe to various beliefs from an assortment of religions.

Two prominent New Age beliefs Shelby ascribed to included: 1) Discovering one’s inherent divinity and 2) Reincarnation. Both of those teachings are attempts to deal with sin, death, judgment and salvation through one’s own strength and merit. Also, both of those teachings seek to completely dismiss Jesus’ clear teaching about hell.

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. – Mark 9:43-48

The main problem in this world is not disunity. It is not a lack of understanding. It is not that the two main candidates running for office are narcissistic, sociopathic, idolatrous, pathological liars who will literally say or do anything to gain more power (even though that's true).

The main problem in this world is that humanity is at war with God. We are in rebellion against the King of kings, and that insurrection is called sin. Sin leads to bondage and death. And for those who reject the forgiveness, redemption and regeneration offered by Jesus Christ, the ultimate just judgment of hell’s eternal fire awaits.

Many preachers today do not want to preach about hell, and they do this at their own peril. 

Not only do they endanger their souls, but is it possible that these American pastors carry a large portion of the blame for the breakdown of our society? Is it possible that their reluctance to regularly paint an accurate picture of both heaven and hell has led millions of Americans to not fear suffering the consequences of their actions? If so, it would probably be good practice for all pastors to read Malachi 2 once every month. 

Unlike modern pastors, the early Christians were neither ashamed of Jesus nor His words about hell.

For all, the righteous and the unrighteous alike, shall be brought before God the Word. … He comes as Judge whom we call Christ. … Those who have done well shall be assigned righteously eternal bliss, and to the lovers of iniquity shall be given eternal punishment. And the fire which is unquenchable and without end awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which does not die, and which does not waste the body, but continues bursting forth from the body with unending pain. No sleep will give them rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from punishment; no voice of interceding friends will profit them. – Hippolytus 225CE, Volume 5, p. 397 [CD-ROM]

God’s judgment comes to the righteous and the unrighteous. Everything we’ve ever thought, said or done will be held up against the standard of Christ. And though non-Christians are capable of doing good things, that’s not good enough. Therefore, even though Cornelius the Roman Centurion was called a righteous and just man in Acts 10, he still needed to repent of his sins and receive forgiveness and newness of life through Jesus Christ.

Over the 36 years I've been alive, my eyes and hands have willfully engaged in sin more times than I can imagine. I’ve valued countless things above God and hurt countless others for the sake of those idols. My eyes deserve to be plucked out and my hands cut off. Worse still, I deserve to spend eternity where their worm doesn't die and the fire is never quenched.

Though the Gospels don’t show Jesus demanding His disciples to cut off their hands or pluck out their eyes when they sin, His words in Mark 9 demonstrate how serious He is about sin. In one sense, Jesus wasn’t using hyperbole. It actually would be better for us to enter life maimed or with one eye than to have an amazing body, not take Jesus seriously, and end up in the unquenchable fire of hell.

There are no second chances after we die. Reincarnation doesn’t exist anymore than purgatory does. Fortunately, there is rebirth and regeneration through the Holy Spirit offered to everyone who will receive Jesus.

Jesus is more gracious, merciful, and patient than you can comprehend. He gave His entire life for you. When you repent of your sins and give your life to Him, He gives His life back into you through the Holy Spirit. As you walk with Him each day, He begins to transform you into a new person and make you more like Him.

That is really good news! The gospel is not just about keeping us out of hell, it’s also about bringing God’s kingdom into our lives. It’s about transformation into God’s image by God’s power. And that means God is writing a tremendous testimony in you, filled with story after story of how your hope in Christ triumphs over the hellish situations you face.

So may you make the most of every opportunity this week to give the reason for the hope you have in Jesus!