06 - The Myth Of There Is No Hell By Pastor Jeff Wickwire Notes

Myth-Busters

Part 6

“The Myth of ‘There Is No Hell’”

Luke 16: 19-31

Of all the topics we’ve covered in the last 6 weeks, this one has to be the toughest.

No one likes to think about such an awful place as Hell.

Our minds cannot wrap around an eternity of suffering or of separation from God.

Everything in us wants to scream out, “It can’t be true!”

Unfortunately, those who want to reject the message of Hell have lots of help in our day.

Some popular Bible teachers are now embracing the idea that no one will go to such a place, and if they do they won’t remain there forever.

Their teaching is called “universalism.”

It claims that Christ died for the entire world and therefore, all the world is automatically redeemed no matter their lifestyle or beliefs.

One popular Christian author’s book dealing with Hell and eternal punishment hit the bestseller list with statements like, “eternal punishment" should be translated as "a period of pruning" or a "time of trimming"!

In other words, after you suffer a while and learn your lesson, you’ll be let out of Hell.

This author is called, “a rock star pastor” by USA Today.

Time Magazine claimed the author was “at the forefront of a rethinking of Christianity in America.”

But the reality is that he arrives at his conclusions with some wretchedly poor Greek translating that would not make a passing grade in Greek 101.

The problem is—the reading public doesn’t know this.

So, as with all of the other “myths” we’ve covered, the Bible will be our source on the subject of Hell, not a “rock star pastor.”

A cursory reading of Scripture reveals that it is impossible to escape the reality of Hell or final judgment.

It’s a topic taken up by every New Testament writer and it dominates the teaching of Jesus.

Jesus said the most about Hell, so to deny the existence of Hell is to deny the teachings of Jesus.

Of the 12 times the Greek word for Hell (Gehenna) is used in the New Testament, 11 come from the lips of Christ.

A few examples would be:

"And if your hand offends you, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:43-44

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Matt. 25:41

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell." Matt. 10:28

In Scripture, Hell is described in several ways:

Furnace of fire (Matt.13:42)

Everlasting punishment (Matt.25:46)

Everlasting Destruction from Presence of Lord and Glory of His Power (2 Thes.1:9)

The Blackness of darkness forever (2 Pet.2:17)

The Lake of fire and brimstone (Rev.20:10)

Over and over Hell is said to be forever.

I think one factor contributing to the difficulty of pondering Hell is that we all probably know someone especially resistant to the gospel—a parent, child, neighbor, or friend—

…who at the same time lives an outwardly moral life, exhibits kindness, engages in acts of philanthropy, gives to charity, someone who is the model of the ideal citizen.

Imagining that person as the object of God’s eternal wrath makes Hell seem even more unimaginable.

But if there is no Hell, what did Jesus come to save us from?

And if there is no Hell, why evangelize?

Why spend all the money, time and effort on outreach if there is no Hell to avoid?

“General William Booth of the Salvation Army said he wished every one of his soldiers could spend five minutes in Hell, for they would then come back with a greater burden for those around them.

And most importantly, if there is no Hell, Jesus was a false teacher or was sadly mistaken!

Interestingly, a survey commissioned by U.S News and World Report for a cover story entitled “Hell Hath No Fury”) reveals that:

“64% of Americans believe that there is a Hell…

And surprisingly, the poll indicated that more Americans believe in Hell today than they did in the 1950’s or even 10 years ago!”

People also have some really crazy ideas about the place we call Hell.

Let me just give you a sampling of what some of the cults teach about Hell.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE, with modern proponents like John Travolta and Tom Cruise, teach that “there is no death.”

They believe that “heaven and hell are states of thought, not places.

People experience their own heaven or hell right here on earth.”

THE MORMONS, argue that, “The false doctrine that the punishment to be visited upon erring souls is eternal...is … at once unscriptural, unreasonable, and revolting.”

THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES maintain that the wicked are annihilated because “the teaching about a fiery hell can rightly be designated as a ‘teaching of demons.’”

But none of these views are what Jesus taught about Hell.

In Matt.25:46, Jesus says every person will be divided at the judgment into two categories—sheep and goats.

And both have eternal fates. He says:

“And these (the goats) will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous (the sheep) into eternal life.”

The word “everlasting” in front of punishment, and “eternal” in front of life are the exact same Greek word.

According to Jesus, Hell is forever and heaven is forever.

Since Scripture clearly says there is a Hell, the question is really what is it, where is it and how long does it last?

I want to share three important things that Jesus’ story of the rich man and his poor servant, Lazarus, tells us about Hell.

FIRST,

Hell is a Place of Misery

The rich man is said to be in “torment” (v. 23).

He begged for even the smallest amount of water to relieve his suffering (v. 24).

He confesses in verse twenty-four, “I am tormented in this flame.”

In verse twenty-five Abraham also uses the word “tormented” to describe the man’s condition in Hell.

In verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight the rich man begs to be allowed to warn his family about this place so “they will not come to this place of torment.”

This is not the only place where the Bible uses such graphic language to describe Hell.

In Matthew 25:30 Jesus describes Hell as a place of “… outer darkness.

There will be, Jesus warns, “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Liberal scholars have been telling us for decades that what the Bible says about Hell is only symbolic.

But William Evans in his classic book “The Great Doctrines of the Bible” says,

“Is the fire spoken of literal fire?”

He goes on to write, “It is an accepted law of language that a figure of speech is less intense than the reality.

If “fire” is merely a figurative expression, it must stand for some great reality, and if the reality is more intense than the figure, what an awful thing the punishment symbolized by fire must be.”

In verse twenty-four the Rich Man begged for even for even the smallest amount of water to relieve his suffering.

Erwin Lutzer points out, “the most sobering thought that could ever cross our minds is the fact that the rich man in hell (hades) …has not yet received the drop of water for which he so desperately longed.”

Hell is a place of Misery!

And Hell is not only a Place of Misery, it is also…

SECONDLY,

A Place of Memory

Beyond the fact that Hell is a place of conscious misery we also see that it is a place of memory and profound regret.

In verse twenty-five Abraham said to the rich man:

“Son remember…”

Those two words reveal one of the most horrifying aspects of Hell, that of MEMORY.

Erwin Lutzer, in his book entitled “One Minute After You Die” says that Hell is:

“… a region of…unending regret.”

He goes on to write:

“In Hell, with all their memories and feeling fully intact, images of their life on earth will return to haunt them.”

“They will think back to their friends, family and relatives; they will brood over opportunities they squandered...”

In Jesus’ sobering message, the mind of the Rich man is filled with images of poor Lazarus lying by his door with stray dogs licking his wounds.

He remembers those who tried to tell him about God.

He recalls sermons he heard.

He remembers those who warned him about the coming judgment.

And he also realizes his destiny is set!

Abraham explains to the rich man that there is a "great chasm" between heaven and hell.

In other words, there is no hope of crossing over from one place to another.

Hell is not like a prison where you might be paroled, pardoned, or simply “do your time” and be released.

Hell is forever and inescapable.

There are no second chances!

The great chasm described by Jesus is "fixed" and unalterable.

Jesus’ story makes clear that in Hell it is too late to pray, it is too late to turn to Christ.

Hell is not only a place of Memory but it also …

Third,

A Place of Concern for those left behind

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’

Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’

And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

NOTICE: We don’t see the rich man reveling in fellowship with his friends.

He is very much alone.

He did not say, “I’m glad my brothers are going to be joining me here.

We are going to have a wonderful time together!”

Hell will not be at all like it is often characterized, as a giant party where you sit around laughing and reminiscing with old friends about the good old days.

This man’s deep concern was to keep his loved ones from ending up there!

CONCLUSION

Let me summarize what we can learn about the AFTERLIFE from Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16:1,

FIRST, Hell is not a myth. Jesus taught of its reality more than any single Person in the Bible.

SECOND, in the afterlife the dead are still alive.

Both Lazarus and the rich man survived their own funerals.

Jesus clearly taught that when we die, we wake up to spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell.

THIRD, the dead retain their personalities and their essential character.

Lazarus is still Lazarus and the rich man is still the rich man.

FOURTH, the five senses are still intact.

Even in Hell the rich man could see, hear, feel, recognize, remember, speak, reflect, plead, suffer, and think ahead.

FIFTH, whichever place we wind up in, it is forever.

Once in Heaven, always in Heaven; once in Hell, always in Hell.

No one can pass from one place to another.

But there is Good News!

The Good News is that God loves you and He doesn’t want you to go to hell.

Hell was never intended for human habitation.

Jesus said in Matthew 25:41, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Hell was designed for Satan and his demons, not people.

Hell can be avoided if a person listens to God’s word and turns to Christ.

As C.S Lewis summarizes,

“Any man may choose eternal death. Those who choose it will have it…

“There are only two kinds of people in the end—those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ or those to whom God says in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’

All that are in Hell choose it.”

PRAY