The word hell can be used as a swear word…even though today it is considered a “soft” swear word. It is used in times of frustration and anger, or to give emphasis such as when someone says: “Hell no!”. To say: “go to Hell” is more aggressive in that it means: “get off my back” or, “get out of my life”. Years ago, to talk this way was quite offensive and unacceptable. If I would ever say these expressions when I was a boy, my parents would wash my mouth out with soap. Today, people are so used to hearing people talk this way that they have become less sensitive and more tolerant. But, on the other hand, to calmly and sincerely say that Hell is real and, that those who have died without being born again are in Hell, is to many people very offensive and unacceptable.
Hell is that “hot” topic no one cares to delve into, but the Bible refers to it quite extensively. Hell, according to the Scriptures, was prepared for Satan and his rebellious angels. (Matthew 25:41) Hell exists as a consequence of sin, (rebellion), without which morality loses its meaning. Because man sinned, he too is judged and shares Satan’s condemnation and eternal punishment. All of redemption is based on the fact that there is sin, and that sin has been judged and condemned. Salvation is being saved from sin and eternal damnation. Sin that goes unpunished would indicate the failure of justice and defeat of God’s purpose in redeeming mankind. John Piper has said it this way, that “our sin is deserving of infinite punishment because of the infinite glory of the One against Whom it is perpetuated”. All sin is essentially against God, and it is only God that can judge and forgive sin.
The generally accepted philosophy or our day denies the existence of Hell and Eternal Judgement. In being affected by this mindset, some Christians have accepted a universalistic view of salvation and a relativistic understanding of truth. This philosophy teaches that in the end everyone will be saved, and that each person determines what is truth for himself. But, Truth cannot be anything but absolute; if it is relative it is reduced to the level of opinion. What you or I want to be true is really irrelevant. It is God who establishes what is Truth because He is Truth. If God says that all sinners will go to Hell, then that is what will happen. We are not in the position to “decriminalize” sin and give a “free pass” to Heaven without regeneration. Sin requires judgement and only through the death of Jesus on the cross was this judgement satisfied and redemption made available to all of mankind. Only through faith in the finished work of Christ, in that He died and rose from the dead, can we be saved from this eternal punishment. This is the Gospel.
To say NO to Hell, one must repent of his sins and receive the forgiveness that has been provided for us through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 9:22) Hell is a reality, but it can be avoided. God does not desire this destiny for anyone. This is why He sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins. We have been given a choice. We do not have to be doomed to suffer eternally for our sins. The Gospel is Good News, but it will never be forced upon us. If we choose to reject the gift of Salvation, then we can never say God is not fair by casting us into Hell. The choice is ours. I made the decision to say NO to Hell and YES to Heaven. What about you?
Scriptures to meditate on:
Revelations 14:9-11; 20:15; Matthew 10:28; 18:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; 1 Timothy 2:4