Four Lies About Hell:

1. It is figurative.
2. It isn't that bad.
3. It doesn't last forever.
4. If God were loving, He would never send someone there.

What's the truth about Hell?

1. Hell is a REAL place.

• The Bible indicates time and time again it is a literal place.
  • Matthew 13:41-42 (NLT) - 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• 167 times
  • Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, the pit, the abyss, everlasting destruction, etc.
• Jesus preached on it 33 times during his ministry.

2. Hell begins with SEPARATION.

• Separation from others
  • Sheep and goats - Matthew 25
  • Wheat and Chaff - Matthew 3:12 (NLT) - 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.
• Separation from God
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NLT) - 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.

3. Hell is TORMENT.

• Designed for torment and wrath
• Unbalanced
  • No light and no solid - Physical imbalance
  • No rest and no hope - Emotional imbalance
• Tormented
  • No relief
  • No sustenance
• Concerned
• Regretful
  • Think about our sins
  • Think about God and our rejection of Him

4. Hell is FOREVER.

• The terminology "forever" is inescapable in the New Testament.
• Matthew 25:41 (NLT) - 41 "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.
• Matthew 25:46 (NLT) - 46 "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
• Revelation 14:10-11 (NLT) - 10 must drink the wine of God's anger. It has been poured full strength into God's cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name."

5. Hell is AVOIDABLE.

• How to get to Hell: Ignore the LIFE PRESERVER RING.
• Romans 1:18 (NLT) - 18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
• John 3:18-19 (NLT) - 18 "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
• God did not create hell for people.
  • Matthew 25:41 (NLT) - 41 "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.
• What is God's perspective?
  • 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) - 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
  • 1 Timothy 2:4 (NASB95) - 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• C.S. Lewis: You either say, "thy will be done," or God will say, "thy will be done."

Application

• Acknowledge your sin, turn from it, accept the free gift of salvation.
• Pray for others.
• Tell others.