Heaven vs Hell: What the Bible Really Says About Eternity | ChurchLeaders

Heaven vs Hell: What the Bible Really Says About Eternity

Few topics stir as much emotion, curiosity, and even controversy as the eternal destinies of heaven and hell. In countless cultures and throughout history, people have tried to imagine what happens after death. But for Christians, the Bible offers the clearest guidance. Rather than relying on popular opinions, fiction, or even tradition, we must look to Scripture to understand the realities of eternity. The truth about Heaven vs Hell isn’t meant to terrify—it’s meant to awaken hearts, inspire faith, and point people to the hope found in Jesus Christ.

Heaven vs Hell: What Scripture Teaches About Our Eternal Future

The Bible presents eternity as a clear contrast between two final destinations: one of eternal life and joy in the presence of God, and one of separation, sorrow, and judgment. This tension between Heaven vs Hell appears throughout the pages of Scripture, calling each person to consider where they stand before God and what awaits beyond this life.

1. Heaven is the dwelling place of God and the reward of the redeemed
Heaven is described in the Bible as God’s eternal home—a place of holiness, joy, and unending worship. Revelation 21:3–4 paints a beautiful picture: “God himself will be with them… He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” Heaven is not just a vague paradise but a real place where those who belong to Christ will dwell forever in His presence.

RELATED: Finding Comfort in Eternal Perspectives

2. Hell is a place of judgment and separation from God
In contrast, the Bible describes hell as a place of “outer darkness,” “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30), and “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41). It is not symbolic or temporary—it is the final judgment for those who reject God. Revelation 20:15 says, “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” These sobering words remind us that hell is not just the absence of God’s presence, but the experience of His just wrath.

3. Jesus spoke more about Hell than anyone else in the Bible
Contrary to the idea that hell is just an outdated concept, Jesus Himself warned about it frequently. He spoke of hell not to condemn people, but to urge them to turn to God. His parables, such as the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), show the finality of these destinations. Christ’s teachings force us to take the reality of eternity seriously.

4. Eternal destinies are determined by our response to Jesus
John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in Scripture: “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This verse, along with many others, shows that belief in Christ is the dividing line between Heaven vs Hell. Our good works cannot save us. Salvation is a gift offered through faith in Jesus, who took our punishment and offers us His righteousness.

5. Heaven is not just the goal—it’s a restored relationship with God
The beauty of heaven is not only the streets of gold or the absence of pain. The central joy of heaven is the presence of God. Revelation 22:4 says, “They will see his face.” This intimacy with the Creator is what humanity was created for—and what sin interrupted. In heaven, the relationship is fully restored.

6. Hell reflects God’s justice, not cruelty
One common objection is that a loving God wouldn’t send people to hell. But the Bible shows that God is both loving and just. Romans 2:5 says people are “storing up wrath” for themselves by rejecting God. Hell is not arbitrary—it is the rightful consequence of sin. But God, in His love, provides a way of escape through Christ.

7. Eternity is fixed after death
Hebrews 9:27 states, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” There are no second chances after death. This makes the question of Heaven vs Hell incredibly urgent. The decisions we make in this life have eternal significance.

8. The hope of heaven sustains believers in suffering
Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” For Christians, the promise of heaven gives strength in trials, confidence in hardship, and peace even in death.

RELATED: How to Explain Hell to a Child

9. The reality of hell should compel us to evangelize
Knowing the truth about hell should not make us arrogant—it should break our hearts for the lost. Jude 1:23 urges believers to “snatch others from the fire.” The reality of eternity motivates the mission of the church to proclaim the gospel.

10. God desires all people to be saved
Ultimately, Scripture affirms God’s heart of compassion. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The door to heaven is open to all who will come in faith. God does not delight in judgment; He delights in mercy.

The Bible is clear in presenting the truth about Heaven vs Hell. These are not myths or metaphors—they are eternal realities. Heaven is the eternal home for those redeemed by Jesus, while hell is the destination for those who reject Him. But through Christ, God offers salvation to all who believe. Understanding these truths isn’t just about future events—it should shape how we live today, love others, and share the gospel with urgency and grace.

The Great Danger Is to Assume We Are All Headed for Heaven | EPM

For every American who believes they’re going to Hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to Heaven. This optimism stands in stark contrast to Christ’s words in Matthew 7:13-14: “…wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” As C. S. Lewis wrote, “The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

What would keep us out of Heaven is universal: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). God is so holy that He cannot allow sin into His presence: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). Because we are sinners, we cannot enter Heaven as we are. Unless our sin problem is resolved, the only place we will go is our true default destination . . . Hell.

The great danger is to assume we are headed for Heaven. Judging by what’s said at most funerals, you’d think nearly everyone’s going.

We dare not “wait and see” when it comes to what’s on the other side of death. We can know, we should know, before we die. And because we may die at any time, we need to know now—not next month or next year. “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow…You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

The voice that whispers, “There’s no hurry; you can always think about it later,” is not God’s voice.

Hell: Heaven’s Awful Alternative

Christ’s return will initiate a resurrection of believers for eternal life in Heaven and a resurrection of unbelievers for eternal existence in Hell (John 5:28-29). The unsaved—everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—will be judged according to the works they have done, as recorded in Heaven’s books (Revelation 20:12-15). Because those works include sin, people without Christ cannot enter the presence of a holy and just God and will be consigned to a place of everlasting destruction (Matthew 13:40-42).

Hell will not be like its stereotype found in comic strips, a giant lounge where between drinks people tell stories of their escapades on Earth. Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, community, fellowship, and friendship—rooted in the triune God Himself—can’t exist. Likely, each entity rules its own tiny kingdom of self, just as Jesus portrays the rich man alone in Luke 16:22-23. Misery loves company, but there will be nothing to love in Hell.

This is why Dante, in the Inferno, envisioned this sign chiseled above Hell’s gate: “Abandon every hope, you who enter.”

Hell has become “the H word,” seldom named, rarely talked about. Satan has obvious motives for fueling our denial of eternal punishment: he wants unbelievers to reject Jesus without fear, Christians to be unmotivated to share Christ, and God to receive less glory for the radical nature of Christ’s redemptive work.

God Never Sends Anyone to Hell

Hell seems disproportionate, a divine overreaction. In the words of one professor and contributor to an evangelical publication, “I consider the concept of hell as endless torment in body and mind an outrageous doctrine. . . . Surely a God who would do such a thing is more nearly like Satan than like God.”

Many imagine that it is civilized, humane, and compassionate to deny the existence of an eternal Hell, but in fact it is arrogant. For, if we understood God’s nature and ours, we would be shocked not that some people could go to Hell (where else would sinners go?), but that any would be permitted into Heaven.

In The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis wrote, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find.”

What Did Jesus Say about Hell?

In the Bible, Jesus says more than anyone else about Hell (Matthew 10:28; 13:40-42; Mark 9:43-44). He refers to it as a literal place and describes it in graphic terms—including raging fires and the worm that doesn’t die. Christ says the unsaved “will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). In His story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus taught that in Hell, the wicked suffer terribly, are fully conscious, retain their desires and memories and reasoning, long for relief, cannot be comforted, cannot leave their torment, and are bereft of hope (Luke 16:19-31). The Savior could not have painted a more bleak or graphic picture.

How long will Hell last? “They will go away to eternal punishment,” Jesus said of the unrighteous, “but the righteous to eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). Here, in the same sentence, He used the same word translated “eternal” (aionos). Thus, if Heaven will be consciously experienced forever, Hell must be consciously experienced forever.

Is It Unloving to Speak of Hell?

There are only two possible destinations after death: Heaven and Hell. Unless and until we surrender our lives to Jesus, we’re headed for Hell. If I had a choice, that is if Scripture were not so clear and conclusive, I would certainly not believe in Hell. I do not want to believe in it. But if I make what I want—or what others want—the basis for my beliefs, then I am a follower of myself and my culture, not a follower of Christ. Novelist Dorothy Sayers wrote, “The doctrine of hell …is Christ’s deliberate judgment on sin. . . . We cannot repudiate Hell without altogether repudiating Christ.”

The most loving thing we can do for our friends and our family is to warn them about the road that leads to destruction and tell them about the road that leads to life. Would we think it unloving if a doctor told us we had a potentially fatal cancer? And would the doctor not tell us if the cancer could be eradicated? Why then do we not tell unsaved people about the cancer of sin and evil and how the inevitable penalty of eternal destruction can be avoided by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

If we understood Hell even the slightest bit, none of us would ever say, “Go to Hell.” It’s far too easy—it requires no change of course, no navigational adjustments. The need for Hell is the single greatest tragedy in the universe.

God loves us enough to tell us the truth—Jesus said, “I am the way…No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). All other roads lead to Hell. The high stakes involved in the choice between Heaven and Hell will cause us to appreciate Heaven in deeper ways, always praising God for His mercy that delivers us from what we deserve and grants us grace for what we don’t.

Earth: The In-Between World

Earth leads directly into Heaven or directly into Hell, affording a choice between the two. This present life is the closest Christ-followers will come to Hell and the closest unbelievers will come to Heaven.

Given the reality of our two possible destinations, shouldn’t we be willing to pay any price to avoid Hell and go to Heaven? And yet, the price has already been paid. Consider the wonder of it: Jesus determined that He would rather go to Hell on our behalf than live in Heaven without us. He so much wants us not to go to Hell that He paid a horrible price on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to.

As it stands, however, apart from Christ, our eternal future will be spent in Hell.

Jesus asks a haunting question in Mark 8:36-37: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Christ offers each of us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life—but we must appropriate it. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

Adapted from Randy’s book Heaven.

Source: The Great Danger Is to Assume We Are All Headed for Heaven

December 30 | Perils of the Dragnet, Part 2

… and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.—Matt. 13:50

Continuing from yesterday, we can learn several more biblical truths about hell, the dragnet’s ultimate peril. For example, the lost will suffer hell’s torments in varying degrees. Those who willfully reject Jesus Christ and blatantly scorn His sacrifice will receive far greater punishment than people who had only the light of the Old Testament. The author of Hebrews writes, “Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:28–29; cf. Matt. 11:22–23).

Concerning the slaves who waited for their master’s return, Christ’s parable states that “that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few” (Luke 12:47–48).

Finally, nothing will be as horrible about hell’s torment as its endlessness. The Lord uses “eternal” to describe both heaven’s and hell’s duration: “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). Sadly, people who experience hell will realize a complete absence of hope for all eternity. But rejoice if you are a believer—you have a hope of heaven that will be validated for all eternity.

ASK YOURSELF

The sensitive person asks, “How can a loving God doom a person to hell? ” What is your answer to this common question and complaint? How is justice involved? Why would some be spared? Know how to respond to this type of opinion ahead of time.1   1  MacArthur, J. (2008). Daily readings from the life of Christ (p. 373). Moody Publishers.

December 29 | Perils of the Dragnet, Part 1

… and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.—Matt. 13:50

The doctrine of hell is undoubtedly the most difficult one for Christians to accept emotionally. Yet Scripture mentions it too often for us to deny or ignore it. Jesus gives several warnings of it in the Sermon on the Mount. “It is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matt. 5:29; cf. 5:22; see also Matt. 11:23; 23:33; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:9–10; John 15:6).

God’s Word teaches us some basic truths about hell—what this parable calls “the furnace of fire”—that aid us in partially grasping its terror. First, it is a place of constant torment and pain. Jesus called its torment darkness (Matt. 22:13), which means no light penetrates and nothing is visible. Our Lord also called the torment a fire that never goes out (Mark 9:43), from which the damned find no relief.

Second, hell includes the torment of both body and soul. Contrary to some teachings, neither is annihilated at death and never will be. Just as believers’ souls will receive resurrected bodies to enjoy heaven forever, unbelievers’ souls will receive resurrected bodies to experience hell forever (cf. Matt. 10:28; John 5:29; Acts 24:15). Jesus further called hell a place “where their worm does not die” (Mark 9:44). Once the bodies of deceased believers are consumed by worms, no more harm can be done to them. But the resurrected bodies of unbelievers will never be consumed. Such sobering reminders ought to prompt us to pray for the lost with greater urgency.

ASK YOURSELF

We do try to avoid thinking of things so gruesome and unending. Even though we don’t treat it as a myth or analogy, we still bristle at the thought of it. But how does a proper understanding of the truth of hell benefit you in your own worship and in your interactions with others?1   1  MacArthur, J. (2008). Daily readings from the life of Christ (p. 372). Moody Publishers.

Where Are You On The Issue Of Heaven And Hell | Pastor Jack Hibbs

Where Are You On The Issue Of Heaven And Hell

December 27, 2024

As we step into 2025, there’s one issue that’s more important than anything else you will encounter this year, and that issue is your eternal destination. Where will you spend eternity—Heaven or Hell? Let Pastor Jack encourage you to settle this issue with certainty in today’s episode of Real Life TV!

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December 14 | The White Throne Judgment

Scripture reading: Revelation 20:11–15

Key verse: Matthew 25:41

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

At the White Throne of Judgment, those who have rejected Jesus Christ will stand before God and be judged for their sins. This judgment is not to be confused with the believers’ judgment where God rewards those who have placed their trust in Christ.

Warren Wiersbe stated,

Hell is a witness to the righteous character of God. He must judge sin. Hell is also a witness to man’s responsibility, the fact that he is not a robot or a helpless victim, but a creature able to make choices. God does not “send people to hell”; they send themselves by rejecting the Savior (Matthew 25:41; John 3:16–21). Hell is also a witness to the awfulness of sin. If we once saw sin as God sees it, we would understand why a place such as hell exists.

In the light of Calvary, no lost sinner can condemn God for casting him into hell. God has provided a way of escape, patiently waiting for sinners to repent. He will not lower His standards or alter His requirements. He has ordained that faith in His Son is the only way of salvation …

At the White Throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal. No one will be able to defend himself or accuse God of unrighteousness. What an awesome scene it will be!

However, you can be saved right now. By placing your trust in Jesus Christ, hell will no longer be your future destiny.

Heavenly Father, I praise You for the security that comes from knowing my future destiny. Thank You for Your gift of salvation.¹

---

¹  Stanley, C. F. (2000). Into His presence (p. 365). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

What “Sheol” Means in the Bible | Ligonier Ministries

Interpretive wisdom is needed when Scripture speaks of death and the afterlife. Some aspects of the afterlife are clear: death is a result of sin (Rom. 6:23); those who die in Christ are with Him immediately in paradise (Luke 23:43); those who die apart from Christ immediately experience God’s just judgment (Luke 16:22–26). Some of the biblical language used to describe death, however, is more challenging. The word Sheol is one of those challenging terms.

Most Christians learn of this difficulty when comparing Bible translations. For example, Psalm 16:10 speaks of David’s soul not being left in Sheol. The KJV translates: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Since this is applied to Christ in Acts 2:27 and 31, does the Bible teach that Christ went to hell, the place of eternal punishment? Wasn’t God’s wrath complete at Christ’s death when He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30)? Readers are left to wonder.

More recent versions have adjusted the translation of Psalm 16:10. Now, the word hell is replaced by words like “grave” (NIV 1984), “realm of the dead” (NIV 2012), or most commonly, the word “Sheol” itself (see NKJV, ESV, NASB, CSB, NET). But is this correct?

Theologians and translators usually propose three different ways of interpreting the word Sheol in its various occurrences in the Old Testament.

1. Some interpret Sheol literally as hell.

A significant problem with this view is the fact that both the godly and the ungodly go there (Ps. 16:10; 18:5; 30:3; 49:15; 86:13). Furthermore, those crying out to the Lord seek deliverance from Sheol, something not possible for hell itself (as Luke 16:26 indicates). While the parable in Luke 16:26 takes place in hades (v. 23; a word the Greek Septuagint regularly used to translate Sheol), the Greek work hades in the New Testament is a broader term than Old Testament Sheol.

2. Some scholars view *Sheol *simply as the grave.

This makes sense of the language of descent into Sheol (Job 7:9; 17:16; Ps. 55:15) and other passages where being delivered from Sheol is described as being brought up (Ps. 30:3) or somehow removed from the depths of Sheol (Ps. 49:15; Prov. 15:24). One problem, however, is that Hebrew has other words it usually uses for the grave: Hebrew qever or words for pit (like bor or shahath) usually in poetic parallelism as a synonym for the grave (Isa. 14:19; Ezek. 32:23, 24; note that Ps. 16:10 pairs Sheol with shahath). In spite of some strengths, treating Sheol merely as a word for the grave misses other connotations of the word.

3. Some scholars view Sheol as an abstract way of describing the state of death.

This state of death includes the separation of body and soul, although scholars admit that most often this abstract state is still described concretely as the realm of the dead. This is a step in the right direction. Since Sheol nearly always occurs in biblical poetry where word meanings often pivot back and forth, this combination of abstract and concrete ideas is no surprise. “State of death” or “realm of the dead” is a useful translation for places where “grave” is too limited (Gen. 37:35; 42:38; 1 Sam. 2:6).

Regardless of the passage referring to Sheol, one common feature is an expression of extreme duress. Jewish scholar Shaul Bar helpfully suggests that Sheol is associated with “bad death,” a bitter, premature death from which the godly seek to be delivered. Thus, when the lives of the godly are threatened, crying out for deliverance from Sheol is a profession of faith, rightly viewing sin and death as an intrusion into God’s good creation and viewing God as the God of life who has a plan for His people’s flourishing and ultimate well-being (Ezek. 18:23, 32; 1 Cor. 15).

Sheol passages can get too narrowly tied to debates concerning the doctrine of the intermediate state. While they do relate to this doctrine, we are best served when we also consider how Christ is the victor over death, the One who was delivered from Sheol, to whom Christians are united in death, resurrection, and ultimately glorification (Rom. 6:5; 8:17).

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THE ELECTION’S OVER—ARE YOU READY TO FOCUS ON ETERNITY? | Fortis Institute

THE ELECTION’S OVER—ARE YOU READY TO FOCUS ON ETERNITY?

Segment 1:

• Eternal Focus Over Election Fever: With politics in turmoil, it’s time to refocus on eternity—hell is far worse than any national crisis.

• The Cost of a Lost Soul: Earthly gains are empty when eternity is on the line; there’s no hope in bartering your soul.

• The Moment After Death: For the lost, the first instant after death is one of unimaginable despair—better never to have been born than to die in sin.

Segment 2:

• An Eternity Without Joy: Hell strips away all earthly pleasures and leaves unfulfilled desires—a misery beyond comprehension.

• Billions Face Judgment: Countless people, who never responded to the Gospel, will face God’s fury on Judgment Day.

• What Believers Gain: Reflect not only on escaping hell’s horrors but also on the indescribable joy that awaits believers.

Segment 3:

• A Life on Display: The voyeuristic trend of nonstop livestreaming shows people bored with their own lives, craving more meaning.

• False Fulfillment: Watching others live out mundane moments hints at deeper issues—a form of “living” that’s far from God’s intent.

• Humanism’s Rotten Fruit: The secular push for constant sharing and watching has lost the point of genuine life and relationships.

Segment 4:

• Resolving Conflict with Integrity: Address wrongs honestly—public sins deserve public repentance.

• Real Repentance Shows: True repentance should drive us to change, accepting responsibility, and making things right with those we’ve wronged.

• Forgiveness Misused: Beware of weaponizing forgiveness as a control tool rather than seeking genuine reconciliation.

HEAVEN, HELL, AND LIFE CHOICES: ARE YOU GAMBLING WITH ETERNITY? | Fortis Institute

HEAVEN, HELL, AND LIFE CHOICES: ARE YOU GAMBLING WITH ETERNITY?

It’s Witness Wednesday!

Segment 1 Summary:

• Philip’s Struggle with Faith and Commitment: A young man raised in a secular French culture navigates his belief in a Christian God but hesitates to fully commit.

• Capitalism vs. Socialism: A candid comparison of the U.S. and France’s contrasting systems and their influence on quality of life and values.

• Morality and Lifestyle Choices: Philip’s internal conflict about sin, freedom, and responsibility in light of his current lifestyle.

Segment 2 Summary:

• Facing the Reality of Hell: Todd discusses the consequences of sin and the differing levels of suffering in hell based on one’s actions.

• Jesus’ Sacrifice and Its Relevance: Philip grapples with the weight of choosing Jesus over sinful indulgences, sparking a reflection on consequences and redemption.

Segment 3 Summary:

• Non-Conformity and Personal Expression: A discussion with a student about the motivations behind self-expression and its deeper implications on identity and faith.

• Divine Justice vs. Human Justice: Todd contrasts societal norms with biblical principles, unpacking the concept of sin and God’s ultimate judgment.

Segment 4 Summary:

• Questioning Divine Mercy: A debate on why a benevolent God would allow sinful people to live, featuring Scott’s skepticism influenced by cultural thought leaders.

• Life Through God’s Mercy: Todd asserts that despite humanity’s guilt, life is a gift of grace, offering a counter to Scott’s doubts.

5 Things You Should Know about Hell | Ligonier

Because the subject of hell is difficult to contemplate, many inside and outside the church have sought to soften the idea, for how can a loving God send people to such a miserable place? But God hasn’t asked us to get Him off the hook for hell, and He doesn’t permit such a softening. Much of what we learn about hell, in fact, comes from the loving Jesus Himself, whose teaching concerning hell expands on the teaching of the Old Testament. Here are five things to know about hell.

1. Hell is a real place of conscious and unending misery.

The erroneous doctrine known as annihilationism, or conditional immortality, posits that the wicked are destroyed at the last judgment. They need not worry about conscious, eternal punishment in the afterlife. Contrary to this view, the Bible presents hell as a place of conscious and perpetual misery. The miseries of hell are unending (Jude 13; Rev. 20:10). In Luke 16, for example, the rich man is described as “being in torment” (Luke 16:23) in Hades and conscious of his miserable state, no doubt preferring to forfeit his existence than to continue in torment.

There is also no biblical basis for a “second chance.” The residential status of the inhabitants of hell is fixed forever. Death marks the moment of a permanent address change. So, the ideas that the souls in hell will eventually be destroyed (annihilationism) or that they will be given a second chance have no scriptural warrant.

2. Hell is one of only two possible destinations of every human.

When a person dies, his body is buried and his soul is immediately transported into the presence of God, where he will either be ushered into heaven or cast into hell. Westminster Confession of Faith 32.1 describes it this way:

The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.

At the last day, every soul will be reunited with its body. At that point, the righteous will go into everlasting life, while the wicked will be cast into “eternal torments” (WCF 33.2). Again, besides these two places, for souls reunited with their bodies at the resurrection, the Scripture acknowledges none.

3. Hell is a place of God’s wrathful presence.

The “eternal torments” of hell are described by Westminster Confession 33.2 as a place of punishment “with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” Oftentimes, hell is thought of as a place of separation from God’s presence. But God is omnipresent—He can’t not be somewhere. Rather, Scripture envisages hell as an experience not of His absence but of His wrathful presence, His unending displeasure and punishment. Our God, who is a “consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), will pour out His “wrath and fury” (Rom. 2:8) on the wicked in hell.

If this sounds bad to the Christian, that’s because it’s a side of God that doesn’t accord with our experience of God as His beloved children. What the wicked will experience in hell is the wrath of God that was extinguished for His people by Christ, but the realities of hell for the reprobate are more miserable than even the symbolic descriptions of it, just as any sign can only imperfectly represent and signify a reality. Perhaps the Bible’s symbolic descriptions of hell are due to the fact that endless punishment from a holy God is indescribably miserable.

4. Hell’s inhabitants are those who have chosen to be there.

Hell is the destination for those who have chosen to love darkness rather than light (John 3:18–21). This might seem to contradict the rich man’s longing cry, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame” (Luke 16:24). But notice that the rich man doesn’t suddenly desire God; he merely desires relief from the punishment of God.

Calvinists can and should readily affirm that every person receives in the end that which he has freely chosen—either to worship God by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit or to curse God. Those who are in hell cannot and will not claim unfairness, for they’ve been given precisely what they’re owed and precisely what they’ve chosen. The Bible doesn’t see a contradiction in hell’s being a punishment that God inflicts on the wicked and hell’s being the destination that human beings freely chose. Hell, then, is the ultimate “giving over” of ourselves to our own desires and the lusts of the flesh (Rom. 1:24).

5. Hell is consistent with God’s nature.

Hell is not a black mark on God’s record. It’s not an embarrassing undertaking on His resume that is inconsistent with who He really is. No, hell is consistent with the holy justice of God that demands the punishment for sin be properly proportioned to the subject’s guilt. God’s justice and His benevolence are not mutually exclusive attributes. They are perfectly consistent, and heaven and hell are expressions of that holy harmony. Were God not just, annihilationism, universalism, or any other unbiblical view related to the afterlife would be in the realm of possibility.

Consider the benevolence and justice of God in the work of His Son. Would not the work of Christ be in vain if there were no hell? If the wicked were destroyed or somehow admitted into heaven, would not Christ’s sacrifice be rendered unnecessary? Indeed, a denial of hell is not only inconsistent with God’s character, but it is tantamount to trampling underfoot the Son of God (Heb. 10:29). God’s character—both His justice and His goodness—demands the proportionate execution of the full penalty for sin on the wicked forever.

While much more could be said about hell, perhaps we’d do well to remember that the Bible’s many descriptions of hell are intended to magnify the grace of Christ who has saved us from it, and to fuel a zeal in us to warn others to flee from the pains of hell by turning to Christ in true faith and repentance.

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This article is part of the 5 Things You Should Know collection.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/5-things-hell