Difference between revisions of "Hell"

Revision as of 05:38, April 12, 2019

Hell, painted by Hieronymus Bosch, part of The Garden of Earthly Delights.

In the English translation of the Bible's Old Testament, the word Hell normally corresponds to the Hebrew sheol, which was simply the place of the dead. But in the Greek New Testament the word used is either Gehenna (the garbage dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where fires were kept eternally burning to consume the refuse and keep down the stench) or Hades, the Greeks' dark, gloomy underworld. The modern English word appears to derive most directly from "Hel", goddess of the dead in Germanic/Norse mythology. When the Anglo-Saxons later embraced Christianity, the existing word in the language was reused in the new Christian concepts.

According to G. K. Chesterton, hell is God's great compliment to the reality of human freedom and the dignity of human choice.^[1] To Christians, Hell is a place where the souls of the wicked are punished eternally for all the sins they perpetrated during their lifetime on Earth. Since all have sinned (Rom 3:23), Hell can not be avoided on one's own merits, but through the love gift of Jesus one can know, love, and serve God and share eternity with Him in Heaven.

The Christian and Muslim religious traditions often emphasize the Gehenna aspect: Hell is extremely hot and filled with fire and brimstone. Opinion varies on the question of whether, while Hell itself is eternal, experience of it purges away the sins of sufferers to the point of eventual redemption. See purgatory. A minority of Christians do not believe in an eternal Hell as punishment, believing instead that the souls of the wicked are annihilated. This view, which is directly contradicted by Scripture, is referred to as Annihilationism. Other deniers of Scripture question whether Hell has a literal burning fire, or it is merely separation from God and therefore has the same torment as if there were a burning fire. This view has been supported by writers such as J.P. Moreland, although the Bible clearly contradicts this view and other symbolic interpretations of Hell. It is a real, spiritual plane of existence where the wicked are punished for their sins.

Although Hell is a focus and a concern in Christian theology, the Bible has an even greater focus. In the King James Version the word Hell is mentioned 54 times, but Heaven is mentioned 551 times.

• Matthew 13:41-42 - The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.'

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

• Matthew 25:46 - And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

• Mark 9:43 - And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.

• 2 Thes 1:7-8 - And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Revelation 20:10 - And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

• Revelation 20:14-15 - And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Atheism and Hell

The journalist and ex-atheist Peter Hitchens, who is the brother of the late atheist Christopher Hitchens.

See also: Atheism and Hell and Atheism and death

Atheists often launch unsuccessful attacks on the well established Christian belief of eternal punishment in Hell. Rather than repent, they engage in denialism about their sin and attempt to suppress the truth of God's existence. See also: Atheism and hatred of God

The Christian evangelist Ray Comfort often gives atheists/evolutionists the good person test in order to assist atheists in recognizing their sinful nature.^[2]

The journalist and ex-atheist Peter Hitchens and fear of hell

The journalist and ex-atheist Peter Hitchens, who is the brother of the late atheist Christopher Hitchens, said upon seeing an art exhibit of Michelangelo's painting The Last Judgment he came to the realization that he might be judged which startled him.^[3] This started a train of thought within Peter Hichens that eventually led him to become a Christian.^[4]

Notable people who are likely residents

It is impossible to say for sure who has been condemned to Hell because there is no sin Jesus cannot forgive, however, there are a few people whose actions indicate a high probability that they never accepted Christ as their savior, thereby sending themselves to Hell.

• Charles Darwin - The founder of the atheistic theory of evolution by natural selection.
• Adolf Hitler - The Chancellor of Germany who founded the genocidal Nazi party.
• Osama Bin Laden - The Muslim terrorist who plotted the September 11, 2001 attacks and never publicly repented or denounced Islam.
• Stephen Hawking - An evolutionist who publicly called heaven a "fairy story for people afraid of the dark".
• King Herod - The original ancient monarch who wanted to kill Jesus.
• Karl Marx - The inventor of communism, a system of government that marginalizes religion in culture and excludes God from politics.
• Muhammad - The founder of the Islamic faith.
• Carl Sagan - A morally loose, marijuana-smoking, agnostic evolution proponent.
• Joseph Stalin - The godless communist dictator of Russia, whose regime killed tens of millions of people.

See also

• Dante's Inferno
• What percentage of people go to Hell?
• Why would a loving God send people to hell for eternity?
• Degrees of punisment in hell
• Revelation, Book of (historical exegesis)

External links

• The Gates of Hell: Assault on the Enemy Kingdom

References

1. ↑ Gilbert Keith Chesterton. Famous quotes by Gilbert Keith Chesterton. Quotes.net. “Hell is God's great compliment to the reality of human freedom and the dignity of human choice.”
2. ↑ Evolution vs. God
3. ↑ Interview of Peter Hitchens - Video at Vimeo
4. ↑ Interview of Peter Hitchens - Video at Vimeo