Why talk about hell?
Eternal Judgment! Why talk about such a subject?
First of all, it’s in the Bible. Even Jesus spoke of hell. But it’s not something we like to think about.
Historically, preachers have gotten away from preaching about hell. They would rather talk about God’s love and grace and goodness – the kind that leads to repentance – than about His judgment.
It didn’t used to be that way. In the past, scaring people into the kingdom was a common practice. In 1741 Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God that sparked the First Great Awakening, a revival that laid the foundation of the formation of our country. “Fire and Brimstone” preaching was common.
For the most part, I would agree that we should emphasize God’s grace in salvation more than His judgment. But we have swung too far to the one side. It’s hardly ever mentioned.
Having a healthy fear of God – and I don’t mean just being in awe of him – is not a bad thing. Look at these words of Jesus:
Luke 12:4-5 4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
In my own testimony, I was scared into accepting Jesus. In the mid 70’s, my girlfriend (who has been my wife of 43 years) got saved while we were both working in Yosemite National Park for the summer. One evening they showed a movie, The Thief in the Night in the Church Bowl, which was about the rapture and people being left behind. And that’s what convinced me enough to get saved.
There are a lot of misconceptions about hell, judgment, and related topics, such as:
- Can a Christian be judged for their sins?
- What is the unpardonable sin?
- Is it true “once saved always saved”? Is it possible to lose salvation?
It’s Basic Doctrine
Hebrews 6:1-3 1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this we will do if God permits.
There is judgment, then there is eternal judgment. It is listed as one of the elementary principals – the “ABC’s” as it were – of Christ.
Revelation 20:11-15 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
“The dead” here refers to the spiritually dead. The book containing people’s works would show why they did not measure up to God’s standard. But the real deciding factor was whether the person’s name was in the Book of Life.
Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
The Book of Life is a record of all those who have lived. When a person is born, or more likely at conception, their name is written in the Book of Life. It remains during their whole life, and at the time of death, if the person is not born again, it is blotted out.
The Great White Throne Judgment will not be a happy time. I certainly would not want to witness it. But we who are saved will not be there.
Revelation 2:11 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ‘
The sentence – being cast into the Lake of Fire – is called the “second death” in Revelation 2:14. Those who are born again will have no part in it, because we have already been judged and sentenced – but Jesus Christ bore our punishment.
Revelation 20:6 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
The Unpardonable Sin
There is a lot of confusion about the “unpardonable sin” (that term by the way is not in the Bible), and what it is. There are many people in insane asylums thinking that they have committed the unpardonable sin.
1 John 5:16-17 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.
17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
This is talking about intercession, being able to pray for someone else who has sinned. It is a fellow Christian because the person is called “brother”. One person cannot intercede for another and “get them out” of a sin leading to death. Notice that it does not specify what kind of sin is “leading to death” – only that you will not be able to pray about it (i.e., the prayer won’t do any good).
Also notice what you can do – by praying and interceding for a fellow Christian who has committed sin (not leading to death), you can obtain life for them. You can help pull them out of the trap they are in.
The Christian can’t sin??
The next verse, and several others in 1 John, bring up something that is hard to understand and receive:
1 John 5:18 18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
1 John 3:4-9 4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
My brain would go tilt on this passage. I know I’m born of God, but this says I can’t sin??
The Greek language has some additional tenses that English does not. Sins in this passage is in the continuous present tense, a more literal rendering would be “sins and keeps on sinning”. Another common way the present continuous tense is rendered is with the word “practices”; i.e., he practices sin. The Amplified Bible renders it this way.
I practice the guitar, so I can get better at it. I do not practice sin. I don’t want to get better at sinning at all – I want to stop altogether!
1 John 1:8-10 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
This sets the record straight – we do sin, but we don’t practice sin – at least any committed Christian doesn’t. John goes on:
1 John 2:1-2 1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
It is better if we do not sin. But if we do, we have an Advocate – our defense lawyer – Jesus Christ. He is not only our lawyer, He is also the propitiation for our sins. A propitiation is a sacrifice that appeases; in our case Jesus paid the price to satisfy the claims of justice and bore the punishment of the judgment against us. How many lawyers will do that for their clients?
Can a Christian be Judged for their sins?
Here I am not talking about eternal judgment, because we’ve already established that born again Christians are exempt from hell, but do have their works judged. But what about a more temporal judgment for sins in this life?
Galatians 6:7 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
We have to understand that even if we repent for sin and God forgives us, there may be consequences of our actions.
If you commit a crime and get caught, you could go to jail. Will God forgive you? Will you still go to heaven? Yes. But you will still have to serve time.
If you commit adultery, can God forgive you? Yes. But you may destroy your marriage. If you are a minister, you could lose your position.
A lot of what people call judgment is actually receiving consequences for their bad decisions and actions – reaping what they sowed.
And it’s not just blatant sins that can receive consequences. Our attitudes, words, eating habits, work ethic – these can all have an effect on how our life goes.
The book of Proverbs is full of “cause and effect” axioms that will help you to have a good life – or a bad one.
The Two Deadly Sins
There are really only two sins that can send a person to hell. First of all realize that the human race’s real problem is the sin nature, also called spiritual death, of which individual trespasses or transgressions are just symptoms – the sin nature is the disease.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Notice in vs. 19 that God is not holding the individual sins of the world – their trespasses – against them. Adultery, murder, thievery, lying, hate – none of that will keep a person out of heaven, because all these can be forgiven.
John 16:7-11 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Non-belief in Jesus is the first (and the main) sin that can send a person to hell. But it is easy to fix – just believe!
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 12:24 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
Luke 12:8-10 8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
Mark 3:22-30 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.
27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.
28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;
29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”–
30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
The scribes attributed the works of God (specifically casting out demons) that Jesus performed as from the devil. They even said that Jesus was possessed by a devil.
The scribes, elsewhere called lawyers, had the responsibility of making copies of the Word of God. They were also teachers of the Law, not ignorant novices. They should have known better!
It wasn’t just that they didn’t believe in what Jesus did – they could not decry that Jesus was performing mighty works. They were saying that the powers by which He did those miracles were demonic. They were, in fact, calling the Holy Spirit the devil.
There are plenty of people who don’t believe in miracles, or the gifts of the Spirit – that doesn’t mean they’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit. But if they were to attend a meeting where people were getting up out of wheelchairs, being healed, being delivered from demonic oppression, speaking in tongues, being set free by the power of God – and were to say, “that’s not of God, that’s the devil”…. Well, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the one sin I see that says it cannot be forgiven, once committed.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
Does the Christian receive any kind of judgment after they die? We have already seen that we do not take part in the Great White Throne judgment where the spiritually dead are judged. How is the Christian judged?
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
The foundation of our salvation is Christ – it does not depend on our works, only our belief.
We build on that foundation with good works done in the body.
The quality of those works, likened to gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, stubble (notice the order going towards the more inferior) is tested / measured / judged. You will receive a reward for whatever survives the test. Key point: The Judgment Seat of Christ is for determining rewards for good works. It has nothing to do with the judgment of sin because our sins have already been judged.
What determines quality?
What you accomplish vs. what you were assigned / called to do.
In the Parable of talents, the one that gained five talents and the one that gained two received the same reward.
Matthew 25:20-23 20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
What you accomplish vs. what you had to work with
The widow who gave two mites gave more than the people who gave large sums.
Mark 12:41-44 41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.
42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.
43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;
44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
The motivation in which it was done
Pharisees who prayed and gave to be seen by men. They had received their reward (the recognition), they weren’t going to get any reward from God.
Matthew 6:2 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Matthew 6:5 5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Even if all of a person’s works are burned away, they are still saved – because the foundation of Jesus Christ still stands (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Once Saved, Always Saved?
What about “once saved always saved”? Can a Christian lose their salvation?
There are different extremes of thought on this that have gone back centuries, originating from two contemporaries in the 1500’s, John Calvin and James Harmens. The “Calvinists” believe that there is nothing you can do to lose your salvation. The drawback is that they also believe there is nothing you can do to gain your salvation – who is going to be saved is predestined by God and there is not much we have to do with it. The Pilgrims were very influenced by Calvinist thought.
The “Arminian” school of thought believes that salvation is dependent on the individual to accept it – which is closer to our thought nowadays. They also believed it was possible to lose your salvation. Doctrinally, it seems to be the more scriptural school of thought; however in practice the Arminians believed salvation to be very fragile, that you could lose it by sinning and had to repent and get saved again. So these people would always be re-dedicating their lives.
The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.
Hebrews 6:4-6 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
Been Enlightened
They have heard and understood the gospel. “The entrance of Your word gives light” (Psalm 119:130). “How shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” (Rom 10:14).
Tasted of the Heavenly Gift
Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
This is being born again.
Have become partakers of the Holy Spirit
We do receive the Holy Spirit in a measure when we are saved, but I believe this to mean being filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Tasted the good word of God
This is someone who is skilled in the word of righteousness, not a baby only partaking of milk; someone who has been into the “meat” of the word (Hebrews 5:13-14). It indicates someone of maturity and experience.
Tasted… the powers of the age to come
“Tasted” means they have personal experience. “The age to come” is the Millennial Kingdom where Christ comes to rule on the earth. We will be ruling and reigning with Him as supernatural, resurrected beings. So “tasting of the powers of the age to come” would be to have personal experience of the power of God working through you in miracles, gifts of the Spirit, etc.
So the picture here is of a mature, committed Christian who has a relationship and experience with being used by God.
If they fall away
parapesontas – to fall beside, slip aside, deviate from the path. This is somebody abandoning their faith. They no longer believe. They want out. They no longer care.
Impossible to renew them to repentance
This is the key. People backslide for various reasons – perhaps some tragedy makes them bitter, they get mad at God, or some temptation takes hold of them. But if at any time in their life they repented, would God reject them? Even on their deathbed?
I said before there were only two sins that can send you to hell – blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and not believing in Jesus.
This passage describes a mature Christian who through an act of their will, decides they no longer want to be saved or they no longer believe. They are denying Christ. And they persist that way, never repenting, until the day they die.
It is impossible to renew them to repentance because they no longer care. If a person cares about their spiritual state then that is proof that they have not done this.
It is by an act of our free will that we choose to accept Christ in the first place. If by an act of that same free will a person wants out, God will honor that decision. They will have denied Christ, and God will deny them.
Unless God reveals to you that someone is in this state, I don’t think we can know that they will not repent at some time in the future so we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
Pastor Jason Younger of Light the Bay Church in Pittsburg, CA read my article, and asked me to teach it in their Wednesday night Facebook Live meetings. Here they are:
