Don't Go To Hell

The Concept

Hell is sung about, seen in movies and heard in most everyone's everyday vernacular. Hell, one would think as much as we see the concept and use the word (1) everyone would believe in an afterlife and (2) most people would desire to go to Hell and/or if they don't, they would send their unlikables to the place.

The popularity of Hell makes me think that those that sing about it in their rock songs, watch it in their movies and exclaim it in their speech are the same who believe in a literal place that nobody should desire to finish this life and begin their next. But I find that those same individuals shun the notion of it and with that discarding they throw away the truth of a Just God.

However, according to a 2023 Pew Research Study - 71% of Americans believe in Heaven and 61% of Americans believe in Hell. As you can well deduce from those percentages this means there are people that reside in the non-believing camp.

If people truly understood and believed in Hell and the Lake of Fire and their conditions, there would be no more usage of the phrase - "Go to Hell!" Therefore, the thrust of this study today is to educate all, believers but especially non-believers, on this idea of the afterlife, particularly Hell and encourage all that Hell is avoidable and should be avoided through faith in Christ Jesus only. 

The Warning

Did Jesus speak about Hell more than Heaven? This is debatable. However, if Jesus mentioned it one time then the subject warrants the Christian's utmost attention but especially the non-believer's. 

"Perhaps it would be prudent to focus on the undeniable reality that Jesus indeed discussed hell. Many modern congregations are discomfited by the mere mention of judgment. 

However, justice is a good thing; it is, in fact, one of God’s attributes. We call God less than good if we regard Him as perfectly loving but not perfectly just. Given the reality of evil, it would be terrible if God had no plan to deal with it justly.

To illustrate the reality of hell, Jesus used the Valley of Hinnom, also called Gehenna (Mark 9:47–48), a detestable place near Jerusalem. In the Old Testament, the Jews rebelled against God by performing child sacrifice in this valley, particularly to the god Molech. Prophets like Jeremiah condemned the valley for the idolatrous practices (Jeremiah 7:31–32; 19:2–6), and it was also defiled by King Josiah (2 Kings 23:10). During Jesus’ time on earth, the valley was a public dump, a place where refuse was burned and the corpses of animals and criminals were thrown. Like Gehenna, hell is where all uncleanliness and death will remain. Jesus also referred to hell as “outer darkness” and as “fire” (see Matthew 5:22; 8:12).

Envision a realm devoid of good, a reality stripped of joy, goodness, and love—the outcome of persisting in self-rule and rejecting reconciliation with God." (https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-talk-more-hell-than-heaven.html)

The conditions of Hell, spoken of by Jesus are far from a pleasant, party-going, dreamworld where we are gods with our loved ones. Jesus describes Hell as -  being full of fire (Matt. 5:22), people-eating-worms that do not die (Mk. 9:47-48), plus "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 24:48-51).

Matthew records Jesus warning everyone of a coming judgement entrusted to Him where the next destination after Hell is ordered for the "cursed", the ones who gave nothing to the hungry, nothing to the thirsty, provided no shelter for the down-trodden, provided no clothes for the poor and did not visit the sick and imprisoned. This next location is the Lake of Fire. Jesus states through Matthew 25:41 that this Lake of Fire was originally "prepared" for the devil and his demons and 2 Peter 2:4 concurs with this original intent. 

Therefore, comply with the line of thinking and living of the devil, which is rebellion, disobedience or sin toward God (Matt. 25:41-46) and all are bound for both Hell and eventually The Lake of Fire. 

The Falls

God's image, human male and female, (Genesis 1:26) was injected with the virus of pride by the devil speaking through God's creation as a serpent to communicate and seduce them to believe and act on a lie. This disobedience of God is commonly referred to as The Fall. 

However, Genesis 2:8-9 documents an original fall that came earlier than The Fall of Humanity because the knowledge of good and evil was known before man was created. This order is established in verse eight and the knowledge is found in the next verse.

"Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

In order to place on display the True Fall, and therefore the terrible eternal place non-believers are destined for - allow me to share Scripture about the Original Fall of Lucifer. All of the descriptions of Lucifer before his mistake, his fall and consequences, unless otherwise cited, are voiced by God in Ezekiel 28:11-19.

Before The Fall

This special, created angelic being has only been designated by his pre-fall name of Lucifer once in Scripture in Isaiah 14:12. Even in this passage his demise is being mentioned.

Before his unwise decision, Lucifer, the light-bearer was in perfect relationship with God. God deemed him during this time "the seal of perfection", probably referring to him as a created being that was none better. 

He was viewed as "full of wisdom". Notice he was not all-knowing, but for his part Lucifer's being was full of wisdom. 

He was "perfect in beauty" is not hard to understand. He had no blemish to complain about. In addition, God commented, "every precious stone adorned you", speaking to Lucifer wearing the best heavenly fashion all the time. 

Lucifer was honored and privileged to be located in the Heavenly Eden, God's garden - "you were in Eden, the garden of God;". 

He was also granted extreme close dwelling to God in Heaven "on the holy mount of God" and "among the fiery stones".

God anointed him with a position of authority as a Guardian Cherub, an angelic being that attended to God's desires in God's presence or at God's side. This led God to say Lucifer's character was therefore "blameless" or full of integrity "until wickedness was found in you."

The Mistake

The Mistake was Lucifer, by his own volition developed wickedness and it was found in him. Lucifer's fall was harder and permanent because as he founded this rebellion there was no one to tempt him. The original word for "wickedness" translates to evil, iniquity, perverseness, unjust, unrighteousness - all of which now define Lucifer as a morally distorted being.

Ezekiel 28:16 states that Lucifer was so convinced of his own wisdom that he became a solicitor of his cause, consumed so much that he wrongfully damaged or used violence as he rebelled and disobeyed God. The verse reads -

"Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence and you sinned."

As God elaborates on the description of Lucifer's crime, it worsens - 

"By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries." (Eze. 28:18) 

Not only did he originate the wrong, but he kept on severely self-inflicting dishonor upon himself and anybody or anything he touched. He was addicted to his own counsel or "koolaid".

God explains why Lucifer acted this way in Ezekiel 28:17 by saying, "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor." Because his focus turned completely on himself - his beauty and splendor - incorrect thinking, speech and actions followed.

Mirroring his father Satan, there is a prophecy concerning the coming world leader known as the Anti-Christ in Isaiah 14:12-15, that showcases both Lucifer's original words and goals and now his son's. The motor that keeps this family of evil running is Pride. This notion is plain to see with the amount of times the pronoun "I" is used.

"How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit."

The Consequence(s) - The True Fall

The result of this attempt-fail usurp of God's throne is a casting out of Lucifer in stages, now Satan or "stupid".

Both the Mount of God and fiery stones are descriptive locations that have meant to many Biblical scholars to be the immediate, intimate presence and powerful, governing seat of God. The first stage of casting is a disgraceful driving from the privileged Mount of God and an expulsion from the fiery stones - "So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones."

This driving and expulsion places the devil in his current role of Accuser (Revelation 12:10) before God's Throne until he is cast to earth to indwell his prodigy, the Anti-Christ, wreak havoc on the planet and kill as many as possible, especially God's chosen at the mid mark of The Tribulation Period (Revelation 12:8-11).

Then the next casting occurs - The Abyss. God instructs an angel to seize the devil, wrap him in chains, throw him into a bottom-less pit and place a seal over it for a thousand years.

The last casting happens when The Abyss is opened after The Millennial Reign of Christ has concluded. Satan attempts one last solicitation and usurp/attack on God's Throne at Jerusalem, but Satan's followers are melted by Holy fire and he is thrown into The Lake of Fire where the Anti-Christ and False Prophet had been thrown earlier (Revelation 20:7-10).

Before all of heaven, before the whole earth, even before all of the underworld - before all of history, Christ Jesus has made a spectacle of the devil through His prophetic word in the beginning, sacrifice and victory over death, Hell and the grave.

The Answer And Encouragement

There seems to be a depiction that has been put forth of Jesus verses the devil - as if they are equals. This is a lie. There is no balancing to be done here. Lucifer is a created being by Jesus that thought himself a replacement for God. The creation challenged The Creator and lost. In fact, History is loaded with constant, living and breathing screams to the present and the future NOT to make Satan's mistake. There is a clear winner every time in this scenario and twice on Sunday - Jesus, because He is Creator King.

The price, for Christ, to secure humanity, His image, for all eternity was His life, death and resurrection. This price was too high for there not to be a judgment on everybody's decision to accept or deny Christ.

Christ Jesus implores all who have not made the decision yet to consider Him as the "narrow gate" and enter eternal life through Him - 

"Enter through the narrow gate. For 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." (Matthew 7:13-14).

C. S. Lewis, in his book The Great Divorce, had this to say add - 

"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."

Paradise, Heaven, Hell and the Lake of Fire are not ethereal or some literary device meant to scare society into good behavior. These locations are real and are eternal destinations for all people. 

Jesus of Nazareth is a real person. The Gospel, meaning Good News, is built solely on one's faith in Jesus as their personal Messiah or Savior. This Savior, Christ Jesus, died for all strife and disobedience between humanity and God, conquered death, Hell and the grave, then ascended to the right hand of Father God to make intercession for those who accept Him through faith. However, this faith, this relationship and your destination is your choice.

C. S. Lewis aids our decision-making, from his book Mere Christianity, by stating - 

"You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

Making the decision For Christ is not only The Way to miss Hell and gain Heaven, but to begin a new relationship with The King of all creation and allow Him to develop you into the image He had in mind from the beginning. In choosing that God-like lifestyle, that Christlike lifestyle, Blaise Pascal submits - 

"I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is."

There is an afterlife. You are bound for one out of two eternal destinations based on your decision about Christ. I praise God for all my fellow brothers and sister in Christ and pray those considering faith in Christ accept Jesus, live for Him, exclaim like the famous Stryper song - "To Hell With The Devil" and Don't Go To Hell.