Is Hell Real and Who Goes There?
Hey all, keep the questions coming, it’s a blessing to be able to share some thoughts on topics that are important to you! In today’s blog we have two questions from my wonderful friend and very encouraging Jesus follower, Bobby Tucker.
Bobby and I go back a long time, we met working together at a steak buffet restaurant. Bobby was the most fun cook I’d ever met, and I was a waiter making tips and a meager hourly wage to help support our young family. But I digress.
Here are the questions Bobby asked:
1) Is Hell real?
2) If so, who goes there?
I’ve been weirdly looking forward to answering these questions ever since Bobby sent them in. Oh, if you’d like to send in questions yourself, just click here for our Ever Nearer contact form. Let’s jump in with the short answers for the easily distracted crowd, then I’ll go deeper.
Is Hell Real? Yes.
Who goes there? Most people.
Hell is a Real Place
I’m going to go straight to the words of Jesus on this one. A quick count of how many times Jesus used a word translated as Hell in the Bible gives us a total of 16. In fact, Jesus talked about Hell more than anyone else in the Bible did. In addition, He repeatedly used other terms to represent Hell such as “eternal/everlasting fire” and “outer darkness”. He talked about Hell in parables such as the rich man and Lazarus, and as a warning about the hypocrisy of the religious teachers and the Pharisees.
Here's an exhortation Jesus gave that could impact any of us:
“But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”
-Matthew 5:22 NLT
I should point out that the word Jesus most often used which is translated as “Hell” is Gehenna. Gehenna was the Valley of Hinnom just outside Jerusalem. It was a place in Old Testament times where evil Israelite kings did horrible things, including sacrificing their own children in the flames to pagan gods. In the era of the New Testament, Gehenna was a place where garbage, waste, dead bodies, and criminals were burned. The fires of Gehenna blazed day and night, a reasonable earthly example of everlasting fire that the people who heard Jesus would clearly recognize.
But lest we think Gehenna wasn’t representative of a literal Hell, here is a passage from Revelation talking about the end of time that makes it undeniable.
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
-Revelation 7:14-15 RSV.
So, yes, Hell is a real place.
Who Goes to Hell?
Sadly, most people end up in Hell.
“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 NIV
Other passages make it clear that following Jesus isn’t always easy, and many have abandoned the faith. In John chapter 6, just after Jesus teaches about eating His flesh and drinking His blood (referencing the Lord’s supper), many of His disciples deserted Him and a much smaller group was left behind. Most people aren’t Jesus followers.
Here is the issue. There is only one path to the Father, and therefore to Heaven. That path is through the blood of Jesus.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
-John 14:6 NKJV
The majority of people don’t believe that truth. They are deceived by Satan to follow other religions, to choose the passions of their bodies over becoming Jesus followers, or decide that Jesus isn’t who He said He is.
So, yes, most people will end up in Hell.
But Why?
Why do people end up in Hell? Let’s make this very clear. God does not force people to go to Hell. In fact, God wants as many people as possible to go to Heaven! The most famous verse in the New Testament, and the one following prove this point.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
-John 3:16-17 NLT
Now, I could spend hundreds of words explaining the reasons why it is not possible to sin to enter into Heaven, but the simple truth is, Revelation 21:27 (ESV) says it succinctly.
“But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
How to Avoid Hell
How do we avoid Hell? Become true Jesus followers. Believe in Him and obey His word. There is simply no other way.
I know in this world people believe inclusiveness is one of the most important features of nice people. But the truth is, nice people go to Hell. Nice people go to Hell every day. You can be friendly, courteous, kind, generous, thoughtful, and have any other virtue of a “nice person” and you may still go to Hell.
Why is that true? You know why. Because the path to Heaven is not through being a “nice person” it’s not through being “good”. You don’t get into Heaven because you weren’t “that bad”.
YOU ONLY GET INTO HEAVEN THROUGH JESUS.
The Final Word
Let’s bring this back around.
Is Hell Real? Yes.
Who goes there? Most people.
But God doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell. And each person makes their own choice. Reject Jesus and go to Hell. Follow Jesus and go to Heaven. It’s just that simple.
Every day I pray for loved ones who have rejected Jesus. I pray for their hearts to be softened, for them to make the wise decision to become Jesus followers. I didn’t spend any time in this post talking about the horror that is Hell. But just know that it is worse than any of us can imagine, and it is easy to avoid.
Why would you choose anything fleeting and unfulfilling over the One who loves you more than anyone else ever could, and wants to spend eternity with you in paradise? If you’re not yet a Jesus follower, come to Him. If you have questions, please reach out to me or another person you know who loves Jesus.
Love you!
-Troy
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