Q.-  Is hell real?

A.   We are aware that the word Hell is used in Holy Bible to refer also to the grave, but here we are interpreting hell as that place of eternal separation from God, since we believe that to be the intent of the question.
The simple answer to this question is “Yes”
We have just dealt with the biblical reality of heaven in our previous question. The reality of hell is taught by Jesus and in the gospels. Therefore if we choose to believe that what Jesus and the apostles said about Heaven is true, then we cannot refuse to believe what they also say about Hell, because it is not a nice or pleasant subject.

In these days when the unwritten motto of the generation is “project good thoughts” the idea of a real and literal hell is not what people like to deal with. Nevertheless the Bible does speak clearly about the reality of Hell.

Jesus portrayed it as a place that is to be avoided at all costs. Here what he says in
  • A place of judgement
    Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
    Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
    2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

  • A place of anguish
    Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

  • A place of reward
    Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

  • A place of no return
    Luke 16: 22, 23, 26
    22    And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
    23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
    26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

  • A place to be avoided
    Luke16:27, 28
    27     Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house:
    28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

    Matthew 5:29, 30
    29    And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
    30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

    Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Jesus died that we might not go there
Revelation 1:18 I am he who lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

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We remind you to search the scriptures like those noble Berean Christians in Acts 17:11 - "  to see if these things be so. "

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Do you have a question you would like answered?
dean@wisdomforlivingministries.org
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