Question: Does Hell really exist? Why did a loving God create such a place?
Answer: Jesus explained that Hell, the “everlasting fire”, is a place God created for the devil and the angels who were cast from Heaven with him because they disobeyed God (Matthew 25:41) The Bible shows that, long ago, Lucifer, known to us as the Devil, was God’s number one angel in heaven. Tragically, He became conceited and power-hungry and rebelled against God and led other angels to team up with him. As a result, God threw them out of Heaven and into the confines of the planet Earth (Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14, Revelation 12).
Hell was described by Jesus Himself as suffering and torture in flames, constant memories of missed heavenly opportunity, sorrowful regret of having no blessed afterlife, and permanent separation from God and blessings others are enjoying in heaven (Luke 16:23-25). Hell is referred to as “the pit beneath” (Isaiah 14:9, 15; Ezekiel 32:18-21) and the “abyss” (Revelation 9:2). In the future, the Devil and those who followed him “will be cast into a lake of fire and be tormented forever and ever. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in God’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).
The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8)
God loved mankind so much that He created a way for everyone to be able to join Him in Heaven! People had to become holy and pure, as God is, without sin, because no one with sin, or evil, can be in God’s presence. God wanted to allow people the freedom to choose their own destiny – Heaven or Hell. So, here was God’s plan: He sent His only Son Jesus into the world to live as a human being and to sacrifice His life for the sins of men. Throughout history, many people have not accepted that free gift from Jesus and have died and were punished for their own sins by living eternally in Hell. God will not force anyone to love Him and reside in heaven with Him who preferred to live without Him on Earth. Those who chose to be independent of God would not be happy to be with Him forever in heaven:
Do you know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither fornicators, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexuals, idolaters, thieves, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, nor the greedy will inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were set apart, you were justified in the Name of the Lord JESUS and the Holy Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:9
In the scripture above, did you notice the words were and but? ALL of mankind has sinned and needs God’s forgiveness to be saved from a future in Hell. No matter what happened in a person’s past, there is a better way forward. God’s love through Jesus gives people this miraculous, wonderful way out, a place of unending love and joy in what God calls “Heaven” – a real destination! This is what Christians refer to as “salvation”, or “being saved”.
Will you, in spirit form at your physical death, go to Heaven after you’ve lived your brief time on Earth? Have you called on Jesus to save you from having to pay for your own sins through punishment?
Whoever calls on the Name of Jesus will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
Want to know how to “call on the Name of Jesus” and accept Jesus’ loving, free gift of forgiveness so that you will never be penalized by going to Hell?
Pray, or say this:
Jesus, I am sorry for the bad, selfish ways in which I have lived my life, hurting others and myself, ignoring you, and doing a great many things that I know are shameful. I admit that I need God’s forgiveness, and I thank you for suffering a terrible death on the cross to pay the penalties for all of my sins. Now, I understand that I can simply accept your gift of this to me, and I do that right now. I want you to begin to transform my life so I can be the person you have destined me to be, in every way. Show me what you would have me to change, day by day. Bring others into my path to guide me and teach me your ways. Reveal where you would have me to go to by taught your truths from your scriptures. Open my mind to understand whenever I read your guidebook for my life, the Bible. Thank you, Jesus! I will follow you from now on!
