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1995-04-08
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ESSAY 62
THE
"HELL IS A MYTH"
MYTH
Politically correct people cannot stand the idea of
hell. "Why, the very idea of being punished for not living
according to the values of some radical religious bigot!
After all, even if God did exist, he would be a God of love!"
This revulsion to hell is sometimes expressed, "The idea
of frightening children with a place of eternal punishment
is just terrible!" Interpretation: "The idea of hell scares
me, too! If we don't stop them from scaring the kids, we may
not get them to believe in atheism!"
I am grateful that our pastor, Brother Bullock, preached
the reality of hell. It was under his ministry at Victory
Missionary Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi, that I
was "scared" into accepting Christ as my Savior. I was only
seven years of age when I was converted.
It was another pastor, Brother L. R. Shelton, who kept
me uncomfortable when I was not living for the Lord. I
appreciate his "being true to my soul," as he said it. This
New Orleans pastor reminded me that I was not serving God,
through his radio ministry.
We need to be afraid of God's judgment and not of what
people may do to us. PROPER FEAR IS OUR FRIEND--WE ARE MOVED
TO RIGHT CHOICES. Jesus said,
Do not be afraid of those who kill the
body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be
afraid of the One [God] who can destroy
both body and soul in hell [Gehenna].
(Matthew 10:28, NIV).
God does love everyone. That is why he sent his Son to
die for us. However, if people do not accept Christ as their
Savior, what would God do with them? He could not allow evil,
unregenerated people to be with him forever--it would not be
heaven.
We have a place for sociopathic people: prison. If evil
people were allowed to murder, steal, rape, or sell drugs,
society would be chaotic. Society cannot function without
prisons or capital punishment or both. Prison not only keeps
evil people from hurting law-abiding people, but it also acts
as a DETERRENT. Some do not do evil because they know the
consequences of breaking the law.
God also has a prison. It is called Hell. He places
incorrigible people there.
He also has a place for fallen angels. It is a special
prison for spirit beings who decided to become evil:
And the angels who did not keep their
positions of authority but abandoned
their own home--these he has kept in
darkness, bound with everlasting chains
for judgment on the great Day. (Jude 1:6,
NIV).
One third of the good angels decided to follow Satan in his
rebellion. These evil angels are kept in God's prison for
angels. This prison is called Tartarus:
For if God did not spare angels
when they sinned, but sent them to hell
[Greek, Tartarus], putting them into
gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
(2 Peter 2:4, NIV).
The English term "Hell" needs further explanation. It
has its roots in the Old Testament. "Abraham's bosom," is
a Jewish term synonymous to Paradise. The word "Paradise"
comes from the Old Persian word PAIRIDAEZA. It is translated
by the Greek words PERI ("AROUND") and TEICHOS ("a wall").
PERITEICHO was chosen to translate the Garden of Eden
(Hebrew) into Greek in the SEPTUAGINT, a Greek translation of
the Hebrew Scriptures.
Paradise was a compartment of Hades, the place of de-
parted human spirits. (Hades is the Greek equivalent of the
Hebrew Sheol). Paradise was the place where believers'
spirits were taken.
Jesus used Gehenna as a symbol of everlasting torment.
The word Gehenna is a transliteration of the Greek word
GEENNA, which is a transliteration of the two Hebrew words,
GE + HINNOM (Valley of Hinnom [Tophet]). The Valley of
Hinnom is located immediately south of Jerusalem. At one
time, ancient Israel sacrificed infants to the false god
Molech, there.
Later, a good king of Judah named Josiah destroyed
the idol Molech. Josiah stopped the practice of infant
sacrifice and the area was made into a garbage dump. It was
not a sanitary landfill like we have today. Bodies of humans
and animals, plus filth were dumped there. Because of the
rotting material, perpetual fires were kept going. Thus
Jesus words, "Where their worm [ Greek, SKOLEX, maggot] dieth
not and the fire is not quenched." (MARK 9:48). Thus Jesus
used a garbage dump as a symbol of hell.
It was both physically and morally repulsive to the Jews
of Jesus' day. The idea of roasting little babies alive in
the heated arms of a pagan idol was unconscionable and vile.
The stench and visual filth was sickening. JESUS USED A
STRONG METAPHOR TO DESCRIBE THE TERRIBLE PLACE OF ETERNAL
SEPARATION FROM GOD.
There is anguish in the place where unbelievers go in
Hades. Jesus taught,
In hell [Hades]. . .he [Dives] was in
torment. . .Abraham [was] far away, with
Lazarus by his side. (Luke 16:23, NIV)
Dives was in Hades in torment (ODYNOMAI, literally "in
anguish"). (Vincent, WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT,
1:399). This word is used only by Luke, and means "deep
sorrow, grief or anguish."
Some future day, unbelievers will be taken from the
temporary Hades and be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation
20:11-15). The lake of fire is commonly called Hell.
On the other hand, those trusting in Christ and his Word
will be taken from the temporary Hades and brought to be with
the Lord forever in what is commonly called Heaven.
The difference between an eternity in Heaven or Hell is
the simple choice of accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior.
We simply believe in him for our salvation:
Whoever believes in him [Christ] is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God's one and
only Son. (John 3:18, NIV).
END