10) Condemned to Hell

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‘You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? (Matthew 23:33)

These fierce words, which Jesus spoke against the religious leaders, are quite frank about the reality of Hell. However, this subject is now contentious. Today, you would probably be hard pressed to hear a sermon on Hell. I can’t recall one for some 30 years. Preachers are caught between a rock and a hard place. The reality of Hell in scripture is undeniable; the acceptability of preaching about it has become susceptible to the modern contagion of ‘offence’. Leaders are concerned that the subject will turn people off from the message of God’s love. I will try to deal with Hell through a considered exposition of scripture.

In order to do this, it will mean dipping into some theology. It will also mean recognising the limitations of our human understanding of spiritual realities. I see this as the inevitable consequence of there being two universes: the universe of matter in which we live; and the universe of spirit in which God dwells, and into which Jesus ascended after his resurrection appearances. We have been designed to understand the universe of matter: we have five senses plus a mind which can analyse and come to conclusions. But none of these abilities allow us to fully understand this other universe. Consequently, spiritual realities are largely communicated in the bible through metaphor and allegory.

unseen

As an example of our limitations, let me try to explain what scientists studying our universe describe as Dark Matter. When we look at the stars and galaxies, we imagine we are seeing everything there is. But that is not the case. There is something in the universe which we cannot yet detect but which exists. It is called Matter because its gravity affects stars and galaxies. It is called Dark because it doesn’t emit radiation for us to see or detect. It probably makes up 85% of the universe. Likewise, we cannot detect the universe in which God dwells because we don’t have the faculties to do so. We know it exists because we see its effects on people and have records of its effects in history. The bible is a particular record of how God’s spiritual universe interacts with ours.

Paul referred to this when he wrote:

So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

The eyes he refers to here are ‘spiritual’ eyes. We understand that it is through our spirits that we can in some degree comprehend and understand this eternal universe. We have previously noted that we were all born as people who were ‘spiritually dead’ (Ephesians 2:1-5). This means being oblivious to God’s universe and presence. Being ‘born again’ (John 3:3) makes this part of us, called ‘spirit’, begin to come alive and be able to connect with the Holy Spirit and the spiritual universe. A book like Revelation is full of metaphor and allegory, to help us understand the truths about how God’s universe interacts with ours, both in the past and in the future.

death

Having laid this groundwork, let’s go on to looking at what Hell means. There are three main words used in the bible on the subject of Hell. In the Old Testament is the word ‘Sheol’. It is generally used to denote a place or state of the dead. In the New Testament, the Greek word ‘Hades’ also represents the place of the dead and is equivalent to the Hebrew Sheol. The other Greek word used in the New Testament is ‘Gehenna’ which is derived from Hebrew and refers to a place of punishment.

In the Old King James Version of the bible, all three words were translated as ‘Hell’. In our modern versions, the words are translated with more nuance. Here is ‘Sheol’:

you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. (Psalm 16:10)

Similarly with the word ‘Hades’:

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. (Luke 10:15)

But the word ‘Gehenna’ is usually translated ‘Hell’ as in our bible passage:

‘You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? (Matthew 23:33)

So, our understanding of ‘Hell’ needs some qualifying if we are to get to grips with its implications.

mystery

First of all, and by way of reminder, these words are referring to things we cannot properly grasp with our earthy senses or analysis. They refer to existence or experiences after death which we can’t comprehend with our minds. This is important; and prevents us from making sweeping conclusions about what Hell is like, and where it fits in with the message of God’s Kingdom. A little more information on the word ‘Gehenna’ will also help us to reach some kind of conclusion. The word is derived from a place just outside Jerusalem called ‘The valley of Hinnom’. Hinnom was a family name and probably showed ownership. Regretfully it also happened to be the place where babies were sacrificed when there were pagan religious rituals. After this practice was eliminated, the place became somewhere for the incineration of rubbish, including the corpses of criminals and animals.

Secondly, there is something of a pattern in the way these words are used in the New Testament. Matthew writes mostly of Gehenna’ and uses ‘Hades’ a couple of times. Luke does the same but, overall, uses both words fewer times. Mark uses only ‘Gehenna’. John doesn’t use either of these words. There may be a Jewish connection here. Matthew writes especially for Jewish readers with a Hebrew understanding. John wrote for a wide audience with a Greek emphasis. Significantly, Paul does not use any of these words in his letters. James, with a Jewish emphasis, uses ‘Gehenna’ once.

John’s Gospel and the other New Testament letter writers, refer to ‘judgment’ rather than ‘Hell’ when dealing with the events after death. The other Gospel writers use ‘judgment’ too. So, we can see that judgment is a common way to refer to what happens to us after we die. John recorded these words of Jesus concerning the Judgment following death:

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son …
‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life …
for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:22, 24, 28&29)

In this same vein, Paul writes of judgment in the context of a judgment seat or court where guilt is determined and sentence is passed:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due to us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

We now need to put all of this together. As I have explained, these are things of which our earthly minds cannot properly conceive. I will be painting in broad brush strokes remembering, as in the Podcast title, that we need to learn to be Living with Mystery. Here, the meaning and implications of each of the four words highlighted, is summarised:

Sheol & Hades

These refer to the place of the dead. It is an acknowledgment that we are not just material creatures whose bodies are recycled back into the environment. The soul does not die and in some way maintains its existence when the body dies. Paul used the metaphor of sleep to describe this situation:

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

We cannot know what kind of consciousness exists during this period of “sleep”. When we are asleep we are alive, but have no consciousness of our surroundings: unconscious but existing. Paul also writes of departing to be with Christ:

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Philippians 1:22-23)

This seems to imply that there will be immediate consciousness of the spiritual universe after death. However, even if there is a delay in this “while sleeping”, in that state we would not be aware of the passage of time.

Gehenna - Hell

This is the place associated with fire. Jesus mentioned this in the context of judgment:

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, “Raca,” is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22)

As mentioned earlier, Gehenna was the place of incinerating what was thrown out of Jerusalem. This understanding is developed in Revelation:

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 ESV)

Often this has historically been taken literally rather than metaphorically. However, if we look a little further down the chapter, we can see that it has a metaphorical meaning:

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14-15)

Death and Hades are not actually beings but still are destroyed in the fire, as they are no longer needed. Hell is the place of disposing of what is not able to exist in God’s eternal Kingdom.

This place has been badly mispresented in mediaeval literature and art. There are paintings of people being dragged into fire by demons. That is, of course nonsense, as the enemies of God who give allegiance to the devil, are condemned to the fire themselves, and could not possibly act on God’s behalf as agents.

The question of eternal torment is the subject of lively debate between those who believe in Hell as an eternal punishment, and those who think it refers to eternal annihilation. I don’t have a view apart from seeing it as a place to remove anything that would pollute the Kingdom of God. God knows best and I trust his justice.

Judgment

The connection of judgment with the places mentioned above is well expressed by the writer to the Hebrews:

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)

There is a timeline here: death, sleep, judgment, and salvation or rejection. Judgment will a fearful thing when we stand before a holy and just God. Although we understand that genuine faith in Christ will mean avoiding rejection, it does not mean that we shall avoid scrutiny as to how we have lived. Here Jesus gives us some context:

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.’ (Matthew 12:35-37)

Our lives will be examined minutely for genuineness. We shall not be able to fool the Almighty who sees our hearts and lives even where we have engaged in deceit and spin. The ‘good things’ mentioned here are expressions of the good that comes through deeds of love and faithfulness. It does not refer to, or mean, works done with the deliberate intention of obtaining credit with God. Faith and love manifest themselves in good works (Galatians 5:6). Good works cannot be a cover for an unregenerate heart. God will judge the secrets of our lives. This is an imperative:

For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, ‘If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
( 1 Peter 4:17-18)

Purgatory

We should perhaps look at the doctrine of Purgatory. It is not accepted as valid in reformed Christian belief, although I have heard some Anglicans suggest it might be true. Purgatory is like a “get out of Hell” card. It is the result of a number of ideas that have no basis in scripture. It proposes that because ‘nothing unclean’ can enter the eternal Kingdom (Revelation 21:27 is quoted for this), then a purification process is necessary to deal with sins which can be pardoned. To make this possible, it suggests that there is a period of time after death in a place of the dead. During this time, some kind of perfecting process takes place. It is justified from a misreading of this teaching of Paul:

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

The ‘Day’ is the Judgment Day and the quality of a person’s life is being tested by fire. Fire destroys what is worthless and leaves what is valuable. Salvation is by faith not by good deeds. But anyone who has saving faith, but does not employ it through works motivated by holiness and love, will have nothing valuable to show for their life. They will not be condemned to destruction, but their reward will be diminished.

Purgatory makes the mistake of saying that the fire is cleansing “venial sins” – that is, sins which can be forgiven. But as you can read for yourself, the fire is actually testing the works of those who believe, and has nothing to do with sins. Before this test of the quality of our works, there will first be a divine sorting based on saving faith:

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33)

Conclusion

Putting together the four elements of what happens after we die – Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and Judgment, gives us some idea of the future, but nothing totally clear. As Paul famously wrote

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
(1 Corinthians 13:12)

It has been true that descriptions of Hell and torment have been used to ‘frighten’ people into believing the Christian faith. This is in no way satisfactory, for unless the message of the gospel is received with repentance from sin, and a corresponding love for the Lord, it will not prove to be viable. The true seed sown in our hearts will grow and produce a harvest of good works.

I approach this subject with total seriousness even though the details are unclear. After death I shall have to give an account of my life to God. Only genuine faith will pass the scrutiny of that judgment. Those who do not meet the divine requirements will suffer the consequences. I am not responding through a fear of Judgment, but responding in a fear of the Lord, the final Judge, which is rooted in love. I make it my aim to live a life pleasing to Him, sharing His love, and as a servant of all, being careful to walk in His biblical commandments.

As you read Paul’s letters, you will see that this was his approach. He summarises it clearly in his final words to the Corinthian church. It is not the kind of greeting we might send to our friends, but the seriousness of living for Jesus burned in his life:

I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord! (1 Corinthians 16:21-22)

He concludes that verse with two Greek exclamations: Anathema, Maranatha! Those who reject Jesus will be considered an anathema - cursed in the eternal Kingdom. And Paul in his urgency yearns for the return of Christ to earth again to finalise His Kingdom work and judge the nations: maranatha – “Come, Lord Jesus!”