 
                              HELL


The ÿword "Hell" ÿis one of the most often used words in our ÿsociety, 
yet is one of the most misunderstood words.  Many people do not really 
consider ÿHell a real place because God is "too loving" ÿto ever ÿhave 
created ÿsuch an abode.  ÿOthers would say that Hell exists ÿonly ÿ"on 
earth" ÿÿwith ÿreference to some particular place or situation.  ÿÿThe 
question is, "Is there really a place of torment called Hell?" 

Hell is clearly taught in the Bible.  In fact, it was Jesus who taught 
more on the subject than anyone else in the entire Scriptures! 

Hell was originally created for angels who had sinned.  ÿJesus said in 
Matthew ÿ25:41, ÿwhen referring to the judgment of the wicked, ÿ". ÿÿ. 
.Depart ÿfrom ÿme, ÿyou who are cursed, ÿinto the eternal fire ÿ(Hell) 
prepared ÿfor ÿthe devil and his angels."  ÿIn the book of 2nd ÿPeter, 
Chapter 2, ÿVerse 4 we read that, ". ÿ. ÿ.God did not spare the angels 
when ÿthey ÿsinned, ÿbut sent them to Hell, ÿputting them into ÿgloomy 
dungeons to be held for judgment." 

Hell, ÿtherefore, ÿwas originally created for the first sinners in the 
universe, ÿSatan and his angels, rather than for man.  ÿBut since hell 
was ÿdesigned ÿas a place for "sinners," ÿman became eligible when ÿhe 
joined ÿthe ÿfallen angels in sin.  ÿHell is the place ÿof ÿpunishment 
where ÿsinning ÿmen ÿand angels go to pay for ÿtheir ÿoffenses ÿ(sins) 
against ÿthe Holy God of the Universe.  ÿThis procedure is similar ÿto 
the penalty/payment requirements of our own prison systems.  Among men 
when ÿsomeone ÿoffends ÿthe authorities by violating the laws ÿand ÿis 
found ÿguilty, ÿhe is put into prison to pay for his crimes.  ÿIf ÿthe 
offense is serious then he can receive a "life term," ÿmeaning that no 
amount of time can ever repay the harm to society.  In the case of God 
and ÿman, ÿeven the smallest infraction offends our Holy and Pure God, 
which calls for a life sentence (with no hope of parole). 

1)  Hell is a place of actual fire and burning.  

In the words of Jesus, ÿ". . .if your eye causes you to sin, ÿgouge it 
out ÿand throw it away.  ÿIt is better for you to enter life with ÿone 
eye ÿthan ÿto have two eyes and to be thrown into the fire ÿof ÿHell." 
(Mat 18:9).  ÿNotice His reference to the "fire" of Hell here and also 
in Mark 9:43 where He says, ". . .if your hand causes you to sin, ÿcut 
it off.  It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands 
to go into Hell, ÿwhere the fire never goes out."  ÿNot only is Hell a 
place of burning fire but it is also an eternal fire. ÿ(see also: ÿMat 
5:22,29,30;10:28;Luke 12:5;Jude 1:7). 

2)  Hell is a place of torment.  

Here ÿare ÿthe words of a person actually speaking from hell.  ÿÿJesus 
quotes    the "rich man" ÿwho had died and been sent to hell.  ÿListen 
to the words from hell, ÿ"I am in agony in this fire." ÿ(Luke ÿ16:24).  
Isaiah ÿ66:24; ÿÿMark ÿ9:44,46,48 ÿall mention one kind ÿof ÿsuffering 
experienced in hell, ÿ"their worm will not die [similar to the gnawing 
of ÿmaggots], ÿÿnor ÿwill their fire be quenched, ÿand ÿthey ÿwill ÿbe 
loathsome to all mankind." 

Hell ÿÿalso ÿis ÿa ÿplace ÿwhere ÿthe ÿunsaved ÿwill ÿreceive ÿ"blows" 
[beatings].  Luke 12:48 ÿstates that unsaved men who willfully disobey 
God's commands will receive many blows, ÿbut those who in ignorance do 
not obey, ÿwill receive fewer blows.  ÿHell is also a place where both 
body and soul are destroyed. (Matt 10:28). 

3)  Hell is a place of darkness.          

In the Old Testament we read that, ÿ". . ÿ.the wicked will be silenced 
in darkness." ÿ(1Samuel 2:9)  ÿToday the wicked are often very loud in 
their ÿsin and rebellion against God but the day is coming ÿwhen ÿthey 
will ÿbe ÿstilled in darkness.  ÿJesus refers to those ÿexcluded ÿfrom 
heaven being, ÿ"thrown outside into the darkness, ÿwhere there will be 
weeping and gnashing of teeth." ÿ(Matt 8:12).  ÿIn parables about ÿthe 
coming judgments, Jesus often refers to those who reject Him as being, 
"thrown into the outer darkness." (Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). 

4)  Hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Many ÿreferences ÿin ÿthe ÿNew Testament refer ÿto ÿthe ÿ"weeping ÿand 
gnashing" ÿÿof teeth in hell. ÿ(Matt ÿ8:12;13:42,50;22:13;24:51;25:30; 
Luke 13:28).  The word weeping is best translated "shrieking" ÿand the 
word ÿgnashing as "grinding."  ÿIn hell man will have a ÿliteral ÿbody 
with "teeth" and will scream and grind his teeth in anger and pain.  

Hell ÿis ÿa ÿplace of burning torment created for the ÿDevil ÿand ÿhis 
angels, ÿbut now also serves as a place of punishment for sinful ÿman.  
Man ÿdeserves ÿto go there for his many sins against a Holy ÿand ÿPure 
God, ÿÿyet God's great love and mercy has provided for a "way out" ÿof 
the ÿfires of hell.  ÿJesus Christ went to the Cross and suffered ÿthe 
punishment ÿof hell for the sins of all men.  ÿTherefore, ÿGod ÿoffers 
freedom from sin and its judgments to those who will humble themselves 
before ÿHim ÿand ÿrepent ÿof their sins ÿby ÿaccepting ÿJesus ÿas ÿthe 
sovereign authority over them in all matters. 

The offer from God is simple; sin must be paid for, either by Jesus on 
the ÿcross, ÿor by the individual in the eternal fires of hell.  ÿÿThe 
choice ÿis up to us.  ÿDo we humble ourselves before Jesus and ÿrepent 
and ask for forgiveness and let Him pay for our sins?  Or do we remain 
proud and stubborn and go into the fires of hell, to spend an eternity 
trying to pay for our many sins against God? 


Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 115
Galveston, IN 46932
Modem (317)-452-1535
November 2, 1986

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