Doctrines (posted Sunday, April 29 2007)

The central theme of the Bible is God's magnificent Grace in providing a means to salvation for all mankind. Some will be saved and some will not. For those who are not saved, an eternity of torment is their unfortunate end, but a perfect and loving God can only allow this as a fair judgement after giving them every opportunity.

Why do people go to hell for all eternity?

Why is there an eternal condemnation?

The place of eternal condemnation was originally created for Satan and his angels. It is their final judgement for rebellion against God before humankind was created, though it has not yet been enacted for most of them.

- Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

- 2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

- Jude 1:6 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.

- Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Thus the Bible teaches that hell is a place created as the final punishment for those angels who separated from God, as a place of eternal darkness and torment where they can suffer in the separation they chose in the beginning.

Why do humans go to eternal punishment?

We know that a person is saved to eternal life by believing on the work of Jesus Christ. On the negative side of this same coin, a person is condemned to eternal punishment by rejecting the Savior.

- John 3:18 "Whoever believes in him 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 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

- Jude 1:13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

The key reason to understanding this teaching is that once a person is saved by faith, they cannot lose their salvation. Some Christians believe and teach that one can go to hell because of sin or because of somehow failing to meet God's expectations.

- 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his 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 man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

- Revelation 20:12,15 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. [...] If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Sin has been removed from all the earth by Christ's work. Therefore, a person is condemned to the same eternal judgement as the devil only for rejecting the Savior.

- John 16:8-11 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

- 1 John 5:10-12 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Armed with this simple doctrine, believers may rest easy in the amazing Grace of His faithfulness and find all the more reason to tell our family and friends about His work, that they too might be saved from death to life.