Is Hell Eternal?

Is Hell Eternal? Too often the doctrine of Hell, as much as we don't like to talk about it, is watered down and even omitted from Christianity. It is important that the unbelieving understand that everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:23) and that there is a coming judgment day on which every person must stand. When someone commits any sin they sin against God. It is God that is ultimately offended by our sins. It is as Kind David said, “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge” (Psalms 51:4). God is the judge and a good and perfect judge cannot allow the guilty to go free. Rather a good judge must punish for the crime and seek justice. The Bible teaches that God will give eternal life in Heaven, to His forgiven believers. Equally so, God will give eternal punishment to the unbelieving. It is a great disservice to those seeking Biblical truth to omit such an important doctrine of Scripture. It can be confidently concluded from Scripture that Hell is an actual location and it was created for the eternal conscious punishment of the unbelieving. Let us look at the Biblical support for it, and recognize the phrases and terminology that imply the infinitude of Hell. Also keep in mind that because Jesus spoke about Hell more than He did about Heaven, we too must have a correct understanding of the final destination and conditions of the unbelieving. 

“I am in agony in this flame” (Luke 16:24). IN THIS FLAME

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"And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire," (Matt. 18:8). ETERNAL FIRE "And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire." (Mark 9:43). UNQUENCHABLE FIRE "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

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"And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power," (2 Thess. 1:9). ETERNAL DESTRUCTION "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire" (Jude 7). THE PUNISHMENT OF ETERNAL FIRE “These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever," (Jude12-13). RESERVED FOREVER "And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever" (Rev. 19:3). SMOKES RISES FOREVER "And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever," (Rev. 20:10). TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER "And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matt. 3:12). UNQUENCHABLE FIRE

It is often said that the Old Testament doesn‟t speak of Hell with the concept of a punishment that is eternal. Contrary to that, I provide the following Scriptural support:

Old Testament Sources 

Isaiah 66:24, "Then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched; and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind." FIRE WILL NOT BE QUENCHED

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Daniel 12:2, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt." EVERLASTING CONTEMPT

Now, since it has been established, Biblically, that Hell is eternal, it is necessary to include the fact that it is not eternal alone, but that it is both an eternal and a place of conscious torment. 

“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, „Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame” (Luke 16:2324).

Again, it is important that the unbelieving understand the serious condition of their sin, that God is a holy God and He is offended by our sin, and that there is a coming Judgment. There is nothing that you can do to work your way to heaven. Attending church, baptism, your apologies or good works cannot remove your sins. Isaiah 64:6 teaches that even your good deeds are "as filthy rags" to God.

There is only one Way: God loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross and take your punishment. Jesus literally took the punishment that YOU deserve and endured it Himself. By His wounds each person can be healed (1 Peter 2:24). He then arose 3 days later, conquering death. “But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The Bible teaches if you place your faith and trust “only” in Jesus Christ, your sins will be forgiven and you will no longer be guilty. “For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). You can do this right now. Pray and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins; Surrender your life and place your faith and trust in Him. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10).