Hell: Things To Know So You Don't Have To Go Series

“Hell: Things to Know without Having to Go” – Pastor Rob Yanok

Introduction - Fire does not make hell. That’s not to say that there isn’t fire. What makes

Hell is the lack of the presence of God. Hell is a place of eternal damnation, which is

eternal separation from God. TEXT- John 17:3, 3:17-18

People do not go to hell because God does not love them; people go to hell because they

don’t love God.

People go to hell because they never accepted God’s gift of salvation, Jesus.

Unfortunately, this is why people go to hell, not because they lied, cheated, or stole. They

lied, cheated, or stole due to their nature; they are dead in their spirit and have separation

from God. When people become born again they get a new nature. (II Cor. 5:17)

Catholic Prayer –“Oh, my Jesus forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead

all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of thy mercy.”

USA Today Poll: Is there a hell?

•52% of adults are certain there is a hell

•27% Think there might be

Pollsters – Asked people what they think hell will be like?

•48% believe it is a real place where people suffer eternal torment

•46% say it is an anguished state of existence rather than an actual place.

•6% Don’t know

Many have concocted their own theories about hell.

•Comedian Wood Allen – “Hell is Manhattan at Rush Hour”

•Carlton Pearson –“The Gospel or good news about Hell is that there isn’t one”

•Mark Twain said – “Go to heave for the climate, and go to hell for the company”

•Carlton Pearson also said, “Hell is a human idea based on human ignorance and

the fear of the unknown. It is a manmade concept. I believe hell is a form of insanity.”

I. While people may think light of hell, the Bible gives us terrifying glimpses of

it, and it is no joking matter.

1. Hell is a Literal Place –

a. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31,

Hades is pictured as a literal place where the unrighteous rich

man went immediately upon his death.

b. 11 of the 12 times the word gehenna (hell) occurs in the NT and

is found coming out of Jesus’ mouth. Make no mistake Jesus

believed in a literal hell.

c. John 14:1-3 – place – greek “topos” – geographical location. So

if heaven is an actual geographical location so is hell.

2. Hell is a Literal Place divided into at least four parts

a. The Abyss or Bottomless Pit – the NT refers this part of hell 9

times. This is the place where some demons are presently

confined who will be released for a period of five months to

afflict the lost during the tribulation (Rev. 9:1-5). It is also the

place where Satan will be bound for the duration of the

Millennium (Rev. 20:1-3)

b. Tartarus – 2 Peter 2:4 refers to it as a place of confinement

where the angels who sinned in Genesis 6:1-4 are being held

until they are finally cast in the lake of fire (Jude 1:6-7)

c. Hades – The Greek NT refers to hades 11 times. This is the

place where the souls of lost people are presently confined while

they await the final day of judgment (Lk 16:23, Rev. 1:18, 20:13-

14)

d. Gehenna – This is the most commonly used Greek word for hell

in the NT. It is used 12 times. It was the smoldering trash dump

outside Jerusalem. Gehenna is the final place of torment for

Satan, demons, and all that are lost (Rev. 20:10-15). It is also

called the Lake of Fire and brimstone, the second death. It is

called the second death because it is a place of final, eternal

separation from God.

3. Hell is a Place of Memory

a. In hell there will be continued consciousness and immediate

awareness of where one is. (Luke 16:19-31) The Rich man knew

exactly where he was, remembered who he was, and remembered

Lazarus and his own brothers.

4. Hell is a place of Torment

a. The worst part of hell is that there will be torment and agony.

The rich man said, “I am in agony in this flame”. In verse 28 he

describes Hades as “this place of torment”.

5. Hell is a Place of Unquenchable Fire

a. The NT is clear that hell will be a fire. Rich man said, “I am in

agony in this flame”.

b. “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather

out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit

lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that