Humans create their own Hell
Luke 12:1-12
Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz
Luke 12:1 Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had
gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His
disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 “But
there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
3 “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what
you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Luke 12:4 “Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,
and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 “But I will warn you whom to fear:
fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into hell;
yes, I tell you, fear Him! 6 “Are five sparrows not sold for two assaria? And yet not one
of them has gone unnoticed in the sight of God. 7 “But even the hairs of your head are
all counted. Do not fear; you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.
Luke 12:8 “Now I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before people, the Son of
Man will also confess him before the angels of God; 9 but the one who denies Me
before people will be denied before the angels of God. 10 “And everyone who speaks
a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but the one who blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. 11 “Now when they bring you before
the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not worry about how or what
you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach
you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
“Human beings create their own hell.” That’s a provocative way to begin a message on
the Bible—but it’s true. And Jesus affirms this in Luke 12:1–12. In this passage, Jesus
reminds us that God is both powerful and good. He didn’t create us to punish us, but
to love us and invite us into eternal fellowship with Him.
Jewish and Christian mystics have long taught that God created the world with
deliberate imperfections—not to frustrate us, but to give us the opportunity to
participate in His work. By following His law and applying His Word, we help repair
what’s broken. That process is part of how we grow in righteousness.
Now, I know some will say, “God’s world is 100% perfect.” But we all know it’s not.
Just turn on the news: violence, hatred, shootings, corruption—none of these reflect
the heart of God. So where do they come from?
Many would say, “That’s Satan at work.” And I wouldn’t argue with that—it’s a valid
belief. But the mystics also suggest that God allowed these deficiencies in creation so
that we could learn to fix them. That’s a powerful idea.
Think about it: when we engage in repairing the brokenness around us, we move toward
righteousness. How? By absorbing God’s Word into our soul. When His Word takes
root in us, we begin to live differently. We may not be able to fix every global crisis, but
we can address the deficiencies within ourselves.
Let’s go back to Genesis. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. Simple instruction—don’t touch it. But what happened?
Eve hears the serpent, hesitates, and then gives in. Why? Because one of the deficiencies
in human nature is our tendency to do what we’re told not to do.
We all know this instinct. Take speeding, for example. Most of us have driven over the
posted limit, especially on an open highway. We know the law, but we push past it—
sometimes for the thrill, sometimes out of habit. That’s a deficiency in us. But it’s one
we can correct by studying Scripture and following the example of Jesus.
Jesus understood the flaws in human nature. Though divine, He took on flesh and
experienced the same temptations we face. And He overcame them—not by avoiding
them, but by confronting them with truth and obedience.
This passage in Luke also reassures us: if God cares for sparrows—tiny, seemingly
insignificant creatures—how much more does He care for us, His image-bearers? God’s
love is deep and personal. But to truly grasp it, we must first understand that we often
create our own hell.
Now, I’m not here to unpack the full theology of hell. Yes, Scripture speaks of Satan,
and Jesus acknowledges his influence. But what Jesus emphasizes here is that we allow
evil to infect us. The mystics call this the “evil inclination.” It’s everywhere. And if we’re
not careful, it grows like a cancer—pulling us toward destruction and away from God.
But we’re not defenseless. We have the armor of God—His Word, His Spirit, His truth.
When we clothe ourselves in Scripture, we can resist the evil inclination and stay rooted
in righteousness.
Take a moment to read the book of Job. It’s not often preached, but it’s powerful. Job
lost everything—family, wealth, health—and still praised God. He didn’t blame others.
He didn’t curse God. He held fast to faith. If Job could endure such suffering and still
worship, can’t we do the same?
Yes, we can. But it starts with acknowledging that we create our own hell when we
choose evil over good. And too often, we deflect responsibility. “It wasn’t my fault,”
we say. “Someone else made me do it.” But if we’re honest, many of our choices are
our own.
We each have a decision to make: follow God or follow evil. When we choose evil, we
create our own hell. But here’s the good news—Jesus offers a way out. He said, “Did
you read my Gospels? Are you living by what I taught you?” If we turn to Him, He will
help us climb out of the pit we’ve dug.
The Bible is our manual for living a life that honors God. It reveals the deficiencies in
creation and shows us how to navigate them. Trust God to guide you. Think of life as
a road leading to heaven. If you’re from Pennsylvania, you know our roads are full of
potholes. But a skilled driver knows how to avoid them.
So be that driver. Look to God. Look to Jesus. Read the Bible. Let His Word shape
your soul and steer you toward righteousness.
