What The Bible Teaches About Hell

But in this message we are going to study the last thing that will happen to SINNERS, as they will spend eternity in the horrendous place the Bible calls hell!

In this day of liberalism, when a preacher preaches about hell he is immediately branded in a negative way as being one of those “Hell-fire-and brimstone preaching preachers!” Why? This is Satan’s attempt to discredit the messenger. He knows if people know the truth about HELL, THEN SINNERS WILL COME TO JESUS FOR SALVATION. Satan trys to keep that from happening by trying to DESTROY THE MESSENGER AND THE MESSAGE.

Illus: Satan does not want the message of hell preached to unbelievers because he knows that every message they hear about it is like a caution sign on the highway of life, telling them of the danger that is ahead and telling them they can be delivered.

Satan has been successful in silencing many preachers because they do not want to be branded as alarmists. He has been so successful that many in the pews are totally ignorant about hell. They only know that they hear, and use, it as a curse word.

Illus: One little boy rode a church bus for the first time in his life to a church where the Bible was preached. When he came back home, his parents asked him how he liked church. He said, “I really like it, but the preacher kept cursing in his sermon!” The parents became concerned and asked, “What do you mean?” The little boy said, “At least half a dozen times he said “hell” in his sermon.”

Actually, hell is not a curse word. It is the name of a very real place, just as Columbia, S. C., is a real place. It is A PLACE, NOT A CURSE WORD!

Illus: Luke 16, makes it clear that hell is a place and tells about this place.

• Verse 23a. We see it is a place where the rich man could look up -- “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments..,”

• Verse 24a. It is a place where he cried. “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me...”

• Verse 24b. It is a place where he thirsted. “...and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue;..”

• Verse 24c. It is a place where he suffered. “...for I am tormented in this flame.”

• Verse 25. It is a place where he remembered. “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

• Verse 27. It is a place where he prayed. “Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:..”

• Verses 27-28. It is a place where he pleaded and interceeded. “Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”

Again, hell is no curse word. It is a horrible place where all who do not accept Christ as Savior will live for eternity. Let us LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT HELL, AND THEN WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT HELL.

First, let us see what evil people say about hell because they do not think it is a real place.

I. THE ERROR.

Many sinners say it is AN ERROR to believe in such a place as hell. Why? They say that the Bible teaches that God is a God of love. They say if anyone preaches about hell it makes God look mean!

Illus: After a sermon on hell a lady asked the preacher, “If your child was suffering, would you not, as a father, rescue him?” The preacher answered, “I most certainly would. I would be a monster if I did not.” After she thought she had made her point, she asked, “Well, would not God be a monster if He allowed one of His children to suffer in hell instead of rescuing him?” “He certainly would!” Then the preacher proceeded to explain, “There is something you need to understand about hell. God is not going to send a ONE of His children there. The ones who are going to hell belong to Satan, not God!”

This is why Jesus came to save sinners. They have placed their faith in Satan and he is going to drag every sinner to hell with him. The ERROR is on the part of the sinners in that they do not believe there is a hell. How could a person ever get into a situation like this? Well, we have looked at the sinner’s ERROR. Now look at...