Is Hell an Acceptable Topic?

Photo by Jenny Venturo

Should Christians mention or discuss hell when they share the Gospel with the world? In today’s society, the world is pushing back against Christians who bring up such an uncomfortable topic. As a result of this pushback, there has been a continuing trend even among believers to downplay the seriousness of Hell. Some professing Christians argue that using “scare tactics” is neither necessary nor appropriate for an effective presentation of the Gospel. Others diverge from straightforward biblical descriptions of Hell by presenting it as merely a symbolic reference to separation from God.

After such an intense discussion over the past few weeks on the holiness of God and the sinfulness of humankind (see our last post on that topic here), you should know better by now. When you fully grasp how vile sin is to an incomprehensibly holy God, you will no longer call Him unjust for punishing lawbreakers in Hell. Once you have developed the proper view of Hell, the urgency of your witness will increase tenfold.

Hell is a real, literal, physical place. The Bible describes it as a place of fire that cannot be put out (Matthew 3:12; 18:8; 25:41; Mark 9:48). It is a prison from which no one can escape (Luke 16:26) and which is “away from the presence of the Lord” (II Thessalonians 1:9). The Bible is also clear that hell includes real, physical, conscious torture (Matthew 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28; 16:23-24).

Are you bold enough to take the Bible at face value? Because if you accept a literal view of hell, you are obligated to do something with the information Scripture provides about hell.

That is common sense. If danger is imminent, you warn people. Imagine that a massive storm is about to strike your area. Your elderly neighbor has no way to find out about the upcoming disaster. Love, duty, and plain common sense compel you to warn your neighbor.

In the same way, love, duty, and common sense compel you to warn your neighbor about hell. From a purely logical perspective, it makes no sense to speak of salvation without mentioning the danger from which one is being saved.

It’s also biblical to warn people about hell. Paul described his mission as “warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). Like the Old Testament prophets before them, the apostles hammered into their hearers the news that God has a day of judgment on which those who have not obeyed the Gospel will be punished by eternal fire (Acts 17:31; Romans 2:5; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; II Peter 3:7). The main reason believers should warn others of God’s judgment is because that is what Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46) and His apostles did. They were motivated by love, and we should be, too (cf. John 15:9-10).

We see then that the objections of believers who downplay the seriousness of Hell are no more than excuses for refusing to face a difficult but necessary task. Preaching hell is not a “scare tactic” in the sense that it is not an attempt to psychologically manipulate hearers into conversion. It is obvious that fear is a good thing if it drives us out of danger. In addition, dismissing the Bible’s descriptions of Hell as mere symbolism only serves to make believers indifferent to the plight of those around them.

Will you stand up for truth in an increasingly hostile United States? If you do, there will be painful consequences on this earth. But if you obey, think what joy you shall experience in Heaven, as you joyfully enter the presence of the Lord, and see those whom God has drawn to Himself through your witness, singing with joy and shaking your hand in gratitude?

Read the complete series here.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission.  All rights reserved.