Controversial Jesusনমুনা

Jesus and Hell

Talk of hell can feel uncomfortable, so much so that it is easier to avoid it altogether. However, Scripture does not present hell to scare people. It presents hell to tell the truth about God’s holiness, human sin, and the real choices we make about his presence.

Jesus spoke about hell more than anyone else in the Bible. In Matthew 25, he describes a final judgment where he welcomes some into the kingdom prepared for them and sends others away from his presence. Notice the order. Heaven is prepared for people. Hell is said to be prepared for the devil and his angels. Hell is not God’s goal for people. God’s desire is clear. We learn in 2 Peter 3:9 that God is patient, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9 CSB).

So why do people end up there? Scripture’s answer is simple and sobering. Sin separates. “Your iniquities are separating you from your God” (Isa. 59:2 CSB). God is holy, which means he is perfectly good, pure, and set apart. Because he is holy, he will not ignore evil, minimize injustice, or pretend sin does not matter. A God who ignores evil would not be trustworthy or loving. You would not want to follow a non-holy God.

The Bible uses strong images to communicate the seriousness of separation from God. Jesus speaks of eternal fire, darkness, weeping, and a blazing furnace. Revelation speaks of ongoing torment for evil. These pictures are not given to satisfy our curiosity about the afterlife but to warn us that life apart from God is terrible. At its core, hell is eternal separation from the Lord and from his glorious power (2 Thess. 1:9).

In this life, everyone still experiences common grace. We all enjoy moments of beauty, love, laughter, and goodness. Hell is the removal of those gifts because it is the removal of God’s presence.

Hell is not for people God does not want. Hell is for those who do not want God. C.S. Lewis pictured it like this. In the end, there are people who say to God, “Your will be done,” and there are people to whom God says, “Your will be done.” God will not force himself on anyone who persistently rejects him. He has already done everything necessary to save us through the cross and resurrection of Jesus. He calls. He waits. He invites. He is patient.

This is why the gospel is good news. Jesus took on our sin so that our separation could end. All who turn to him receive forgiveness, new life, and the Spirit. The right response is the same as we see Acts 2:37-39, where the crowd asks Peter after he preaches what they should do. He says they should repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. God is not looking for a perfect record. He is looking for surrendered hearts that want to be with him.

Hell exists because God is holy and because sin separates. Heaven is offered because God is merciful and because Christ saves. The choice before us is real. Do we want God or not? Today is a gift of patience from the Lord, an open door to come home.

Reflection Question: If separation from God is what makes hell so terrible, what would it look like this week to move toward God in repentance and trust rather than away from him in self-reliance.

Prayer: Holy God, I confess that my sin separates me from you. Thank you for your patience and for sending Jesus to make a way back. I turn to you. Forgive me, change me, and fill me with your Spirit. Help me live today in your presence and invite others to know your grace.