There is a very easy answer to the question, who goes to hell. All those who do not go to Heaven are all the ones who go to hell. Before I spend some time on answering the question who goes to hell, I want to first talk about hell. There are a lot of questions concerning hell, there is also a lot of confusion about the bible’s teaching on hell. So let us begin to clear some of these things up.
The Description of Hell
Many, many Christians today believe Hell to be something different than what is found in the bible. Many teach Hell is the grave, which means the person who dies without going to Heaven simply ceases to exist. We had a man visit our church on a special Sunday with an evangelist preaching. The evangelist described Hell, afterword the man in a very vocal way told me about his word study on hell. His word study concluded that hell could only mean a pit or the grave. There are also those who believe in the fires of Hell, but teach that they will consume the soul into nonexistence. I would love to teach Hell as one of the previous definitions, but I cannot. I know people who have departed this world having no testimony of being saved. I would hate to think that ANYBODY I have ever known to have died and gone to this place the bible describes as HELL. It would better that Hell was a temporary place or that it is even the grave, but my friend this is not what the bible teaches. Does the bible teach of a place where a person will be tormented forever and ever? The only trustworthy account of such a place will not come from a dictionary, encyclopedia or somebody’s experience of going there and coming back (as if that really happened). A true description of Hell can only come from the word of God.
Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 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. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 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. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
We believe this to be a literal, historical account of these two men. It is in this passage we get some details of this horrible place called HELL. The rich man was consciously being tormented, in verse 23 it says “ in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,” Notice the torments plural, the rich man was being tormented by a number of things. Hell is described as a…
Revelation 20:1
1 …the bottomless pit..
1 …the bottomless pit..
Imagine the torment of forever falling.
Matthew 8:12
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This scripture gives two more torments, outer darkness, while tormented the damned soul will not be able to see a thing, not only that but, this scripture gives us the sounds of Hell, weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sound of people being tormented will be one of the greater torments . The bible gives us another description, where …
Revelation 14:11
11 …they have no rest day nor night…
11 …they have no rest day nor night…
There will not even be any temporary rest from the torments of hell. In torments the rich man cried in verse 24, “have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” The rich man was burning alive, but not being consumed by the flames. How long will this last, does the bible really teach forever and ever?
Isaiah 33:14
14 … who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
14 … who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Matthew 25:41
41 …ye cursed, into everlasting fire…
41 …ye cursed, into everlasting fire…
Matthew 25:46
46 …everlasting punishment…
46 …everlasting punishment…
2 Thessalonians 1:9
9…everlasting destruction…
9…everlasting destruction…
Revelation 14:11
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever...
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever...
Just how long is everlasting, how long is eternal and how long is forever and ever. Why, it is forever.
Who Goes to Hell
Let us look at 2 scriptures to answer this question.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death…
23 For the wages of sin is death…
The bible teaches the wages of sin is death, anybody who has ever sinned has earned themselves death. The word death in this scripture is talking about Hell, how do we know this, let us look at…
Revelation 21:8
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
This scripture clearly tells us, who goes to hell, did you notice the one group, all liars, who has not told a lie? How many lies does a person have to tell to be a liar, at least one lie. Revelation 21:8 also defines for us what death is being spoken of, HELL, “in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” the same death spoken of in Roman 6:23.
Escaping Hell
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This is how much God loved us, God sent HIS SON to take the penalty for our sin and to die in our place. This is why God sent HIS SON.
John 3:17
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Without a genuine belief in Jesus Christ, standing in our place and taking the penalty for our sin we can be saved.
John 3:18
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
We are all sinners and our only escape is Jesus Christ, believe in Him today to escape the eternal fires of Hell.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The Lord desires that all would repent, which means the Lord wants all or everyone to turn to Jesus Christ for salvation. The Lord does not want any human being to perish, perish is a reference to Hell.
By Pastor Jason LaPat
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