Christian's worldwide are " convinced that there is a heaven " .... but many have a difficult time agreeing that " HELL " actually exists as well even though it is in fact noted in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, " many times ".   So the answer to the question is:

So why do some Christians have difficulty with the subject of " hell " ?   Basically there are two main reasons:

1. The discription of Hell in the Bible notes that it is basically " Not a place anyone would want to end up ! "

2. Love ..... of family and friends !

   1. Their are Christian Parents with children and grandchildren that have not come to the knowledge within themselves that they need to be " saved by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior " and the idea of them going to such a place is heartbreaking !

   2. Their are Christian children with parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. that have not come to the knowledge within themselves that they need to be " saved by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior " and the idea of them going to such a place is heartbreaking !

   3. Their are Christians with friends, neighbors, etc. that have not come to the knowledge within themselves that they need to be " saved by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior " and the idea of them going to such a place is heartbreaking !

         We're going to examine the place that Jesus Christ and the Bible calls " HELL ".   Jesus gives us the following story in the Book of Luke.   The story is truly one of Jesus' many parables and not a " true story " as many believe .....

  Luke 16:19-25

^{[ 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 [ Hades {'hadez} ] 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.

The Book of Luke, like most of the New Testament, was written in:

         The use of the term " Abraham's bosom " used above in verse 22 by Jesus is actually what you would call a Jewish idiom which basically means " paradise. "   That term was used in Jesus' day and is still used by many of the Jewish faith today.   " Abraham's bosom ", and or " Heaven " as we know it, is also where a Christian's spirt goes upon their passing away.

  2 Corinthians 5:8

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

For more on what happens when a Christian dies see the below article:

         Now in Koine Greek, and the Greek Language as well, the word used for " HELL " by Jesus in Luke 16:23 above was " Hades " { 'hadez }.   So what does " Hades " stand for in the Greek language ?

         It was what was known as the " underworld; the abode of the spirits of the dead. " and was the only " Greek Word " that could be used by those writing or speaking in Koine Greek to describe " HELL ".   In the Old Testament we see the Hebrew word " Sheol " used to describe " HELL ".   " Sheol " in the Old Testament basically meant " the realm of the dead " or " where the ungodly dead went once they died ".

         A short history of the " Koine Greek " Language is needed here.   During the reign of Alexander the Great ( 336 - 323 BC ) the " Koine Greek " Language was created as a language that could be quickly learned by anyone.   It was initially created by Greek Scholars due to Alexander having trouble with his armies communicating ..... when the Roman Empire came along it became the common language used within the empire and " anyone that wanted to do business within the empire needed to use it ".

         So it became a very common language used, not only in Israel, but every country within the Roman Empire .... " and that is why it was used to write much of the New Testament at that time  ~  More people, within the Roman Empire, would be able to read it ! "   And since Joseph, Jesus earthly dad, was a carpenter by trade it is fair to guess that he not only used it but also taught it to Jesus.   Which is why the following is believed to be true:

         The Bible continually warns of a place called " HELL ".
There are over " 162 references " in the New Testament alone
which warns of " HELL ".

As I previously noted about " HELL ": " It's not a place anyone would want to end up ! "

Jesus said that the rich man in Luke 16:24, noted above, cries:

         "... I am tormented in this flame ... "

In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says:

         " And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. "

In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says:

         " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, "

In Mark 9:46, Jesus says:

         Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Revelation 20:15 says,

         " And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. "

  Mark 9:43-47

^{[ 43 ]}  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

^{[ 44 ]}  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

^{[ 45 ]}  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

^{[ 46 ]}  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

^{[ 47 ]}  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

         Now our Lord Jesus Christ was " not telling " us here to actually cut off our " hands " or " feet " ..... or to " pluck out our eyes " ....    But is telling us basically to " watch what we do with our hands " so they don't sin ..... " to make sure our feet " don't take us somewhere where sin abounds ..... and to " make sure our eyes only desire " to look at those things that are pure and not at things that would cause you to sin.

" fire "	Matthew - 7:19, 13:40, 25:41
" everlasting fire "	Matthew - 18:8, 25:41
" eternal damnation"	Mark - 3:29
" damnation"	Matthew - 23:14 Mark - 12:40 Luke - 20:47
" damnation of hell"	Matthew - 23:33
" resurrection of damnation"	John - 5:29
" furnace of fire"	Matthew - 13:42, 50
" the fire that never shall be quenched "	Mark - 9:43, 45
" the fire is not quenched"	Mark - 9:44, 46, 48
" Where their worm dieth not"	Mark - 9:44, 46, 48
" wailing and gnashing of teeth"	Matthew - 13:42, 50
" weeping and gnashing of teeth"	Matthew - 8:12, 22:13, 25:30
" torments"	Luke - 16:23
" tormented in this flame"	Luke - 16:24
" place of torment"	Luke - 16:28
" outer darkness"	Matthew - 8:12, 22:13
" everlasting punishment"	Matthew - 25:46

  Matthew 25:41

 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

         However you might say that if God is a God of LOVE ..... Why would a GOD OF LOVE send people to hell ?   Because a HOLY GOD demands payment for sin.   Otherwise God would NOT and could NOT be HOLY !   Sin MUST be condemned.

  Joshua 24:19

 Joshua said to the people, You are not able to serve the LORD.   He is a holy God;  he is a jealous God.   He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.

  Romans 5:8

 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus Christ gave a solemn warning in Matthew 7:21-23:

  Matthew 7:21-23

^{[ 21 ]}  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

^{[ 22 ]}  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works ?

^{[ 23 ]}  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

         Several years ago a book was published, entitled " Beyond Death's Door " by Dr. Maurice Rawlings.   Dr. Rawlings, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, resuscitated many people who had been clinically dead.   Dr. Rawlings, a devout atheist, considered all religion " hocus-pocus " and death nothing more than a painless extinction.

         But something happened in 1977 that brought a dramatic change in the life of Dr. Rawlings !   He was resuscitating a man, terrified and screaming ~ " I'm descending down into the flames of hell ! " and was described as follows in his book:

         Each time he regained a heartbeat and respiration, the patient screamed, " I am in hell ! "   He was terrified and pleaded with me to help him.   I was scared to death. . .   Then I noticed a genuinely alarmed look on his face.   He had a terrified look worse than the expression seen in death !   This patient had a grotesque grimace expressing sheer horror !   His pupils were dilated, and he was perspiring and trembling - he looked as if his hair was " on end. "

         Then still another strange thing happened.   He said," Don't you understand ?   I am in hell . . . Don't let me go back to hell ! "   . . . the man was serious, and it finally occurred to me that he was indeed in trouble.   He was in a panic like I had never seen before.

( Maurice Rawlings, "Beyond Death's Door", (Thomas Nelson Inc., 1979) p. 3 )

         Dr. Rawlings said, no one, who could have heard his screams and saw the look of terror on his face could doubt for a single minute that " he was actually in a place called hell ! "

          

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This Article Last modified:

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