The Truth (Part 10): Judgement and Hell – Sermon by Steven Loots

Introduction

What happens to an unbeliever after death and when Judgement day comes?

The Second Resurrection – the resurrection of unbelievers

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11- 15.

The Eternal Punishment of the Lost

This is not a subject to be taken lightly. It is not easy to study, to teach or to preach. We are dealing with the immortal souls of other human beings –

• often even of people we love dearly.

Hell – An Unpopular Subject

Many today –

• even in the church – find the teaching of hell offensive.
• Some pastors have never spoken of it and sometimes feel that they must make excuses for God and for the Bible because it is mentioned in the Word.

Popular writers have taken it on themselves to say that hell does not exist,

• that a loving God would never condemn someone to an eternity of suffering,
• and that all will be forgiven.
• Some proclaim that punishment will be instantaneous burning up –
  • leaving nothing behind.

False Theories

• Conditional Immortality.
  • This theory is built on the error that all who do not receive everlasting life will die as the animals and be annihilated or wiped out of existence.
  • It contends that immortality is conditional upon receiving the gift of everlasting life.
  • If anyone dies not having the gift of everlasting life he shall not be punished with everlasting torment. He shall be annihilated.
  • Universalism. The universalistic theory holds the idea of universal redemption.
    • For example, a certain number of Scripture references are used to prove that Christ died for all men alike.
      • Therefore, all men alike shall be saved in the end.
    • Universalism uses such texts as Paul’s when he said: “We preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28).
    • Certainly, the Apostle could not have meant that he expected every man that ever came into the world to be made perfect in Christ.
      • The words “every man” could refer only to those to whom Paul addressed his Epistle; namely, “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ” (1:2).
      • This theory does not deny that all men are lost by sin, but it contends that all men will finally be saved and enter into everlasting life.
      • Universalism falls when it overlooks the Biblical fact that salvation and everlasting life are applied to no-one apart from his personal acceptance of it as a divinely bestowed gift to “whosoever will.”
    • The Restoration Theory.
      • This view, called by some Restitutionism, appeals to the universalist in that it does not deny that all men are lost, but that sometime, somewhere, all creation (including Satan and the fallen angels) will be restored or reconciled to God.
        • Being contrary to reason and common sense, the average person labels this view as preposterous.
        • But let us look at two texts that are used to form the basis of the false view of Restitutionism.
          • The words of our Lord are quoted: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32). We must exercise care that these words of Christ do not lead us to believe the heretical teaching of Restitutionism.
          • Our Saviour never meant that all men finally shall be saved by His crucifixion. Dr. A. C. Gaebelein in his commentary on “The Gospel of John” says: “The analogy of other texts shows plainly that the only reasonable sense is, that Christ’s crucifixion would have a ‘drawing’ influence on men of all nations, Gentiles as well as Jews.” But it is quite possible also that this verse has a future application. In the preceding verse (31) which was given in connection with verse thirty-two, Jesus spoke of the future when “the prince of this world shall be cast out.” Of a truth, in that day “all men” will be drawn unto Him.”^[1]
          • They like to use Philippians 2:10, 11, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
          • This is a bad interpretation of the text. What it is saying is that all of creation will bow before Christ – it does not say that all will be saved. Satan and his demons, unbelievers and everyone who rejected Christ will acknowledge Jesus is Lord – in fear and trembling.

One writer said: “The last judgement in the Bible will be that of the unsaved dead who will stand before the Great White Throne in living, resurrected bodies to receive their final sentence of doom and be cast into the lake of fire. This will not be a judgement to see if sinners are lost, for they are lost already because “he that believeth not is condemned already” (John 3:18). Christians will be present, but only as witnesses. The judged will be those of the Second Resurrection whose bodies have been brought out of the grave and whose spirits brought back from Hell.”^[2]

• This judgement is for unbelievers –
  • the unsaved.
• All are standing before God – raised from the dead – they have physical bodies and they are condemned to die.
• All of these will go to eternal hell.
• They have no excuse.
  • God calls all men to repentance and they must make a choice: ³⁰ In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. ³¹ For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31.

Arguing Against Hell from the Love of God

The natural and inevitable consequence of sin is punishment.

• Proper punishment of a child does not negate the love of the parent.
• “Sin condemns just as sure as fire burns, and God is justified in putting into effect the immortal law that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:8).”^[3]

Hell – A Literal Place of Future Punishment

• Hell is a place.
• Hell is real.
• Hell is painful. Luke 16:24 – 26: ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ ²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
• Hell is hot. “…shall be in danger of hell fire” Matthew 5:22 “… and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19).
• Hell is a place of anguish. “.. there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Matthew 13: 41, 42.
• Hell is everlasting. ⁸ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9.
• Satan and his demon will be punished in hell. Revelation 20:10: ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
• All the unsaved will be there forever. Revelation 20:14-15: ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
• All who have sinned will be in hell. Revelation 21:8. ⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
• Hell is endless. The Bible repeatedly uses phrases like “eternal” and “forever and ever” to describe hell.

Jesus was serious about hell. He mentioned hell more than he mentioned heaven. ²⁸ “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. ³⁰ By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:28-30.

[1] Strauss, L

[2] id

[3] Strauss, L