Core Truths for the Christian Life

Week 12What Happens When We Die?

Where do people go when they die?

2 Corinthians 5 (6) Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. (7) We live by faith, not by sight. (8) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1 (21) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

Revelation 6 (9) When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. (10) They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" (11) Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

Luke 16 (22) "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. (23) In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. (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 fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

Hades (the underworld)

PLACE FOR SAVED

Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22)

Paradise(Luke 23:43)

LAZARUS and ABRAHAM

 

GREATGULFFIXED(Lk.16:26)

PLACE FOR UNSAVED

Place of Fire (Luke 16:24)

Place of Torment(Luke 16:28)RICH MAN

Ephesians 4 (8) "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." (9) (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? (10) He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

1 Peter 3 (18) For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, (19) through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

Daniel 12 (1) "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. (2) Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (3) Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12 (10) Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. (11) "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. (12) Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (13) "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."

The Two Resurrections

Luke 14 (14) and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

John 5 (21) For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. (22) Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, (23) that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (25) I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (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 good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

Acts 24 (15) and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Revelation 20 (1) And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. (2) He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. (3) He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. (4) I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (5) (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (7) When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. (11) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky 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. (15) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21 (1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (4) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (5) He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Degrees of Reward for Christ Followers2 Corinthians 5 (8) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (9) So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Romans 14 (10) You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

Matthew 16 (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

1 Corinthians 4 (5) Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

1 Corinthians 3 (11) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, (13) his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. (14) If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. (15) If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Degrees of Punishment for Christ RejectersMatthew 11 (21) "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (22) But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. (23) And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (24) But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

Luke 12 (47) "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. (48) But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Revelation 20 (11) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky 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.

Matthew 25 (41) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (46) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

2 Thessalonians 1 (7) and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. (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 majesty of his power

Revelation 20 (15) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (21:8) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

The Difference Between

SALVATION and REWARDS

SALVATION REWARDS1) Salvation is a free gift and can't

be earned.

“But not as the offence, so also is the FREE GIFT. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the GIFT by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is THE GIFT: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the FREE GIFT is of many offences unto justification” (Rom. 5:15-16; and see also Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 6:23; John 4:10).

1) Rewards can be earned by faithful service.

“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord YE SHALL RECEIVE THE REWARD of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:22-24, and note that the emphasis of this passage is upon SERVICE).

2) Salvation is not something we deserve.

If God were to give us exactly what we deserve for the way we have lived and for the sins which we have committed, what would He give us?

“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” (Psalm 130:3)

“The wages of sin is DEATH” (Rom. 6:23).

See also Psalm 103:10.

2) Reward is something that the believer deserves.

“Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:16-17). This man was deserving of reward because his pound gained ten pounds and because he was faithful in a very little. [Caution: The believer who labors faithfully for Christ must never forget what Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:10, “by the grace of God I am what I am...I labored...yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”  So even in the earning of rewards the principle of grace is operative.]

3) Salvation is not given on the basis of works.

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, but according to His own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9). “NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Tit. 3:5). “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness WITHOUT WORKS” (Rom. 4:6).

3) Rewards are given on the basis of works.

“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS” (Matt. 16:27). “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE” (Rev. 22:12).

4) Salvation is a present possession (it is something that the believer has now).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 5:24). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me HATH EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 6:47). “He that hath the Son HATH LIFE” (1 John 5:12).

4) Rewards are a future attainment (they are something the believer will receive later)

“And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou SHALT BE [future tense] RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST” (Luke 14:14). Believers will receive rewards at the first resurrection, and for church-age believers this will take place at the second coming.

5) Salvation is something that can never be lost.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH [Greek--“they shall never ever perish, no not ever”], neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28).

5) Rewards can be lost.

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11). “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 8). “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My Name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41).

This distinction is clearly seen in 1 Corinthians 3:14-15: “If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss [there will be loss of reward]: but he himself shall be saved [there will not be loss of salvation]; yet so as by fire.”

6) The focus of salvation is upon SIN (we have a SIN PROBLEM)

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save his people FROM THEIR SINS” (Matt. 1:21).

6) The focus of rewards is upon SERVICE (we have a responsibility to faithfully serve the God who saved us)

“With good will DOING SERVICE, AS TO THE LORD, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free” (Eph. 6:7-8).

7) Salvation involves possessing CHRIST.

“He that HATH THE SON hath life; and he that

7) Rewards involve possessing CROWNS.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth THE PRIZE? So run,

hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12).

THAT YE MAY OBTAIN. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible CROWN; but we an incorruptible” (1 Cor. 9:24-25).

8) The sinner coming to Christ for salvation hears these words: “IT IS DONE!”

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, IT IS FINISHED” (John 19:30).

8) The faithful believer about to be rewarded hears these words: “WELL DONE!”

“His lord said unto him, WELL DONE, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:23).

9) Salvation was accomplished at Christ's first coming.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world [at His first coming] to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

9) Rewards will be bestowed upon believers at Christ's second coming.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me A CROWN of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE HIS APPEARING” (2 Tim. 4:8). “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me” (Rev. 22:12).

10) Salvation is freely received in a point of time.

In a point of time a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and passes from death to life (John 5:24).

10) Rewards are earned throughout a whole believing lifetime.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body [from the point of salvation to the point when the believer goes to be with the Lord], according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

11) Salvation is based upon what Christ has done.

“Being justified freely by His grace THROUGH THE REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).

11) Rewards are based upon what we have done (as believers).

“...that every one may receive the things done in his body, ACCORDING TO THAT HE HATH DONE, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

12) When it comes to salvation, what is man's part? The answer:

FAITH

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus

12) When it comes to rewards, what is man's part? The answer: FAITHFULNESS.

“He that is FAITHFUL in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous

Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

God does the saving; we do the believing.

mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?” (Luke 16:10-12).

13) The question of salvation: DID YOU BELIEVE ON CHRIST?

“It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to SAVE them that BELIEVE” (1 Cor. 1:21).

13) The question of rewards: HAVE YOU BEEN ABIDING IN CHRIST?

“And now, little children, ABIDE IN HIM; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).

14) When it comes to salvation there are certain things that God does not remember.

“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:17).

14) When it comes to rewards, there

are certain things that God does

remember.

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward His Name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb. 6:10).

15) Salvation always involves God's

full approval in Christ.

“To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us ACCEPTED [highly favored] in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6).

15) Rewards may involve God's disapproval.

“But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons” (Col. 3:25). See also 1 John 2:28 which implies the possibility of SHAME because of God's disapproval and see Phil. 3:8 where Paul sacrificed all so that he might gain or win Christ and His approval.

16) All believers share the same salvation.

The “salvation package” of one believer contains everything that is found in the “salvation package” of another believer. We share the same “so-great salvation (Heb. 2:3). We are RICH in Christ and possess every spiritual blessing in Him (Eph. 1:3).

16) All believers do not share the same rewards.

“And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on the left, in Thy kingdom....And He saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father (Matthew 20:21,23). Not all believers will sit at Christ's right and at His left. This place and position will be reserved for two believers, as determined by God the righteous

Judge.

17) When it comes to salvation, when will my judgment take place? Answer: It has already taken place at the cross!

“...the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18).Because of this fact, the Lord assures the true believer that he will not come into condemnation or judgment (see John 5:24; Romans 8:1).

17) When it comes to rewards, when will my judgment take place? Answer: At the judgment seat of Christ!

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).

18) Salvation costs nothing.

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk WITHOUT MONEY and WITHOUT PRICE” (Isa. 55:1).

18) Rewards cost a life of service.

Serving Christ faithfully in a Christ-hating world can be costly: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD in heaven” (Matt. 5:10,12).

19) Salvation is received at the time of JUSTIFICATION.

Salvation is something we get at the beginning.

19) Rewards are received at the time of GLORIFICATION.

Rewards are something we get at the end.

20) We show our gratitude for salvation by faithful service.

20) We show our gratitude for rewards by casting our crowns before our Savior.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

“The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and CAST THEIR CROWNS BEFORE THE THRONE, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:10-11).

Paul recognized that any good thing which he did was attributed to the grace of God: “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). Even when it comes to faithful service for Christ, we are debtors to the grace of God!

Hades, Gehenna, and Hell

The Place Called Hades

In Luke 16:19-31 we learn about a poor man who was saved (Lazarus) and a rich man who was not saved (his name is not given). When Lazarus died he was carried by the angels to a place of comfort and happiness where Abraham and the other saved people were (Luke 16:22,23,25). But when the unsaved rich man died, what place did he find himself in (Luke 16:22-23)? Hell. Was he happy or miserable in this place (Luke 16:24)? ______________________ Was he comfortable there (Luke 16:25)? ____ Did he want his 5 brothers to come to this same place of suffering (Luke 16:27-28)? ______

The word HELL in Luke 16:23 is the Greek word HADES. HADES is the place where this unsaved rich man went when he died. Jesus called HADES a "place of torment” (Luke 16:28). We are also told that it is a place where people suffer in some kind of fire (see Luke 16:28--"flame"). Jesus described Hades as a terrible place of suffering and misery. It is also a place where people can get no relief from their suffering (Luke 16:24-26). The rich man wanted just ONE DROP of water (the amount of water that a tip of a person’s finger would hold--Luke 16:24), but he did not get what he asked for.

Actually Hades was the place where the dead went and it included both the place of torment (Luke 16:23-24) and also the place of comfort where Lazarus and Abraham were (also called "Abraham's bosom").

Where Do People Go When They Die?

In the days before the cross, people would go to HADES when they died. In HADES there would be a place for the saved and a place for the unsaved:

Hades (the underworld)

PLACE FOR SAVED

Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22)

Paradise(Luke 23:43)

LAZARUS and ABRAHAM

GREATGULFFIXED

(Lk.16:26)

PLACE FOR UNSAVED

Place of Fire (Luke 16:24)

Place of Torment(Luke 16:28)RICH MAN

Now that Christ has died and rose again and ascended into heaven, things are different. Today when people die, they go straight to heaven (Philippians 1:21,23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; 12:2,4). When Christ ascended up to heaven he took Lazarus and Abraham and all the saved people with Him (compare Ephesians 4:8-10). But when unsaved people die today, they still go to the same place. They still go to HADES, the same place the rich man went in Luke chapter 16.

The Place Called Gehenna

There is another word for HELL which is found in the New Testament. This is the word that is found in Mark 9:43-48. It is the Greek word "GEHENNA."

In Old Testament times GEHENNA was a place located outside the city walls of Jerusalem. It was also called the VALLEY OF HINNOM. It was at this place that children were sometimes sacrificed and burned in flames. Children would be passed through the flames (see 2 Chronicles 28:3). This wicked practice took place at Gehenna. In Old Testament times when people thought of this place they thought of bodies being burned in fire!

Years later Gehenna became the city dump! The Jews living in Jerusalem would throw their garbage and worthless things into this valley. Even the bodies of dead animals would be thrown into this place to be devoured by the maggots and the flames. Sometimes the bodies of unburied criminals were thrown into Gehenna after they were executed or crucified. A fire was kept burning in this valley in order to consume the waste and rubbish and dead bodies that were thrown there. It seemed that the fires in this valley never went out. The place even came to be called THE GEHENNA OF FIRE.

Jesus used the word GEHENNA to describe HELL (THE PLACE OF EVERLASTING FIRE--see Matthew 25:41). In Matthew 5:29 this word is used (the word HELL is the word GEHENNA). Can you think of anything more horrible than to have one of your eyes plucked out? Just think of the pain and agony! Jesus was saying that Gehenna is much worse than that! If you had to make a choice between plucking out your eye and going to Gehenna, it would be much better to have your eye plucked out!

How would you like to have a huge rock tied to your neck and then be thrown into the ocean (see Mark 9:42)? Jesus taught that this is much better than going to HELL (Gehenna--compare Mark 9:43-44). Do the fires of GEHENNA ever go out (Mark 9:43-44)? _____

Down through the centuries many Christians have been put to death by being burned at the stake. These Christians knew that the fire that they had to go through would only hurt them for a brief moment. But their enemies who put them to death would someday have to suffer in flames that would last forever! Polycarp was a Christian who lived a long time ago (in the second century A.D.). His enemies wanted to burn him at the stake unless he would deny Christ. One of these men said, "I will have you consumed with fire unless you change your mind." Polycarp replied, "You threaten fire which burns for an hour and is soon quenched; for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment reserved for the wicked" (see Matthew 25:41,46). The fire that Polycarp suffered through was nothing compared to the fire that the unsaved must suffer through forever!

The Temporary Prison and the Final Prison

When an unsaved person dies, he goes to HADES (as we saw in Luke chapter 16). HADES is like a temporary prison. Unsaved people will not be in Hades forever. They will only be there until the Great White Throne Judgment. After the Great White Throne Judgment they will be cast into the FINAL PRISON which is called the LAKE OF FIRE (Revelation 20:14-15 and see also Revelation 21:8). This is the place that Jesus meant when he used the word HELL or GEHENNA. It is the place where the fire never stops burning.

The lake of fire is the final place where the unsaved will be for all eternity. Those who go into the lake of fire never come out! They will suffer there forever! The fire will never go out. They must stay in this prison forever! The lake of fire is also called the Second Death (Revelation 20:14 and see 21:8). Death means SEPARATION. The second death is when a person is separated from God forever. Someone has once said, "Those who are born twice (that is, born again) die once; those who are born once die twice" This means that those who are born again only have to die once (they die physically). Those who are not born again will not only die physically but they will also be cast into the lake of fire which is the SECOND DEATH. The SECOND DEATH is for all that have never been BORN AGAIN into God’s family. This is one of the reasons Jesus said, "You must be born again" (John 3:7).

Why Do People Deny the Reality of Hell?

Hell is a terrible reality and we don't like to think about it. But God's Word, which is absolute TRUTH (John 17:17) tells us about hell and God wants us to understand it and that Christ died to save us from it. People deny hell for two main reasons: 1) They don't understand the terribleness of sin in God's sight; 2) They don't understand the awesome holiness of God.

If we really understood these twin truths, we would not have a problem understanding why the wicked must suffer in hell forever.

What Is Hell?

When you think of HELL you should always think of two things: 1) Separation from God; 2) Punishment by God. Look up the following verses and see if you can find these two things:

1. Matthew 25:41

SEPARATION____________________________________

PUNISHMENT____________________________________

2. Matthew 25:46

SEPARATION____________________________________

PUNISHMENT____________________________________

3. 2 Thessalonians 1:9

SEPARATION____________________________________

PUNISHMENT____________________________________

4. Names for Hell:

SEPARATION: Hell is called "THE SECOND DEATH" and this reminds us of separation.

PUNISHMENT: Hell is called "THE LAKE OF FIRE" and this reminds us of punishment.

Jesus Suffered Hell For Us!

What happened to Jesus when He died on the cross? Read Matthew 27:46. Was He separated from God? _____ Read Isaiah 53:4,5,6,10 and 1 Peter 3:18. Was He punished by God? _____ Indeed, this is the good news found in the Bible! Jesus Christ was separated from God so that we would never have to be separated from God! Jesus Christ was punished by God so that we would never have to be punished by God! Jesus Christ died so that we would never have to be hurt by the second death (Revelation 2:11)! Christ died to save us and deliver us from so great a death (2 Corinthians 1:10)!