All talks » Sin: Hell
Bible:
Speaker: Andrew Latimer
God’s Wrath
1. God’s wrath is his righteous personal fury against evil
5 …the day of wrath when God's righteous judgement will be revealed. 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 8…for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. [Romans 2:5-8]
2. Hell will be worse than we can imagine
“If anyone worships the beast and its image…10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night… [Revelation 14:9-11 cf. Mark 9:43-48]
3. Hell will be unending
 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. [Matthew 25:46; Daniel 12:2]
No annihilation: Don’t the NT images indicate extinction? And isn’t it unfair?
- None of the New Testament images indicate extinction
Darkness: And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. [Matthew 25:30]
Fire: …and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
[Revelation 20:10; cf. Matthew 13:41-42]
Death: The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his
eyes and saw Abraham far off…[Luke 16:22-23]
Destruction: They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of
the Lord and from the glory of his might [2 Thessalonians 1:9; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3]
- It’s fair because those in hell continue to sin, incurring ongoing wrath
They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these
plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. [Revelation 16:9, 11, 21; cf. Luke 16:24]
No second chance
And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his
finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child,
…between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to
you may not do so, and none may cross from there to us.’ [Luke 16:24-26]
4. Hell is completely Just
Hell’s punishments will be proportionate
And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will
receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will
receive a light beating. [Luke 12:47-48]
Hell is ultimately self-chosen
And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather
than the light because their works were evil. [John 3:19]
Hell will be seen to be gloriously just
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the
last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. 2 And I saw…those who had conquered the beast…
3…saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations! [Revelation 15:1-4]