IS HELL A REAL PLACE?

A few days ago a member of my group, End Time News, entered this question in the comment section of a post: 

Is Hell a place or the absence of Heaven? 

Just like there isn't cold only the absence of heat 

and no darkness only the absence of light.

This is a honest question.  One I could not easily dismiss.  Perhaps you or others you know ... have asked the same question.  

Hell is not just an issue, or a topic, it is a place.  A very real place.  Jesus spoke about hell more than heaven.  Yet, it's a subject we are reluctant to discuss.  This explains it well: "There are those who claim to be preachers who don’t ever talk about hell, wouldn’t talk about hell, avoid it at all costs, when the truth of the matter is, it ought to be the first thing that we talk about when we talk about the gospel. This is about salvation from hell.” 

I.  HELL IS REAL

It is a real place, prepared by God for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Hell is a reality and it is a place where unrepentant people go at death.

Hell is a place to avoid. Mark 9: 43, 45, 47 plainly says that if your hand, your eye, or your foot offends you - then cut them off...because it's better to enter life halt or maimed, rather than having both hands, two feet or even two eyes and be cast into everlasting fire.

Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

II. HELL'S LOCATION

Isaiah 14:9 "Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming:  it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; ..."

"So far as we can tell from Scripture, the present hell is somewhere in the heart of the earth itself.  It is also called "the pit" (Isaiah 14:9; 15; Ezekiel 32:18-21 and the 'the abyss' (Rev. 9:2) ..   The great 'pit' [hell] would only need to be about 100 miles or less in diameter to contain, with much room to spare, all the people who have ever lived, assuming their 'spiritual' bodies are the same size as their physical bodies."  (Henry M. Morris, The Bible Has the Answer, p. 220)

III. HELL'S ENVIRONMENT

It's a place of outer darkness - a place of torment - a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth - a place of loneliness, a place without the presence of God.

It's a place of everlasting fire, punishment, and chains.  It's a place of eternal damnation and judgment.  The remorse, pain, sorrow, and shame will be overwhelming.  You will cry out, but no one will answer.

It's a place where there is no hope and there is no way of escape.  

IV.  HELL'S INHABITANTS

Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels - but - it is a place where  unbelievers will spend eternity ... without God.  God does not send His Children there.  He has no children in hell.  Those in hell made the choice to reject Him as Father.  

John 3:36 " He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

V.  HOW TO ESCAPE HELL

Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.... 

Romans 10:9 -That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Acts 22:16 - And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

John 3:16-17 - 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.   

Dr. Rawlings, a devout atheist, wrote a book entitled, Beyond Death's Door. In 1977 he was resuscitating a man, terrified and screaming - descending into the flames of hell:

"Each time he regained 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).

The answer to your question is YES, there is a Hell.  It does exist.  You don't want to go there.  

2 Peter 3:9 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.

I pray you will give your heart to Jesus Christ today.  He is faithful and just to forgive us for our sins.  Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in glory with the Father - and He's coming back again to receive us unto Himself.  When the trumpet sounds we will be raptured....we are going HOME.  And it will be soon.

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