Hell is for Real (Jesus said so)

A best-selling book and recent motion picture told the story of Colton Burpo, a four-year old boy who supposedly died and went to Heaven during surgery.  While am a dubious of all NDEs (Near Death Experiences) I hear about (most do not line up with Biblical theology), Colton's story particularly struck a nerve with me due to the fact that most of his story was more "Wesleyan" than straight Bible.  His father is a Wesleyan pastor, and I have always had my suspicions the boy was "coached" in telling his story, much in the way very young children are coached in the Mormon church in giving their "testimony" that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church, the Book of Mormon is the word of God and Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God.

In light of this, I began to search the Bible, expecially the words of Jesus -- mostly from the four Gospels -- to see exactly what Our Lord and Savior had to say on the subject of Heaven and discovered He actually said a lot more about Hell!  This is significant, in that most people absolutely don't believe in Hell and that includes many Christians (mostly liberal ones) who feel that references to Hell in the Bible are actually metaphors.

Believing that something doesn't exist, however, doesn't make it go away.  If I were arrested, I could tell the officer who "busted" me, "You can't take me to jail because I don't believe jail exists.  I've never seen a jail, never been there, in fact I've never known anyone who has been to jail, therefore I know jail does not exist!"  Once I was tossed into the "clink" and the big door slammed, I would probably quickly understand thatwhat I previously thought about jail didn't matter make jail non-existant.

It is the same for Hell.  Just because a person refuses to believe in Hell doesn't make it go away.  It's there, it's a real place, and all who do not put their faith and trust in Jesus to same them are headed for that final destination -- a sobering thought indeed!

Jesus certainly believed in Hell and made 32 specific statements concerning it.  He was not speaing metaphorically and he wasn't calling it a "state of mind."  It is a real place.  And if Jesus, who was God Almighty come in human form and was sinless (which includes never telling a lie), was convinced "Hell is for real," I think we'd better wake up and take notice of all he said about the subject.

These are the 32 statements Jesus made, and where they occur in the Bible:
1.  Jesus said it is a wrath to come (Mt. 3: 7)
2.  Jesus said those not bringing forth good fruit would be cast into the fire (Mt. 3: 10)
3.  Jesus said the chaff would be burned up with UNQUENCHABLE fire (Mt. 3: 12
4.  Jesus said anyone calling his brother a fool was in danger of Hell fire (Mt. 5: 23)
5.  Jesus said it was better to have a body part perish than be cast into Hell (Mt. 5: 29, 30)
6.  Jesus said the way to destruction was broad (Mt. 7: 13)
7.  Jesus said it was a place of outer darkness (Mt. 8: 12)
8.  Jesus said it was a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 8: 12)
9.  Jesus said to fear God who is able to destroy both body and soul in Hell (Mt. 10: 28)
10.  Jesus said it was a place where tares (weeds) would be burned up (Mt. 13: 30, 38)
11.  Jesus said it was a furnace of fire (Mt. 13: 42)
12.  Jesus said it was worse than having a millstone tied around your neck and be cast into the sea (Mt. 18:6)
13.  Jesus said it was a place of everlasting fire (Mt. 18: 8)
14.  Jesus said it was a place where those who made light of His marriage to the Bride (Church) would be burned up (Mt. 22: 5, 7)
15.  Jesus said it was a place of damnation (Mt. 23: 33)
16.  Jesus said it was a place prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25: 41)
17.  Jesus said it was a place of EVERLASTING punishment (Mt. 25: 46)

(Note:  Revelation 20: 10 tells us that those whose names are not found in the book of life will be tormented along with the beast, the false prophet and the devil, "day and night FOREVER AND EVER.")

18.  Jesus said it was a place where one's soul would be lost (Mk. 8: 36)
19.  Jesus said it was a place of shame (Mk. 8:36)
20.  Jesus said it was a place where no one would cease to exist (Mk. 9: 46) [note:  "Worm" in

the orginal greek refers to a constant eating away of a dead body]
21.  Jesus is was better not to be born than to go there (Mk. 14: 21)
22.  Jesus said he who does not believe would be condemned there (Mk. 16: 16)
23.  Jesus said it was a place of mourning (Lk. 6:25)
24.  Jesus said it was a place where one would be lost and cast away (Lk. 9: 25)
25.  Jesus said there would be those who would be thrust down there (Lk. 10: 15)
26.  Jesus said it was a place where the unrepentant would perish (Lk. 13: 5)
27.  Jesus said it was a place of flames and torments (Lk. 16: 23-25)

(Note:  I've heard liberals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists and others dismiss Luke 16 as being only a parable.  First of all it's not a parable.  When Jesus told parables, he never used anyone's name.  But here he uses Lazarus' name, because Lazarus is a real person. And this is a real event.  And even if it were a parable, let me ask you this:  Would Jesus tell a parable that had wrong theology?  No.  Indeed, Jesus used parables to explain correct theology about the Kingdom of God.  You will also notice here also that the rich man was suffering even BEFORE the final Judgement, which is yet to occur.)

28.  Jesus said those in Hell would recognize the righteous dead (Lk. 16: 23)
29.  Jesus said there was a great gulf fixed between Hell and Heaven that could not be traversed (Lk. 16: 26)
30.  Jesus said the unbelieving in Hell would never see life (Jn. 3: 36)
31.  Jesus said Hell was where the unbeliever would have the wrath of God abiding on him (Jn. 3: 36)
32.  Jesus said it was a place of resurrection (the unrighteous dead would experience existance) (Jn. 5: 29)

Jesus' statements on Hell are backed up by Psalm 88 in the Old Testament which gives us an
excellent description of Hell:

Verse 5 says it is a place with people who God no longer cares to remember -- who are cut off from His care.
Verse 8 describes the distancing between the righteous and the lost (see ##28 & #29 above).
Verse 8 also says those who are there, are repulsive to the righteous.
Verse 8 also says no one can leave there (#30 above).
Verse 9 describes the crying there (see #8 above).
Verse 14 describes God's rejection.
Verse 15 describes the horrors.
Verse 16 also describes the terrors (also verse 17).
Verse 18 speaks of the great gulf (#29 above).
Verse 18 also speaks of the outer darkness Jesus referred to (#7 above).

Unlike Colton Burpo, the words of Our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ can be "taken to the bank" with 100% guarantee.  There is indeed a Hell.  It is a real place.  And you don't want to go there and suffer for all eternity.  The only way to avoid this eternal damnation is trust in Jesus with all your heart.  He will save you from Hell by His grace, something you cannot do for yourself by your good works (Ephesians 2: 8,9; Titus 3: 5).  Hell is a coming torment which culminates God's wrath poured out upon sin (which a perfect God cannot tolerate in His site).  All people whoever lived or who now live with either, upon dead, go to one of two places -- Heaven or Hell.  You can avoid Hell and live an eternity of bliss with Jesus by following the simple prescription laid out by the Apostle Paul in Romans 10: 9-13:

"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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."