In Part 1 of this essay, we considered five reasons why men deny the doctrine of hell. Hell is not an easy doctrine to embrace. It is not a “feel-good” teaching. We must submit our minds to the teachings of Jesus and sit humbly at His feet as His disciples. It is very hard to shine the light of this doctrine on the faces of our loved ones who, we fear, are yet outside of Christ. But as Christ’s disciples, we are called to love Him more than our natural family [Matthew 10:37]. His Word must direct us in all things.
Abraham’s encounter with Hell
Consider Abraham, the father of our faith. In Genesis 18, the Lord informs Abraham that He is going to destroy Sodom. Abraham asserts his confidence in the Lord’s righteous justice. God will certainly differentiate between the righteous and the wicked. He asks the rhetorical question which anticipates an affirmative answer: Will not the Judge of all the earth deal justly [Genesis 18:25]? Abraham the friend of God [James 2:23], is wondrously tuned into the heart of God who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked [Ezekiel 18:23, 32]. With a yearning for the salvation of the Sodomites, Abraham courageously intercedes for Sodom, hoping, no doubt, that the Lord would spare Lot and others brought to faith by Lot. We understand that the Lord will judge Sodom. He must. He is the Judge of the earth who deals justly. At the end of Genesis 18, we are also inclined to hope that Lot, and maybe others, will be rescued [see 2 Peter 2:6-9].
We know the sad story of Lot recorded in Genesis 19. Had Peter not told us that he was righteous, we could barely differentiate him from the other Sodomites. But our focus in on Abraham. In Genesis 19 we are given the only scene in the Abrahamic narrative in which Abraham has no “lines to recite.” He appears on a ridge overlooking the valley of Sodom which is now erupting like a fiery furnace [Genesis 19:28]. He stands silently, saying nothing as he witnesses a depiction of hell [Jude 1:7] and divine wrath incinerates Sodom. We see Abraham seeing Sodom’s destruction and the next scene returns us to the story of Lot. We are told that the Lord remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow [Genesis 19:29], but we have no reason to think that Abraham was aware that the Lord answered his prayer. The next time we see Abraham, he is heading off to Gerar [Genesis 20:1]. We are shocked! He reminds us of Lot who went to Sodom! He leaves the land and then compromises Sarah who at that time is pregnant with Isaac [Genesis 18:14]. What is he doing?! He is abandoning God’s covenant blessings which focus on the seed and the land! Why?
Let me suggest that, having seen the wrath of God consume Sodom, Abraham had a hard time embracing the doctrine of hell. Seeing Sodom burning beneath the wrath of God was a test of Abraham’s faith. He did not do well on that test. Hell is a hard doctrine to embrace, even when we know that we are saved from it. Could it be that Abraham was so shocked by the experience of seeing a manifestation of God’s wrath, that it even disturbed his friendship with God and brought him well-nigh unto apostasy!? Unfaithful, lying Abraham is in a sorry spiritual state in Gerar. Then we read Genesis 20:3 which begins with two of the most wonderful words in Scripture: But God… God retrieved him from Gerar and restored him into worshipful communion. The friend of God is taught to embrace God as the God of covenant love and grace who is nevertheless the God of holy wrath and justice. If it is true that Abraham was challenged to accept the doctrine of hell, we can be understanding when we encounter resistance to this teaching.
A final insight into the thinking of those who deny hell.
In Psalm 10, the Holy Spirit takes us into the mind of the fool who lives as though there is no God [Psalm 14:1]. He reasons with a depraved mind that refuses to have God in [his] thoughts [Romans 1:28]. Psalm 10:4 presents us with a haughty, proud fool: all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” Here is a professed “atheist.” God’s judgments are out of his sight [v5]. We recall what Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:5, he does not notice God’s judgments. With cocky self-confidence and false security [v6], he lives a life of flagrant wickedness [vss7-10]. Perhaps his conscience acts up so we hear him in v11: he says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.” So now this God, who he said does not exist in v4, does exist! This previously non-existing God is “allowed” to exist only if He has amnesia. The fool can accept God’s existence as long as God’s memory is faulty when it comes to judging sin. In fact, the hell-denier can even be religiously devoted to such a false god. So in v13, we actually hear the fool pray to his non-judgmental idol: You will not require it. Here is a religious denial of judgment and hell. Religious denials of hell abound in our day, as they did among the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day. But we immediately hear the Psalmist pray to the true God in direct rebuttal of the fool’s false religion: You have seen it… to take it into Your hand [v14]. In other words, God does judge in spite of men’s protests and denials. The issue which offends men is not the existence of God. It is the existence of the God of the Bible; the God who is our Creator, Lawgiver and Judge. The true, living God is their problem.
We can recognize all the reasons that we have considered why men deny hell. No doubt, the fool of Psalm 10 is deceived by Satan’s lie into thinking that God will not punish him for his sin. He is nonetheless responsible for deceiving himself with his bad theology. His religious denial of hell could likely involve a twisting of God’s Word. He misunderstands God’s kindness and misinterprets Gods patience. He wantonly abandons himself to his lusts instead of realizing that God is giving him time to repent.
An appeal for compassion in view of this difficult doctrine.
Peter tells us to sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence [1 Peter 3:15]. When men see our hope for Christ’s return and our joyful expectation of the glories that await us, they’ll ask us how we can be so hopeful when so many are so hopeless. Answer their questions with gentleness [a strength that accommodates itself to another’s weakness]; and with reverence [a respect for the person and for the reality of the eternity that that person faces].
Be compassionate with them as Christ is compassionate with you. Remember, you are nothing but a “brand plucked from the burning” [Jude 1:23], a hell-deserving sinner, saved by Christ by grace through faith. Speak to others as one who has been rescued and tell them of the Christ who is ready to rescue them when they repent and turn to Him in faith. Do not let compassion compromise truth. Graciously, compassionately, open Scripture and show them the teachings of Jesus about hell. Let them see that you are not twisting the words but reading them as they are written. Describe the God of the Bible in His holiness and justice. Let them feel the weight of the Law’s conviction and condemnation. Interpret Jesus in the light of the Old Testament as the obedient Lamb of God whose sacrificial death atones for sin and propitiates wrath. Help them to understand that God provides only two places where His wrath against sin is satisfied: hell or the cross of Jesus. As a sinner, they must go to one of those two places.
Plead with them. Weep for them. Pray for them. Urge them to go to the cross. Tell them that Jesus is risen. Tell them that He is a merciful High Priest who is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always makes intercession for them [Hebrews 7:25]. Tell them that Jesus is about to return to raise the dead, execute Final Judgment and usher mankind into eternity. Tell them that God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him [Romans 5:8-9]. Tell them that today is the day of salvation [2 Corinthians 6:2]. Tomorrow – eternity.