Question 47: What is Hell?

Question: What is hell?

Answer: Hell is a place of eternal separation from God’s presence for those who reject his grace.

He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Paul writes to encourage believers facing intense persecution for their faith. Paul explains that when Jesus returns, he will punish those who refuse to know God and obey the gospel. This punishment is final—permanent exclusion from God’s presence and glory. It’s a conscious, eternal separation from the one who created humanity for relationship with himself. Since people are created with a built-in longing to be with God, experiencing his complete absence brings torment. Jesus uses vivid imagery to describe this eternal separation as weeping, gnashing of teeth, outer darkness and unquenchable fire (Matthew 13:42, 8:12, Mark 9:43).

We may flinch at the either/or dynamic: heaven or hell. Scripture wraps this discussion in the context of relationship. People were created to be with God, but sin separates (Ephesians 2:1-3). Jesus died to restore our relationship with God. Hell is the judgment for rejecting God. We all deserve hell because of our sins. Only through God’s grace available through the death and resurrection of Jesus can Christians escape the punishment of hell. Unbelievers will experience unending punishment for rejecting the grace offered through Christ’s death on the cross. Experiencing God’s grace and understanding the reality of hell should motivate us to share the gospel, knowing that choices for or against Christ have eternal consequences.

TODAY: Thank God for his grace that rescues you from eternal separation. Pray for those you know who don’t yet know Christ and ask God for opportunities to share the gospel with them. Learn more about eternity in our We Believe document HERE.