7 Verses that Prove the Existence of Hell

> “What a barbaric and outdated belief!”

>“That idiotic doctrine came from merging Greek philosophy with Christianity!”

> “It was an invented doctrine to control the people.”

> “It was just referencing a garbage dump near Jerusalem—just to show how hellish this life can be if we don’t live like Jesus said to”

These are just some of the lines people give when talking about Hell. The doctrine of Hell has fallen out of favor with large swaths of people in our modern era—from liberal denominations to the LDS Church: many people who claim to be Christians say hell is a laughably unbiblical notion.

So, are wacko theologically conservative Christians (like ourselves) totally wrong? Is hell simply a combination of outdated philosophy and Scripture taken out of context?

Today, we’re going to take a look at 7 verses that definitively demonstrate that hell is not an invented doctrine, but is, in fact, a BIBLICAL doctrine.

#1 – the Sheep and the Goats: Matthew 25

After speaking about the “signs of the end of the age” in Matthew 24, Jesus goes into more detail about the coming of the “Son of man” and future “coming judgment”…

He says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  (Matthew 25:31-33,41, 46)

You have two groups here: the sheep, and the goats. The cursed goats will depart into “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” which is aptly named “eternal punishment.” These are the two options Jesus gives for humanity….eternal punishment, or eternal life!

I’m not sure how much more overt the language could be here…I mean, he’s clearly referring to hell. Not much more to say about that one!

#2 – Tormented Forever and Ever: Revelation 14

Revelation actually has a LOT of verses that reference the idea of hell, but we’re only going to focus on a couple for this video:

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 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 sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”  (Revelation 14:9-11)

Just before these verses, John wrote that, once again, there are only two groups of people: those that have been sealed by the mark of the Lamb, and those who worship the “beast and its image.” Those who are the Lamb’s are written in His Book of Life, those who are the beasts will suffer the “wine of God’s wrath,” and the language here is…intense!

God’s wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger, tormented with fire and sulfur forever and ever with no rest, day and night…And before you say that this is referencing the demons, or something like that – read the Book of Revelation: this group of people are the humans on earth who REFUSE to repent of their sins.

Latter-day Saints – you have to DO something with this verse…this can’t simply be talking about spirit prison, because of the language of “forever and ever.” This has a mark of finality to it, that simply wouldn’t apply to Spirit prison.

Let’s move on—

#3 – The Example of Sodom and Gomorrah: Jude 1

This one is interesting because it traces a pattern of God’s actions towards sin through the Old Testament and lets that point us towards his attitude at final judgment towards sin. Verse 4 says

“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4)

Then Jude speaks of Jesus destroying those in Egypt who didn’t believe, angels who sinned, and then Sodom and Gomorrah:

“just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7)

He goes on to continue citing examples of God’s judgment, but Sodom and Gomorrah specifically serve as an EXAMPLE, their destruction was one that inaugurated “eternal fire” for the people on account of the sexual immorality. Not only were they destroyed physically, that destruction was meant to show the utter and eternal destruction that WILL come upon these “ungodly people” who “pervert the grace of God” back in verse 4.

#4 – The Vengeance of Christ: 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

These verses talk about what will happen when Jesus returns…actually, the entire BOOK kind of talks about what will happen when Jesus returns. 2 Thessalonians is all about Paul correcting a false teaching that was being spread around—that Christ had already returned…he’s trying to be as CLEAR as possible about what is going to happen. He writes:

“when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed” (2 Thess. 1:7-10)

When Jesus returns, he’s inflicting vengeance on those who don’t know God or His Gospel…these people SUFFER punishment AWAY from all the goodness and mercy of God….for all eternity. Take this alongside all the other texts that speak about Christ’s return, and we start to get a fairly clear image about what happens to those who don’t know God at Jesus’ return.

#5 – Their Worm Shall Not Die: Isaiah 66

This is the very last verse of Isaiah. The last couple chapters of the book are epic—they predict the gloriousness of the eternal state for God’s people: the New Heavens and New Earth. But the last verse ends on an ominous note: what happens to those NOT in the New Heavens and New Earth?

“And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24)

This gives us a bit of description about the “second death,” those who are there are like worms who don’t die, and their fire will NEVER go out. The sight is so awful, that it’s an “abhorrence” to everyone who sees it. Not the kind of place you want to be in…and it’s eternal! The POINT is that their torment never ends, which has been a recurring theme throughout these verses.

#6 – Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth: Matthew 13

Anyone who’s read the Gospels knows that Jesus OFTEN speaks about the place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Now, Mormons say that many of these statements are either referencing Spirit Prison, OR (perhaps) Outer Darkness—a place where virtually no one will go. But we can’t isolate Jesus’ statements from one another, NOR can we isolate them from the OTHER verses that use the same kind of language. Matthew 13 records Jesus saying:

“So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:49-50)

And again in verse 30,

“Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:30)

Jesus is really clear throughout his parables, that the HARVEST is the time of his return…when ALL the other verses in the New Testament take place. You have to do some MAJOR twisting to make all these references point to something OTHER than eternal destiny after Jesus’ return and final judgment.

#7 – Final Judgment: Revelation 20

Last, but not least, is the text that speaks about final judgment in Revelation. After this text, the “New Heavens and New Earth” is consummated—and God’s people will dwell with Him for eternity. But…for those who are NOT God’s people, here’s what happens at judgment:

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:11-15)

Chapter 21:8 says,

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)

This is strikingly clear — when God judges the world, there are only two options: those who dwell with him in the New Heavens and Earth, and those who are cast into the “Lake of Fire,” the “Second Death.” This is exactly what we’ve seen in all the other verses on this list: and eternal state of judgment and torment that serves to punish the wickedness of God’s enemies—those humans who refused to repent of their sins.

So What?

Now, why do we bring all this up? Because you—dear viewer—are in the crosshairs of God’s weighty and terrible judgment on account of your sin. At ANY MOMENT, the Lord may see fit to take your life. You could die. Tonight, even. And then this would be your state for all eternity. 

But though you are “by nature [a child] of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph 2:3), God is rich in mercy…This “lake of fire” NEED not be your sure and certain destiny! Ephesians 2 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:4, 8-9)

God gave His son so that WHOEVER believes in Him shall not perish—shall NOT be subject to the second death, but will have eternal life (John 3:16).

If you think that your good deeds (your adherence to laws and ordinances) will make you right with God, know that He has declared that ALL your righteous deeds are filthy rags before Him. He accepts NONE of those deeds as pleasing in his eyes. None of them can give you peace with God!

If your hope is laws and ordinances, then you’ll NEVER be righteous enough to be accepted in His eyes—and this second death is barreling towards you.

What you need is the mercy of God, for the forgiveness of Christ to fall on you—and the MEANS God has chosen for accepting this is FAITH, and faith alone.

So turn to Christ in faith, forsake all your worthless deeds and all your strivings—believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved from the wrath to come.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)