Over the last twenty years, I have preached on hell once.

Of course, I mention the doctrine every so often, but

always in passing. This, I am convinced, is an error on my

part, especially since the doctrine is rapidly falling into dis-

repute among those who once embraced it.

The Doctrine

As a doctrine, hell is solidly biblical. Certainly Jesus is

abundantly clear on the reality of hell. In Matthew 25:41,

Jesus states: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart

from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared

for the devil and his angels.’” Jesus concluded his remarks on

the sheep and goats judgment by saying, “Then they will go

away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life”

(Matthew 25:46). Note that both heaven and hell are eternal.

Those who believe in annihilation at death for non-Chris-

tians cannot have it both ways. If heaven is eternal, hell must

be as well. (For further research on the subject, see Matthew

5:29; 8:11-12; Mark 9:43; Luke 16:19-31; 2 Thessalonians

1:9; Jude 6; Revelation 14:10-11; 20:10; 21:8.)

What is Happening to Hell?

The biblical doctrine on hell has long been standard in

mainstream Christianity. In his sermon, The Great Assize,

John Wesley said, “It follows that either the punishment lasts

forever, or the reward too will come to an end; no, never,

unless God could come to an end, or his mercy and truth

could fail.” John Calvin wrote: “But the whole Scripture proclaims

that there will be no end of the happiness of the elect,

or the punishment of the reprobate.”1

Cults and Sects

The Christian-based cults – the Jehovah’s Witnesses,

Mormons, Christian Scientists, and so on – deny the existence

of an eternal hell and substitute some other circumstance

that awaits the non-believer. This seemingly reasonable

and charitable approach is one reason for the appeal of

these cults. “Ah, the hated, unfair, and unreasonable doctrine

of the professors of Christendom is shown to be false,” the

cults’ ministers boast to the prospect. Is this a quote that has

a citation reference?

The Adventists, a sect of Christianity (not now so doctrinally

aberrant to earn the designation of cult) have long

stressed the theory of annihilation. Their view is that life

for the unconverted ends forever. (The Jehovah’s Witnesses

were influenced by this Adventist idea and changed it only

slightly – Jehovah God slays all non-Witnesses and unfaithful

Witnesses.) In any case, both the cults and certain so-called

Christian sects, like the Adventists, deny the biblical teaching

of an eternal punishment in hell.

The Church Growth Movement

Hell is not faring well with those churches that are committed

to a contemporary marketing and branding strategy

that downplays or ignores the embarrassing doctrine of hell.

1 The Institutes, Book III, chapter 25, section 5.

The doctrine simply will not help get people into the pews.

Whether the ministers within the movement believe it or not

is unknown and irrelevant. The determinant factor is that

disquieting doctrines must be hidden from view, as they do

not serve the greater purpose – getting people in the door.

The result, though, is a slighting if not a downright rejection

of the biblical truth. And this will ultimately serve neither

the seeker nor the unchurched, because they will not realize

their desperate need to come to Christ.

Summary

The operation methods of the cults and the contemporary

efforts to attract the unchurched are already clear. However,

there is something else afoot that is of greater concern.

Leave it to Ignorance

Philip Yancey, noted and respected among American

evangelical Christians, admits in an article entitled, “The

Encyclopedia of Theological Ignorance,”2 that doctrines like

an eternal hell bother him. He asks: “Will hell really involve

an eternity of torment?” Essentially, he says that hell is a

marginal doctrine, obscure and not plain. He wonders why

the Bible does not give clear answers to the marginal doctrines.

Yancey differentiates between doctrines that are clear

and those that are not. He appears theologically orthodox in

general, but indicates that what the Bible says about hell is

unclear. He includes the doctrine of hell in his “Encyclopedia

of Theological Ignorance” as he does the subject of infant

salvation. Yancey says that the issue of infant salvation is

unclear in the Bible (perhaps so). Therefore, we should trust

a loving and merciful God to do what is right and not attempt

to clear up this marginal doctrine. He advises to take hell in

2 Christianity Today, 6 September 1999, Vol. 43, No. 10, p. 120.

What is Happening to Hell? 59

the same way. The Bible is then, according to Yancey, unclear

on the subject. This is amply demonstrated in the conclusion

of his article.

I must insist that the other important answers about

heaven and hell – who goes where, whether there are second

chances, what form the judgments and rewards take, intermediate

states after death – are inconclusive at best. Increasingly,

I am grateful for that ignorance and grateful that the

God who revealed himself in Jesus is the one who knows the

answers.

Opaque?

By “opaque,” Yancey means unclear. He does believe in

heaven and hell, but in a way that negates or blunts their

reality. A person persuaded by Yancey might well reason,

“Hmm, I don’t have to take the doctrine of hell seriously. I

don’t have to believe in it. I don’t have to teach or preach it.

I don’t have to warn anyone of the danger of going there. I

don’t have to fear it myself – because it is not a clear Bible

doctrine. Yes, I will leave it all up to God and, after all, he is

merciful and loving.”

What has Yancey done? He has muddled an important

doctrine. He has told the watchman to come down from the

tower, because there is no enemy. It is as if to say, “Why all

this scary talk about judgment and hell? It is not clear, and

whatever is not clear we should disregard and assign to The

Encyclopedia of Theological Ignorance.”

Accountability

Can we accept what Yancey advocates?

Personally, I cannot, though it would be nice if I could. If

I could relax about the doctrine of hell and convince myself

that it is a marginal doctrine, I would not need to warn and

plead with the unconverted. It would reduce the risk of scar

ing them away. My reputation among the unconverted and

especially the Christianized might improve. However, I cannot

do it. I do not like the idea of hell any more than any

other Christian. But the Scriptures teach it; the doctrine is

beyond question. To say that the doctrine of hell is opaque is

to both impugn the integrity of Jesus and deny the authority

of Scripture. Worst of all, it gives the unconverted false hope

and comfort. How very dangerous; how very awful.

Emotional and Personal Reasons to Reject the Doctrine

of Hell

Hell is a doctrine that Christians find difficult, not usually

for theological nor biblical reasons but for emotional and

personal reasons. I understand this.

My mother, who gave me life and loved me unconditionally,

died not trusting in Jesus. As best I could, I shared the

gospel with her, but she steadfastly rejected it. Moreover,

my wife’s family, siblings, parents, and grandparents are

strangers to the promise of eternal life in Christ. So, I have

many reasons why I might want to obscure the doctrine of

hell. How comforting it would be to downplay hell, perhaps

develop a theology of second chances, and accept the notion

that beloved family members could yet find safety and salvation

in heaven apart from grace, or even suggest some sort

of universalism. While one of these notions might ease some

pain and anxiety, it would do no one any good.

A dear friend recently confessed to me that he was terribly

upset that his father might die in his sins and be condemned

to hell. I was actually tempted to comfort him by

minimizing the reality of hell. Would it have helped? Would it

have been the honest thing to do? As Christians, we must face

these hard truths. We did not make them up, and whether

we believe them or not does not and cannot alter the truth.

A Clear and Present Duty

Preachers (and we are all preachers) of the whole counsel

of God and the fullness of the gospel have to warn of hell.

However unpleasant it is, however many people designate

us to be hopeless literalists, the truth must be made clear.

Ours is a higher duty than to falsely comfort the unconverted

as Philip Yancey has done.

Preachers of the gospel have been made watchmen who

will give account of their ministry.

When I say to the wicked, “O wicked man, you will

surely die,” and you do not speak out to dissuade him

from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin,

and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if

you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways

and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you

will be saved yourself” (Ezekiel 33:8-9).

To and From

If I did not believe that the unconverted would end up in

hell, I doubt I would preach much of a gospel. What would be

the point? What would I, the watchman, need to warn about?

If there is nothing to be saved from, why preach a gospel of

salvation? Someone might respond, “Well it is still better to

have faith and be positive, even if it is for this life only.” Is that

really all we have to offer? How can I follow the example of

Jesus and do anything he commanded me in this life, if he has

lied to me about heaven and hell? I would have to assume

other falsehoods as well. No, we are saved to and from something.

We are saved to being in Christ now and enjoy the

abundant life he gives us, and then finally to being with him

in heaven. And we are saved from being separated from him

forever in hell. This is an essential part of the gospel.

What Happens to Hell is not Marginal

What will the minister who does not believe in hell

preach? Perhaps he will deliver sermons about justice,

self-improvement, the poor and disadvantaged, and more

– all important subjects. But since there is a judgment that

follows the resurrection of the just and the unjust, it will be

an incomplete ministry. As Jesus said, “What good will it be

for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”

(Matthew 16:26).

I am not suddenly going to become exclusively a “hell-fire

and brimstone” preacher. But I will preach on it as occasion

arises; I will warn of a terrible judgment upon all those outside

of Christ that will surely result in an eternal hell. I will

preach it, because it is the truth, and people need to know

the truth so they would seek him out and be found by him.