Why Does Hell Have to be Forever?

Pastor Colin Smith

"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:46

Isn't it reasonable that people should experience hell for a time, but then it comes to an end? You're going to be asked this question someday. How are you going to answer it?  

The reason hell goes on forever is because sinners never stop sinning. If you think sinning stops for the sinner at the end of this life, you haven't really understood the Bible's teaching about sin.

What the Bible teaches about sin

People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. Revelation 16:10-11

When the judgment of God comes, sinners hate God even more than they did before. The sinner cannot change his heart, nor can he bring himself to love God. That means nobody will be repenting in hell.

The heart of the sinner does not grow softer in hell. Remember who the sinner has for his company in hell-the devil and his angels. Sin will sink deeper into the sinner, and the sinner will sink deeper into sin.

In heaven, our love for each other will be more and more, as we grow in the knowledge of Christ. But in hell, the remnants of affection will grow less and less, as people become more and more absorbed with themselves.

The tragedy of sin

As the tree falls... so shall it lie. Ecclesiastes 11:3

Are you resisting God today? You don't want to fall that way. The great tragedy of sin is that the sinner could not be happy in heaven and he cannot be happy in hell. Do you see what a terrible thing sin is? It is a complete dead end, leaving you with no place to go. Of course sinners will want to get out of hell, but they won't want to be in heaven.

Would being with God be a reward to you? Your answer to this question is a statement about the condition of your heart, your spiritual condition. Your prayer today should not be, "Deliver me from hell," but "Deliver me from the sin that leads there. Wash me; cleanse me. Give me a new heart. Change this will that is always resisting you."

That's this week's LifeKEY!

Colin S. Smith

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This LifeKey is based on the message "Hell," from the series, "Heaven & Hell" preached on February 19, 2012. 

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