Hell in Christian beliefs

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Hell, in Christian beliefs, is a place in which the souls of the unsaved will suffer the consequences of sin. In the New Testament, hell (Gehenna or Tartarus) is defined as the place or state of punishment after death or last judgment for those who have rejected Jesus. In many classical and popular depictions it is also the abode of the devil and of evil spirits.^[1]

In some older English translations of the Bible (such as the KJV), the word "hell" is used to translate certain words such as sheol (Hebrew) and hades (Greek). These words do not typically refer to the place of eternal punishment, but to the underworld or temporary abode of the dead.^[2]

Contents 1 Jewish background 2 Hell in the New Testament 3 Mainline church teachings 3.1 Eastern Orthodoxy 3.2 Roman Catholicism 3.2.1 Purgatory and Limbo 3.3 Protestantism 3.3.1 Conditional Immortality and Annihilationism 3.3.2 Universalism 4 Teachings of other groups 4.1 Seventh-day Adventism 4.2 Christian Science 4.3 Latter-day Saints (Mormons) 4.4 Jehovah's Witnesses 4.5 Unity 4.6 Swedenborgianism 5 See also 6 Notes and References 7 References

[edit] Jewish background

In ancient Jewish belief, the dead were consigned to the underworld, or Sheol, a shadowy existence to which all were sent indiscriminately (cf. Genesis 37:35; Numbers 16:30-33; Psalm 86:13; Ecclesiastes 9:10).^[3] However, by the third to second century B.C. the idea had grown to encompass separate divisions in sheol for the righteous and wicked (cf. the Book of Enoch).^[4]

The Hebrew word Sheol was translated in the Greek Septuagint as Hades, the name for the underworld and abode of the dead in Greek mythology. The realm of eternal punishment in Hellenistic mythology was in fact Tartarus; hades was rather a form of limbo where the dead went to be judged.

In later Jewish belief, the place of eternal punishment was Gehenna, a place of unquenchable fire (cf. Assumption of Moses, 2 Esdras).^[5] The term is derived from ge-hinnom, a valley near Jerusalem originally used as a location for human sacrifices to the idol Moloch, and where refuse and the bodies of executed criminals were later burnt.

And he defiled the Tophet, which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech. 2 Kings 23:10

And they built the high places of the Ba‘al, which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech; which I did not command them, nor did it come into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. Jeremiah 32:35

[edit] Hell in the New Testament

The New Testament depicts "hell", the place of eternal punishment, in a variety of ways. The most common term used for "hell" in the original Greek is γεεννα (gehenna), a direct loan of Hebrew ge-hinnom. The term is however found almost exclusively in the synoptic gospels.^[6][7][8] Gehenna is most frequently described as a place of fiery torment (eg. Matthew 5:22, 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-49) although other imagery is also used such as darkness and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (eg. Matthew 8:12; 22:13).^[7]

Besides this teaching in the synoptic gospels, the concept of hell is found in other parts of the NT although the term gehenna is not used. The Johannine writings refer to the destiny of the wicked in terms of "perishing", "death" and "condemnation" or "judgment". St. Paul speaks of "wrath" and "everlasting destruction" (cf. Romans 2:7-9; 2 Thessalonians 1:9), while the general epistles use a range of terms and images including "raging fire" (Hebrews 10:27), "destruction" (2 Peter 3:7), "eternal fire" (Jude 7) and "blackest darkness" (Jude 13). The book of Revelation contains the image of a "lake of fire" and "burning sulphur" where the reprobate will be "tormented day and night for ever and ever"(eg. Revelation 20:10).^[9]

The New Testament also uses the Greek word hades, usually to refer to the temporary abode of the dead (eg. Acts 2:31; Revelation 20:13).^[4] Only one passage describes hades as a place of torment, the parable of Lazarus and Dives (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus here depicts a wicked man suffering fiery torment in hades, which is contrasted with the bosom of Abraham, and explains that it is impossible to cross over from one location to the other. Some scholars believe that this parable reflects the intertestamental Jewish view of hades (or sheol) as containing separate divisions for the wicked and righteous.^[9][4] In Revelation 20:13-14 hades is itself thrown into the "lake of fire" after being emptied of the dead.

[edit] Mainline church teachings

[edit] Eastern Orthodoxy

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The Greek tradition has hell in the sense of an underworld where the dead await resurrection, but the damned are thrown into the fire on Judgment Day, not at death. The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that both the elect and the lost enter into the presence of God after death, and that the elect experience this presence as light and rest, while the lost experience it as darkness and torment.^[10] The Orthodox see this doctrine as supported by Scripture and by the patristic tradition.

The afterlife for the damned is dreadful anticipation of Judgment Day, while the elect happily await the resurrection of the dead. The Eastern Orthodox pray for the dead, and they believe that sometimes a lost soul can be saved after death through the prayers of the living.

[edit] Roman Catholicism

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Hell is defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 1033):

'We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."610 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren.611 To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self- exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "hell." '

In the words of Pope John Paul II, "The images of hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy".^[11] An earlier catechism, however, describes the suffering of those in hell in more traditional terms, as fiery "punishment" rather than as "self-exclusion" from God.^[12]

The traditional Catholic idea of hell as a place, has been promoted in recent years by the publication of the purported visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. The shepherd children reported "Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent." ^[13] Such private revelation, however, is not dogmatic, and does not represent a definitive Catholic viewpoint.

[edit] Purgatory and Limbo

Catholic tradition and catechisms assert the existence of purgatory, a place or state of existence where the saved are purified after death before entering into the presence of God. In theological terminology, "purgatory" is a separate and distinct term from "hell".

In John 3:5, Jesus says "unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God". This statement is interpreted to mean that those who are not baptized (which in Roman Catholic tradition removes the stain of original sin) cannot go to Heaven. In Roman Catholic tradition, Limbo is the afterlife for those who die unbaptized but are not guilty of mortal sin. Those righteous souls who died before the Crucifixion were thought to have remained in the Limbo of the Fathers until "He [Jesus] descended into Hell" to take those souls to heaven (as stated in the Apostles Creed). This teaching is also known as the harrowing of Hell. Belief in the existence of Limbo has never been a doctrine of faith which all Catholics are required to believe, as it is a doctrine not found in Apostolic Tradition; it has since formally dissolved as a Catholic theological concept by Pope Benedict XVI.^{[citation needed]}

It is also important to note that post Vatican II the Catholic Church claims that it is possible for a non-baptized individual to go to heaven, if they do not have baptism because of invincible ignorance (which is not their own fault), but follow the moral law written in their hearts. It is assumed that, had they understood the necessity of baptism, they would have chosen to be baptized. This notion is called baptism of desire.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Protestantism

In most Protestant traditions, hell is a place originally designed by God for the punishment of the devil and fallen angels (cf. Matthew 25:41). It is also the final destiny of every soul who does not receive salvation, where they will be punished for their sins. People will be consigned to hell after the last judgment.^[14]

The historic Protestant view of hell is expressed in the Westminster Confession (1646):

"but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." (Chapter XXXIII, Of the Last Judgment)

Traditionally, the majority of Protestants have held that hell will be a place of unending conscious torment, both physical and spiritual,^[9] although some recent writers (such as C. S. Lewis^[15] and J.P. Moreland ^[16]) have cast hell in terms of "eternal separation" from God. Certain biblical texts have led some theologians to the conclusion that punishment in hell, though eternal and irrevocable, will be proportional to the deeds of each soul (eg. Matthew 10:15, Luke 12:47-49).^[17]

Another area of debate is the fate of the unevangelized (i.e. those who have never had an opportunity to hear the Christian gospel), those who die in infancy, and the mentally disabled.^[9] Some Protestants agree with Augustine that people in these categories will be damned to hell for original sin, while others believe that God will make an exception in these cases.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Conditional Immortality and Annihilationism

A growing minority of Protestants believe in the doctrine of conditional immortality, which teaches that those sent to hell will not experience eternal conscious punishment, but instead will be extinguished or annihilated after a period of "limited conscious punishment".^[7] Prominent evangelical theologians who have adopted conditionalist beliefs include John Wenham, Edward Fudge, Clark Pinnock and John Stott (although the latter has described himself as an "agnostic" on the issue of annihilationism).^[9] Conditionalists typically reject the traditional concept of the immortality of the soul.

[edit] Universalism

Some Protestants (such as George MacDonald, Keith DeRose and Thomas Talbott), though also in a minority, believe that after serving their time in Hell all souls are reconciled to God and admitted to heaven, or ways are found at the time of death of drawing all souls to repentance so that Hell is never experienced. This view is often called Trinitarian Universalism, and is not to be confused with Unitarian Universalism. See universal salvation and the problem of Hell.

[edit] Teachings of other groups

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[edit] Seventh-day Adventism

Seventh-day Adventists do not believe the wicked will suffer for eternity in hell, but instead teach conditional immortality. Adventists believe that depictions in the Bible describing punishment for the wicked by fire describe the final fate of sinners after the second coming of Christ. In addition, they believe in the doctrine of soul sleep.

Seventh-day Adventists believe that at the second coming, Christ will resurrect the righteous who have died and take them to heaven with the living righteous. God will kill the unrighteous leaving only Satan and his fallen angels on earth. After a millennium, Christ will again return to earth together with the righteous and the "Holy City" (the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:10). Christ will then resurrect the wicked, who will surround the New Jerusalem along with Satan. At this point God will permanently destroy Satan, his angels, and wicked humanity by fire. The Adventist view of hell is often referred to as annihilationism.

[edit] Christian Science

Christian Science defines "Hell" as follows: "Mortal belief; error; lust; remorse; hatred; revenge; sin; sickness; death; suffering and self-destruction; self-imposed agony; effects of sin; that which 'worketh abomination or maketh a lie.'" (Science and Health with Key to the Scripture by Mary Baker Eddy, 588: 1-4.)

[edit] Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

Further information: Plan of Salvation

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the word hell is used in scripture in at least two senses.

First, Mormons believe in a concept of hell as a temporary state of punishment. They believe that those who refuse to accept Jesus will suffer in hell for their sins for 1000 years during the millennial reign of Christ. Righteous people, whether Latter-day Saint or not, will be resurrected and live with Christ on earth.^[18] After the 1000 years, the individuals in hell will also be resurrected and receive an immortal physical body.^[19] The LDS Church explains biblical descriptions of hell being "eternal" or "endless" punishment as being descriptive of their infliction by God rather than an unending temporal period; Latter-day Saint scripture quotes God as telling church founder Joseph Smith, Jr.: "I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—Eternal punishment is God's punishment. Endless punishment is God's punishment."^[20] It is in this sense of the word "hell" that David prayed to the Lord, "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell".^[21]

Latter-day Saints also believe in a more permanent concept of hell, commonly referred to as outer darkness. It is said that very few people who have lived on the earth will be consigned to this hell, but Latter-day Saint scripture suggests that at least Cain will be present.^[22] Other mortals who during their lifetime become sons of perdition—those who commit the unpardonable sin—will be consigned to outer darkness.^[23] It is taught that the unpardonable sin is committed by those who "den[y] the Son after the Father has revealed him".^[24] However, the vast majority of residents of outer darkness will be the "devil and his angels ... the third part of the hosts of heaven" who in the pre-existence followed Lucifer and never received a mortal body.^[25] The residents of outer darkness are the only children of God that will not receive one of three kingdoms of glory at the Last Judgment.

Those in outer darkness will remain there for eternity. No man knows their torment because those in the outer darkness will suffer beyond man's comprehension, a pain so terrible that man can not understand in his mortality. Pertaining to the outer darkness and the sons of perdition, Latter-day Saint scripture states that "Wherefore, he saves all except them—they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment; And the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof". ^[26]

Teachings of the Church are clear that Hell as well as Heaven are physical places. This is derived from the literalness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as the literal resurrection of all man kind. Latter-day Saints believe that as much as people inherit a resurrected glorified physical body, they also inherit a physical place. All places; the Spirit World, Heaven, and Hell/Outer Darkness are verymuch real physical places.

[edit] Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses believe the Bible presents "hell", as translated from "Sheol" and "Hades", to be mankind's common grave for both the good and the bad, whereas "Gehenna" signifies eternal destruction or annihilation, and that the idea of a place of eternal torment is something detestable to God, inconsistent with his love. ^[27]

Scriptures describing this include:

• "O that thou wouldest hide me in the Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!" (Job 14:3) - Job, a good man, desiring liberation from his suffering, prays to be sent to Sheol, to die. This harmonizes with the classical Jewish perspective on hell.
• "...and death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death." (Revelation 20:14) - The Greek word translated to English as "hell", Hades, itself cannot be tortured for sins. Casting it into this Lake of fire must signify the utter destruction of Hades.
• "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten...for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecclesiastes 9:5-9) "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." (Psalm 1146:4) - Immortality of the soul is a requisite for the hellfire doctrine. But these scriptures seem to dispute it, since it requires that the soul be aware and conscious.

• "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.(Acts 2:23 -28 King James)

With this version if hell was a fiery place that meant Jesus went to Hell (Note vs 27)

Jehovah's Witnesses reject the traditional concept of "hellfire". They consider doctrines like particular judgment, the doctrine that one is judged and either punished or rewarded immediately after death, to be an innovation of the early Church. ^[28] and thus do not believe a soul can suffer eternally. They understand Revelation 20:13 -"And death and hell gave up the dead in them." - to mean that those in hell do not remain there indefinitely. Hades is emptied during the judgment of Revelation.^[29]

[edit] Unity

The Unity Church considers the concept of everlasting physical hell to be false doctrine and contradictory to that reported by John the Evangelist.

“

The word hell is not translated with clearness sufficient to represent the various meanings of the word in the original language. There are three words from which "hell" is derived: Sheol, "the unseen state"; Hades, "the unseen world"; and Gehenna, "Valley of Hinnom." These are used in various relations, nearly all of them allegorical. In a sermon Archdeacon Farrar said: "There would be the proper teaching about hell if we calmly and deliberately erased from our English Bibles the three words, 'damnation,' 'hell,' and 'everlasting.' I say--unhesitatingly I say, claiming the fullest right to speak with the authority of knowledge--that not one of those words ought to stand any longer in our English Bible, for, in our present acceptation of them, they are simply mistranslations." This corroborates the metaphysical interpretation of Scripture, and sustains the truth that hell is a figure of speech that represents a corrective state of mind. When error has reached its limit, the retroactive law asserts itself, and judgment, being part of that law, brings the penalty upon the transgressor. This penalty is not punishment, but discipline, and if the transgressor is truly repentant and obedient, he is forgiven in Truth.--Charles Fillmore, Christian Healing, Lesson 11, item eleven.

”

[edit] Swedenborgianism

see Swedenborgianism

[edit] See also

• Gehenna
• Hades
• Sheol
• Tartarus
• Last Judgment
• Heaven
• Intermediate state
• Conditional immortality

[edit] Notes and References

[edit] References