Eternity Is at Stake: What the Bible Really Says About Hell
Pastor Kyle Veach
Most people don’t like talking about hell. It feels uncomfortable, outdated, or even offensive in a modern world that prefers comfort over conviction. But Scripture does not shy away from hard truths, and neither should we. The topic may be hell, but the heart of this message is hope—because if we don’t accept the reality of hell, we will never fully appreciate the glory of heaven. Click the link above for the full message.
What You Believe About Eternity Shapes How You Live Today
Studies show that most Americans believe in heaven, but far fewer believe in hell—and even fewer believe they themselves could ever go there. That disconnect matters. Jesus taught clearly that eternity is real and that the path toward life is narrow. In Matthew 7:13–14, He said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction… but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life.”
Following Jesus has always been countercultural. It has never been the easiest road, but it has always been the right one. What you believe about eternity determines how you live today, what you value, and what you ignore.
The Strategy of the Enemy
If the devil had a strategy, it would be simple: convince people that hell isn’t real, or at least not serious. When people stop believing in consequences, they stop seeing the need for repentance. Sin gets justified. Christ gets rejected. The fear of God disappears.
This deception leads believers to drift into self-centered lives—idolizing comfort, avoiding sacrifice, and rarely sharing their faith. It’s the same strategy Satan used in the Garden of Eden: convincing humanity that God’s truth wasn’t actually true. That strategy hasn’t changed.
Why Does Hell Exist?
This is one of the most difficult questions people ask, and Scripture gives us clarity, even when it challenges us.
Hell Exists to Deal With Satan
The Bible does not portray Satan as a cartoon character with horns and a pitchfork. He is described as the destroyer, deceiver, tempter, adversary, and thief. He is behind addiction, abuse, fear, shame, and destruction. Revelation 20:10 describes his ultimate defeat: “The devil… was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur… and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Hell exists as a place of final justice where evil is dealt with fully and permanently.
Hell Exists to Deal Righteously With Unbelief
This is the harder truth for many people to accept. We often argue that God should punish injustice in the world, but struggle with the idea of God being just when it affects eternity. You cannot have a holy God without a just God. Love without justice is not biblical love—it is permissiveness.
Second Thessalonians 1:8–9 says that those who reject God will be “shut out from the presence of the Lord.” Hell is not about God being cruel; it is about God being consistent with His holiness.
A Glimpse of Hell From Jesus Himself
Jesus spoke more about hell than almost anyone else in Scripture. In Luke 16, He tells the story of a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man lived in luxury while Lazarus suffered at his gate. After death, their eternal realities were reversed.
The rich man found himself in torment, fully conscious, aware, and in agony. This passage reveals that hell is not annihilation or nonexistence. It is separation from God, marked by suffering, regret, and awareness. Jesus uses this story to make something unmistakably clear: choices made in this life have eternal consequences.
What Hell Is—and What It Is Not
The Bible uses strong language to describe hell: fire, darkness, weeping, gnashing of teeth. It is described as isolation, not community. Darkness, not light. Most devastating of all, it is the absence of hope.
One commentary describes hell as the land of “no more”:
No more joy
No more peace
No more beauty
No more laughter
No more second chances
Jesus also used the word Gehenna—a real place south of Jerusalem known as a constantly burning garbage dump—to help people understand the seriousness of eternal separation from God.
Four Lessons From the Other Side of Eternity
Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16 reveals sobering truths:
The rich man was fully conscious and aware.
His eternal destiny was fixed and unchangeable.
He understood that his judgment was just.
He desperately wanted others warned so they wouldn’t experience the same fate.
Hell awakened concern for others too late. The urgency we lack now becomes crystal clear there.
Is God Unfair?
This is often the heart-level objection: “I don’t know if I want to believe in a God who sends good people to hell.” Scripture answers this honestly—there are no good people apart from God. Romans teaches that all have sinned and fall short. God is holy and just, and sin must be dealt with.
But God is not only just—He is love.
The Hope of the Gospel
John 3:16 reminds us that God loved the world so deeply that He gave His Son so we would not perish but have eternal life. Romans 6:23 tells us that while sin earns death, eternal life is a gift from God through Jesus. Romans 5:8 declares that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
Jesus’ death satisfied God’s justice and displayed His mercy. He came not to condemn the world, but to save it. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one. That is the heart of God.
Why This Matters So Much
We don’t talk about eternity to scare people—we talk about it because love warns. We want people to know Jesus, not just to avoid hell, but to experience real life, grace, forgiveness, and freedom. John 10:10 says that Jesus came so we could have life to the full.
Eternity is at stake. What you believe about it will shape everything.
Reflection Questions
Do I believe eternity is real—and does my life reflect that belief?
Have I softened truths to make myself more comfortable?
Who in my life needs to hear the hope of the gospel?
Further Resources
Erasing Hell by Francis Chan & Preston Sprinkle
Is Hell for Real or Does Everyone Go To Heaven? by Christopher W. Morgan (Editor), Robert A. Peterson (Editor), Timothy Keller (Contributor), R. Albert Mohler Jr. (Contributor), J. I. Packer (Contributor), Robert W. Yarbourgh (Contributor)
“Heaven and Hell” - Bible Project series
