Is There Really a Hell? (Part 3: Duration of Eternal Punishment)
Having previously discussed how the Bible uses the term “hell,” and examining some of the biblical evidences that assure us that hell actually exists, a question that naturally arises is, “How long will it last?”
Numerous people rightly believe that there is a hell (a place of divine punishment), but many of them deny that lost sinners will suffer there forever and ever. Instead, they believe that the lost will be annihilated on or shortly after the Day of Judgment. I believe the reason why some come to this conclusion is because they view spiritual death in the same way that they view physical death. When a person physically dies their physical life comes to an end (it does not continue). By virtue of this fact, they suppose that when a person spiritually dies that their soul also ceases to exist. But is that really true?
First of all, it is important to understand the difference between flesh and spirit. Flesh is temporal. Spirit is eternal (Eccl. 12:7). Of the flesh Paul said, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50). Yet this same inspired man speaks of a continuing existence after physical death (1 Thess. 4:13- 18). When Jesus physically died on the cross the Scriptures say He “yielded up His spirit” (Matt. 27:50). Acts 2:27 reveals that while Jesus’ physical body was dead in the tomb, His soul (spirit) was very much alive in Paradise (Lk. 23:42-43) in Hades (“the common receptacle of disembodied spirits,” Online Bible Greek Lexicon). In like fashion, when the rich man died (Luke 16) his dead body was buried (v. 22), yet his condemned soul continued to exist in torments in Hades (v. 23). Thus, it is evident that a person (whether good or evil) continues to exist after they physically die.
A second vital point to consider is that sin separates man from God (Isa. 59:1-2); and separation from God is death (spiritually speaking). Paul confesses that before he ever committed sin he was spiritually alive, but once he sinned he spiritually died (Rom. 7:9-11). James says that the result of sin is spiritual death (Jas. 1:14-15); hence, why we need a savior (1 Tim. 1:15). In view of the fact that “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn. 1:5), it is no wonder that Jesus spoke of Hell as a place of outer darkness (Matt. 25:30). Nothing says “separation from God” more than that. Thus, spiritual death (in Hell) does not mean a lost sinner will cease to exist. It means that they will exist apart from (separated from) God for all eternity.
As for the duration of hell, Jesus Himself addresses this in Matthew 25:46. He said (concerning the wicked), “and these will go away into everlasting punishment (a.k.a., hell), but the righteous into eternal life (a.k.a., heaven).” The terms “everlasting” and “eternal” come from the same Greek word (aionios) and means “perpetual; without end, never to cease” (Online Bible Greek Lexicon). What this immediately implies is that if hell will not last forever (time without end) then neither will heaven. Or, look at it this way: if eternal life has no end, then eternal condemnation has no end either. The same Greek word is used in the same verse (same context) for both terms (everlasting, eternal). What you do with the one you must do with the other. Other passages agree with this conclusion (Matt. 18:8; Mk. 3:29; 2 Thess. 1:9).
Please look for our next article in this series (Part Four) as we will focus on who the Bible says will be going to hell.
Aaron Veyon
