By Jim Mettenbrink
We have been considering what happens to a person when he dies. Some opine that one simply becomes 7lbs of dirt and minerals. The end! Others hope there is more because we have this innate desire to continue to live. The Bible reveals the dead go to a place called Hades (literally “unseen”) implying that man is more than dirt (Luke 16:19-31; Thessalonians 5:23), and awaiting the resurrection. The Bible also reveals Jesus will return to conduct judgment, meaning some will go with Him and some will not (1 Thess 4:15–18; Matthew 7:21-23). Where will they go?
Those who believe there is life after death are frequently revealed in obituaries, e.g., on this date “he went to his heavenly home.” Never printed is, “He died and did not go to heaven?” The apostle Paul wrote about those who will not go to heaven on judgment day –“These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess 1:9). That such could occur is unthinkable to many. So much so that even 31% of members of mainline churches do not believe hell exists (Pew poll; 2021). Implicitly, this is a denial of clear Bible teaching. Why? Because pride is the utmost evil.
We all suffer from this demonic flaw, yet we think we are without it but see it in others. Pride is the root of every sin. It was the cause of Satan’s fall from God’s favor (1 Timothy 3:6). Pride is how Satan appealed to Eve (Genesis 3:2-6). The wise man wrote, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). And we are good at being prideful. The essence of pride is anti-God! But it is one’s pride that prompts one to deny hell’s existence, let alone that one could be there eternally. Going to hell is actually one’s choice of eternal destiny– heaven or hell – you decide!
The Bible reveals it is easy to go to hell, highlighted by an old sermon about whether to become a Christian – “Detours on the road to hell.” God is patient with each of us, desiring that we will become Christians and live faithfully for Him but only as He has commanded (2 Peter 3:9). Ignorance is no excuse. But what is it like if one chooses hell?