04/25/2026
Whatever Happened to Hell?
Many people today live as though God does not exist, as though there will never be a day of reckoning. Pride, wealth, power, and self-rule have convinced many that they are above correction, above truth, and even above God. But Scripture makes it plain: we were created by God and for God. Our lives are not our own, and every good thing we have comes from His hand.
The Bible warns us not to be deceived: God is not mocked. A person will reap what they sow (Galatians 6:7). Those who live in rebellion against God—practicing lies, deceit, greed, sexual immorality, hatred, theft, and unrepentant sin—should not comfort themselves with the false idea that judgment will never come. Sin may appear hidden for a season, but the truth will one day be revealed before a holy God.
Hell is not a myth, a scare tactic, or a metaphor invented by men. It is a real expression of divine judgment. Jesus Himself spoke about hell more than many want to admit. He described it as a place of outer darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). He warned of “hell fire” and called it a place to be feared more than death itself (Matthew 10:28; Mark 9:43-48).
The Bible teaches that hell was originally prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). It was never God’s desire that people perish. God created mankind for fellowship, worship, obedience, and love. From the beginning, His desire was that man walk with Him in spirit and in truth. But because of sin, rebellion entered the world, and death passed upon all men (Romans 5:12). Humanity’s wickedness became great, and God, being just and holy, must judge sin.
We must also understand the distinction the Bible makes between hell and the lake of fire.
Hell: Often understood as the temporary place of punishment for the wicked dead before the final judgment. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus describes the rich man in torment after death, conscious of his condition and unable to escape.
The Lake of Fire: This is the final and eternal place of judgment. Revelation 20:14-15 says that death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is called the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
This means final judgment is not imaginary. It is certain. There is coming a day when every person will stand before God (Hebrews 9:27). Every secret thing will be brought into judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Every careless word will be accounted for (Matthew 12:36). God is loving, but He is also holy. He is merciful, but He is also just.
Yet this message is not only about warning — it is also about mercy.
God has not left mankind without hope. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save sinners. Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again so that those who repent and believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 10:9-10). God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires that they turn and live (Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11).
So the real question is not simply, “Whatever happened to hell?” The question is: why do so many ignore the warnings of God? Why do people live as if eternity is not real?
One day, money will not matter. Status will not matter. Titles will not matter. Excuses will not matter. Only one thing will matter: were you reconciled to God through Jesus Christ?
Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to turn from sin. Now is the time to humble yourself before God. Because once this life is over, judgment follows.
-Bishop Shipp
