Bad people go to hell. We all know that. But is the word hell in the Bible? You’ll be surprised to know that the word hell is mentioned in the Bible not just once, but many times. However, the Bible uses “sheol,” which is translated to hell. If you’re like me, you might question whether or not God created hell. Let’s dive deeper.
How Hell is Portrayed in the Bible
First, let’s talk about how hell is portrayed in the Bible. According to Scripture, this place is eternally separated from the goodness of God and the kingdom of God. It’s also often defined as a lake of fire or a place of gnashing of teeth. Revelation 20:14-15 offers a more vivid picture:
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
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Simply put, it’s a place of judgment. The reality of hell is where the wages of sin are paid. It’s also a place where the goodness of God is not found. Now, the main question is, “Did God create it specifically for extremely bad people?”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a verse that explicitly says that God did create hell as a place to torment the wicked. What the Bible reveals is that it has Sheol. It’s a place in a shadowy underworld where all the dead go. It’s not a place to punish the wicked but to separate them from God. But it’s a place of eternal torment.
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks about eternal fire made for the devil and his so-called angels. This means that hell was prepared for Satan and demons, and not for humans. Then, in Revelation 20:14-15, it describes the lake of fire as the second death. This is where Death and Hades are thrown. 2 Peter 2:4 also mentions Tartarus. It’s a prison for fallen angels until the final judgment.
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When Christians say hell, they refer to a place or state of never-ending physical and spiritual suffering. This view is defended by many evangelical theologians. The reason for this support is that justice needs proportionate punishment. Sin is an infinite offense against an infinite God. That’s why infinite punishment is the only thing that can satisfy justice.
Some early teachers have other views, however. For them, the wicked aren’t tortured forever. Instead, their body and soul are destroyed in the lake of fire. That’s where eternal punishment comes in. On this view, God does create hell as an instrument of final execution and not as eternal torture. However, this point of view isn’t shared by the majority of theologians. For instance, some of them believe that hell does exist, but it’s corrective. It means that when you’re thrown to hell, but you redeem yourself, you might still have a chance to get out of there and be in heaven.
For non-Christians, hell is a temporary place for most souls. It’s a place for the utterly wicked to suffer longer. Many modern Jews treat hell as a warning. In Islam, on the other hand, it believes in hell or Jahannam. It’s a place of punishment for wrongdoers in the afterlife. It’s a vital part of Islamic theology. This is also an essential aspect of the belief in the Day of Judgment. Buddhism and other Eastern religions have other concepts about hell. Mostly, they treat hell as a temporary place for karma purification. It’s not a place for eternal damnation.
The bottom line is that God didn’t create hell. God didn’t originally plan it. But it is there to separate the extremely wicked from all that is good.
How to Avoid Hell?
The description of hell is something that you and I don’t want to be in for eternity after we leave Earth. I mean, I don’t think anyone would want to be there. But how can we avoid it?
By the time of Jesus, the valley of Hinnom or Gehenna was developed. This valley was outside Jerusalem and associated with child sacrifice, human sacrifices, dead bodies, and dead animals of the city that were burned there. But these horrific practices were stopped when King Josiah reigned (see the historical books). However, the valley remained a symbol of judgment. This background shaped the scope of the signification of Gehenna.
Truly, the reality of an inferno is symbolic. It’s not just a metaphor from Greek mythology. When you understand the doctrine of hell and its purpose, you can somehow avoid hell. Then again, I’m not an expert in this. But many theologians do believe that these ways can somehow help you avoid being thrown into hell.
Know What Hell Really Is
The Bible uses certain images, like human sacrifices, dead animals of the city, and dead bodies. Even Jesus described it as a place to have utter darkness, unquenchable fire, and separation from the presence of the Lord and the presence of God. Indeed, it’s a literal place. It’s part of the final judgment in the Book of Revelation where sinners stand before the great white throne.
Believe that Jesus is the Only Savior
The best way to avoid hell is to believe that Christ Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Having faith in Him grants us eternal life. It also ensures that we can avoid eternal hell and the full weight of God’s wrath.
Now, you may say, “Okay, I believe in God. Thus, I won’t go to hell.” However, it’s not as easy as that. Keep in mind that you can believe in Christ but not follow HIm. Although no person on Earth can truly tell you what to do and what not to do to avoid hell, the best thing that you can do while you’re still living is to follow Christ. And to do that, you must be like HIm. Obey the teachings of Jesus and follow His example. His first disciples did them all. That is, they heard and obeyed His teachings.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27
Obey His Teaching
The point here is that building your life on obedience to his teaching is wise. Doing so will sustain you in the challenges that you’ll definitely encounter in your life. This is like building your house on a great foundation that will secure it against all forms of nature. If you disobey Him, your life will lead to ruin. This is the same as building your house on sand. It’ll just result in a catastrophe when storms come. Thus, if you wish to start following Christ, you must begin where His disciples did. That is, they understood and obeyed his teaching in this sermon.
But following Jesus doesn’t stop there. You must also follow his example. But it doesn’t mean that you go out and wash other people’s feet, just like what Jesus did.
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet, for I have given you an example, that you should also do just as I have done to you.” John 13:14-15
Serve Others
The lesson here is that you serve other people and become their servant leaders. Humble yourself to serve and purify. Set aside your pride to serve other people. And let other people “wash your feet.” It means you must let others care for you.
However, obeying and imitating Jesus aren’t the only ways to avoid Hell. The end goal really is to become like Jesus. That is, you must think as he thought. Feel as he felt and act as He acted. You must walk the same way in which he walked. I know it’s hard to follow his path. But we can at least try. Every time we fail, we must remind ourselves that it’s just an opportunity to grow.
Repent
This, too, is quite difficult. The reason for this is that repentance means you must turn away from sin. Jesus told us that if your right eye causes you to sin, you should deal with it immediately. Otherwise, you will be cast into hell after your physical death. Repentance isn’t just about regretting what you did. Rather, it’s a total surrender that can transform your heart.
Show Love and Compassion to Others
It’s probably the easiest way to follow Christ. You don’t have to literally wash someone’s feet. But you need to feel another person’s struggles and respond with care, support, and kindness. This is actually empathy in action. Although there are times that this action comes naturally, there are also times that it takes a lot of courage to be kind and compassionate to someone. One way to be more compassionate with others is to practice it. It’s like a muscle; the more you practice it, the stronger it will be.
Self-Compassion
It’s about giving yourself grace. Be aware of your weaknesses or failures without being critical of yourself. Instead of berating yourself, you must be kind to yourself the same way you would be kind to your friend who’s struggling.
Jesus Christ always speaks with kindness. He listens carefully and without judgment. He always offers help to others. Most of all, He accepts people for who they are.
When you practice these things, you’ll notice that you’re more empathetic with another person’s situation, just like Christ. You can feel what they’re feeling without judgment. And it feels good. Compassion also improves your relationship with God and other people.
Walk Daily with Christ
It’s important to note that when you walk with Christ daily, it starts with a relationship and not religion. It’s not just a ritual. In that case, it’s not just about going to church every day or when it’s convenient to you. It’s true that going to church is vital; it’s not an expression of your relationship. Rather, a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ starts by recognizing Him as Savior and Lord. You must trust in HIs death and resurrection. You should also yield your life into His hands. When you believe in Him, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you. That’s why you must make daily fellowship with God.
Always remember that Jesus isn’t just a distant figure. He’s personal and alive.
Pray Every Day
I’ve started praying every day, no matter what I feel. My mother taught me that praying is one of the clearest ways to walk with Jesus. Prayer is the heartbeat of the Christian life. It’s a conversation with God. It’s your way of sharing what your heart’s desires. You can express your needs and confess your sins. Then offer your praise and listen to His guidance.
It’s important to note that it doesn’t matter the time of praying to God. (I pray each time I need His guidance). You can have a morning prayer to help you start your day. Then, you can pray midday again to recalibrate your life, especially in moments of stress. Evening prayer is like repenting and reflecting on your day.
Walking with Jesus means that praying to God becomes a natural rhythm. It’s no longer a forced duty. Praying can bring joy and take away your fears. Through prayers, you can seek His wisdom and His will. When you start praying every day with all your heart, it’ll become a part of your everyday life. You can also start sensing His companionship in each moment.
In addition to praying every day, you should also read the Bible each day. Reading the Gospels will help you see His compassion, wisdom, purity, authority, and heart. It’s like reading his letters to us. You can learn more about him, and it’ll be a lot easier to follow him. For instance, when you read the Old Testament, you can discover God’s plan. Revelation will help you see Christ as King of kings.
Daily time in Scripture will also help you renew your mind, guard you against sin while it strengthen your faith. It also helps in aligning yourself with God’s heart. Just reading a single chapter or a few verses can draw you into fellowship with Him throughout the day.
When you walk with Christ, you need to choose honesty over compromise, love over bitterness, purity over temptation, and humility over pride.
Sheol in the Bible
Is the word hell in the Bible? Yes, the English word hell appears in many Bible translations. No matter how many times it is mentioned, the Bible consistently teaches us it’s a real place. It’s not a place you want to be in forever. Thankfully, there might be ways to avoid it. And that’s about following Christ and His example.
Jane is a Roman Catholic on a journey of re-learning about God and deepening her understanding of the Bible. She has over a decade of experience as a copywriter. Her goal is to blend her passion for writing with her spiritual journey. She writes content that doesn’t just uplift but also connects with people who wish to seek a deeper understanding of God’s word. Follow Jane on LinkedIn or Instagram.
