I recently talked with a retired Evangelical Christian minister. During our discussion I learned he did not believe that there was a Hell. He believes God loved us so much that He would not banish us to an eternal punishment. He also believe that Judas, who was given 30 silver pieces for betraying Christ was so sorry, that he committed suicide and was allowed to enter Heaven. He believes that those who die without accepting Christ went to a place of darkness. A place, void of any light, whatsoever.

This was so different from my teaching of Scripture that I decided to do some research to see how many believed there is no Hell. According to Pew Research 72% of Americans believe there is a heaven and only 58% believe there is a Hell.

Here is what Scripture tells us: Mark 9:43–48 “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’” (NLT)

Jesus is describing how the disciples were to renounce anything that would cause them to sin or turn away from the faith. All who follow Jesus must remove any stumbling blocks that cause sin. There are times when a person’s legs must be amputated to save their life. This is how we should interpret these verses.

Revelation 20:12–15 “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

All who were not raised in the first resurrection, the non-believers, will be raised in the second one to stand at the Great White Throne Judgment and any who died sinners during the 1000 years will be there also. Jesus will judge them and this includes everyone from Cain to the 1000-year end. They will be judged and if their names are not in the Book of Life, they will be cast into the ‘Lake of Fire’.

Saved believers will have their names in two books. They will stand in Judgment before Christ to receive a reward for their works, deeds or service. (I Corinthians 3 & II Corinthians 5:10) In the Book of Life it has only believer’s names. The Book of Deeds, Scriptures say your deeds are being kept tract of and there is continual writing going on.

As the books are opened, every righteous believer will be judged by their deeds. Works do not save us but our works indicate our relationship with Christ. There is no indication that anyone standing before Christ’s Judgment, having their name in both books, will be cast into the ‘Lake of Fire’. Believers will be rewarded by how they handled their gifts, opportunities and responsibilities. God’s gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience and service. We must live each day knowing that God’s book is open. (Rev. 20:12) – “The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Verse 13 says, “Each person was judged according to what he had done.”

“Earth and sky fled” could mean the end of heaven and earth. Many Scriptures relate that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away. Isaiah 51:6 – “Heaven will vanish like smoke and the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die like flies.” 2 Peter 3:7 – God commanded that the heavens and the earth would be consumed by fire on the Day of Judgment when ungodly people will perish.

Every unrighteous person will stand before the Great White Throne when Christ is there to judge the sinner. Unbelievers who stand before Christ will find everyone wicked and whose names are not in the Book of Life will be tossed into the Lake of Fire, eternal damnation. This is the second death. For those who have died the first time physically, this time they die spiritually. There is no second chance, no appeal and no hope. The Lake of Fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked.

Scripture says, no committed believer will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, go to hell or be thrown into the ‘Lake of Fire’. Are you sure you do not want to believe there is a Hell?