Last week, I wrote about the teachings of Jesus on the eternal destination of those who will reject him. Jesus taught about the reality of hell, and that it will last forever. In this article, I will answer the question, “What did the Apostle Paul teach about Hell?”
The first thing that is interesting about Paul’s letters is that he never uses the Greek words that are translated “hell.” Even so, he does teach about the fate of those who reject Jesus Christ. He never gets into a lengthy discussion of it, but does make some very important remarks about the unbeliever and his or her final destination.
Condemnation and the Wrath of God
The first thing to note about Paul’s teaching on the fate of the wicked is that he says that these people are condemned and will suffer God’s wrath. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 says that “all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” Notice that Paul says that those who are condemned are those who do not believe the truth. “Truth” in Paul’s thinking is believing in Jesus Christ.
Paul describes God’s action against unbelievers with the word “wrath.” Romans 2:5, 8 says, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed…But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.”
Paul is clear that those who are stubborn, unrepentant of their sins, and who reject the Lord will be objects of God’s wrath on the Day of Judgment. Colossians 3:6 explains this further when Paul says that God’s wrath is coming because of things such as lust, idolatry, greed, sexual immorality, and other evil deeds.
However, Paul doesn’t just give us the fate of the wicked. He teaches that those who believe in Jesus Christ are not to be recipients of God’s wrath (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9), showing his audience that there is a way to avoid the coming judgment: believe in Jesus Christ.
Eternally Condemned and Trouble
Paul wrote the letter to the Galatian church to combat false teaching. He opposed the false teaching so strongly that he said, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8-9). Paul goes as far to say that anyone who teaches something that is different from the gospel of Jesus Christ (a person or even an angel) will be condemned to damnation forever.
Paul continues his teaching of hell when he says in Romans 2:9, “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil.” Clearly, the afterlife is in view since, in our current world, those who do evil don’t always experience trouble and distress. The righteous are typically persecuted and go through tribulation (tribulation means trouble). Paul is teaching that those who reject God and do evil will experience trouble and distress in the next life.
Destruction and Separation from God
2 Thessalonians 1:8-10 is one of the most important passages about Paul’s teaching on hell. These verses say, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among those who have believed.”
The passage speaks about God punishing those who do not obey the gospel (believe in Jesus) with everlasting destruction. Paul then explains this by saying that the punishment is being “shut out from the presence of the Lord.” “Paul elaborates the meaning of ‘eternal destruction’ with the idea of being separated from the presence of God.”[1]
Paul teaches this idea elsewhere. Galatians 6:8 says, “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Philippians 1:28 and 3:19 teach that non-Christians will be destroyed. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 says, “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
These verses tell us a lot. First, the ungodly will be destroyed, but Christians will be given eternal life. Second, those who perish will do so because they refused to believe in Jesus Christ. However, these verses have fueled a debate on whether or not hell will last forever. Paul says that the wicked will be destroyed. Does this not imply that those in hell will be destroyed in a way that means they will cease to exist?
Most of the time when Paul describes the fate of the wicked as “destruction” he is using two Greek words or word groups.[2] These words do not absolutely have to be defined as meaning “destruction” in the sense that something is going “extinct.” These terms often have another meaning: “the situation of a person or object that has lost the essence of its nature or function.” In fact, these words can refer to land that has lost its fruitfulness (Ezekiel 6:14; 14:16); ointment that is wasted and used for no apparent purpose (Matthew 26:8; Mark 14:4); wineskins that have holes in them (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37); a coin that’s useless because it is lost (Luke 15:9); or the entire world that “perishes” in the Flood (2 Peter 3:6). “In none of these cases do the objects cease to exist; they cease to be useful or to exist in their original, intended state.”[3]
Bible scholar Charles Wanamaker notes that “destruction” in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 can be interpreted as a literal annihilation or as having a metaphorical meaning of punishment, not a literal destruction. He says, “As there is no evidence in Paul (or the rest of the NT for that matter) for a concept of final annihilation of the godless, the expression ‘eternal destruction’ should probably be taken in a metaphorical manner as indicating the severity of the punishment awaiting the enemies of God.”[4]
Conclusion
Although Paul does not use the Greek words translated “hell,” he does speak about the destination of those who reject Jesus. He teaches that those who go to hell will endure the wrath of God, become useless, be separated from God (the source of happiness and all that is good), and be distressed. This reality should motivate Christians to share the gospel with everyone that they know.
Did you learn more about hell from this article? Do you agree or disagree with it? Leave a comment below and join us on Facebook and Twitter.
[1] Douglas J. Moo, “Paul on Hell.” In Hell Under Fire eds. Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004. Pg. 108.
[2] Olethros and apollymi/apoleia.
[3] Moo, 104-105.
[4] Charles A. Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Carlisle: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1990. Pg. 229.
Dan
October 22, 2020 4:41 pmHow is eternal torment “good news”?
Gordon
February 14, 2021 4:51 pmWhen you take the modern gospel, peel away all the reasonings, mechanics, flourishes and buzzwords, and get down to what is taught that truly pertains to humans, the whole gospel is reduced to two sentences about what really happens:
1. You deserve to be tortured infinitely because you made a normal decision that God, whom you can’t see, and whom you cannot question, doesn’t like. (Sin)
2. Do what we tell you, and you won’t. (Atonement)
There is no part of the gospel of any, any, any relevance or centrality that doesn’t connect with this. God’s love is only about point 2. Jesus is about point 2. The rest of God as applies to us is about point 1. Any part of the Bible that doesn’t point to 1 & 2 is either forced to point to it, or explained away as not relevant.
Anyone who isn’t afraid of hell doesn’t believe this gospel. The whole gospel is about avoiding hell, full stop. The rest is just accompaniment.
The Word
March 17, 2021 7:43 pmMy name is Alan Finch. In April of 1976, I submitted myself to the Lordship of JESUS CHRIST.
In May of 2014, I began writing an article in which I have continued to add to and update. My article is now 30 pages in length. Below is a small portion of the contents of my article. If anyone would like a copy of my article, just email me at: (candy33alan@aol.com) and I will email you a copy.
Philippians 2:10-11 “That at the name of JESUS every knee will bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and those under the earth: And that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
There is absolutely nowhere in this Passage of Scripture that states or even suggests that every knee will be FORCED to bow the knee to the name of JESUS. In ALL religions, bowing the knee is a voluntary form of worship.
As explained in the next several paragraphs, we will come to understand more clearly that Philippians 2:10-11 is revealing to us that bowing the knee and confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord is not going to be forced upon ALL, but that ALL will do so willingly. Throughout the Bible we find that the Scriptures clearly state that God only accepts a willing heart.
A word study of confess (ἐξομολογήσεται) in the Greek language (in light of the way that this same verb is used in other New Testament Scriptures) reveals that this verb in the context of this Passage of Scripture is rendered to thank. That meaning growing out of the sense of open, joyful acknowledgement.
The sense here is that of frank, open confession. An individual cannot praise and joyously proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord if they are being forced to do so, especially if that individual knows that eternal torment & eternal separation from God awaits them. It is just that simple.
The traditional teaching on Philippians 2:10-11 has been that the enemies of the Cross will be forced to bow their knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This train of thought is in complete contradiction to the Word of God, because the Bible from Genesis to Revelation clearly teaches that the Lord only accepts praise and worship from a willing heart.
Forced praise and worship DOES NOT bring Glory to God.
Philippians 2:10-11 IS NOT proclaiming that ALL unbelievers are going to be forced to bow their knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
TO THE CONTRARY, God is proclaiming to us an astonishing & profound revelation, that because of the finished work of Christ on the Cross, that ALL will come to know Jesus Christ in such a way, that ALL will willingly (not be forced) acknowledge openly with praise and proclaim joyously that Jesus Christ is Lord. The true meaning of Philippians 2:10-11 has been greatly overlooked by the main-stream Christian Church today.
Isaiah 45:23 tells us that the Lord has taken an oath that every knee shall bow and that every tongue “shall swear allegiance” to Him. The Lord also states that His oath shall not fail. Not only does this verse tell us God’s eternal destination for ALL people, but the Lord strongly confirms what is stated in Philippians 2:10-11.
Take special notice that Isaiah 45:23 states that every tongue will swear allegiance to the Lord. If there are going to be people who will receive the judgment of eternal torment in a physical Lake of Fire, they certainly are not going to swear their allegiance to the Lord.
Isaiah 45:23 along with Philippians 2:10-11 strongly confirms that ALL will be RECONCILED to God. How can it be that today’s Christian Church has been so blind to the marvelous truth which is so clearly stated in these 2 Passages of Scripture in the Bible?
Anonymous
October 26, 2023 8:29 amI find this salvation, that being made in his image with these eternal gifts eg life, will, hope, faith, love, that the goodness of God will lead and bring all to natural repentance, for Jesus, having been salted upon as if with tongues of the consummate flaming hot ember of the truth of the news that delivers from evil and frees, renewing the spirit of the mind, having been loved, and so coming to love, just as Jesus prophetically said “you shall love”, and this from the heart, every mouth professing by the Spirit that he is Lord of all that is.
This Jesus, through whom came creation and our being, that was there at the beginning, who was the word commanding forms above the currents of the deep, it is he who walked upon waters and calmed their waves, and, it is he and his words that moves even the hearts of the kings of the earth like rivers to his gate and the cross where all would be reconciled.
What good has he placed in the heart of man that is not eternal?
Has he made a heart in his own image that shall not eternally love?
He made creation good, in that, all things work toward good, toward God who is love, even before its foundation, who is renewing all creation this way, by the perpetuating grace with which he designed, the love which of himself he motivated into existence all the world which he loves forever, who is for us and not against us, for, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, not even death nor doctrine, all things being moved to restoration.
Jesus prayed for oneness that is as he and our Father, one in love, for he is the perfect image of God whom he has seen, and whom we shall be like when we see him as he is, having been made in his image.
May this be how we are found, finding salvation.