Answers to Your Questions

Dr. Couch, I have some friends who are doubting the doctrine of eternal punishment. Is this a growing trend?

   Yes, of course. And it is just warmed over liberalism creeping into our churches, and even into our Evangelical congregations. The pastors are being mum about strong authoritarian truth. They do not want to appear too dogmatic or biblically pushy. Expect heresy to grow. Without the strong, "Thus saith the Lord" from the pulpit, error will compound. Satan loves what is happening with the growing trend of the lack of teaching of the Bible!

    People get mad at God over the eternal damnation doctrine. "How could God be so mean?" "How could He send people to hell?" The critics never bring up that the Lord has provided a positive way of escape through trust in Christ. The writer of Hebrews even mentions this and writes: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard" (Heb. 2:3). And, "We have had good news preached to us, … it did not profit [some] because it was not united by faith in those who heard" (4:2).

Below are some of the key passages of Scripture about eternal punishment. The love of God counters this terrible truth by the gospel of salvation found only in Christ Jesus.

• For those who have transgressed against Me, "their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence to all mankind" (Isa. 66:24; Mark 9:48).

• Many will awake from the dust of the ground, some "to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt (rejection)" (Dan. 12:2).

• The lost "will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). (Punishment is eternal; new life is eternal!)

• The sinner will be cast into "the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30).

• The unrighteous wealthy man "in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, … and said, 'I am in agony in this flame'" (Luke 16:23-24).

• "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15).

    While the contexts of the above passages may be different, the point is the same. There is an eternal separation from God and there is a punishment for sins that is terrible. Being a righteous and holy God, His justice demands that evil be judged. He cannot have sin in His holy presence! Again, people can escape this sure judgment by trusting Christ as their Savior. God's love counters His justice, but again, it must be accepted by the evil doer. Without Christ, and His substitutionary death for sinners, there is no hope!

    Thanks for asking.

    Dr. Mal Couch