Must a Christian Believe in Hell?
It Depends on What You Mean
Dr. John Sanders
(Please enjoy the song by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
below. Also, see the Chinese version of article at the end.)
Many Christians would say the answer has to be “yes,” if you believe what the Bible teaches. However, it is not quite so straightforward, because a key question is how the biblical passages about “hell” should be interpreted. It is at this point that Christians have been unable to reach consensus. What follows is a survey of some of the different understandings of hell that Christians have held and still hold.
What may be called the “traditional view” is known as eternal conscious punishment. It is the idea that hell is a place where those who rejected God in this life are punished and are aware of their suffering forever—it never stops. A favorite text for proponents of this view is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in which the rich man dies and then finds himself “in Hades, where he was being tormented” by flames that made him suffer excruciating thirst (Luke 16:19-31). Another passage used to support this view is the text in which Jesus says that on the day of judgment those who know him will be given eternal life while those who do not know him “will go away into eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46). Those who reject the God, it is claimed, deserve an eternal punishment. The idea of eternal conscious punishment has been the traditional view of Roman Catholics and Protestants. It is what most people think of when the term hell is used.
A second understanding of hell is known as “annihilationism” (the impenitent are destroyed) or “conditional immortality” (only believers receive the gift of immortality). According to this view hell lasts forever, but it will not involve eternal suffering because those who resist God to the end will simply cease to exist. Proponents of this view appeal to biblical passages such as 2 Thessalonians 1:9 which says that the impenitent “will suffer eternal destruction,” and 1 Corinthians 15:42-54 which says that in order for us to live forever, God must give us the gift of immortality. This view was held by some in the ancient church and has been revived by some significant evangelical Christians in the twentieth-century such as John R. W. Stott.
A third view is put forth by one of the giants of contemporary New Testament scholarship, the evangelical N. T. Wright. Most people are shocked, he says, when he tells them that there is very little in the Bible about hell and that Jesus did not mention it. Wright believes the apocalyptic language of the gospels is not about either the “end times” or what happens after death. Instead, he says, this language is a vivid way to speak about divine judgment and vindication within history. Yet, Wright does believe in hell, but he rejects both what he calls an everlasting “concentration camp” (eternal conscious punishment) as well as annihilationism. He believes that those who ultimately turn away from God’s grace continue to exist forever, but because they reject all love they cease to be human. He says that they do not experience any pain, even as they are aware of themselves.
Another understanding of hell is that it will be, at least for some people, remedial. One of my former professors, Donald Bloesch, wrote: “Hell is a reality….But it is not the final word on human destiny, because God’s grace pursues the sinner into hell.” Appeal is made to Ephesians 4:8-10 which is interpreted to mean that Jesus went to hell and set the captives free and to 1 Peter 3:18-4:6 where Jesus preached the gospel to those in hell and liberated those who put their faith in Jesus. Neither the gates of hell nor time can prevent the eternal and almighty God from working to redeem creatures. Will hell eventually have no occupants? Proponents of this view are content to argue that some are evangelized from hell but typically they do not claim more than that. They believe that divine grace and love are never forced on people so it is possible that some will eternally reject God. However, it will be their choice, not God’s.
A final view, known as universal salvation, takes the hell is remedial idea and uses it to conclude that, in the end, hell will be emptied and every single person will eventually be welcomed into the heavenly kingdom. They point out that God never closes the gates of the heavenly city so the door of salvation is always open (Revelation 21:25). God never gives up on people and, even if it should take eons of time, God will eventually bring all people into the divine love. This position was held by the third-century clergyman Gregory of Nyssa, the key theologian for the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is why it has always been a respected view in that Christian tradition. The view became popular among many Protestants in the late nineteenth-century and in the last six years three evangelical Christians have written books defending universal salvation.
So, must a Christian believe in hell? It depends upon what one means by hell. Christians hold to a range of views on the topic. Perhaps what could be concluded from this survey is that God is going to hold people accountable for the way they lived their lives. What we do now matters, in part, because God does not let us get away with living lives that are less than loving. This is our calling in life: to love others as we love ourselves.
We all fall short of a life of complete love, sometimes through sins of omission (we fail to love other when we should do so) and commission (we harm others). We cannot hide from this falling short; we are accountable for what we do. But how this accountability is accounted for – even by God – is a question on which Christians disagree. Is there a hell? Again, it depends on what is meant by hell.
What may be called the “traditional view” is known as eternal conscious punishment. It is the idea that hell is a place where those who rejected God in this life are punished and are aware of their suffering forever—it never stops. A favorite text for proponents of this view is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in which the rich man dies and then finds himself “in Hades, where he was being tormented” by flames that made him suffer excruciating thirst (Luke 16:19-31). Another passage used to support this view is the text in which Jesus says that on the day of judgment those who know him will be given eternal life while those who do not know him “will go away into eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46). Those who reject the God, it is claimed, deserve an eternal punishment. The idea of eternal conscious punishment has been the traditional view of Roman Catholics and Protestants. It is what most people think of when the term hell is used.
A second understanding of hell is known as “annihilationism” (the impenitent are destroyed) or “conditional immortality” (only believers receive the gift of immortality). According to this view hell lasts forever, but it will not involve eternal suffering because those who resist God to the end will simply cease to exist. Proponents of this view appeal to biblical passages such as 2 Thessalonians 1:9 which says that the impenitent “will suffer eternal destruction,” and 1 Corinthians 15:42-54 which says that in order for us to live forever, God must give us the gift of immortality. This view was held by some in the ancient church and has been revived by some significant evangelical Christians in the twentieth-century such as John R. W. Stott.
A third view is put forth by one of the giants of contemporary New Testament scholarship, the evangelical N. T. Wright. Most people are shocked, he says, when he tells them that there is very little in the Bible about hell and that Jesus did not mention it. Wright believes the apocalyptic language of the gospels is not about either the “end times” or what happens after death. Instead, he says, this language is a vivid way to speak about divine judgment and vindication within history. Yet, Wright does believe in hell, but he rejects both what he calls an everlasting “concentration camp” (eternal conscious punishment) as well as annihilationism. He believes that those who ultimately turn away from God’s grace continue to exist forever, but because they reject all love they cease to be human. He says that they do not experience any pain, even as they are aware of themselves.
Another understanding of hell is that it will be, at least for some people, remedial. One of my former professors, Donald Bloesch, wrote: “Hell is a reality….But it is not the final word on human destiny, because God’s grace pursues the sinner into hell.” Appeal is made to Ephesians 4:8-10 which is interpreted to mean that Jesus went to hell and set the captives free and to 1 Peter 3:18-4:6 where Jesus preached the gospel to those in hell and liberated those who put their faith in Jesus. Neither the gates of hell nor time can prevent the eternal and almighty God from working to redeem creatures. Will hell eventually have no occupants? Proponents of this view are content to argue that some are evangelized from hell but typically they do not claim more than that. They believe that divine grace and love are never forced on people so it is possible that some will eternally reject God. However, it will be their choice, not God’s.
A final view, known as universal salvation, takes the hell is remedial idea and uses it to conclude that, in the end, hell will be emptied and every single person will eventually be welcomed into the heavenly kingdom. They point out that God never closes the gates of the heavenly city so the door of salvation is always open (Revelation 21:25). God never gives up on people and, even if it should take eons of time, God will eventually bring all people into the divine love. This position was held by the third-century clergyman Gregory of Nyssa, the key theologian for the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is why it has always been a respected view in that Christian tradition. The view became popular among many Protestants in the late nineteenth-century and in the last six years three evangelical Christians have written books defending universal salvation.
So, must a Christian believe in hell? It depends upon what one means by hell. Christians hold to a range of views on the topic. Perhaps what could be concluded from this survey is that God is going to hold people accountable for the way they lived their lives. What we do now matters, in part, because God does not let us get away with living lives that are less than loving. This is our calling in life: to love others as we love ourselves.
We all fall short of a life of complete love, sometimes through sins of omission (we fail to love other when we should do so) and commission (we harm others). We cannot hide from this falling short; we are accountable for what we do. But how this accountability is accounted for – even by God – is a question on which Christians disagree. Is there a hell? Again, it depends on what is meant by hell.
The song above is “Big White Gate” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. It is about her grandmother. Some of the lyrics to the song speak to the concerns in the article and about the hope, felt by so many people, that the gates to the heavenly city never close.
传统观点：
永恒的心灵惩罚
如果你相信圣经所传授的，那么很多基督徒会说答案是肯定的。然而，这个问题并不一定是很坦诚的，原因在于关键的问题是圣经关于“地狱”的阐述是怎么被诠释的。就是在这个问题上基督徒们一直也未能达成一致。接下来就是一些关于地狱不同理解的调查，基督徒们曾经所持有的和现在还坚持的观点。
被称为“传统的观点”是永恒的心灵惩罚，就是地狱是惩罚那些拒绝上帝的人的地方，他们意识到他们将永远承受——永无休止。这个观点的支持者们最喜欢用的文字就是有钱人和拉撒路的寓言故事，在故事里有钱人死了发现自己“在哈迪斯，自己被折磨”，火焰让他饥渴难耐（路加福音16:19-31）。另外一个用来支持这个观点的文字是耶稣在审判日当天说那些了解他的人会得到永生那些不了解他的人“会进入永远的惩罚”（马太福音25:46）。那些拒绝上帝的人应得到永远的惩罚。永远的心灵惩罚一直以来也是罗马天主教和新教徒的传统观点。当提到地狱的时候这也是大多数人所想到的。
另一种理解：
福音主义者
第二种理解是“灵魂寂灭论”（毫无悔意的人被摧毁）或者“在一定条件下引发的不灭的声望”（只有信徒才会得到不灭的声望）。根据这个观点，地狱永远存在，但不会是永恒的惩罚因为那些到最后也拒绝上帝的人不会存在了。这个观点的倡导者们倾向于圣经的经文例如贴撒罗尼迦后书 1:9上面说毫无悔意的人会承受永恒的毁灭，哥林多前书 15:42-54说为了让我们得到永生，上帝必须给我们永恒的礼物。古时候的一些教堂持这个观点而且在二十世纪像约翰·斯托得这样的一些重要的福音主义基督徒让这个观点活跃起来。
再有一种观点：
没有爱，没有痛，没有人性
第三种观点被当代重要的新约学者福音主义者怀特所推崇。他说，当他告诉他们圣经里几乎没有提到地狱而且耶稣也从未提及地狱的时候大多数人都感到震惊。怀特相信福音中带有启示性的语言既不是关于“末日时代”也不是死后会如何。他说这些语言是通过生动的方式描述了神的判断以及历史的辩白。然而，怀特相信地狱，但是他拒绝接受所谓永远的“集中营”（永恒的心灵惩罚）和灵魂寂灭论。他相信那些最终远离上帝的宽恕的人会一直存在下去，但是因为他们拒绝爱所以他们不能成为人。他说即使他们有清晰的自我意识也感受不到痛楚。
另一种观点：
那些选择的人会得到救赎
还有一种关于地狱的理解是，至少对于一些人来说地狱是自己可以被拯救的地方。我们之前认识的一个教授，唐纳德·布洛施写到：“地狱是现实的……但不是人类命运的最终归宿，因为上帝的宽恕会跟随犯罪恶的人到地狱。”对于以佛所书4:8-10的诠释是耶稣去了地狱而且让那些信仰耶稣的人获得解放彼得前书3:18—4:6。地狱的门和时间都不能阻止永恒的伟大的上帝来挽救生灵。那么地狱最终是否会没有人呢？这个观点的支持者们津津乐道地认为一些在地狱感到了福音但是通常也就是这样。他们相信神不会把宽恕和爱强加给人们所以一些人会永远拒绝上帝，这是有可能的。
最后一种：
整体的救赎
最后一种观点，通常被理解成整体的救赎，接纳地狱是救赎的思想，并概括说，最终，地狱会空无一人每一个人都最终会到达天堂。他们指出上帝从未关闭天堂的大门所以救赎的门也是一直敞开的（启示录21:25）。上帝从未放弃人们，即使经历无限长的时间，上帝也会最终带给所有的人伟大的爱。三世纪牧师，东正教堂的重要神学家尼撒的格里高利持有这个观点，这就是基督教有这种被尊重的思想的原因。这个观点在19世纪末期在很多新教徒当中受到欢迎，在最后六年里，三位福音主义基督徒著书来保卫这种救赎。
所以，作为一个基督徒一定要相信地狱的存在吗?要根据地狱的不同定义来判定。基督徒们在这个问题上有不同的观点。从这个调查所能看出的也许是上帝准备让人们都能解释自己生活的方式。我们现在所作的很重要，部分原因是上帝没告诉我们要远离那些没有爱的生活。这是我们生活中的口号：要像爱我们自己一样爱别人。
我们都沉浸在短暂的爱的生活中，有时候我们没能爱那些我们应该爱的人或者是对别人造成伤害。我们不能躲开这段短暂的时光；我们所作的很重要的。但是深层次的原因是基督徒们争论不休的。地狱存在吗？答案还是那个，要根据地狱的不同定义来判断。
永恒的心灵惩罚
如果你相信圣经所传授的，那么很多基督徒会说答案是肯定的。然而，这个问题并不一定是很坦诚的，原因在于关键的问题是圣经关于“地狱”的阐述是怎么被诠释的。就是在这个问题上基督徒们一直也未能达成一致。接下来就是一些关于地狱不同理解的调查，基督徒们曾经所持有的和现在还坚持的观点。
被称为“传统的观点”是永恒的心灵惩罚，就是地狱是惩罚那些拒绝上帝的人的地方，他们意识到他们将永远承受——永无休止。这个观点的支持者们最喜欢用的文字就是有钱人和拉撒路的寓言故事，在故事里有钱人死了发现自己“在哈迪斯，自己被折磨”，火焰让他饥渴难耐（路加福音16:19-31）。另外一个用来支持这个观点的文字是耶稣在审判日当天说那些了解他的人会得到永生那些不了解他的人“会进入永远的惩罚”（马太福音25:46）。那些拒绝上帝的人应得到永远的惩罚。永远的心灵惩罚一直以来也是罗马天主教和新教徒的传统观点。当提到地狱的时候这也是大多数人所想到的。
另一种理解：
福音主义者
第二种理解是“灵魂寂灭论”（毫无悔意的人被摧毁）或者“在一定条件下引发的不灭的声望”（只有信徒才会得到不灭的声望）。根据这个观点，地狱永远存在，但不会是永恒的惩罚因为那些到最后也拒绝上帝的人不会存在了。这个观点的倡导者们倾向于圣经的经文例如贴撒罗尼迦后书 1:9上面说毫无悔意的人会承受永恒的毁灭，哥林多前书 15:42-54说为了让我们得到永生，上帝必须给我们永恒的礼物。古时候的一些教堂持这个观点而且在二十世纪像约翰·斯托得这样的一些重要的福音主义基督徒让这个观点活跃起来。
再有一种观点：
没有爱，没有痛，没有人性
第三种观点被当代重要的新约学者福音主义者怀特所推崇。他说，当他告诉他们圣经里几乎没有提到地狱而且耶稣也从未提及地狱的时候大多数人都感到震惊。怀特相信福音中带有启示性的语言既不是关于“末日时代”也不是死后会如何。他说这些语言是通过生动的方式描述了神的判断以及历史的辩白。然而，怀特相信地狱，但是他拒绝接受所谓永远的“集中营”（永恒的心灵惩罚）和灵魂寂灭论。他相信那些最终远离上帝的宽恕的人会一直存在下去，但是因为他们拒绝爱所以他们不能成为人。他说即使他们有清晰的自我意识也感受不到痛楚。
另一种观点：
那些选择的人会得到救赎
还有一种关于地狱的理解是，至少对于一些人来说地狱是自己可以被拯救的地方。我们之前认识的一个教授，唐纳德·布洛施写到：“地狱是现实的……但不是人类命运的最终归宿，因为上帝的宽恕会跟随犯罪恶的人到地狱。”对于以佛所书4:8-10的诠释是耶稣去了地狱而且让那些信仰耶稣的人获得解放彼得前书3:18—4:6。地狱的门和时间都不能阻止永恒的伟大的上帝来挽救生灵。那么地狱最终是否会没有人呢？这个观点的支持者们津津乐道地认为一些在地狱感到了福音但是通常也就是这样。他们相信神不会把宽恕和爱强加给人们所以一些人会永远拒绝上帝，这是有可能的。
最后一种：
整体的救赎
最后一种观点，通常被理解成整体的救赎，接纳地狱是救赎的思想，并概括说，最终，地狱会空无一人每一个人都最终会到达天堂。他们指出上帝从未关闭天堂的大门所以救赎的门也是一直敞开的（启示录21:25）。上帝从未放弃人们，即使经历无限长的时间，上帝也会最终带给所有的人伟大的爱。三世纪牧师，东正教堂的重要神学家尼撒的格里高利持有这个观点，这就是基督教有这种被尊重的思想的原因。这个观点在19世纪末期在很多新教徒当中受到欢迎，在最后六年里，三位福音主义基督徒著书来保卫这种救赎。
所以，作为一个基督徒一定要相信地狱的存在吗?要根据地狱的不同定义来判定。基督徒们在这个问题上有不同的观点。从这个调查所能看出的也许是上帝准备让人们都能解释自己生活的方式。我们现在所作的很重要，部分原因是上帝没告诉我们要远离那些没有爱的生活。这是我们生活中的口号：要像爱我们自己一样爱别人。
我们都沉浸在短暂的爱的生活中，有时候我们没能爱那些我们应该爱的人或者是对别人造成伤害。我们不能躲开这段短暂的时光；我们所作的很重要的。但是深层次的原因是基督徒们争论不休的。地狱存在吗？答案还是那个，要根据地狱的不同定义来判断。
