Most people have heard all or some of the following sayings:
- There are consequences for our actions.
- There are two things for certain; death and taxes.
- The things of this earth are continually passing away.
- All life comes to an end.
These are only a few of the numerous admonitions about the fact that all people will eventually die and be called to a judgment. When there is a judgment, alternative results are likely; these results can be favorable or unfavorable to the one being judge. There is no middle ground.
Through the centuries, people who believed in God understood that they would be judged at death and, based upon their life’s activities, be welcomed into a paradise or thrust into hell, with hell being an unending place of torment. Even individuals, who do not accept the existence of God, indirectly accept the existence of hell, since with the loss of earthly existence they no longer can enjoy any existence at all. One might call no existence a form of hell. Ronald Knox (1888-1957), the brilliant English convert to Catholicism, author, and priest, noted, “‘Once a man or woman has attained the age of reason he is bound for one of two ultimate destinies, fixed and eternal – hell or heaven; and this is true even of those myriads of souls which have never had the opportunity or never had full opportunity, to hear the Christian message preached.”
People do not want to face the concept of hell because, as soon as it is accepted as a fact, they must face the possibility that they might be judged as deserving an especially disgusting place in such an undesirable state. Considering that most people would not want to face this possibility, it is understandable that they prefer to ignore the reality of hell’s existence. In this way, they can avoid confronting their own weaknesses, actions, and moral failures. They avoid contemplating the results of their actions; therefore they do not have to consider making changes in their lives.
In the modern world today, many people, including those with strong religious backgrounds rationalize that a loving, merciful God could not, would not, condemn any individual to an eternity in hell, torment. Thus they dismiss the idea that hell really exists; or they theorize that if hell exists, God would eventually end an individual’s torment sometime in the future. These people are deluding themselves! In no place in the Bible does God even hint at the lack of hell’s existence. They ignore the fact that in addition to being merciful, God is also just and justice may demand an unending punishment. Jesus frequently warns of hell’s existence. (In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus emphatically refers to hell on numerous occasions, each time warning people to live just lives. “Whoever causes one of these little ones, who believe in me to sin, * it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, * cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands go into hell, * to the unquenchable fire. * 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, * cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. * * 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, * pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell.” Luke quotes Jesus as saying, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5* But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell.”)
Yes, my friends, hell does exist; a place of torment from which there is no release. While you have time, you might want to consider taking the steps necessary to avoid such an eternal torment.
Suggested readings: Though not specifically concerned with the issue of hell, the following books by Ronald Knox are valuable for any Catholic or non-Catholic. Both are available on Amazon and other outlets.
- · “The Belief of Catholics”
- · “The Hidden Stream”