So, I was listening to Cliffe Knecthle, a pastor and apologist speak on the question, “are we all going to Hell?” I have to admit, I wasn’t happy with his answer, which you can see here.
Don’t get me wrong, what he said was correct, however, I feel that it was also incomplete because while it answered the question, it didn’t give the full answer that a person seeking Christ would need to understand, (or even an existing believer who simply doesn’t know).
So this post today is to answer the question, are we all going to Hell, in a biblical way, and I hope it makes sense.
Warning: This is a topic that stirs a lot of emotions, so please read all the way through before rebutting. I promise you it will make sense by the time you finish,
So, the first thing you need to understand is that nobody goes to hell because of sin – we are all, **already** on our way to hell — I know. That’s a very bold statement.
Does you know John 3:16? – “for God so love the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life?“
Most people do. It’s probably the most common verse that kids memorize, but have you read versed 16 and 17?
They say, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes is not condemned, but he that does not believe is *condemned already** because he didn’t believe in the name of the only Begotten Son of God.“
You get that? We are condemned – already.
See, the path of condemnation was set long ago before any of us were born because sin entered the world and it infected every human being that was ever born and that will ever be born.
Put another way, we are not born into the land of the living on our way to the dying. We are born into the land of the dying on our way to the land of the living – eternity.
And the proof that we are in the land of the dying is that we will die. Nobody gets out of this life alive. We do not have forever in this life.
We will in the next, but not this one, and because of circumstances beyond any of us, all roads lead to Hell unless we choose to believe in the name of Jesus Christ.
Because sin entered the world, it corrupted our natural state, so we aren’t born good – we are born innocent.
But because we have a sin nature – that is, the inclination and proclivity to sin, our state of being is unacceptable for admittance into heaven.
Put another way, not all of us are as bad as we can be, but by default, all of us have been bad enough that we cannot be perfected in the eyes of God without help.
So, how do we become perfect? Where does the help come from that we need in order to be seen as righteous before God?
Enter, Jesus Christ.
The work that Jesus did on the earth did something amazing- it paid the eternal sin debt that was that was hanging over our heads.
Now, I won’t quote all of it, but if you read Romans 5: verses 12-19, it begins, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned“.
That was speaking of Adam and the sin in the garden. Notice that it says sin caused death, and death was passed to all man (mankind). So sin was inherited, like a genetic disease.
But when you continue to read, verse 19 says, “For as by one man’s disobedience (speaking of Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.“
That’s speaking of Jesus Christ.
His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, did something amazing – it paid the debt owed by mankind to God, and then it reconciled us to God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19, says “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.“
What Jesus did was free us from sin and death, so we can be reconciled to God. Sin drove a wedge between us and God.
And if you want to know why hell is eternal? It’s because God is eternal, and sin is an eternal crime against an eternal God, so the judgement must also be eternal.
The good news is Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1-4 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.“
And the moment we accept Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit in us. For reference, Corinthians 12:13, Romans 8:9, and Ephesian 1:13-14.
And after we have received Christ, Jesus begins working in us, by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we become more Christ-like.
In fact, He gives us a new identity – the bible calls believers saints, not sinners. Beloved and not enemies. Sons and daughters, not strangers.
So, to answer the question, does everyone go to hell if they aren’t saved? Yes. But it’s not because we’re bad or wicked or evil.
It’s because we’re already on our way to hell unless we accept Christ as our Lord and savior — which He offers as a free gift, by the way.
On more thing…
If you’re yet a believer in Christ and would like to know more, there’s a great resource you should check out where you can get to know all about Jesus, His work, and salvation.
