A Biblical Examination Of Hell

By Dr. Max D. Younce, Pastor

HERITAGE BAPTIST BIBLE CHURCH
P.O. Box 573| Walnut Grove, MN 56180 | Telephone (507) 859-2519

Let us now move to Diagram 6...

VII. COMMENTARY ON DIAGRAM 6

  1. (Locate A). A Summarization.

At this point we want to recapitulate over all that are going to enter the Lake of Fire. There is one thing we have not covered so far and it concerns the Christian's works that are to be burned. The Christian will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ after the Rapture, where he will receive his rewards. A Christian's life consists of good works which are described in 1st Corinthians 3:12 as "gold, silver, and precious stones." The bad works of a Christian are described in the same Verse as "wood, hay and stubble." Concerning the bad works, Verse 15 states that...

"If any man's (Christian's) works shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved."

The Scripture is clear and simple that a Christian can have works that are displeasing to the Lord, but he is still saved. He will not be rewarded for them as they will be burned. SO the sin (bad works) in a Christian's life is not loss of salvation, but loss of rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. We believe these works could very well be burned or destroyed in the Lake of Fire. To go along with this, a very interesting portion of Scripture is found in Matthew 5:28-30:

"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

The word "Hell" in Verses 29 and 31 is the Greek "Gehenna," the eternal Lake of Fire, not Hades. We know that the earthly body is never cast into Hell. If that would be the case, there would be no need for a resurrected body. The members of the body are used to represent the works done with the body. In other words, "...if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee...", does this refer literally to cutting off your hand? The answer is, No! But the Lord is telling us to sever our hand or eyes from the direction that is causing us to sin. The sin would then be burned in Hell causing the Christian to suffer loss of rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1st Corinthians 3:15).

Remember, we serve the Lord with all the members of our body. If we are dedicated to the Lord, then all members of our body are partakers in serving Him. If one has a bad temper, he should "cut off," that is, "keep his mouth shut" until he controls his temper. If one is looking with lust at the opposite sex, then they are to pluck their eye or, rather, move it to another direction.

In 2nd John 1:8 we are told:

"Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a FULL REWARD."

Let us use ALL of our body to serve the Lord for a full reward. Let us be careful not to yield any part that is going to produce works that will burn, causing the Christian to suffer loss of rewards. Remember, it is not this physical body that will be cast into Hell, but the works it produces.

  1. (Locate B). The Judgment of the nations by Christ. The lost cast into the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:41). 

  2. (Locate C). The Beast and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire at the end of the Tribulation at the coming of Christ (Revelation 19:11-21). 

  3. (Locate D). All the lost from out of torment in Hades to the Great White Throne Judgment, then to Hell (Revelation 20:11-15).

  4. (Locate E). The wicked angels out of Tartarus, to the Great White Throne Judgment, then to Hell (Matthew 25:41).

  5. (Locate F). At the end of the Millennium, Satan and the lost he deceived are cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10).

Diagram 6 is only for a brief review or a refresher of what we have covered so far.
 

Now for Diagram 7...

VIII. COMMENTARY ON DIAGRAM 7

The Two Resurrections:

We are not going into an exhaustive analysis of the resurrection, but a brief summary which may help as a supplement. In Daniel 12:2 we have the first mention of two resurrections, "some to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt."

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

Now, as we turn to the New Testament, in John 5:28,29 we again have two resurrections mentioned.

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

The First Resurrection consists of ALL SAVED and is composed of 5 separate resurrections. The second resurrection, which is the resurrection of damnation, consists of ALL LOST resurrected to the Great White Throne Judgment.
 

FIRST RESURRECTION — ALL SAVED

  1. (Locate #1 on Diagram 7). The resurrection of Christ Who is the first fruits of them that arose (1st Corinthians 15:20,23).

  2. (Locate #2 on Diagram 7). A group of Saints resurrected after Christ's resurrection. They appeared in Jerusalem and were offered by the Lord as a sheaf offering to God (Matthew 27:52,53; Leviticus 23;10,11). They are in Heaven and will return with Christ to set up the Kingdom.

  3. (Locate #3 on Diagram 7). This is the resurrection at the Rapture. Those resurrected are the Christians who have died between Pentecost and the Rapture (1st Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54). They meet Him in the air on the way to Heaven, then return with Christ at the end of the Tribulation.

  4. (Locate #4 on Diagram 7). This is the resurrection of the two witnesses in the middle of the Tribulation Period. Their testimony during the first 3-1/2 years is now finished. They are allowed to be killed and their bodies put on display in Jerusalem for 3-1/2 days. After that, they are resurrected and ascend up to Heaven (Revelation 11:1-12). These would represent the gleanings of the harvest of resurrected bodies of the saved. They will return with Christ at the end of the Tribulation.

  5. (Locate #5 on Diagram 7). This is the resurrection of all the Christians martyred during the 7-year Tribulation Period. They are resurrected to reign with Christ in the Kingdom (Revelation 20:4,6).

Try to memorize the five parts of the First Resurrection, it will help you as you study the Scriptures. Remember, the First Resurrection consists of only the SAVED, none of the lost are included.
 

SECOND RESURRECTION — ALL LOST

There are no saved here, all lost. In Revelation 20:5 we are told,

"But the rest of the dead (the lost) lived not again until the 1,000 years were finished..." (Revelation 20:11-15).

Torment of Hades is now emptied at the end of Christ's reign. They appear before the Great White Throne Judgment, then to Hell ("Gehenna").

Diagram 7 was only inserted to give the reader an overall view of the resurrections of the saved and lost as they relate to their respective places. It must be noted that there is no one general resurrection of the saved and lost at the same time.  The five separate resurrections which complete the First Resurrection fulfill what Paul was referring to in 1st Corinthians 15:20 and 23:

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept ... But every man in his own order..."

Note: One Exception...

Notice on Diagram 7 at the end of the Millennium.  At this point, the heavens and earth are destroyed and in 2nd Peter 3:10 we are told that: "In the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."  "Nevertheless we, according to his promise (Isaiah 65:17), look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2nd Peter 3:13)

You will recall that the Millennial Kingdom is started with all saved people in their human bodies (Matthew 25:34), who will bear children during the Millennium.  We have no record of these or any other Christians dying during the Millennium.  Longevity will, no doubt, be extended as it existed prior to the flood and a short time after.  The Christian during the Millennium will still posses the old, Adamic nature just as we have today.  So to dwell in the New Heaven and New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, their sinful bodies must be exchanged for the new resurrected bodies. 

All Christians at the end of the Millennium will have a resurrection, exchanging their terrestrial bodies for a celestial body (1st Corinthians 15:40).  In 1st Corinthians 15:53 we are told "For this corruptible (dead) must put on incorruption (bodies that can never decay), and this mortal (those alive) must put on IMMORTALITY (bodies that will never taste death).  We are told why in 1st Corinthians 15:50, "Now this I say, brethren, that FLESH and BLOOD cannot inherit the kingdom of God..." (Read Philippians 3:20,21).

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Dr. Max D. Younce, Pastor

HERITAGE BAPTIST BIBLE CHURCH
P.O. Box 573
Walnut Grove, MN 56180
Telephone (507) 859-2519

Web: www.heritagebbc.com

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