That Hideous Doctrine by John Thomas

That hideous doctrine of hell is fading. How Hell has two other aspects, rarely considered,
often have you thought of it in the past month, for which are both curious and frightening. On earth we
instance? Does it make a difference in your concern take for granted two physical properties that help
for others, in your witness? Is it a constant and keep us physically, mentally, and emotionally stable.
proper burden? The first is light; the second is solid, fixed surfaces.
Oddly, these two dependables will not accommodate
Most believers would have to say no. But the
those in hell.
individual isn’t the only one to blame. After all, the
doctrine no longer gets its float in the church parade; Hell is a place of darkness (Matt. 8:12).
it has become a museum piece at best, stored in the Imagine the person who has just entered hell—a
shadows of a far corner. neighbor, relative, co-worker, friend. After a roar of
physical pain blasts him, he spends his first
The reality of hell, however, demands we haul
moments wailing and gnashing his teeth. But after a
the monstrous thing out again and study it until it
season, he grows accustomed to the pain, not that
changes us. Ugly, garish, and familiar as it is, this
it’s become tolerable, but that his capacity for it has
doctrine will indeed have a daily, practical, and
enlarged to comprehend it, yet not be consumed by
personal effect on every believer who comes to terms
it. Though he hurts, he is now able to think, and he
with its force.
instinctively looks about him. But as he looks he
Our Lord’s words on the subject are unnerving. sees only blackness.
In Luke 16, He tells us of a rich man who died and
In his past life he learned that if he looked long
went to Hades (the abode of the unsaved dead
enough, a glow of light somewhere would yield
between death and final judgment). From that story
definition to his surroundings. So he blinks and
and a few other revelatory facts, we can infer several
strains to focus his eyes, but his efforts yield only
characteristics of hell.
blackness. He turns and strains his eyes in another
First, it’s a place of great physical pain. The rich direction. He waits. He sees nothing but unyielding
man’s initial remark concludes with his most black ink. It clings to him, smothering and
pressing concern: “I am in agony in this flame” (Luke oppressing him.
16:24). We do not make enough of this.
Realizing that the darkness is not going to give
We all have experienced pain to some degree. way, he nervously begins to feel for something solid
We know it can make a mockery of all life’s goals to get his bearings. He reaches for walls or rocks or
and beauties. Yet we do not seem to know pain as a trees or chairs; he stretches his legs to feel the
hint of hell, a searing foretaste of what will befall ground and touches nothing.
those who do not know Christ, a grim reminder of
Hell is a “bottomless pit” (Rev. 20:1,2 KJV);
what we will be spared from.
however, the new occupant is slow to learn. In
God does not leave us with simply the mute fact growing panic, he kicks his feet and waves his arms.
of hell’s physical pain. He tells us how real people He stretches and he lunges. But he finds nothing.
will respond to that pain. Our Lord is not being After more feverish tries, he pauses from exhaustion,
macabre; He is simply telling us the truth. suspended in black. Suddenly, with a scream he
kicks, twists, and lunges until he is again too
First, there will be “weeping” (Luke 13:28).
exhausted to move.
Weeping is not something we get a grip on; it is
something that grips us. He hangs there, alone with his pain. Unable to
touch a solid object or see a solitary thing, he begins
Recall how you were affected when you last
to weep.
heard someone weep. Remember how you were
moved with compassion to want to protect and His sobs choke through the darkness. They
restore that person? The Lord wants us to know and become weak, then lost in hell’s roar.
consider what an upsetting experience it is for the
As time passes, he begins to do what the rich
person in hell.
man did—he again starts to think. His first thoughts
Another response will be “wailing” (Matt. 13:42). are of hope. You see, he still thinks as he did on
While weeping attracts our sympathy, wailing earth, where he kept himself alive with hope. When
frightens and offends us. It is the pitiable bawl of a things got bad, he always found a way out. If he felt
soul seeking escape, hurt beyond repair, eternally pain, he took medicine. If he were hungry, he ate
damaged. A wail is sound gone grotesque because food. If he lost love, there was more love to be
of conclusions we can’t live with. found.
A third response will be “gnashing of teeth” So he casts about in his mind for a plan to apply
(Luke 13:28). Why? Perhaps because of anger and to the hope building in his chest.
frustration. It may be a defense against crying out or
Of course, he thinks, Jesus, the God of love, can
an intense pause when one is too weary to cry any
longer. get me out of this.
 He cries out with a surge, “Jesus! Jesus! You No rest day and night—think of that.
were right! Help me! Get me out of this!”
Thoughts of this happening to people we know,
He waits, breathing hard with desperation. The people like us, are too terrifying to entertain for long.
sound of his voice slips into the darkness and is lost. The idea of allowing someone to endure such torture
for eternity violates the sensibilities of even the most
He tries again. “I believe, Jesus! I believe now!
severe judge among us. We simply cannot bear it.
Save me from this!” Again the darkness smothers his
words. But our thoughts of hell will never be as
unmanageable as its reality. We must take this
Our sinner is not unique. Everyone in hell
doctrine of hell, therefore, and make sure we are
believes.
practically affected by it.
When he wearies of appeals, he does next what
A hard look at this doctrine should first change
anyone would do—assesses his situation and
our view of sin. Most believers do not take sin as
attempts to adapt. But then it hits him—this is
seriously as God does. We need to realize that in
forever.
God’s eyes and in His actual plan, each deserves
Jesus made it very clear. He used the same eternal punishment in hell.
words for “forever” to describe both heaven and hell.
We can actually learn, by comparison, to hate
Forever, he thinks, and his mind labors through sin as God hates it. As the reality of hell violates and
the blackness until he aches. offends us, for example, so sin violates and offends
God. As we cannot bear to look upon the horrors of
“Forever!” he whispers in wonder. The idea
hell, so God cannot bear to look upon the horrors of
deepens, widens, and towers over him.
sin. As hell revolts us to the point of hatred for it, so
The awful truth spreads before him like endless, also God finds sin revolting. The comparison is not
overlapping slats: When I put in ten thousand perfect, but it offers a start.
centuries of time here, I will not have accomplished Second, the truth of hell should encourage our
one thing. I will not have one second less to spend witness. Can we ever hear a sigh of weariness, see
here. a moment of doubt, or feel pain without being
As the rich man pleaded for one drop of water, reminded of that place? In all honesty, can we see
so, too, our new occupant entertains a similar any unbeliever, watch his petty human activities,
ambition. In life he learned that even bad things realize what he has in store, and not be moved with
could be tolerated if one could find temporary relief. compassion? It encourages us to witness in word
Perhaps even hell, if one could rest from time to and deed.
time, would be more tolerable. That hideous doctrine may grip our souls in dark
He learns, though, that “the smoke of (his) terror and make us weep, but let us be sure it also
torment goes up forever and ever; and (he has) no prompts us to holiness and compassion.
rest day and night” (Rev. 14:11 NASB).