How is Hell fair?

Question

I find myself riddled with the Hell question. It is fiery, it's dark, and its, most notably, ETERNAL! At the same time, it is supposedly "fair" for your actions on Earth. I, personally, don't believe that their is an eternal crime, expecially suicide. If someone commited suicide, then they were, to a degree, in Hell already, aren't they?

When the dying Jesus Christ said "Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing,", could that not account for the people lost today? Are we not lost in our own twisted confusion from the Hell that is on Earth?

Answer 1

The doctrine of hellfire isn't scripturally supported.

To begin with, the original words used for hell in the OT (Hebrew) and NT (Greek) are "sheol" and "hades" respectively. The translation applied to these are "common grave of mankind", and many times simply the land, ground or Earth.

King David was a righteous and faithful servant of God, despite his sins (hey, we're all imperfect and he was repentant!) and shortcomings, as was the long-suffering Job. When these men died, they are said to have "returned to their forefathers" or "laid down in sheol."

Now, if hell is a place of eternal fiery torment, then why would two loyal worshipers of God be sent there??? Wouldn't it make more sense that the definition of hell is simply the ground? That when you die nothing happens?

The Bible also tells us that "the dead are conscious of NOTHING" and that they no longer receive wages because their "thoughts and works do perish." If the dead are conscious of nothing, then how are they eternally tormented? How can they be aware of their surroundings if they are unconscious?

Lastly, "God is love." It is impossible for God to lie or do any evil thing, so why would He tell us that He is love, and then condemn us to eternal torture in hellfire?

Hell is simply the collective grave of mankind, or the "memorial tombs" Jesus referred to, where the dead are "sleeping" until they are resurrected to life on Earth.

EDIT: I love how everyone conveniently forgets the scripture that tells us "the wages sin pays are death." Not "hell", not torture, but death.

It seems the more reasonable I become the more thumbs down I receive. Go figure!

Answer 2

This is a tough one so I will not even attempt some "Divine answer of wisdom", how ever in response to a hart felt question I will attempt an answer from my hart. (Blessed be). Hell is fair just as Jesus Christ dying for our sins is fair. As Christains we are steeped in a fundamental system of "good & evil" Hevean & Hell and Humans & earth some where in the middle. Well it is up to these humans who were indeed bestowed not only the fruits of the earth but the fruit of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL to make a stand based on their FREE WILL. With God as our father who has made it clear that He is a jealous God and that we are to not put ANY God before Him, it would seem quite "fair" that any one who sins against the Father or the Son would be punished. Every time that we as children of God committ acts that go against the laws of the Father and the teachings of the Son it is a sentence that we are giving our selves.(If your mother teaches you not to play in the street or you will get hit by a car and you then go and play in the street and do in fact get hit by a car is that fair? does it mean that your mother does not love you? or is it a terrible punishment for an action that YOU preformed, a dission that YOU made? Now no matter how un fair you may think this punishment is YOU will have to endure it).

Answer 3

You quoted one thing that Jesus said, but you deny other things He said.

Things like, "But I tell you, my friends, never be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can't do anything more. I'll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the authority to throw you into hell after killing you. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him!" (Luke 12:4-5)

He didn't say that Hell was on Earth. He is speaking in a future tense. Those who expect to face God on Judgment Day, without the blood of Christ's sacrifice on them, will have to plead their case with a Holy God. One sin wipes out all "good deeds." Sin is punishable by death. (Romans 6:23)

UPDATE: While the previous answerer mentioned that "hell" in "sheol" (that is, the grave) in the Old Testament, and that sometimes "hades" (the abode of the dead in the New Testament) are used interchangeably, they fail to address the other word "GeHenna," which is the word Jesus used for the place of eternal torment. Try as some might, there is no way of avoiding an unpleasant truth. Hell is an eternal, fiery judgment on an unregenerate, sinful individual.

Answer 4

Suppose you had a very serious illness, and you went to the doctor and asked him to treat it. Then suppose he gave you a prescription that would cure your illness—but you refused to take it. Who would be to blame if you failed to get better—the doctor, or you? I think you know the answer.

In the same way, the whole human race has a very serious spiritual "illness." It is a disease of our souls that the Bible calls sin. It is so serious, in fact, that it has put us on the road to eternal separation from God—which is what the Bible calls hell.

But listen: God loves us—and because He loves us, He has provided the remedy for our spiritual disease. The remedy is Jesus Christ, who took the punishment we deserve when He died on the cross for us. This is why the Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Yes—salvation is a free gift!

But what if we refuse it? What if we fail to accept the remedy God has provided? Who, then, is to blame if we continue on the road away from God? The answer is clear: We are. In other words, God doesn't send us to hell; we send ourselves. Don't gamble with your soul, but by faith accept Christ so you can know—beyond doubt—that you will go to be with Him in heaven forever.

Answer 5

I think cocoa has the right answer here. I agree with her to the point I might study it out for better understanding.

On the flip side here is something I sometimes ponder
Ever is a word that relates to time. In the scope of things infinite, there is no time.

So to say forever (for ever) is to say for a time. Grant it it may be a looooooooong time. But let's say you do make it to heaven.

God now has this spirit who endured life and turned from it's flesh and wickedness, and chose to serve God.
You think God won't have plans after earth is gone? I mean where did the angels come from? Cherubims and Seraphim's? God created everything for a purpose.

Eternity is a hard concept to grasp though, and I may have the wrong ideas, but time will tell. (pun intended)

Answer 6

I don't about "fair", but you do have a choice. You can choose your own eternity. All you have to do is accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and live for him, and you'll spend your eternity in heaven. By the way there is NO WHERE in the bible that specifically says that if you commit suicide that you automatically go to hell.

Answer 7

Those who have turned against God and are not in a state of grace at the time of death are condemned to hell. There can be no change of heart concerning God, for or against His will, after death. Hence hell and heaven must both be without end.

The chief suffering of hell is the loss of God. In this life, we can go comfortably without thinking of Him. But then it will be different. For one thing, our senses now keep telling us this world and this life are the only important things. Then that din of the senses will be gone. But more especially, when we cross into the next life, as it were, the light goes on. In this life, our intelligence has two components, the spiritual intellect proper to the spiritual soul, which is tied to the marvelous, yet material instrument in our heads. The latter limits us greatly. But at death, that limit is gone. Then even if the soul does not at once see God, it carries with it the information on Him, but then really understands, and wants Him intensely. To lose Him forever, or to be in a twisted state of wanting Him, yet in revolt against Him--this is the chief pain of hell.

Scripture often speaks of fire in hell. On May 17, 1979, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith explained: "She [the Church] believes that there will be eternal punishment for the sinner, who will be deprived of the sight of God, and that this punishment will have a repercussion on the whole being of the sinner." There will be, then a bodily pain. The imagery of fire means it will be a suffering as intense as that caused by earthly fire.

Of course, those who have sinned more will suffer more. But for all, there is no end to suffering and despair.

Answer 8

I never ever use that awful expression, you are going to Hell.
Hell is not this earthly life if it were then Christ and the Gospels would be in blatant error and that cannot be,Hell is real and deep down we all know this or else so many would not be so afraid to finally admit it to themselves.
You don`t want to go to Hell,Great! neither do I so love God and your brothers and sisters,obey the commandments and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ,this is a guarantee that Hell will never be for you or me.

Answer 9

An eternity of hell. People can not comprehend eternity. Definitely could not when they made up hell. Lets lower it to ten billion. that's seven or eight years in hell for every second the average person lives. Sounds fair...

Answer 10

God is Just. In his perfect wisdom, to create a perfect world, He had to give us the choice. After you die, you get what you chose. Life with God, or life without God. Hell is complete separation from God, and God is all things that are good, therefore Hell is the absense of all good. It is fair because God gave us the choice of where to go. Our own bad choice is not His fault. He gave us ample evidence of Himself, but sadly, some choose to close their minds to it.

So many people think that hell is a place of punishment for your bad deeds. That isn't an accurate depiction based on the Bible. Hell is a place for people who aren't willing to accept the gift that Jesus has offered. The Bible says that "no one is good, not even one", so heaven is not a place of reward for good deeds, it can't be if no one is good.