▲ HEAVEN & HELL ▼ ARE THEY REAL? CHRISTOPHER D. HUDSON 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 11 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM © 2014 by Thomas Nelson Publishers All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked nkjv are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked nlt are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked msg are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked tlb are taken from The Living Bible. © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked gw are taken from the God’s Word translation. Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked esv are taken from the English Standard Version. © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Scripture quotations marked nasb are taken from the New American Standard Bible®. © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. Quotes taken from: WHAT’S THE TRUTH ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL? Copyright © 2013 by Douglas A. Jacoby Published by Harvest House Publishers Eugene, Oregon 97402 www.harvesthousepublishers.com Used by Permission. Quotes on page 114–118 by Francis Chan, Copyright 2011 by Francis Chan. Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity and the Things We’ve Made Up. Published by David C. Cook. Publisher permission required to reproduce. All rights reserved. Quotes on page 258–265, 269–272 by Brian Jones. Copyright 2011 by Brian Jones, Hell is Real (But I Hate to Admit It) Published by David C. Cook. Publisher permission required to reproduce. All rights reserved. Page design and layout: Crosslin Creative Infographics: “What the Bible Says About Heaven” © 2013 by TheBiblePeople.com. Used by permission. “The New Jerusalem” taken from The QuickView Bible © 2012 by Zondervan. Used by permission. “What the Bible Says About Hell” © 2013 by TheBiblePeople.com. Used by permission. “Consequences of the Fall and the Hope of Heaven” © 2013 by TheBiblePeople.com. Used by permission. Classic Art (Public Domain): Heaven Jan Van Eyck; The Adoration of the Lamb (detail); 1432 Gustave Dore; The Empyrean, from The Divine Comedy; 1857– 1868 Hans Memling; The Last Judgment (detail); 1467– 1471 Francesco Botticini; Assumption of the Virgin; c. 1475 J. Augustus Knapp; Ceres Pleading Before Hades for the Liberation of Persephone; early 20th c. Hell Unknown Artist; The Punishment of the Damned; 19th c. Unknown Artist; A Soul Tormented in Hell (detail), from The Book of the Seven Mortal Sins; 15th c. William Blake; The Thieves and Serpents, from The Divine Comedy; 1827 The Limbourg Brothers; Tundal’s Hell, from Tres Riches Heures; c. 1416 Dieric Bouts; Descent into Hell (detail); c. 1468 ISBN: 9781401680251 Printed in the United States of America 14 15 16 17 18 19 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 22 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM CONTENTS Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Part One: Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 THE MOMENTS AFTER DEATH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 What Happens Right After Death? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Is Death the Doorway to Heaven?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 How Will My Resurrected Body Be Different from My Current Body? . . . . . . . . . . . 25 What Will Jesus Have for Me in Heaven?. . . . . . . . . . 29 What Is Our Heavenly “Inheritance”? . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Will I Be Smarter in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 LIFE IN HEAVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Will We Have Physical Bodies in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . 44 Will There Be Sex in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 How Will Our Thoughts Be Different in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Is There Truly No Mourning or Parting in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Will We Be Busy in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Will Heaven Be Boring? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 What Will Spending Eternity in Heaven Be Like?. . . . . 65 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 33 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM HEAVEN & HELL DESCRIPTIONS OF HEAVEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Where Is Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Is Heaven a Real Place? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Is Heaven Eternal?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 What Is the “New Heaven”? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 What Will Heaven’s New Jerusalem Be Like? . . . . . . . 86 Will We Remember the Pain and Suffering We Experienced on Earth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Why Can’t We Understand Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 RESIDENTS OF HEAVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Will I Be with the People I Know in Heaven? . . . . . . .100 Do Unborn Children or Those Who Die Young Go to Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Will There Be Animals in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 What Are the Angels in Heaven Like? . . . . . . . . . . .110 Does Everyone Go to Heaven Eventually? . . . . . . . . .114 LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 How Can We View Death as a Good Thing?. . . . . . . .124 Will My Past Follow Me into Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . .127 Will I Be Able to Find and Visit Friends and Family Members in Heaven? . . . . . . . . . . .131 What Good Is It to Think About Heaven While Still Living on Earth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Does the Bible Offer Any Visions of Heaven? . . . . . . .138 How Does Looking Forward to Heaven Affect Life on Earth?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 4 (cid:88) CONTENTS 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 44 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM Part Two: Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 C O N THE REALITY OF HELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 T E Does Hell Exist? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 N T Is Hell Real or Just a Scare Tactic Used S by Jesus?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 Do We Still Need Hell Today? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159 Shouldn’t Hell Be Downgraded Today?. . . . . . . . . . .162 How Should the Reality of Hell Motivate Us to Act in This World? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 HELL AS A CHOICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 Why Does Hell Exist?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 Does God Banish People to Hell or Do They Choose That Destination Themselves? . . . . . . . .176 How Can Someone Purposely Choose to Go to Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 Do People Choose Hell or Sin, and What Is the Difference? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183 What Are Some Stories Jesus Told About Hell? . . . . . .187 How Can I Avoid Going to Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190 Once I Die, Am I Out of Chances? . . . . . . . . . . . . .193 DESCRIPTIONS OF HELL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 How Bad Is Hell, Really? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200 What Does Jesus Say About Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205 What Do We Lose in Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 How Can I Be Happy in Heaven When I Know People in Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212 5 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 55 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM HEAVEN & HELL HELL AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . .217 How Is Eternity in Hell a Fair Punishment for Sin? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell? . . . . . . .223 Why Is Judgment Day Good News?. . . . . . . . . . . . .226 What Is Judgment Day for Unbelievers? . . . . . . . . . .229 What Will Happen to the Wicked and the Righteous on Judgment Day?. . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 CHALLENGES TO THE BELIEF IN HELL . . . . . . . . . .237 Will a Loving God Really Condemn People to Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 What Are Some of the Major Objections to the Doctrine of Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 Will the Torment of Hell Last Forever?. . . . . . . . . . .246 Is Hell a Place of Annihilation, Eternal Torment, or Neither? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251 HOW CAN THE TRUTH ABOUT HELL AFFECT OUR LIVES TODAY?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255 Should All Christians Talk About Heaven and Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257 How Much Responsibility Do Christians Have for Other People’s Salvation?. . . . . . . . . . .262 How Can Christians Start Conversations About Hell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265 Why Don’t More Christians Talk About Hell?. . . . . . .269 Is It Wrong to Hope That All People Might Be Spared Hell?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272 Afterword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 6 (cid:88) CONTENTS 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 66 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks to a great team who helped me wade through lots of books and research on this topic. I am fully aware this book wouldn’t exist without any of you. Special thanks go to: Neil Heater for helping me find and get through all the research; Karen Engle for your always cheerful help; Melissa Peitsch for your ability to organize and keep me sane; Teresanne Russell for creating the new infographics for this book; Caleb Hudson and our friends at Dover for helping find the best images to include; Mary Larsen, Robin Merrill, and Steve Leston for doing a final read and review of the manuscript; and Janay Garrick for help- ing me develop, work, and rework this manuscript. Special thanks go to Bob Demoss who came up with the idea for this book. And Alee Anderson of Thomas Nelson: I’m grateful for your editorial skills that helped finalize and perfect the final edition. Lastly, thanks to my wonderful wife, Amber. Thanks to you and the kids for putting up with the difficult schedule that comes with a life in publishing. You are a blessing to me. I’m incredibly grateful to you all. 7 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 77 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 88 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM INTRODUCTION If you could ask God one question about heaven or hell, what would it be? I have posed this question to many people, and have heard a variety of responses. Do any of these sound familiar? • Will heaven be interesting? • Will we have jobs in heaven? • Is there sex in heaven? • Does hell really exist? • What does an eternity in hell feel like? • If I’m in heaven, will I see people in hell? The Bible offers clear answers to some of these questions. Others are a mystery. Where there are no clear answers, there are often hints and insights that allow us to shape informed opinions. In preparing for this book, I took more than sixty of the questions regarding heaven and hell, and I set out to find the answers. I consulted theologians, pastors, writers, and other great Christian thinkers. And I have collected their insights here for you. It is my prayer that their insights and this book will help you understand heaven and hell a bit better. Christopher D. Hudson Facebook.com/Christopher.D.Hudson.books @ReadEngageApply 9 0000--0011__HHeeaavveenn aanndd HHeellll..iinndddd 99 1122//44//1133 11::0022 AAMM