by Rick Fortier

            BIBLICAL REFERENCES ON HELL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

    1. Hell is located in the heart of the earth.

         Matthew 11:23  "...brought down to hell..."
         Luke 10:15     "...thrust down to hell..."
         Matthew 12:40  "...in the heart of the earth..."

    2. There is an unquenchable fire in hell.

         Matthew 5:22   "...in danger of hell fire..."
         Mark 9:43,45   "...into the fire that never shall be
                         quenched..."
         Luke 16:24     "...for I am tormented in this flame..."

    3. Hell was originally meant for the fallen angels.

         2 Peter 2:4    "For if God spared not the angels that
            sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
            into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement;"

    4. Is a temporary holding place for the wicked dead until the Great
       White Throne Judgement. Then those in hell will be cast into the
       Lake of Fire.

        Luke 12:5       "...after he hath killed hath power to cast
                        into hell..."
        2 Peter 2:4     "...to be reserved unto judgment..."

        Revelation 20:12-14  "And I saw the dead, small and great,
              stand before God; and the books were opened: and another
              book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead
              were judged out of those things which were written in the
              books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the
              dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up
              the dead which were in them; and they were judged every
              man according to their works. And death and hell were
              cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."

    5. References on humans that are under the earth.

        Matthew 10:28   "...able to destroy both the soul and body in
            hell..."

        Philippian 2:10 "That at the name of Jesus every KNEE should
            bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
            UNDER the earth;" (note that the things have knees)

        Revelation 5:3  "...And no MAN in heaven, nor in earth, NEITHER
            UNDER THE EARTH..."

    6. The discovery of the physical location of hell could be an end
    time sign.

        Acts 2:19       "...And I will show wonders in the heaven
            above, and SIGNS IN THE EARTH BENEATH; blood, and fire,
            and vapor of smoke..."

    7. Persons dead in hell have complete senses, desire, and memory
    intact with remembrance of what occurred before death.

        Luke 16:22-31
            22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was
               carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man
               also died, and was buried;
            23 And in hell he lift up HIS EYES, being in torments,
               and SEETH Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
            24 And HE CRIED and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on
               me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of HIS
               FINGER in water, and cool MY TONGUE; for I am tormented
               in this flame.
            25 But Abraham said, Son, REMEMBER that thou in thy
               lifetime received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil
               things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
            26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a
               great gulf fixed: so that THEY WHICH WOULD pass from
               hence to you cannot; neither CAN they pass to us, that
               would come from thence.
            27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou
               wouldest send him to my father's house:
            28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto
               them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
            29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the
               prophets; let them hear them.
            30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto
               them from the dead, they will repent.
            31 And he said unto him, IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES AND THE
               PROPHETS, NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED, THOUGH ONE ROSE
               FROM THE DEAD.

        Comments:

        v 23. The rich man recognized Abraham, and knew who he was
         even though he had never seen him before indicating either
         that he was more aware after he died than while he was alive,
         or that he had the ability to be taught after he died. He also
         saw Lazarus and recognized and remembered him. Also, our souls
         must have recognizable features just like our bodies because
         he could discern between Abraham and Lazarus.

        v 24. Evidently after death we can speak and will have
         emotion. And we will have fingers and tongues that can sense
         death.

        v 25. The rich man in hell must have had the ability to
         remember, because Abraham tells him "REMEMBER". Also, it must
         be that we will experience either comfort or torment after
         death depending on our location.

        v 26. The dead still had the capability of desire, because
         Abraham says "THEY WHICH WOULD", meaning "those that desire
         to". Also, Abraham states that it is impossible to pass the
         gulf, thus indicating that there was no mercy to be granted
         after death, which rules out purgatory.

        v 27. It is interesting to note that the rich man still
         thought that he could boss around people even after he was
         dead.

        v 28-31. People that are alive now must believe and be
         persuaded by the scriptures. Physical evidence, such as
         someone being raised from the dead will not cause people to
         become believers.

                            CLOSING COMMENTS

        The article printed in TBN's newsletter does not definitively
    state that they found the gates of hell. Even if they did have
    physical evidence, that would not necessarily persuade non-believ-
    ers into becoming believers.

        Think about this, if Jesus could have shocked people into
    believing that he had rose from the dead, then why didn't he just
    walk through Jerusalem a few days after his death with his hands
    raised in the air? They definitely would have known where he had
    been by the daylight that was showing through the holes in his
    hands! You might ask, "Why didn't he?". To that question I would
    have to reply that if it was the best method of gaining believers
    then he would have done it. During the forty days after his resurr-
    ection, Jesus showed himself to many people. But he only showed
    himself to those that were already believers at the time of his
    death. It wasn't until after the preaching started that the church
    began to grow.

    Rick Fortier
    14411-114 Kittridge St.
    Van Nuys, CA 91405

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