📖 Passage
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” — Matthew 10:28
🧠 Context & Background
The question “Why would a loving God send people to Hell?” is one of the most emotionally difficult and theologically charged topics in the Christian faith. It touches not only on the doctrine of divine judgment but also on our understanding of God’s love, justice, holiness, and mercy.
From a biblical worldview, God is not only loving but also perfectly just. These attributes are not in competition; rather, they are harmonized in His character. Hell is not a place created out of cruelty but a necessary consequence of rejecting the very source of life and righteousness — God Himself.
Throughout Scripture, God's warnings about judgment are given not to terrify people needlessly, but to awaken the conscience and point to the only escape: the cross of Jesus Christ. In fact, the strongest warnings about hell often came from the lips of Christ, not because He lacked compassion, but because He alone could save people from it.
This study examines several key passages that reveal:
- The reality and purpose of hell,
- The justice of God in punishing sin,
- The offer of salvation freely given through Jesus,
- And the urgency of responding to that offer.
This is not a topic to be approached with cold detachment or theological pride. It is a sobering truth meant to stir humility, gratitude, and a deeper commitment to the Gospel of grace.
🌿 Key Themes
- God’s holiness cannot overlook sin.
- Hell is real, eternal, and just (cf. Revelation 20).
- Jesus bore Hell on the cross for all who believe.
- God's love offers escape from judgment, but not by canceling justice — by satisfying it in Christ.
📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Matthew 10:28 – Fear Him Who Can Destroy Both Soul and Body in Hell
“Do not fear those who kill the body… rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
- Jesus affirms the reality of hell and reminds His followers that God has eternal authority.
- God’s justice is not to be taken lightly — fearing Him is not terror, but reverence rooted in truth.
Romans 2:5 – Storing Up Wrath
“Because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself…”
- A loving God is also just; persistent rebellion leads to judgment.
- Hell is not a contradiction to God’s love but the necessary outworking of divine justice for those who reject grace.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 – Eternal Separation
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord…”
- Hell is not only pain but separation from God's presence — the source of all goodness.
- It highlights the seriousness of turning from the gospel.
Revelation 20:11–15 – The Final Judgment
“The dead were judged… according to what they had done…”
- This great white throne scene affirms individual accountability.
- Names not in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire — a solemn image of God's perfect judgment.
John 3:16–18 – Love and Condemnation
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already…”
- God's love provides a rescue from condemnation through Christ.
- Hell is the tragic result of rejecting that provision — not God’s desire, but man's refusal.
Isaiah 66:24 – Undying Fire
“Their worm shall not die… and their fire shall not be quenched…”
- The imagery stresses the unending nature of judgment.
- This was quoted by Jesus Himself in Mark 9, indicating its continued relevance.
Hebrews 10:31 – A Fearful Thing
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
- God is not to be trifled with — His holiness demands response.
- Grace is amazing only when we understand the gravity of justice.
Luke 16:19–31 – The Rich Man and Lazarus
“In Hades… being in torment…”
- Jesus illustrates conscious, irreversible judgment after death.
- The rich man desires relief but receives none; a warning to heed God’s Word now.
- Abraham’s dialogue reveals that God’s Word is sufficient warning — people are without excuse.
Romans 5:9 – Saved from Wrath
“Much more… shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”
- Christ's blood delivers from the just wrath our sins deserve.
- Hell is real — but so is rescue, and it’s found in Jesus alone.
🧩 Review Questions
- How does God’s justice relate to His love?
- Why is Hell necessary for a moral universe?
- What did Jesus do to save us from Hell?
🔍 Definitions
- Hell: The eternal, conscious punishment of the wicked in separation from God. It is the just consequence of unrepented sin against a holy Creator.
- Wrath: God’s righteous anger toward sin, flowing from His holiness. It is not impulsive rage but measured and just.
- Judgment: God’s final and righteous evaluation of all people based on their response to Him and His revealed truth.
- Condemnation: The state of being declared guilty before God and deserving of punishment; contrasted with justification through Christ.
- Book of Life: A symbolic record of all who belong to Christ and are saved from final judgment.
- Hades: The intermediate state of the unrighteous dead, often associated with conscious torment before the final judgment.
- Lake of Fire: The ultimate destination of judgment after the great white throne, associated with final and eternal separation from God.
- Salvation: Deliverance from sin and its consequences through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
🙋 Application Questions
- Do you truly understand what you’ve been saved from?
- How does the doctrine of Hell increase your awe of the cross?
- Are you motivated to warn others about eternity?
🔤 Greek Keywords (with Simple Explanations)
- Gehenna (γέεννα) – A term Jesus used for Hell; originally a burning valley, symbolizing final judgment.
- Dikaiosynē (δικαιοσύνη) – “Righteousness”; God’s moral perfection.
📚 Cross References
- Isaiah 66:24 – The worm does not die, the fire is not quenched.
- Hebrews 10:31 – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
- Luke 16:19–31 – The rich man and Lazarus show the reality and separation of the afterlife.
- Romans 5:9 – We are saved from wrath through Christ.