What is hell?

Brother Charles speaks about the Biblical view of hell. The sermon draws primarily from Ezekiel 18, where God declares He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone and calls for repentance, a new heart, and a new spirit. Brother Charles also references Psalm 139 to illustrate God’s omnipresence and Romans 3 to establish that all have sinned and fallen short of the righteousness required for God’s presence.

The core argument is that hell is a reality frequently warned about by Jesus, Peter, and Paul. It is defined not as a place of active torture by God, but as the logical consequence of a soul’s refusal to undergo spiritual transformation. Using the metaphor of a fish out of water, Brother Charles explains that without the “lungs” of the Holy Spirit, a human cannot survive the “atmosphere” of God’s holiness in heaven.

Brother Charles challenges the congregation to reject the delusion of self-righteousness. Even “respectable” people are sinners who deserve the isolation of hell, which is described as a state where God has withdrawn His grace, leaving only pure ego, betrayal, and the absence of love.

1. Hell is a reality – Jesus spoke more about hell more than anyone else.
2. God takes no satisfaction in hell. Ezekiel 18 he warned Israel. Turned away from all your offences. I take no pleasure in the death of anyone. He grieves over people who suffer.
3. Hell is a consequence of our own choice. There is a need for justice and there is a need for punishment for all our sins.
4. Heaven is a choice, we need to accept Jesus, to be transformed by Jesus. Look at the example of a fish in water. In water it lives comfortably but on land it will die as it needs lungs. This is analogous to the transformation we need. If you take us out of this human world and put us in heaven we will not be comfortable we will be like a fish out of water. Unless I am transformed by Jesus I will die. Hell is a consequence of not accepting Jesus and it is a choice that everyone must make.

Action Points:

• Acknowledge the Need for Transformation: Recognize that salvation is a literal change of “species” or nature through the Holy Spirit, not just a legal pardon.
• Evangelistic Urgency: Tell others what God has done, as hell is the result of a choice to live without God that becomes permanent after physical death.
• Gratitude for Grace: Maintain a posture of praise for the “assurance” of heaven, which is only possible through the righteousness provided by the blood of Jesus.