Correcting Misconceptions about Heaven and Hell

Probably the most misunderstood concept in today's culture is the afterlife.  The average person believes when you die you either go to the "good place" because you were a "good person" or the "bad place", or somewhere in between like purgatory or some other testing ground to determine if you will come back with good karma or bad karma.  

Most people erroneously believe there is no heaven or hell, or that hell does exist and is guarded by the devil and his demon hoard.  All of these conceptions are wrong.  The public's perception of heaven and hell today is no better than the renderings of art in medieval times. 

Understanding the Architecture of Man

To understand discussions about death and the afterlife, first we need to understand the architecture of the creature called 'man'. We are tri-part

1. The Body or 'the flesh'

2. The Soul (Nephesh), self, life, life force, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion, heart,

3. Spirit (Ruach) breath, wind;  immortal component that is unique to humans from the animals.  In saved individuals, their Spirit is engrafted with the Holy Spirit; and sealed for salvation and eternal life.  Unsaved individuals have an immortal spirit as well, but have no seal or in grafting of the Holy Spirit (although the Holy Spirit still interacts with their Spirits, and is responsible for regeneration from unsaved to saved status).*

At death, both the Soul and Spirit (which are immortal) are separated from the Body.

The Truth About the Afterlife

• Science will never conquer death (Job 14:1-5; Ecclesiastes 3:1).

• Death is man’s punishment for disobedience (Romans 5:12-17; 6:23; James 1:14,15).

• Separation occurs, not annihilation.  At all times after death, people are conscious, they have memory, identity, emotion, can feel pain, regret, rejoice, praise and curse.

• The body goes to the grave “kever” to deteriorate.  However, the soul & spirit have a different journey...

Sheol (the Waiting Room)

Prior to the resurrection of Christ, except for Ezekiel and Enoch, the soul/spirit of everyone were confined to one of two places (compartments) in Sheol. (Luke 16:19-33)  Sheol is not to be confused with (kever) 'the grave' where the body was placed in the earth. Sheol was divided into at least two compartments (and it appears there were levels in each compartment).

• Paradise (Abraham's Bosom) was a waiting place for those destined to go to heaven but awaiting the atoning sacrifice of Christ. 
• The Place of Torment was fixed across an impassible gulf where the soul/spirits of unbelievers awaited final judgment. They understand their judgment is just. 

Sheol is a temporary place for both saved and unsaved souls until the final judgment.

These two compartments were for the souls of men only. There are other places for fallen angels, Satan and the antichrist.

Other Definitions of "Hell"

Hades in New Testament Times is essentially the Greek term for Sheol.

Note in Acts 2:27 Jesus went to Hades (in Paradise) and proclaimed His victory to the prisoners in the Place of Torment.

The Abyss in New Testament Times, is a Greek term describing a place where fallen angels are held. This could be a special compartment of Hades, but it is not for souls of humans. It is referenced 7 times in Revelation and in Luke 8:31 and Romans 10:7

Tartarus only mentioned in II Peter 2:4, and is a Greek term that names a special part of the abyss for fallen angels who participated in creating the Nephilim.  While angels are released from the Abyss (in Revelation 9, 11 and 17 references them coming out), it appears these specific evil angels are held in chains until they are thrown into the “Lake of Fire”.

Gehenna in the New Testament is a Greek term describing a place where fallen angels are held. 

• This is a reference to the final place of punishment for angels and men alike – it is a synonym for the “Lake of Fire” or the “Outer Darkness”.  
• After the Tribulation, the beast and the false prophet are sent here at the end of the Tribulation, and burn for a thousand years, waiting for everybody else with a reservation...
• At the final White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:10-15, unsaved humanity is resurrected into immortal bodies, and then cast into Gehenna, or the Lake of Fire.  In this "place*", the condemned of humanity are tormented in resurrected bodies that cannot die
• Along with condemned humanity, "Hades", symbolizing death, is thrown into the Lake of Fire as well.  This indicates death is 'no more'.
• At the very end, when the Millennial age has completed, the devil is cast into the Lake of Fire.  As he's the very last resident of the lake of fire or "hell", all the literary references to him "running" hell are scripturally inaccurate.

So the modern rendering of the word “Hell” typically means the Place of Torment in Hades or Sheol where disembodied souls/spirits await their trial and judgment.  And it also means a totally different place – Gehenna, or the Lake of Fire; where both fallen angels and men are to suffer eternal punishment in resurrected eternal bodies.

Yeesh!  What a tough subject to discuss.

How to Avoid the "Bad Place"

Since the resurrection of Christ, the dead now have two destinations:

• Christ died for all sins past, present and future, so those in Paradise had their sins covered by Christ and were redeemed/reconciled to the Father and brought into heaven – the throne room of God.
• Christ had descended into Sheol (Matt 12:40, Eph 4:9, I Pet 3:18-19) to proclaim his victory over sin and death and judgment on the unsaved.
• He then ascended to heaven, taking the righteous with Him (II Cor 12:1-4).

Today the saints now go immediately into the presence of God (II Cor 5:6-8, Phil 1:21-23).  The unsaved continue to go to Sheol/Hades to the Place of Torment.

Clarifying What is "Heaven"

Heaven is also several different places, and therefore sometimes confusing.

• From Adam to Christ's Ascension → Paradise was in Sheol, known as “Abraham's Bosom”.
• From Christ's Ascension until the Millennial Kingdom → Paradise is in Heaven and inhabited by saints not yet resurrected.
• At the Rapture, the saints will receive immortal bodies and live either in the Promised Land or rule with Christ throughout the Earth

When Christ returns to Earth to end the Great Tribulation, he will come with angels, the saints of the church, who have been resurrected into their immortal bodies at the time of the Rapture, along with the Tribulation Saints, who were martyred during the Tribulation. All the Tribulation and Church saints (both those who had died and gone to heaven, and those who were raptured) will reign with Christ during the Millennial Kingdom.

Those who lived in earlier ages are also resurrected into their immortal bodies and will reside inside the Promised Land (Dan 12:2, Isaiah 26:19). This is the Messianic Kingdom, or Millennial Kingdom here on Earth, and is sometimes confused for heaven.  

The Millennial Kingdom in the Promised Land

Messiah will be (at least part of the time) physically on a throne – here on Earth, on David's throne in Jerusalem

The unconditional covenants to Israel will be fulfilled, and the Jews will possess the entire promised land (Gen 13:15).  This constitutes a much larger area than the present day state of Israel.  A new covenant with Israel will be in place (the Wife of Jehovah) will be restored.

• The Promised Land will be populated with righteous inhabitants (Psalm 15:1-5, 24:1-6)
• There will be universal peace throughout the Earth (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:6-9; 65:17-25)
• Only believers will be alive at first – all unbelieving gentiles will have been judged and died.
• This will be a time of building and planting, long life, peace and respect for God's rule.

Finally, when the Eternal Order is established after the Millennial Kingdom is fulfilled, all believers will live in the New Jerusalem and the New Earth that God creates after sin and death are destroyed and all unbelievers are sent to the Outer Darkness. This is the “real” heaven, where men and angels can approach God's throne without condemnation or fear.

The Eternal Order - the New Jerusalem

The Great White Throne judgment is a time of resurrection and final judgment for unbelievers.  (1 Cor 4:5; 2 Thess 1:5-10).

• The resurrection will be the rejoining of the soul/spirit with an immortal, incorruptible body.
• For those punished, it will be eternal separation from God.

Why Must Hell Exist?

Is eternal horrible punishment justified? Sin has to be punished - while it is hard to grasp with finite minds, there are definite reasons for this. 

• To vindicate the King’s righteousness.
• To defend the moral order of His Kingdom.
• To highlight the preciousness of the Servant who died to make us just.
• It is the response of positive holiness reasserting the moral order of the world against all that is evil.

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* Footnote concerning the work of the Holy Spirit with the human spirit:

• The Holy Spirit is responsible for the work of regeneration of non-believers into saved believers.  2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15, Ephesians 2:10
• The Holy Spirit indwells saved believers.  John 14:16-17, 1 John 2:27
• The Holy Spirit seals the spirit of the believer so they are guaranteed to be and remain forever saved.  2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30

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Scripture citations are from:  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson