Video Transcript: How Does Hell Work? - Dr Chip Bennett

The Reality of Eternal Judgment

About a year and a half ago, I was sitting in my office here at Grace when an email came through. It was from IVP Press, specifically from their academic division.

Now, you probably don’t need to know this, but IVP (InterVarsity Press) publishes Christian books, and they also have an academic branch that produces scholarly theological works.

The email said:

"Dr. Bennett, we have sought you out. We’d like you to write on a particular issue for an upcoming book. This book will present two views on a specific theological subject. It will include contributors from various disciplines—historical theology, systematic theology, biblical theology, narrative theology, and pastoral theology. Each writer will present their argument, critique their opponent’s work, and respond to that critique. This will be a 500-600 page book designed for seminaries and colleges, intended to be used for the next 10-15 years on this subject."

Now, normally, when you get an opportunity like this, you think, "Wow! That sounds great! I'd love to contribute."

But the subject matter? That’s where I hesitated.

Because I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to attach my name to this particular issue—even though I believe what I believe.

So I started calling some friends, pastor friends—and they were all like,
"Oh man, you HAVE to write on that!"

And I had already emailed IVP back, saying:
"I imagine you're having a hard time finding someone to write on this."

And they replied,
"Yes, we are."

And I thought, "Of course you are! Because this is one of the hardest issues to write on."

But finally, I decided to do it.

So, the book will be published sometime in 2025—if you’re interested in reading it.

(Though, to be honest, it might cure insomnia.)

The Subject?

You’re probably wondering:

"Okay, Chip… what’s the subject?"

Well, when I tell you, you’ll immediately understand why I wrestled with it.

Because they wanted me to write on hell.

…which is coming next Tuesday.

(Pause for effect.)

Why Start the Sermon Like This?

Why did I set up today’s message with that story?

Because if you’re a regular attender, you know we’re in a series called First Things.

We’ve been studying Hebrews 6:1-2, which lays out foundational truths of the Christian faith.

The writer of Hebrews is speaking to a church that should be more mature in their faith, but they aren’t.

They should have grown more, but they haven’t.

So he’s saying,
"We need to move forward. We can’t just stay in the basics forever."

And while the original readers knew what those foundational truths were, I was concerned that we might not fully understand them.

So that’s why we’ve been walking through this passage together.

The Core Passage

Here’s the passage we’ve been studying:

"Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."
(Hebrews 6:1-2, ESV)

So now, you see why I told you about the book—

Because today, we’ve arrived at the last foundational doctrine in this passage:

Eternal judgment.

The Big Questions

And you know this is true—

People ask these questions all the time:

• "How could a good God punish people for eternity?"
• "My family member was a good person, but not a Christian. Why would they go to hell?"
• "What crime could possibly deserve eternal punishment?"
• "What happens to people who have never heard about Jesus?"

These are big questions.

And I believe every church owes it to its people to be clear on what it believes about them.

A Humble Approach

Now, before we dive in, I want to say something upfront:

I do not stand here with pride or arrogance, acting as if I have all the answers.

There are strong theological debates on this topic—even the book I wrote for contains two opposing views.

And while this is an important doctrine, this is not a salvation issue.

But I do believe it’s important for us to examine what Scripture teaches about it—

Because it shapes how we live our lives.

The Classic Four-Views Book

When I was in school, there was a book that many of us read—

A Counterpoints book that presented four views on hell.

(You probably can’t even find this book anymore—it’s out of print.)

But here’s what I want you to see:

Even among Bible-believing scholars, there have been differing views on eternal judgment.

And as we explore this final foundational doctrine today, I want us to approach it with both conviction and humility.

Because at the end of the day, we are not God—

We are His followers.

Our job is to seek the truth in His Word, trust His justice and mercy, and proclaim the hope of the gospel to a world in desperate need of it.

The Tension Between God’s Love and Holiness

Now, what I want you to see here is the tension that exists.

We know that God is love—Scripture is clear about that.

But we also know that God is holy, and His holiness demands justice.

You cannot separate those two things.

Love without justice is meaningless sentimentality.

Justice without love is harsh and unforgiving.

But God is both perfectly loving and perfectly just—and those attributes must coexist.

And that’s why the cross was necessary.

Because if sin is real, then it must be dealt with.

It cannot be ignored or swept under the rug.

And here’s where the tension of hell comes in—because God’s justice demands accountability for sin.

Wrestling With the Reality of Judgment

Now, when we start talking about eternal judgment, this is where we start feeling uncomfortable.

Because we naturally think,
"How could a loving God allow people to go to hell?"

And that’s a valid question.

But I want to flip that question for a moment and ask this instead:

"If God is perfectly just, how could He allow sin and evil to go unpunished?"

That’s the other side of the tension we have to hold.

If there is no final judgment, then ultimately, there is no real justice.

Think about it:

• Every atrocity committed in human history—will those who did evil just get away with it?
• Every dictator who oppressed people, every murderer who was never caught, every act of abuse—if there is no judgment, then what happens to justice?

See, we want both things:

• We want mercy for ourselves.
• We want justice for others.

And what we often fail to realize is that we are all guilty.

Jesus Spoke More About Hell Than Anyone

Now, let’s be clear—this is not just a side doctrine.

Hell is something that Jesus Himself spoke about—A LOT.

In fact, Jesus talked about hell more than anyone else in the Bible.

Not Paul. Not Peter. Not John.

Jesus.

Why?

Because He wanted to warn us.

Not to scare us.

Not to manipulate us.

But because it’s real.

And because He doesn’t want anyone to go there.

The Reality of Eternal Judgment

One of the most famous passages on this topic is Matthew 25—where Jesus talks about the separation of the sheep and the goats.

He says the sheep—the righteous—will go into eternal life.

But the goats—the unrighteous—will go into eternal punishment.

Now, let’s pause here.

Because this is where many people struggle.

They ask,
"Why would hell be eternal?"

"Why would a finite life of sin deserve infinite punishment?"

And again, these are good questions.

But here’s what we need to remember:

Sin isn’t just about breaking a rule.

Sin is about rebelling against an infinite, holy God.

The punishment matches the magnitude of the offense.

And when people reject God, they are ultimately choosing separation from Him—and God honors that choice.

C.S. Lewis on Hell

The great Christian thinker C.S. Lewis put it this way:

"There are only two kinds of people in the end:
Those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,'
And those to whom God says, 'Thy will be done.'
All that are in hell choose it."

Hell is not God forcing people to suffer.

Hell is God honoring people’s decision to reject Him.

It’s self-exclusion from God’s presence.

The Urgency of the Gospel

So, if this is true, then here’s what it means for you and me:

We should have an urgency in sharing the gospel.

Because if hell is real, then this isn’t just a theological debate.

This is life and death.

Eternity is at stake.

And the truth is—

God doesn’t send people to hell.

People choose it by rejecting the free gift of salvation.

God has done everything necessary to rescue us:

• He sent His Son.
• He took the punishment for our sins.
• He offers forgiveness and eternal life.

But we have to accept it.

God won’t force anyone into heaven against their will.

He has given us free will, and we have to choose Him.

What This Means for Us

So, as we wrap up this series on First Things, here’s what I want you to walk away with:

1. God’s love and holiness are inseparable.

   • He is both infinitely loving and infinitely just.

2. Hell is real—but God desires for no one to go there.

   • That’s why Jesus came. That’s why He died and rose again.

3. Our mission is urgent.

   • If we really believe this, then we need to be serious about sharing the gospel.
   • Not in fear, but in love—because we don’t want anyone to be lost.

4. The cross is the answer to our deepest need.

   • No matter what you’ve done, no matter where you’ve been—
   • Jesus paid it all.

Final Thought

If you’re here today and you’re thinking,
"I don’t know where I stand with God..."

I want you to hear me—

You can come home today.

God’s grace is bigger than your sin.

God’s love is greater than your failures.

And He is calling you into eternal life with Him.

So don’t leave here today without knowing where you stand with Jesus.

Because in the end, that’s what matters most.

Amen?

The important theological point that we cannot afford to miss is that God’s holiness and love cannot and must not be separated.

Yet, we often try to tease them apart.

• Some want to focus only on love—as if God is simply a permissive, indulgent grandfather who lets everything slide.
• Others want to focus only on holiness—preaching fire, brimstone, and judgment without grace.

I grew up in a church like that—hellfire and brimstone every single weekend.
And I remember thinking, “Whoa, man, what happened to God’s love?”

But then I’ve also seen the other extreme—
Where people say, “Oh, don’t worry about it. Do whatever you want. God is love.”

But no—He is also holy.
You cannot separate them.

Why This Matters

So why is this important when it comes to judgment?

Why is it important to talk about both God’s holiness and His love?

Because both are a part of God’s justice—and all of us want justice to some degree.

There’s no one here who doesn’t long for justice in some form.

If you’re a Christian, you already believe in God’s justice.

Think about it—

• You read Revelation and look forward to the day when God will wipe away every tear.
• You long for a world with no more sickness, no more pain, no more war.
• You look at the evil in the world—the suffering, the wars, the trafficking of innocent children—and you know that justice must come.

Even a casual observer can look at the world and say,
"This is broken. This is evil. This is wrong."

And as Christians, we believe that one day—whether in our lifetime or in the future—
God will say, ‘Enough.’

He will set everything right.

• No more sickness.
• No more funerals.
• No more injustice.

And we look forward to that day because we trust that God is just.

But here’s the key—

His justice always flows from the tension of His love and holiness.

You following me?

The Reality of Infinite Justice

So here’s the logical reality:

If God is infinitely holy, then sin against Him carries an infinite weight.

We often think of sin in human terms—
We compare ourselves to others and say,

"Well, at least I’m not as bad as so-and-so."

But sin isn’t just about breaking a rule—
It’s about rebelling against an infinitely holy God.

And justice requires that the punishment fits the crime.

We already believe this in human courts:

• A small offense gets a small punishment.
• A serious crime gets a serious sentence.

But what happens when the offense is against an infinitely holy God?

What punishment would be equitable?

Only an infinite one.

That’s the only logical answer if we truly believe that God is both infinitely holy and infinitely loving.

The Cross: Where Love and Holiness Meet

Now, here’s what’s incredible—

God’s infinite love made a way for us to avoid infinite judgment.

God’s justice demanded an infinite sacrifice—
And only He could provide that sacrifice.

That’s why Jesus came.

That’s why He died.

Because only an infinite sacrifice could satisfy an infinite holiness.

This is why we call it the good news.

Because it is truly good—
But only because the bad news is truly bad.

If justice is real—
If holiness is real—
If sin is real—

Then hell is also real.

Because a world without judgment wouldn’t be just.

Why Hell Exists

So let’s make this as clear as possible:

Hell becomes the only just place for God’s infinite holiness to be vindicated.

Without hell,

• Evil would go unpunished.
• God’s holiness wouldn’t be honored.
• Justice wouldn’t be served.

And just as love is honored by God’s pursuit of us,
Holiness is honored by God’s justice.

Think about it—

God didn’t just come halfway to rescue us.
He came all the way.

And if we reject that redemption,
Then the only logical consequence is to be separated from Him forever.

The Heavenly Perspective on Justice

Now, I want to show you why this makes sense even in heaven.

In Revelation, we see Babylon destroyed—
And there’s a passage where heaven rejoices over God’s judgment.

You might think, “Wait a minute. Why would we rejoice over judgment?”

But here’s what’s happening—

In heaven, we will see justice perfectly.

And we will realize—God is absolutely just in everything He does.

We will see—His holiness and love were never in conflict.

And that’s why—

• There are no more tears in heaven.
• No regrets.
• No doubts.

Because when we finally see who God is—

When we see His perfect goodness—
We will understand that everything He has done is absolutely right.

And we won’t be offended by His justice.

The Only Logical Conclusion

So let’s back up.

Let’s lay this out practically so we understand why this matters.

Because let’s be honest—
Nobody likes talking about this.

Someone came up to me last night and said,

"I've been in church for 40 years, and I’ve never heard a message on this."

And I thought, You should have grown up in the church I grew up in!

Because I heard about it every Sunday. And Wednesday. And Sunday night.

But here’s the deal—

We have to talk about this.

Because if eternity is real,
Then this conversation is urgent.

This isn’t just theological debate—
This is about life and death.

And God has already made a way for people to be saved.

• The cross is enough.
• The resurrection proves it.
• And salvation is freely offered to all.

But we have to accept it.

And as believers, we must not be silent.

Because people need to hear the truth.

Final Thought

If you’re here today and you’re thinking,
"I don’t know where I stand with God..."

I want you to hear me—

You can come home today.

God’s grace is bigger than your sin.

God’s love is greater than your failures.

And He is calling you into eternal life with Him.

So don’t leave here today without knowing where you stand with Jesus.

Because in the end, that’s what matters most.

Amen?

The Love and Holiness of God in Judgment

So, here’s the first thing we can say—and this may be counterintuitive to you—
The idea of hell actually shows us both the incredible love of God and the infinitude of His holiness.

You might ask, “How does that work?”

Let me show you, because this is true.

And this is also the hardest part of being a pastor.

It's one of the hardest parts of what I do.
But I made a commitment a long time ago when we started this church over 14 years ago—

"God, I’m going to be faithful to teaching Scripture."

• If the church grows, great.
• If the church doesn’t grow, that’s okay.
• But I’m going to be faithful to Scripture.

I’m not going to water it down.
I’m not going to tickle people’s ears.
I’m not going to make it say something it doesn’t say.

I’m going to preach the Word of God.

Now, listen—I love that this church is growing.
I love seeing God at work.

Last night, we had almost 30 people baptized!

But I want you to hear my heart—

This isn’t about numbers.

This is about being faithful to the truth—because at the end of the day,
I don’t answer to a committee.
I don’t answer to a board.
I don’t answer to people.

I answer to God.

And that means I have to be faithful to His Word.

Our Natural Condition Before God

So, when we talk about hell, we see both the infinitude of God’s holiness and the depth of His love.

Now, the reason this is so difficult for us to understand is because we resist a truth that Scripture is very clear about.

And let’s be honest—nobody likes this truth.
Nobody wants to hear it.

But it’s the truth.

And that truth is this:

Apart from Christ, all of us are deserving of God’s wrath.

And we don’t like that.

I don’t know about you,
But I didn’t wake up one morning thinking,

"You know what? I am deserving of God’s wrath! Yes, amen!"

But Scripture is clear.

Paul says in Ephesians 2:3—

"We were by nature children of wrath."

That’s just where we stood before God.

• Why?
• Because God is so holy that our sin puts us at enmity with Him.
• We are separated from Him.

That’s why Scripture says things like this:

"None is righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

And I get it—
You might say,

"I don’t agree with that."

That’s fine.

I’m not here to control your life.
I’m not here to manage your beliefs.

I’m just here to deliver the message.

I’m just the mailman delivering the mail.

The Reality of God’s Wrath

And this is where it gets difficult—
Because people often ask:

"What about the person on the island who’s never heard?"

Well, Scripture actually addresses this directly.

And again—we don’t always like the answer.

Because the truth is, sometimes Christians say they want to hear the Bible—
Until it says something they don’t like.

Then they say, “Can we move on to another book?”

But this is what Paul says in Romans 1:

"The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

In other words—everyone suppresses the truth of God in some way.

He continues:

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."

How?

"For His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made."

Meaning—
Creation itself testifies to God’s existence.

So, Paul says:

"They are without excuse."

That’s the answer.

The Good News

Now, if that were the whole story,
It would be horrifying.

But that’s not the whole story.

That’s the bad news.

And listen—
If you had cancer, and your doctor saw it but didn’t tell you,
Would that be loving?

No!

You’d want your doctor to tell you the truth—
Because if you catch it early, you can do something about it.

That’s why we call the gospel the “Good News.”

Because this isn’t the end of the story.

Yes—

• We deserve God’s wrath.
• We stand condemned apart from Him.

But—

This is the good news:

"For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
(2 Corinthians 5:21)

That’s the good news!

You can be redeemed.
You can be restored.
You can become a child of God.

It’s the greatest news in the world!

That’s why, when we talk about hell,
We see both the infinitude of God’s holiness and the depth of His love.

The Urgency of Evangelism

But here’s the second thing—
The reality of hell should be a wake-up call for those of us who call ourselves Christians.

Did you know that only 2% of Christians share their faith?

2%!

And if that shocks you,
Even if the number were 8% or 23%,
It’s still a failure.

If hell is real—shouldn’t that wake us up?

Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9—

"In flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."

That is sobering.

That’s why Paul pleads in 2 Corinthians 5:20—

"We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

That’s why we do what we do.

We want to make sure nobody in our city goes to hell.

Final Thought

This is the highest stakes game in town.

And the answer to humanity’s problems is not politics.
It’s not self-improvement.
It’s not worldly success.

The answer is Jesus.

And as Christians, we are called to share that message.

Not in a pushy way.
Not in a judgmental way.

But by letting our light shine.

By living in such a way that people see something different in us—
And they ask, “Why are you like that?”

That’s when we get to say,

"Because of Jesus."

Call to Action

We’re going to sing a final song about how everyone needs saving.

And listen—

• If you don’t know where you stand with God, today is the day.
• If you do know Jesus, then let this push you to be more intentional.

Because the world needs the gospel.

And we have the only message that can save.