It should not be so difficult to understand the teaching of the "eternal judgments" (Heb.6:2) of "hell" if people paid closer attention to the basic theological concepts towards the role Christ plays in the redemption of the world. Christ came to this world for a grand purpose. He came to accomplish something for the entire human race that it was incapable of doing for itself.

What did Jesus do for us? Knowledge of this is a key which opens up basic but essential truths of Christianity. The Bible says, not only did He live a life of perfection for every person, but He also died for all mankind as well. When the role of Jesus Christ is fully conceived in a person's mind, then even the hidden truth of the doctrine concerning "hell" can be brought into light out of the darkened abyss of the carnal mind. Let's look at what this light reveals.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to perform something for us that is required of the Father for His children. Since God is holy (1Jn.1:5), no one will ever stand before Him in true fellowship without possessing an equal holiness - Heb.12:14. But mankind has a problem.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God - Ro.3:23. Even the greatest saint of God is not without sin in their life, though no true disciple desires it to be there - 1Jn.1:8. However, here is where Christ comes to the rescue. He came to perform the necessary deeds for us (in our stead) in order that every one of us can legally and actually dwell for ever in the presence of the Father and the Son.

The essential thing that Christ did for all mankind, was to become a perfect sin offering in the sacrificial offering to His Father of His own holy and perfect humanity to replace every man's sin. In His life on earth He died to sin daily. In his death on the cross, He not only personally defeated all sin through the holiness of His life, but now continues this work of destroying that hellish sin in those for whom He died. He not only died, but rose again for us in order to replace the sin in our own spirit with the holiness of His life giving Spirit.

In other words, He took the burden of all our sins upon Himself and died on the cross in our stead. Thus He endured the pain and degradation of the crucifixion. He offered His perfect nature in place of ours. And this was accepted of the Father. He was doing something for you and me and for the whole world as well. He did what had to be done. He paid the required price for all humanity and as a consequence all the sins of the world are paid for. He is the ransom foreordained to deliver all mankind out of the power of death.

Jesus gave Himself not to appease the Father as is commonly believed, but rather He gave Himself to the world (Jn.3:16) to propitiate and compensate mankind. It was an atonement, a payment, a recompense, a reparation for that sin nature which all individuals are born with through no fault of their own.

"And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD." 1Jn.2:2. "Who His own self bare (took the burden of) our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness." 1Ptr.2:24. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1Ptr.3:18.

Without any doubt, Christ in His amazing grace, paid the penalty for our sins--all our sins and those of the whole world when He went to the cross! But What does this have to do with doctrine concerning "hell" you ask? Very much!

We now want to put in front of you one of the simplest and most understandable explanation on the punishments associated with "hell." It is thoroughly biblical and consistent with all aspects of sin and its punishments found within the Old and New Testament revelations! Yet sadly, there are very few modern preachers or theologians that present this plain explanation to the people who depend on them for divine truth.

Put simply, it is this. Since Christ Jesus paid the full penalty for our sins so that we may stand redeemed before the throne of God, one should ask what Christ did for us to pay that penalty? Or, what are the consequences of sins that Christ avoided for us?

If a person would ask most Christian preachers or theologians today (especially those of fundamentalist persuasion) they would say the consequence of sins (that is unforgiven sins) would be to go to "hell" and burn for ever in anguish and torment. Most would even say that this is the very plain teaching of the Bible. But the truth is, this is NOT the teaching of the Bible at all!

Consider this. If the consequence of sins is to go to "hell" and burn for ever, then for Christ to have taken that punishment for our sins on His back (which He did), He would have to go to that "hell" and burn for all eternity! This would be the consequence plain and simple, if our sins are leading us directly to an ever burning "hell." And for Christ to have paid the penalty for our sins and for the sins of the world, then He would have had to be cast into that supposed fiery cauldron and to remain there for all eternity!

This however, did not occur to Christ. True enough, He paid the full penalty (which the Bible affirms), but He did not go to the punishment that many modern preachers believe awaits sinners. Indeed, three days after Christ paid the penalty, He was alive at the right hand of the Father in heaven--with all the glory and majesty of Almighty God!

But if modern theology is right and the wages of sin are for men to be cast into supposed literal "hell fire" and then into another supposedly more hellish place called the lake of fire (for all eternity), then Christ could not have paid the full penalty for our sins because He did not go to such a place of eternal punishment!

Other preachers don't believe this. They quote Rom.6:23 to show what they believe the true penalty (or consequence) of sins really is. The verse says..."for the wages of sin is death." Yes, this is the true biblical definition of what the consequence of sins actually is. But then, most turn around and say: "The penalty for sins is ETERNAL death." Not only do they add "eternal" but they mistakenly interpret that "death" means annihilation or extinction.

This is what they feel the Bible intends by Rom.6:23. But they are as wrong as those who believe in eternal punishment. The Bible shows neither. Eternal "death", in any way you wish to interpret it, whether being an eternal separation from the life of Christ, or non-existence, is not the issue.

If eternal death were correct and Christ paid that penalty for us, He would need to remain in the grave or in "hell" (as a dead person) for all eternity! If eternal punishment were correct and He paid that penalty for us, He would need to remain in hell suffering (as a live person) for all eternity! This is the only logical explanation for this concept to be correct. .

But, the problem is, the Bible shows that Christ Jesus was resurrected from the dead some three days after His death for us. He now reigns triumphantly in the heavens as the Almighty God. In no way did He suffer an eternal death or punishment to pay for our sins.

For the sake of all humanity, He took upon Himself the likeness of men and remained obedient and without sin unto the punishment of physical death upon the cross. In this lowly position He suffered unto the end for us, overcoming all forms of death. Not only did He overcome the wages of sin (spiritual death, interim separation from the Father) but He overcame His physical death by the cross when He rose from this death to bring us His life.

No wonder He is so highly exalted - Phil.2:7-9. In doing all this for us, He paid the PENALTY of sin for us by overcoming the POWER of sin. Now His life and holiness is destroying that power in us! Only by His life can all death be irradicated and iniquity have an end - Ezk. 21:25. Only He can make an end of sins - Dan.9:24. Only in His perfect light can the darkness and wickedness of mankind end - Psa.7:9. And so shall it be - Jb.28:3.

The working of sin and spiritual death presently abides as darkness in the fallen nature of man. Christ came to earth to destroy these works of the devil (1Jn.3:8) and His work will not be complete until the last enemy is destroyed. "Then cometh the end" and the holy life of God shall be in all and fill all - 1Cor.15:26-28; Eph.1:23.

Jesus alone has "the keys of hell and death" - Rev.1:18. He uses them not to lock the prison doors forever, but to open the doors of "hell" and death to set the captives free!

Both death and "hell" (comprising all that is apart from eternal life) are even now in the divine process of being cast into the final judgmental presence of the Spirit of God, not to be tormented nor annihilated, but to be sanctified, consumed and purified yet so as by fire - Rev.20:1. That last enemy is death, that ungodly power that presently separates man from God.

The Spirit of Christ now comes to individuals with the ultimate purpose of saving them, not destroying them (Lk.9:56) by casting them into an eternal fire. His purpose is to entirely destroy every element of death and hell in this world, in the carnal nature and in the rest of the unseen world, all of which are encompassed in the throes of spiritual death.

All men spiritually experience the first death being "dead in trespass and sin" (Eph.2:1) before they are quickened and made alive by/through the life that is in Christ. Jesus overcame every vestige of the first death for us. It was His death on the cross that released the power of eternal salvation, even that power of an endless life, which was made not after the law of a carnal commandment (Heb.7:16) but after the new and eternal law of "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." Ro.8:2.

All that is part of the temporal and corruptible first death (and this includes "hell") is destined to be utterly destroyed, swallowed up by the far greater power of His incorruptible, eternal life, even the divine power of Christ's salvation. This sovereign power brings an end to every unclean thing it touches. The "pains of hell' (Psa.116:3) shall cease. The "sorrows of hell" (2Sam.22:6; Psa.18:5) shall no longer be. The "snares of death" (Psa.18:5; 116:3) shall forever loose their hold. "Hell" and death shall ride no more - Rev.6:8.

Nothing can withstand the omnipotent fire-power of Christ's life which paradoxically is a death to death itself. That is why God's consuming fire is called the second death. All that is not of His nature is destined to be burned and consumed in the crucible of His redeeming love. "Hell" whether you think it is a place of torment or something else, shall be removed from the universe along with the death that accompanies it and the temple of God shall forever take its place. "The chambers of death" (Prv.7:27) shall no more be found.

God's cleansing fire consumes the wood, hay and stubble of the first death - 1Cor.3:12,15. It is through this life creating power alone, the judicial and all consuming spiritual fire of His life (Heb.12:29), that every corrupt power bound in the law of sin and death (Ro.8:2) shall be swallowed up in Christ's triumphant victory. The present sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law (not only the O.T. law but the spiritual law of sin and death which holds man captive to it). But thanks be to God, which giveth us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord - 1Cor.1:54-57.

"There shall be no more death.." Rev.21:4; 1Cor.15:26. The Lord has promised to destroy the face of the covering of death cast over ALL people and the vail of death that is spread over ALL nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off ALL faces; and the rebuke of His people will He take away from off ALL the earth: for the Lord has spoken it - Isa.25:7, 8.