THE DOCTRINE OF HELL

                                                                   Luke 12:4-5

  Introduction:

  A.  Our English word hell is taken from the Greek word Gehenna, which describes the ultimate

             fate of the wicked  after the general resurrection and judgment.  We noted last Sunday that

             Sheol or Hades describes the temporary abode of the dead.  Gehenna is the place of future

             punishment in the eternal state.

       B.   The word Gehenna originally referred to the Valley of Hinnom, which was just outside the city

             of Jerusalem. (Josh. 15:8; 18:16)  According to Thayer it was a place where human sacrifices

             were made to pagan gods. (II Kings 23:10; II Chronicles 28:3; 33:6)  In Christ's day it became

             the town dump where garbage as well as unclean corpses were thrown.  The fire never stopped

             and the worms never stopped eating.

       C.   Gehenna came to be used with a spiritual application as the final eternal dump where the                          wicked would suffer forever.   

   I.   What is hell like?

        A.  Hell is a place of . condemnation.  Matthew 23:33

        B.  Hell is the final and eternal place of the unrighteous.  Matthew 5:22; 23:33, Rev. 20:11-

             15

       

        C..  Hell is the place where the  body as well as the soul is punished.  Luke 12:4-5, Mark

              9:43

        D.   Hell is the place of eternal conscious  torment and suffering.  Mark 9:47-48, Luke 16:

              22-28, Matthew 25:41, 46

        E.   Hell is a place of eternal separation II Thessalonians 1:7-10

        F.   Hell is a place of memory Luke 16:23-25

   Conclusion:

        A.   The good news is that we escape the horrors of hell.  Acts 2:36-39,41,47; I John 1:9