A. W. Tozer once said that what we believe about God is the most important thing about us. I would say that what we believe about Hell is also important. Does it make a difference in our daily lives? You bet it does! If we embrace universalism and the demise/disappearance of Hell, it has the following effects:
First of all, it gives sinners a false sense of hope, a hope that is not there. In Hebrews 9:27 we read, "It is appointed to man once to die, after this comes the judgment." The Bible clearly teaches that salvation, while it is available to everyone, is a limited-time only offer. It is only good as long as a person is alive or until Christ returns. After that, the offer of salvation is null and void. To let sinners think that somehow they will eventually get to Heaven without repenting in this life is to hold out a hope for them that is not there - and never was. They need to know that 'now is the day of salvation'.
In Romans 8:7-8 the Apostle Paul says, "The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God...those who are in the flesh cannot please God." From these and many other verses like them, we understand that human nature is irredeemable, except by choice, which is repentance. Probably all of us have either known someone, or heard of someone, who resisted God and His work of grace, right up to the moment they died. The reality is that if they would have lived 1000 years more, they would not have repented. Not only this, but my understanding is that the very fires and agony of Hell are not going to produce anything more than remorse and/or regret! This is the insidious aspect of our fallen, sinful, human nature. It will never repent. It will never change. It will always be anti-God.
In Romans 8:7-8 the Apostle Paul says, "The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God...those who are in the flesh cannot please God." From these and many other verses like them, we understand that human nature is irredeemable, except by choice, which is repentance. Probably all of us have either known someone, or heard of someone, who resisted God and His work of grace, right up to the moment they died. The reality is that if they would have lived 1000 years more, they would not have repented. Not only this, but my understanding is that the very fires and agony of Hell are not going to produce anything more than remorse and/or regret! This is the insidious aspect of our fallen, sinful, human nature. It will never repent. It will never change. It will always be anti-God.
Secondly, it puts human nature in a good light. Universalism says that, sooner or later, everyone makes it to Heaven. This means the most wicked, evil, vile, profane person - the person who used and abused others, who raped, abused and murdered others, will eventually get there. Since this individual is already in Hell they have already died and therefore can't repent (see above). The only other option is for God to take them into Heaven without their repenting! Not gonna' happen!
Thirdly, it demotivates Christians from the urgency of sharing the Gospel. If everyone is going to make it to Heaven in the end, why should we go out of our way now to share the Gospel with others? Why all the time, the energy, the cost, the praying, if everyone eventually makes it to Heaven? Isn't it the fact that time is running out, that judgment is fast approaching, that tomorrow is promised to no one, that Christ could return at any time, that Hell is just a heartbeat away, the reason why we evangelize?
The bottom line in all of this is that only a loving, merciful, gracious God would 1) tell us about the existence of Hell ahead of time, 2) provide a way for us to escape it, at the cost of His own Son's life. If these are neglected, what more can be said? Hebrews 2:3 says it best, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Hell, though originally created to punish Satan and his demons, plays a necessary role in this world. It is a warning. It is a deterrent. It is a sober reminder that choices and lifestyles have eternal consequences, that God desperately wants people to avoid going there so that they can spend an eternity in Heaven with Him!
Lord, in a world that wants to downplay and eliminate Hell altogether, I pray that Your Word and Your people would continue to hold to this doctrine, that we would do everything within our power to help people understand the reality of Hell, its eternal aspect, and the incredible graciousness of the salvation You have provided. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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