Does Someone Go To Hell If They Do Not Repent For Their Sins?
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WRITTEN BY D. R. Silva
One of the common images across most deity religions is the idea that “God” sits in front of a heavenly abacus by which he keeps record of each individual’s individual sins. It’s this idea that he sits on the edge of his throne, eager for us to make any tiny misstep so he can flick us into a giant volcano. Worse is the idea that it will actually be heaven to spend eternity with somebody like that.
The irony of these ideas is funny, especially when Christians believe them. It immediately reveals that the person saying these things doesn’t actually “have faith in Jesus” as much as they have faith in their own ability to behave right (i.e. “obey the law”).
Here’s what the Bible says about Christians who spend all their time trying to obey the law:
John 5:45: “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses [[the representative of the law]], on whom your hopes are set.”Gal. 3:10: “For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse,”Gal. 3:12: “The law is not based on faith…”Heb. 11:6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
It is impossible to please God through rule-keeping, because rule-keeping isn’t based on faith.
What The Bible Says About Sin
John 1:29: “Jesus takes away the sins of the world.”1 John 2:2: “Jesus atoned for the sins of the whole world.”2 Cor. 5:19: “God reconciled the world to himself, by not counting men’s sin against them.”1 John 4:8: “God is love.”1 Cor. 13:5: “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” (bye bye heavenly abacus!)Heb. 8:12: “I will forgive their wicked deeds and will remember their sins no more.”Romans 5:20: “Where sin abounds, grace (unearned kindness) abounds beyond measure.”Psalm 103:3: “Bless the Lord, and don’t forget all his benefits… who forgives all of our sins…”Isaiah 54:9: “So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.”
On and on.
In short, sin is not the issue, accepting that sin is not the issue, is the issue. That’s the true way to repent of your sins: you receive the Jesus who “takes away the sin of the world.”
People who make a big deal about their good/bad behavior don’t go to hell, they are already there.
They are like overworked accountants keeping an exhaustive record of their little deeds and sins, and the even littler deeds and sins of everybody else. Then one day they find out that none of that ever counted for anything, and that they gave all their time and their attention to serving the wrong thing. They were ripped off of life by the illusion of it.
The only deeds that count are the deeds of Jesus. If you are not trusting in him, you will not “go to hell,” you are already there. And where you end up on the other side of this life is merely experiencing the fullness of what you had your faith in to begin with.
Repent or Perish
The word repent literally means “change the way you think,” not “get sad and cry a lot about all the bad things you’ve done!” Those are all things that God doesn’t hold against you, doesn’t keep record of, and doesn’t even remember. (Heb. 8:12)
You don’t go to hell because you sin. You go to hell because you insist that your sin is the measure of how you should be treated. God has forgiven you of your sin, but if you cannot accept the forgiveness that comes through him, you are left with the consequences of sin, which is death. If you want to be treated according to your sin you can go somewhere else besides heaven and treat yourself that way, because God’s not going to.
“He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.” – Psalm 103:10
If you want what you deserve, heaven is the wrong place to aim for.
In short, people do seemingly go to hell because they don’t repent for their sins, but not because God is laughing maniacally while punishing them for naughty behavior.
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