Good News Series # 4:

The Penalty

Eternal death in hell is the penalty for man’s sin

Among all persons in the Bible, Jesus Christ spoke the most on the subject of Hell. In fact, He spoke more of Hell than He spoke of Heaven. Jesus Christ is a strong believer of the reality of Hell. He is the one who made it, originally for the devil and all fallen angels (Matthew 25:41). Tragically, men became partakers of eternal punishment because of sin.

The teaching of sin and its eternal consequence is no longer popular today. What is most popular is the teaching on God’s love, without mentioning His Holy wrath. However, the good news of God’s love could never be fully appreciated without understanding the wrath of God. The good news of the provision of salvation could never be fully embraced without first accepting the bad news regarding the problem and the penalty of sin.

This lesson is designed with a prayer that the truths presented in this material will help increase your reverence for God, hatred for sin and compassion for others. The first part of this material will discuss the penalty of sin and be followed by a discussion regarding the bases of sin’s penalty.

I. The Penalty For Sin Is Death

Romans 6:23 says, “The penalty of sin is death.” Basically, death means separation. There are three kinds and stages of death each man deserves to experience and suffer because of his sins and sinfulness.

A. Spiritual death (spiritual separation of man from God)

Isaiah 59:2 - “But your iniquities have separated you from your God...”

1. What did God say would happen to Adam at the moment of disobedience to God’s command (Genesis 2:17)?

Genesis 2:17 - 'but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” '

✔ They would die

2. Choose the best answer to the following question. What happened to Adam and Eve right after they sinned?

a. They did not immediately die physically

b. They immediately died spiritually

c. All of the above

✔ C

4. What is the solution for spiritual death according to Ephesians 2:1, 5?

3. What is the condition of every man, apart from the life-giving salvation of God, according to Ephesians 2:1?

Ephesians 2:1 - ' And you were dead in the trespasses and sins '

✔ Spiritually dead

Being spiritually dead is the reason why man, apart from the saving and transforming grace of God, does not seek God (Romans 3:11), does not receive the things of God (1Corinthians 2:14), and therefore cannot please God (Romans 8:8). Man by nature does not love God (John 3:19), disobedient to God (Eph 2:2), and, though alive physically, is void of true spiritual life towards God.

4. What is the solution for spiritual death according to Ephesians 2:1, 5?

Ephesians 2:5 - 'even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— '

✔ The quickening power of the grace of God

Everybody is born in sin (Psalm 51:5) and thus born spiritually dead. Everybody is dead on arrival in this world! One becomes spiritually alive only by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:5) through the quickening power of the Holy Scripture (Hebrews 4:12; Romans 1:16) and of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

B. Physical death (separation of soul from the body)

1. Why death has spread to all men according to Romans 5:12?

Romans 5:12 - 'Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— '

✔ Because all sinned

2. What is appointed to man according to Hebrews 9:27?

Hebrews 9:27 - 'And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, '

✔ To die once

3. What follows right after physical death (Hebrews 9:27)?

Hebrews 9:27 - 'And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, '

✔ Judgment

4. Man seems to live only for this present world, without mindful of life after death. But how short is life according to James 4:14?

James 4:14 - 'yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. '

✔ Short as a vapor

5. Everybody will die physically. At the moment of physical death, the soul comes out from the body and is transported either to Heaven or to Hell (Luke 16:19-31; 2 Corinthians 5:8).

2 Corinthians 5:8 - 'Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. '

C. Eternal death (eternal separation of man from God)

1. What will happen to those who do not love Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 16:22)?

1 Corinthians 16:22 - 'If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! '

✔ They’ll be accursed (thrown to hell)

2. Where will the final curse happen (Revelation 20:15)?

Revelation 20:15 - 'And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.'

✔ In the lake of fire

3. How long is the punishment in Hell (2 Thessalonians 1:9)?

2 Thessalonians 1:9 - 'They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, '

✔ Everlasting

4. How did Jesus Christ describe Hell in Mark 9:43?

Mark 9:43 - 'And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. '

✔ A place where worm does not die & fire can’t be quenched

Worse than physical suffering in Hell is man’s eternal separation from the all-glorious and all-perfect God (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The essence of Hell is eternal inability to love God and eternal loss of the privilege of being loved by God. Not only man will not be allowed to enjoy the ‘Blesser’ but that he will also be forbidden to enjoy any of the blessings (Romans 2:5-6).

Hell is a place with total absence of any good thing – no fresh air, no water, no light, no food, no sports, no entertainment, no friendship, no smiles, no comfort of any sort. Only God’s terrifying wrath is present there. It is a place of unspeakable pain, increasing misery and endless boredom.

Judgment in the Lake of Fire will be based on each man’s works (Revelation 20:12-13). This implies degrees of punishment. Christ said that others “will receive the greater condemnation” (Luke 20:47; cf. Luke 12:47-48). Contrary to popular notion, Satan is not the king of Hell. Jesus is. Only Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). For sure Satan will receive the most painful punishment and misery.

People in Hell will be made to agree that God deserves all glory and that in their sinfulness they really deserve to be thrown in Hell (Philippians 2:10). They would realize that God is infinitely the best to be loved above all; but by then, it would be too late.

5. Bad news: This kind of death (eternal death) will be experienced by those who did not accept by faith Christ as Lord and Savior.

6. Good news: This kind of death (eternal death), by the grace of God, will never be experienced by those who are reconciled to Him for Christ said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has from ____ into life” (John 5:24).

John 5:24 - 'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. '

✔ Has, passed, death

II. The Bases Of The Penalty: The Heinousness Of Sin And The Holiness Of God

All sins are heinous (so evil) in the eyes of a holy God. Thus, it deserves eternal penalty in Hell.

A. Why does God reveal His wrath according to Romans 1:18?

Romans 1:18 - 'For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. '

✔ Because of the ungodliness & unrighteousness of man

B. Why does God condemn man according to John 3:19?

John 3:19 - 'And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. '

✔ Because man loves darkness rather than light

C. What kind of person God is according to Revelation 4:8b?

Revelation 4:8 - 'And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” '

✔ Holy

D. Why does God hate idolatry according to Exodus 20:4-5?

Exodus 20:4-5 - ' “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, '

✔ Because He is a jealous God

E. What is the authority of God that He has the right to judge every single person on earth (Genesis 18:25)?

Genesis 18:25 - 'Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” '

✔ He is the judge of all the earth (not only of Philippines)

F. Is it just and proper for a judge to execute punishment for the guilty?

✔ Yes

G. If God would not punish sin, is He a good or a bad kind of Judge?

✔ Bad

H. Is God only angry with sin or also with the sinner? Share your idea first before you check Psalm 7:11

Psalm 7:11 - 'God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.' (NKJV)

✔ Angry to both sin and the sinner

Out of God’s mercy & grace He loves sinners (John 3:16) while out of His holiness & justice He hates them (Ps 5:5; 11:5; Lev 20:23; Hos 9:15; Jn 3:36).

I. How constant is God’s hatred against sinners (Psalm 7:11)?

Psalm 7:11 - 'God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. '

✔ Everyday

J. What is the difference between a student punching his classmate and same student punching his school president?

✔ Different in position & authority, thus, also differ in the degree and duration of punishment

K. Why is the final penalty for sin in Hell eternal and not only temporal?

✔ Because the value of God is infinite, thus, the just punishment is also infinite

The glory of God’s beauty and authority is infinite. Thus, rebellion against Him deserves infinite punishment. If the punishment is only one hundred quintillion years it means God’s value for being God is far less than infinite.

L. Because God is Holy and Hell is real, who or what should man fear the most according to Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:28)?

Matthew 10:28 - 'And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. '

✔ Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell

Gospel Reflection

1. Since all sins are heinous and God is infinitely holy, do you think God has been so merciful, gracious, and patient towards man on this wicked world?

✔ Yes

2. Do you deserve to be thrown to Hell? Why?

✔ Yes. Grace will always be grace (undeserved favor) even for believers. I deserve to be thrown to hell yet by God’s undeserved favor as Christian I will no longer go to hell. I’m bound to heaven by God’s grace (undeserved favor of God).

3. Are you sure you are going to heaven after death? Why?

✔ Yes. Because of God’s saving grace which I received by faith in Christ.

4. (Answer in your mind) Am I prepared to die?

✔ By God’s grace, yes.

Personal Response

For the unsaved: There are only two kinds of people in the world, saved & unsaved. None in between! Which one are you? If you are not yet saved, come to God & ask for His mercy to save your soul today once and for all.

For the saved: Do acts of kindness to others by praying for their salvation and by sharing with them the Gospel through your life and lips. Remember life is short and now is the day of salvation. The best thing you can do for others who have not genuinely put their faith in Christ is helping them love God by sharing the Gospel with them.

Get to know God more through prayer and His Word. The Bible is the final authority for faith and practice. How is your prayer & Bible reading?

Suggested Readings: The Gospel of John, at least 1 chapter a day

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