Good Morning.
Today we’re taking on another one of Christianity’s toughest questions.
Hollywood has shaped how many of us imagine hell, but the picture it paints creates more confusion than clarity. This devotion looks at what the Bible actually says about hell.
📖 Verse Of The Day
🧠 Devotion
Hell is one of the most difficult teachings in the Bible. Many people picture it as a place where God keeps people alive forever in torment. This image has caused fear and doubt in the hearts of many. But when we open the Bible carefully, we find a different truth.
Romans chapter six verse twenty three says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This verse makes the contrast as clear as possible. Sin leads to death. God gives eternal life through Jesus. Notice that the punishment is called death, not endless life in pain. Eternal life is not the destiny of every person. Eternal life is a gift given only in Christ. Without Him, the end of sin is death.
John 3:16 confirms this truth with the most famous promise in Scripture. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Again, the contrast is plain. Those who reject God perish. Those who believe receive eternal life. Perish means to lose life, not to live forever in torment.
These verses together show that hell is real, but it is not eternal torture. Hell is the second death, the final end of life apart from God. The words the Bible uses are consistent. Death, perish, destruction. These words do not describe endless survival in pain. They describe the seriousness of separation from God and the finality of rejecting Him.
This truth reveals both justice and mercy. God is just. He does not ignore sin. Sin leads to death because it cuts us off from the source of life. But God is also merciful. He does not keep people alive forever simply to suffer. Instead He offers eternal life to anyone who will believe in His Son. In Christ, the punishment of death is taken on Himself so that others may live.
The cross proves this beyond doubt. Jesus did not endure eternal torment. He died. He truly experienced death. Then He rose again, breaking its power. In Him we see that the wages of sin is death, but we also see that God’s gift is eternal life. Hell then is not proof of a cruel God. It is proof of a God who takes sin seriously but provides a way out through love.
Every person faces this choice. To remain in sin is to face death. To believe in Jesus is to receive life. God’s desire is that none should perish but that all should come to Him. His patience and mercy are greater than our sin.
Because of Jesus, we can live with confidence. Death is no longer the final word. Eternal life is a gift, freely given, and available to all who will receive it.
🙏 Prayer (Guided by ACTS)
When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.
Adoration: Father, You are holy and just, and in You there is only light and life.
Confession: I confess that sin separates me from You and leads to death, the reality of hell apart from Your presence.
Thanksgiving: Thank you that through Jesus I do not have to face that second death, but instead receive the gift of eternal life.
Supplication: Help me live with urgency and love, sharing the truth about sin, death and the hope of salvation with those who still do not know You.
In Jesus name, Amen
🎶 Worship Song
“In Christ Alone” by Kieth Getty
👋 That’s it for Today.
Thanks for letting us be part of how you start your day with God. ❤️
Know this, it is normal to ask tough questions, in fact, God invites it.
If you’ve made it this far, the best way to support us right now is by clicking the YouTube video and clicking to share this newsletter with friends or family!
See you tomorrow,
Zach and the Daily Devotion team
