Introduction:
Pollsters tell us that a high percentage of Americans believe in God; most of these people also believe in heaven. A significantly lower percentage believes in hell. As might be expected, though, those affirming the existence of hell usually do not believe they will go there!
Throughout the Bible, the concept of a day of reckoning is clearly taught. In the OT, this usually involved some kind of temporal punishment meted out in this world, as when Sodom was destroyed or when Israel was defeated by its enemies. While the NT also includes the idea of earthly punishment, the concept of both eternal rewards and retribution is its primary focus. While some claim that a loving God would never allow anyone to go to hell, they come to this conclusion by ignoring what the Bible says on this topic, especially the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.