The River ChurchSermons

hell

Said 259 times, in 132 of 378 sermons, across 32 Sundays.

How our pastors defined it

Quoted lines where a preacher stopped and defined the word. Not a dictionary entry — these are our people, in their own words. Roughly three in four of these are on target; the quote and the speaker are always shown, so you can judge the fourth.

Which means we'll live without God for eternity and that's the definition of hell.

Across the series

Where this word has been used, and how much. The entry itself is church-wide on purpose — a word is a word, whichever series it turned up in.

SeriesTimes saidSermons
Romans 214 99
Let Us 5 4

259 lines in context

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rgive sins. Only he can save you forever from sin, death, and hell . Only he can send you to heaven, right? So in the eternal ult
ck, I will build my church. And on the gates, in the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus is our salvation. He's ou
er, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. There are some who think this v
nd he died the way in which we deserve. And he descended into hell and three days later rose, conquering that which had claimed
he has a finite amount of time before he is sent into eternal hell . And so he is going to do everything he can, as hard as he ca
soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell . And that brings us to verse 12. So teach us to number our da
ul, but rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell . We may get a heart of wisdom. This is the hinge of the entir
e in all situations a struggle with a job and a struggle with hell and struggle in a marriage, and struggle in all areas of my l
ity in heaven with the Lord or you're gonna spend eternity in hell . Harsh news. But you get a short life, whether it's a few yea
ie on the cross for me. And I don't have to spend eternity in hell . I don't have to worry about tomorrow. I don't have to live u
there? This isn't you get to go to heaven or you get to go to hell . What is there? This isn't you get to go to hell. What is the
get to go to hell. What is there? This isn't you get to go to hell . What is there? This isn't you get to go to hell. That's a yo
get to go to hell. What is there? This isn't you get to go to hell . That's a young man or young woman in here saying, yeah, this
me that if I don't follow God the way he wants, I'm going to hell ? I get it. In our minds, sometimes the punishment doesn't see
ect life, one that died on a cross, one that conquered death, hell and the grave and rose again three days later, one that is co
rcame death. He overcame our separation from God. He overcame hell , our punishment that we deserve. And He overcame the grave. S
es his teeth and melts away. When Jesus talks, He talks about hell . He uses those very words. In Matthew 8:12, Jesus says, "Whil
outer darkness." The outer darkness is always a reference to hell . "In a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth." T
shing is separation from the Lord in a very real place called hell . Those that oppose God will face justice. It's not our job to
God that was destined for us upon himself. He descended into hell . And on the third day, he rose again from the grave, conqueri
God in salvation is that we were destined for an eternity in hell , could never pay the price, could never do enough good things
adn't been saved, I would get saved because I would know what hell felt like, right? I'd be like, it's like this, right? The bla
eternity. When we die without Jesus, we will be separated in hell for eternity. Despite the fact that we were enemies of God, t
chapter 16. He said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That's why we shout for joy. Th
the gates of heaven. I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That's why we shout for joy. Th
know that you can rejoice because Jesus has conquered death, hell , and the grave for you. And no matter what this world does, n
heaven, of course, right? You are there. If I make my bed in hell , behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning. S
vid found that the Lord had never left him. He descended into hell itself through these wicked decisions. But even there, the Lo
earth, motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven, hell . This is our God. He is all-knowing. And we love to take God
3, he asked them, how are you going to escape the sentence of hell or in the epistles, right? Written to the church, new Testame
rth, motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven and hell . God knows it all. He knows it all. Because God knows all thi
y friends, that is the definition of a very real place called hell . To be separated from God for all of eternity. Gives us that
the sins that you've done. We are deserving of an eternity in hell , but God loved you so much that he sent his son to the world
res, for our evil, the evil in our lives. We were destined to hell . We were destined for death. Why? Because we chose that pathw
ys later and he looks at us and says, I have conquered death, hell in the grave. And all you have to do is come to me. The Bible
t we were sinners. We chose evil. Our lives were destined for hell , separated from God. But God in his infinite wisdom, his infi
m for being Lord and Savior. Praise him for conquering death, hell , and the grave so that I can have life, so that I can take ev
a saved person, our existence here on earth is the closest to hell we're going to get. This is it. This is as worst or as bad as
a warning. He says, okay, you've been saved from eternity in hell . You've been saved from your sin, this old mindset. And so do

let-us

l was built by sin. And we have one who conquered sin, death, hell , and the grave. His name is Jesus Christ. And when Jesus Chri
ss, dies for us, our sins buried, rises again, defeats death, hell , and the grave, that forever, as we talked about last week, w
t. He did it. He went through it all. Death did not beat him. Hell did not overcome him. Suffering did not bury him. Fear did no
er life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. Now, I just want to pause you here. Jesus is speakin
ng to be. That's how I viewed it. Like, I don't want to go to hell , so I'll give my life to Jesus. But that means I'm going to m

romans

1:1-17
r. We just celebrated last week. Defeating sin and death. And hell forever. That message. Is the most important message we could
ans that he paid for sin. And it means he beat death. He beat hell . He beat the devil. He beat sin. Every enemy. That you have.
nizing, I guess, that we have been rescued from the depths of hell forever. Isn't that enough to push us to share with someone e
us from our sin. He's rescued us from the burning building of hell , and yet when it comes to the gospel, we don't boldly proclai
ey think about us? And he says, oh, they view you as fuel for hell . I've been insulted a few times in my life. Never that way. S
w I'm being classified. I suppose that's better than fuel for hell . And so the person says, you're a person of faith. So we're g
r you're sitting here on your way to heaven or on your way to hell . Is your faith in what Jesus has done. Because that's the onl
o to God and say, well, you're the only way to keep me out of hell . Forgive me. Save me. Keep me out of hell. I'm going to go do
y to keep me out of hell. Forgive me. Save me. Keep me out of hell . I'm going to go do whatever I want now. Thank you, Jesus. I
you spend eternity with God or eternity separated from God in hell are two very different things. Experiencing good things, expe
demon. It will crush the devil. It will condemn the wicked to hell . Not one thing, nothing will be able to survive the wrath of
t's going to be eternal separation from God in a place called hell . And I know we don't like to talk about that place, but I hav
o whom God says in the end, Thy will be done. All that are in hell , choose it. Do you see why sin is such a big deal? Why sin is
aid the price for our sins, he claimed victory over death and hell and no longer were we separated, from our righteous creator.
l them out, but what about me? Right? When bills get tight or hell fails or people hurt us or God is not working on the timeline
n in heaven. We are deserving of that eternal condemnation in hell because of our sin. And what does that show us? This is why w
urgeon quote. If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish wit
arms wrapped about their knees imploring them to stay. And if hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertion
s that. I think I'll be fine when I die. I mean, if there's a hell , I'm sure it's for bad people. And I'm not a bad person. I sh
you're either given entrance into heaven or, or sentence into hell . It's right there. And when we stand before him again, realiz
f they've done good things and God is going to send people to hell if they've done bad things. That's not what this means. It's
t of here. And when I hear this word, it's the description of hell . It's like you're in this confined space that you cannot get
thing God has done to rescue you from this. Please hear this. Hell is the option for everyone who hates him, who rejects him, wh
o eternal places that you can be. One is heaven. The other is hell . And so God has done everything needed to save you from hell.
hell. And so God has done everything needed to save you from hell . The only thing he has not done is forced you. It's the only
hasn't done. Every other thing God has done to save you from hell . He begs you. He pleads with you. God does this. And you say,
He pleads with you. God does this. And you say, well, how can hell be eternal like that? I mean, isn't it like, you know, a deci
ng? Well, here's the thing. According to the Bible, people in hell never stop hating God. They don't turn from him, not even for
eologically sound, but I truly believe that if someone was in hell and they had a moment where they turned to God, God would res
r. You're so right, this pagan world, they're on their way to hell . They need Jesus. But now he's saying, you are without excuse
rish. And the word perish means separation from God. It means hell . And you may be thinking, can this be fair? How can it be fai
ing judged for this horrible thing since spending eternity in hell . Listen, if you're here this morning, maybe you're a believer
is day study or think this, where Abraham sits at the gate of hell . And so as a Jew, when one dies, they head to the gate of hel
ell. And so as a Jew, when one dies, they head to the gate of hell and Abraham does not allow them to enter. That is a lie from
m does not allow them to enter. That is a lie from the pit of hell . Yet many of them believe this. And you're saying, well, how
le, um, which for them automatically meant you were headed to hell . If you were uncircumcised, you were headed to hell. In fact,
headed to hell. If you were uncircumcised, you were headed to hell . In fact, if you wanted to be saved within Judaism, you had t
ally believed that if you were circumcised you couldn't go to hell they believed that that's not true the jews thought they were
gic reality is there's going to be a lot of church members in hell because that's what they think guarantees them eternal life.
old argument. If God is good, then how can he send anyone to hell ? Right? I've heard that. You've heard that. We've already sta
ld also tell you this morning that God doesn't send anyone to hell . Every person on the earth is already headed there on their o
and we're going to see that today. God doesn't send anyone to hell . He rescues those that choose him. See, it's a different pers
go, well, I'm not that bad. Oh, I don't really want to go to hell . So I'm going to kind of play the religious game. No, we shou
probably a better dad, who will spend eternity in the pits of hell , for eternity. They will be in hell for eternity. Why? Becaus
d eternity in the pits of hell, for eternity. They will be in hell for eternity. Why? Because they're not good. Not in compariso
ess of God. Good people don't go to heaven. Good people go to hell . Sinners do go to heaven. Why? Because we've been redeemed by
hat Savior, you can do nothing. Your good neighbor will go to hell . Your family member who's the best uncle in the world will go
ur family member who's the best uncle in the world will go to hell . That's a reality. It's a harsh reality. It's one that nobody
ptive saving power of Jesus's blood, I will spend eternity in hell because it is a separation between me and God. And I cannot s
don't make it, you die. You are separated from God forever in hell . Just one jump at the end of your life, and no assistance bef
your whole life to prepare for it, but in the end, heaven or hell is decided by just you. One jump. Well, I would imagine if th
edemption from slavery to your sin, from your condemnation to hell , that price to free you paid on the cross. He paid the price
h of God, except for one thing, I guess, spend an eternity in hell . But that wouldn't be appeasing the wrath. That would be payi

Every line links to the second it was said, in that sermon's transcript. Every word in the context is itself a link to its own entry.