Hell-Bound: Bible's Guide To Mortal Sins And Eternal Damnation

The Bible states that sinners who have not received forgiveness from God will go to Hell for all eternity. Sin is defined in the Bible as the breaking of God's Law. While the Bible does not outline a definitive list of sins, it does provide guidelines for living a moral life. Some of the behaviours that are considered sinful include idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, deceit, and pride. The Ultimate Sin is considered to be the rejection of Jesus Christ as the saviour.

Sexual immorality

The Greek word "porneia" is often translated as "sexual immorality" and refers to all illicit sexual activity. This includes premarital sex, adultery, incest, bestiality, and homosexual acts. Sexual sin is any action, thought, or desire that violates God's standard for sexual purity.

In the Bible, sexual immorality is strongly condemned. In the Old Testament, laws were given to the Israelites to discourage sexual immorality, prohibiting adultery, incest, and rape. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that all sexual relationships outside of marriage are immoral, and that lusting after someone is just as sinful as the act itself.

• Adultery: engaging in sexual relations with someone who is not your spouse
• Fornication: having sex outside of marriage
• Lust: harboring intense sexual desires for someone other than your spouse
• Pornography: viewing or engaging in explicit sexual content for the sole purpose of arousal
• Sexting: sending or receiving explicit sexual messages or images

The Bible makes it clear that God considers all forms of sexual sin to be immoral and wrong. Believers must understand the meaning of sexual sin and how it affects their relationship with God and others. Sexual sin is a serious offense against God and often has severe consequences for those who engage in it.

• Damage to our relationship with God
• Emotional and psychological harm
• Broken relationships and families
• Negative impact on our witness as Christians
• Eternal consequences for unrepentant sin

However, there is hope for those who struggle with sexual immorality. The Bible's message is clear that God's forgiveness extends to all sins, including sexual immorality, for those who genuinely repent and turn to Him. This truth offers a beacon of hope and a fresh start for those who fall short of God's standards.

To overcome sexual immorality, it is important to:

• Acquire accountability and avoid triggers
• Replace negative thoughts with God's truth
• Seek guidance and support from trusted friends
• Practice abstinence for spiritual growth, emotional stability, and inner peace
• Receive forgiveness and healing through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ

Anger, envy and hatred

Anger

Anger is not always a sin. There is a type of anger that the Bible approves of, often called "righteous indignation". God is described as feeling anger in Psalm 7:11 and Mark 3:5, and it is acceptable for believers to be angry (Ephesians 4:26). In the New Testament, there are two Greek words translated as "anger". One means "passion, energy", and the other means "agitated, boiling". Biblically, anger is God-given energy intended to help us solve problems. Examples of biblical anger include David's upset over hearing Nathan the prophet sharing an injustice (2 Samuel 12) and Jesus' anger over how some of the Jews had defiled worship at God's temple in Jerusalem (John 2:13-18). Anger can become a sin when it is motivated by pride (James 1:20), when it is unproductive and thus distorts God's purposes (1 Corinthians 10:31), or when anger is allowed to linger (Ephesians 4:26-27).

Envy

Envy is the sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and the advance of the kingdom of Christ, which is freely and graciously bestowed upon the people of God. Envy can be traced back to one of the Ten Commandments: "Thou shall not covet". In the Old and New Testaments, there are mentions of envy and stories associated with it, often with dramatic consequences. In the Book of Genesis, envy is the motivation behind Cain murdering his brother Abel, as Cain envied Abel because God favoured Abel's sacrifice. Envy leads to personal harm and debilitation, affecting one's physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being (Job 5:2; Proverbs 14:30). Unchecked, it gradually leads to a destructive and remorseful way of life (Proverbs 27:4), and ultimately, to estrangement from God (Romans 1:28-32).

Hatred

Hate is the sinful opposition to God's love. It is a selfish emotion that sets man against his creator and his brethren, damaging everything it touches because it allows people to see their fellow man as not also made in the image of God. The Bible states that everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:15). Hate is not just an emotion, but a state of being that involves choices, behaviours, and thoughts. It separates people rather than brings them together, because the one hating sets themselves away from another. Jesus did not deny the existence of hatred, nor did he spend his entire time preaching about love. In the Sermon on the Mount, he clarified that sin was not just outward behaviour, but began with the state of someone's heart. Hate begins in the heart, nursing anger at someone else or a group of people. Even if someone never acts on their hate, it is still a sin.

Blasphemy

Jesus said that only one sin could not be forgiven, and that was "blasphemy against the Spirit" (Matthew 12:31). But what does it mean to blaspheme the Spirit? According to one source, this means to deny the Holy Spirit's witness to Jesus. In other words, the only sin God can't forgive is the sin of rejecting Christ.

However, it's important to note that God is patient and loving, and does not want anyone to perish. The Bible says, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). So, while blasphemy is a serious sin, it is possible to repent and be forgiven, even for blasphemy.

Lying

The Bible makes it clear that lying is a sin and is displeasing to God. The first sin in the world involved a lie told to Eve, and the Ten Commandments given to Moses include the commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour" (Exodus 20:16). In the early church, a couple named Ananias and Sapphira lied about a donation to make themselves seem more generous, and God's judgement was so stern that they died as a result of their sin (Acts 5:1–11).

Colossians 3:9 says, "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices", and lying is listed in 1 Timothy 1:9-11 as something practised by the lawless. In the book of Revelation, liars will be among those judged in the end (Revelation 21:8).

God, on the other hand, never lies (Titus 1:2). "It is impossible for God to lie" (Numbers 23:19). The truth is to be expressed in love (Ephesians 4:15), offering hope to those seeking redemption from the lies of the world.

However, it is important to note that there are instances in the Bible where lying appears to be acceptable. For example, in the book of Exodus, the Hebrew midwives lied to the Pharaoh about the birth of Hebrew boys, and God rewarded them for this deception (Exodus 1:15-21).

Murder

The Bible uses very strong language when addressing the sin of killing and murder, explaining the severity of wickedness and evil that leads to killing. For instance, in Romans 13:9, it is written, "For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,' and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'".

The Bible also provides examples of murder committed by Biblical figures, such as Moses murdering an Egyptian slave owner, David murdering Uriah, and Paul possibly murdering Christians before his conversion. While these individuals may have repented for their sins, the Bible emphasizes the importance of repentance and turning away from sinful behavior.

The consequences of murder extends beyond the physical act, as it is considered a sin that can lead to hell. Murder is included in the list of mortal sins, which are considered serious violations of God's will and can lead to a broken relationship with God.

Frequently asked questions