# Why Does Someone go to Hell:Rejection or Sin?



## thistle93 (Dec 5, 2012)

Hi! According to the Bible why do people go to hell? Is it because they reject Jesus or because of a penalty for their sin? I use to think it was solely rejecting Jesus but I now think that both reasons (rejection and sins) are Biblical legitimate. Obviously those who reject Jesus will go to hell but they will also be sent to hell as punishment for their sins because Jesus did not atone for them. Of course this reasoning would mean limited/particular atonement. This is probably why all those I know who reject limited/particular atonement, say that it is just unbelief not sin that sends someone to hell because to them Jesus atonement for all sin even those who end up in hell. Interested if any in Reformed/Calvinists camp who share this view. Thoughts? Books on subject you recommend? 


For His Glory-
Matthew


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## Bill The Baptist (Dec 5, 2012)

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." John 3:18-19

I believe that this passage shows that is clearly sin. Yes they are condemned because they do not believe in the name of Jesus, but why do they not believe in the name of Jesus? Because they loved darkness more than light, they loved their own sin more than God.


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## Rich Koster (Dec 5, 2012)

People who are not elect are doomed to hell, in Adam. All unransomed mankind are hellbound due to Adam's sin. They reject Christ because they are under the smokescreen that their father, the Devil, has placed them under. They sin because it is their nature, inherited from their ancestor Adam.The elect are bound for heaven, in Christ. We are given a new nature, in Christ, that frees us from the smokescreen so we believe in Jesus (saving faith).


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## Zach (Dec 5, 2012)

Sin makes it so that they cannot be in the presence of God. To someone who is still in their sin, Heaven would be Hell.


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## Peairtach (Dec 5, 2012)

Many do not hear the Gospel message which comes to them in God's grace. Even hearing the message of salvation is of God's grace, if not necessarily saving grace.

So how could such who do not hear the saving message go to Hell for the sin of spurning the great privilege of hearing the message of the Gospel? These go to Hell because of their sins, without one of these sins being the rejection of the Gospel.

They do reject the light they have of God.


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## jwithnell (Dec 5, 2012)

It has very little to do with an individual. Take it back to creation: man was designed to live in relation to his creator and freely chose to reject that creator. Each individual heaps on his own sin -- Paul tells the Romans that man suppresses the truth in unrighteousness. The larger question is whether Christ in his mercy has saved an individual out of his sin. And even then, the focus isn't as much on any one person as it is on having a redeemed people to glorify God throughout all eternity. 

If you are wrestling with atonement, and particular atonement, John Murray's, Redemption Accomplished and Applied would be the place to go.


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## KMK (Dec 5, 2012)

thistle93 said:


> Is it because they reject Jesus or because of a penalty for their sin?



It is both since rejecting Jesus is a sin.


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## J. Dean (Dec 5, 2012)

thistle93 said:


> Hi! According to the Bible why do people go to hell? Is it because they reject Jesus or because of a penalty for their sin?


Yes


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## Jerusalem Blade (Dec 5, 2012)

People go to hell because Adam, our first father, through his sin consigned the entire human race to that destination – being dead unto God and alive unto the devil. But God had mercy on some in this hell-bound mass, and saved them from eternal death, giving them life in His Son. Therefore we promiscuously preach to all, to call the elect out of darkness and into God's light.


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## earl40 (Dec 5, 2012)

People go to hell because of the imputation of Adam's sin to them. People go to heaven because of the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them. Reprobation like election is not based on works. These "works" are sins of the unbeliever.


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## py3ak (Dec 5, 2012)

WCF 6.6

_Every sin, *both original and actual*, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal._

33.2
_The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient._

Every individual sin binds those who are not made partakers of Christ into an irremediable punishment.


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## KMK (Dec 5, 2012)

py3ak said:


> Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God,



And not only every sin in this life, but in hell also.

Dagg, Book 8



> God's dominion is universal; and the inhabitants of hell are as much bound to love and obey him, as those of heaven or earth. *Men who die in their sins, will carry with them not only the guilt accumulated during the present life, but the inclination, confirmed by habit, to continue in sin. They will hate God and blaspheme his name, and their sins cannot cease to be offensive to God,* because their moral character has become fixed and unalterable. A sinner cannot become innocent by being confirmed in sin. Were it so, the inhabitants of hell would be innocent beings; their habitation would be as pure as the high and holy place where God dwells; and their blasphemies would be as little offensive to God and all holy beings, as the songs of angels. All this is manifestly absurd. *Sin continued, will deserve and provoke continued wrath; and the future condition of the wicked is chiefly terrible, because they are abandon by God to the full exercise and influence of their unholy passions, and the consequent accumulation of guilt for ever and ever.*


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## newcreature (Dec 6, 2012)

We all sin, as fallen children of Adam. However, for those elected by God and saved by the work and blood of Christ, we have the gift of unlimited atonement. Therefore, our sins have been pardoned by Grace and Jesus bore the punishment for those sins. Since those sins are covered by Grace, we can now stand in the presence of the most high God.

For those who have not received the gift of election and atonement, they will continue in their sinful nature and ungodly passions. Because they do not believe, they continue in sin. Because there is no atonement for their sins, they cannot stand in the presence of God. Therefore they are doomed to hell. 

This is my understanding of election.


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## SRoper (Dec 6, 2012)

There is a difference between the _grounds_ that causes one to be damned and the _distinction_ between those who are damned and those who are justified. The grounds is one's sin. However, everyone sins, so why is it that some are justified? It is because those who are justified have Christ's atoning work applied to them. That's the distinction.

I think those who say that we are damned because we rejected Christ (and not because we are in sin) are trying to make sure that people understand that those who are saved are no better than those who are lost. I think this is important, but teaching this truth in this way leads to confusion. It leads to the question "what about those who haven't heard the gospel?" If you teach what Scripture teaches (that we are condemned for our sin) then this question does not follow.


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## OPC'n (Dec 6, 2012)

It is bc of their unforgiven sin that they reject Jesus. Both are mutually inclusive. You can't have forgiven sin AND reject Jesus and you can't reject Jesus if you are forgiven by him. Of course, rejection of Christ is the worse of all sins. In any case, both send you to hell where you pay for both.


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## moral necessity (Dec 6, 2012)

thistle93 said:


> Hi! According to the Bible why do people go to hell? Is it because they reject Jesus or because of a penalty for their sin? I use to think it was solely rejecting Jesus but I now think that both reasons (rejection and sins) are Biblical legitimate. Obviously those who reject Jesus will go to hell but they will also be sent to hell as punishment for their sins because Jesus did not atone for them. Of course this reasoning would mean limited/particular atonement. This is probably why all those I know who reject limited/particular atonement, say that it is just unbelief not sin that sends someone to hell because to them Jesus atonement for all sin even those who end up in hell. Interested if any in Reformed/Calvinists camp who share this view. Thoughts? Books on subject you recommend?
> 
> 
> For His Glory-
> Matthew



I don't see how any Reformed/Calvinist would share this other view, because of limited atonement being one of the pillars that basically defines Reformed/Calvinist.

Blessings...


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## caoclan (Dec 6, 2012)

Federal headship of Adam


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## earl40 (Dec 7, 2012)

OPC'n said:


> It is bc of their unforgiven sin that they reject Jesus.



So do we have to wait for a person to reject Jesus before they are justly condemned?


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## newcreature (Dec 8, 2012)

earl40 said:


> OPC'n said:
> 
> 
> > It is bc of their unforgiven sin that they reject Jesus.
> ...



The unregenerate man has already rejected Jesus. He was born of a sinful nature, and is made holy only by the righteousness of Christ. We don't need to commit a particular sin to be guilty; on the contrary, we are forgiven of sin by Christ's redemption.


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## J. Dean (Dec 8, 2012)

newcreature said:


> The unregenerate man has already rejected Jesus. He was born of a sinful nature, and is made holy only by the righteousness of Christ. We don't need to commit a particular sin to be guilty; on the contrary, we are forgiven of sin by Christ's redemption.



Luther and Calvin are toasting a drink over you, I think


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## earl40 (Dec 8, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> newcreature said:
> 
> 
> > The unregenerate man has already rejected Jesus. He was born of a sinful nature, and is made holy only by the righteousness of Christ. We don't need to commit a particular sin to be guilty; on the contrary, we are forgiven of sin by Christ's redemption.
> ...



Though it was Calvin who said people go to hell because of Adam's sin and that the person degree of punishment in hell will be according to the sin's commited in this life. In other words, you get to hell by the sin of Adam and not by your sin.


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## newcreature (Dec 9, 2012)

earl40 said:


> Though it was Calvin who said people go to hell because of Adam's sin and that the person degree of punishment in hell will be according to the sin's commited in this life. In other words, you get to hell by the sin of Adam and not by your sin.


I suppose this is also true. Adam sinned as the federal head. Therefore, by his sin, all his offspring are considered guilty of sin. Adam's sin was imputed to all mankind. So it is sin which sends us to hell. 

Now, if we look at this a little deeper, the unregenerate man, in his total depravity, has rejected Christ in his own heart. The rejection is a sin, and is a result of sin. It is only through the gift of salvific grace that any of us are saved. So you see, men go to hell because of sin AND because of rejection. The two are mutually inclusive (I think Sarah said those words). 

If we want to go even further, we can examine how once in hell, man will continue to grow more bitter towards the righteous God. Even in death, his sin and rejection will continue to increase.


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