Before we tackle the answer to the above question, we have to first determine if a place called hell actually exists. Many people today either believe that hell is not a real place or that it “is here on earth”. Both conclusions would be false. There is most certainly a place called hell. It is every bit as bad and far worse as the Bible describes. We are used to opposites in life such as hot and cold, light and dark and good and evil. Most people want a heaven but they don’t want a hell; it doesn’t work that way. As a matter of fact, Jesus spoke of hell more than any other writer in the Bible and even mentioned it more than he mentioned heaven. Hell is very real place. As far as the answer to the above question, most people would begin to make a list of the most heinous sinners like Hitler, Stalin and Bin Laden and assume that people like that go to hell. That would be the popular answer but it would not be the correct answer. The answer to the above question is – nothing. That may shock you but it is what the Bible teaches. Since the Bible is the Word of God, we can trust everything it teaches.

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The Bible teaches that all people are born with sin. The moment we actually sin, no matter how trivial the sin may be or how often, we cannot make it to heaven without God’s help. That help came in the form of God Himself taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and dying on the cross to pay the sin debt that all people owe Him. It is not how bad a sinner you are it is that you are a sinner. Since you cannot take your sin to heaven it must be paid for before a person dies. That payment does not take place by good works or religiousness but rather by accepting God’s payment for your sins which involves repenting of your sins and fully trusting Christ alone for your salvation. This is called being born again. This involves an action during one’s lifetime. That means that during one’s lifetime, one must deal with their sin debt before God and reach out and accept His gift of forgiveness and salvation. If a person does not do this before they die, they will have to answer for all of their sins that Jesus could have paid for on his behalf in a place called hell. God has given every person the opportunity to accept His gift of salvation. Being religious or trying to be good will not get a person out of the due penalty for their sins which is an eternity in hell. Some would question how a good God could send people to hell. First of all, God doesn’t send anyone to hell; people send themselves there when they choose not to be born again. Secondly, hell shows that God is supremely good. God’s goodness is seen in His being a just judge. God would not be just and fair if the sins of humanity went unpunished just like a judicial system wouldn’t be just in letting criminals off the hook.

Getting back to the answer to the question above, if a person does NOTHING about their sins before a holy God and simply goes about living their life without being born again, that person will spend eternity in hell. So realistically, a person must simply do nothing about their sins in order to go to hell. The Bible teaches that as a result of our sins, all men are condemned in the sight of God. The only way out of this judgment is to accept God’s gift of Jesus Christ as a payment for one’s sins. If a person clings to their religion and good works and does nothing about their sins according to the Bible, hell will be their eternal fate. Hell will be populated with people like Hitler as well as everyday people who only live for this life and religious people who are trying to earn their salvation by their good works. Satan has deceived most people into believing that only the worst of humanity go to hell. What better way to populate hell than to advance a lie that most people will sadly fall for. Have you been born again? If not, you still have every sin that you have committed on your account that you will have to pay for in hell for all eternity. Who goes to hell? Bad people? No. Those who choose not to be born again are those who go to hell. God doesn’t want that in your future. That is why He came to earth to die for and pay for your sins. Don’t fall for Satan’s lies. Do nothing about your sins and hell is your future. Trust on Christ as your Saviour and have God’s forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. God made it that simple; it is Satan and religion that has created the confusion. Being born again is the only way that guilty sinners can avoid hell and enjoy heaven with God.