A trip to Hell on the way to Heaven?

What if we’re on the way to Heaven – and we have to take a detour?  A trip to Hell.  Some think the Bible says Jesus went to Hell during the time between His death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day – what we now know as Easter.  So why not us?

The Apostle’s Creed

The origin of that thinking is from the Apostle’s Creed.  The Creed isn’t words from the Bible.  It’s an expression of faith.

Then why does it even matter? Here’s a brief look at why it’s important. At least to some.

Tradition, the “Rule of Faith,” and Core Christian Beliefs

The Apostles’ Creed seems to represent some form of what the early church called the “rule of faith.” The early Christians were guided by the “rule of faith,” the Holy Spirit working in community and individuals, and the authoritative Scriptures. Before the “rule of faith” was called such, there were general references to the teachings and traditions of the apostles. It is these core teachings that seem to make up the Apostles’ Creed.

Signs of these “core teachings” are seen as early as the New Testament book of Hebrews, which speaks of a need for Christians to grasp and embrace the basic concepts of faith so that they can move into deeper parts of their Christian faith, while at the same time realizing how essential it is that they never depart from a core belief in the real and living Christ (Heb 5:11–6:12). The Apostles’ Creed represents a set of uncompromisable core beliefs for Christians. As such, the core tradition of it is also found in the Nicene Creed. The Apostles’ Creed, like all creeds, functions like a filter for orthodoxy; it indicates what is and what is not “Christian.” It is a public profession of belief in historic Christianity.  ¹Ritzema, E., & Barry, J. D. (2016). Apostles’ Creed. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

There are, of course, some issues with the statement above. For one, it’s not universally accepted by all denominations. On the other hand, it was very important to my mother, who was Catholic. I feel like she believed it because she was told by “the church” to believe it.

We’ll see a bit more as we go along.

The Catholic version of the Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.

The United Methodist Church version of the Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

As you can see, they’re different.

The difference that we’re going to look at today is He descended into hell; versus he descended to the dead.  That’s a pretty big difference.  There is huge disagreement over the descended into Hell wording.  There are some Bible commentators that will try to twist verses into saying that Jesus descended into Hell.  Some preachers will even talk about how the Bible describes a great battle that took place between Jesus and Satan in Hell.  There’s no such description.  

This wording difference is real. And it’s a big deal to some. Rather than get into the weeds of it, here’s a quick look at the dispute. Also, one one the difference between “catholic” and “Catholic”, which some Protestant churches apparently don’t want to have to explain?

Disputed Phrases

Grudem argues that the phrase “He descended into hell” is a late addition to the creed. This phrase is commonly understood as a reference to the “harrowing of hell,” which is based on one interpretation of 1 Pet 3:19. The phrase is first mentioned by Rufinus in the late fourth century, and does not appear in any other versions of the creed until AD 650. Rufinus himself notes that the clause “is not added in the Creed of the Roman Church” (Symb. 18), though he includes it in the version of the creed that was accepted by his own church of Aquileia (see Symb. 3). Moreover, Rufinus makes clear that he did not believe Christ literally descended into hell, but rather that the phrase merely meant He was buried. The Greek form of the creed has ᾅδης (hadēs), which can mean merely “the grave” rather than a place of punishment. Thus a more accurate version would be, “He descended into the grave” or “He descended to the dead” (Grudem, “He Did Not Descend,” 102). This understanding of the phrase is reflected, for example, in Question 50 of the Westminster Larger Catechism.

Instead of “holy catholic church,” some Protestant churches, particularly in the Lutheran tradition, recite “holy Christian church” to avoid misinterpreting the phrase as a reference to the Catholic Church. The creed seems to use “catholic” in the sense of “universal” or “global” (the Latin uses the adjective catholicam); this interpretation fits with the historic nature of the creed, which predates in its tradition the split of the Orthodox and Catholic churches.  ²Ritzema, E., & Barry, J. D. (2016). Apostles’ Creed. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

A trip to Hell – on the way to Heaven

Obviously, Jesus was on His way to Heaven.  Well, back to Heaven.  But did Jesus take a trip to Hell?  There’s nothing Biblical to indicate that ever happened.

However, let’s imagine that every person on the way to Heaven had to take a “quick” trip to Hell on the way.  

I don’t say that because I believe it’s true.  I don’t believe it’s true.  And I don’t say it to scare anyone.  But I do think it would be good for us to imagine a trip to Hell for three reasons.

1. It would/should change the way we live our lives here on earth.
2. It might mean fewer people will be going to Hell, and will instead be on the way to Heaven.
3. It would totally change the way we look at and value God’s grace.

Think about this as part of our trip to Hell.  Not after we’re dead. Not while we’re on the way to Heaven. They won’t work because that’s too late.  I say, think about it right now.  Well, how about after you finish reading this.

While we’re “visiting” in Hell, we’ll see all of our friends and loved ones who’ve died, and didn’t make it to Heaven.  Now, think about how many of those friends we reached out to (or didn’t) while they were alive.  How many of them did we share the Gospel with?  How many of them did we try to steer away from Hell, but instead put them on their way to Heaven?

And keep in mind, as Christians, we’re all responsible for doing something Jesus commanded us to do.  Commanded.  Not suggested.  Nor did Jesus say it would get us bonus points.  This was a command:

The Great Commission

Mt 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That wasn’t just for the Christians going on foreign missions trips. Unless we consider talking to our friends and neighbors as a foreign mission trip.  Even neighbors aren’t a trip to another country. Unless we literally live on a national border.

It’s hard.  I get it.  I’ve lost friends.  I was even literally disowned by my family.  And yet, we were warned about that. The portion of the passage from Mark that we want to examine was Jesus’ words to His disciples after a rich young man walked away from Jesus rather than sell his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. The entire passage is present for context, but we especially want to pay attention to verses 29-31.

The Rich Young Man – Mark

10:17-31 pp — Mt 19:16-30; Lk 18:18-30

Mk 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mk 10:18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’’”

Mk 10:20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Mk 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Mk 10:22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Mk 10:23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

Mk 10:24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Mk 10:26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

Mk 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Mk 10:28 Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

Mk 10:29 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

But the warning didn’t come with an excuse to not perform the Great Commission.  No.  The Great Commission comes with a warning that the cost could be very high.  But we should do it anyway.

Does this change the way we live our lives?

I hope any Christian reading this at least knows about the Great Commission.  I used to hope that. Now, unfortunately, I know that’s not true. Not true at all. Please see Great Commission apparently isn’t so great anymore for more on that.

But have you heard it like this?  If not, does that change anything? Is there any kind of desire to talk to at least your non-Christian friends and neighbors?  Family?

It’s not only our fault that those we visit on our trip to Hell are there.  Lots of things lead to them being in Hell. However, if we never spoke to them about Jesus, maybe we could have been the one person who could have sent them on the way to Heaven.  Of course, there’s no guarantee that speaking to them would have made a difference.  But if we don’t speak with them, it is guaranteed that we have taken away at least one opportunity for them to have avoided their trip to Hell. A permanent trip to Hell.

Could this reduce the number of people who will be going to Hell?

Absolutely. 

There’s a reason Jesus gave us the Great Commission.  It certainly wasn’t to have us ignore it.  And it wasn’t just to talk to people.  It was a way to lead them to Jesus.  And through Jesus lead them to salvation.  To send them on the way to Heaven to be with Him forever.

To the extent that each of us doesn’t do our part to fulfill the Great Commission – the population in Hell can be expected to go up.
To the extent that any of us do our part to fulfill the Great Commission – the population in Heaven can be expected to go up.

I used to think that way. Then I read The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis. And I looked around. I even wrote about it in What’s most important to you? Now? Now I still believe we must fulfill the Great Commission. I’m just not so sure the number of people who’ll change their path is all that large. Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s the times we live in. It just doesn’t seem to have the impact it used to.

What we need to remember here is that they aren’t rejecting us. It’s not personal. And it’s not about us. Paul wrote about rejection in his letter to the Thessalonian church. As usual, the entire passage is included for context. The specific verse for today’s topic is underlined.

Living to Please God

1Th 4:1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

1Th 4:3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

1Th 4:9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

1Th 4:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Since it starts with the word “Therefore”, we must also ask – what came just before this one verse. That’s one reason context really matters.

In this case, what preceded “Therefore” were comments on living to please God. That’s important, because this may well be part of our issue today. We must remember, we don’t bring people to Jesus, as it’s called in church-speak. The Holy Spirit does that. However, if we don’t live a life that includes the Holy Spirit in our activities, He will not work through us. In other words, if we ignore the Holy Spirit, we cannot play our little part in getting people to know Jesus because we refuse the Holy Spirit to play His primary part.

That brings a whole new meaning to something I wrote earlier.

To the extent that each of us doesn’t do our part to fulfill the Great Commission – the population in Hell can be expected to go up.
To the extent that any of us do our part to fulfill the Great Commission – the population in Heaven can be expected to go up.

How does this trip to Hell change the way we look at God’s grace?

If you didn’t get it before, hopefully you have a better idea of just how important the Great Commission is.

But think about this.  We’re back from our visit to Hell.  Back on earth, alive and well.  Maybe “well”.  Hopefully with some concerns about how we’ve done with our piece of fulfilling that Great Commission.

Now, think about the way most of us, as human beings, would handle this situation. We’ve told someone to do something.  They’ve made a public promise to do it.  [Note:  If you’re a baptized Christian, you have promised to obey God in your life and that includes, like it or not, the Great Commission.]  What would we do?  We’d probably want to drag the person over and show them that they didn’t do a good job. Or that they didn’t do anything at all.

Just try to imagine what that would be like.  All the agony of having to see and visit with each and every person we knew that’s in Hell.  Sure, our trip to Hell was both imaginary and temporary.  But their trip to Hell is both real and permanent.  What if they were to ask you – “Why didn’t you tell me?”  If you’d like an example of this, I encourage you to check out a short piece I wrote titled Why didn’t you tell me?

What would you say?  How would you feel?  It’s too late to do anything at this point.  They are already in Hell.  They have no way to Heaven. No path. No more time.

And now remember what you would have done to the person who didn’t fulfill their promise to you. 

In God’s case, that would be a real trip to Hell.  Temporary.  But real.  A trip to Hell to show you what might have been different, if you’d only done what you promised to do.  If only we’d all done the best at what we promised to do.

I can now tell you, this concept was borrowed from The Great Divorce. You can wake up now.  You’ve been dreaming.

Even that last trip to Hell was imaginary.  Because you weren’t yet on the way to Heaven.  Because you’re still alive.

So now that you’re awake, how do you feel about God’s grace?  Most of us, if God did to us what we’d have done to someone else, would have been taking that trip to Hell for real.  But He’s not going to do that.

In His grace, God doesn’t even make us pay what we would consider a reasonable price for failing to fulfill the Great Commission.  Jesus paid it for us.  Assuming that we really are Christian. 

Conclusion – A trip to Hell – on the way to Heaven

God paid the price for us, even though Jesus aid this:

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven – Matthew

18:1-5 pp — Mk 9:33-37; Lk 9:46-48

Mt 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Mt 18:2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Mt 18:5 “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Mt 18:7 “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”

Now that we’ve read that, let me ask a few more questions of you.

Is failing to fulfill the Great Commission really any different than violating any of God’s other commandments? 

When someone we know is on the path to Hell, and we fail to tell them about the way to Heaven, are we not playing at least some role in possibly keeping someone from changing? From becoming like the child Jesus spoke of. And therefore they fail to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?  

To the extent that we fail to fulfill the Great Commission, are we not also telling God, in effect, thanks for saving me, but I don’t appreciate it enough to go out and tell others about it?  It’s too hard for me, so I’m not going to do it.

But still, in His grace, God doesn’t subject us to this trip to Hell.  Even though we don’t keep up our part of the agreement by helping other people, God’s creation just like us, to find the way to Heaven.

Footnotes

• 1
  Ritzema, E., & Barry, J. D. (2016). Apostles’ Creed. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
• 2
  Ritzema, E., & Barry, J. D. (2016). Apostles’ Creed. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.