Joel M Bradshaw

19“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 

25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 

29But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”–Luke 16

Nowhere in the text does it say this is a parable. It could have been a true story that Jesus was recounting. Jesus being the Son of God in the flesh meant that he also understood Heavenly realities. Regardless, if we assume that Hell is how it is described here, then…

1. Hell is full of people who lived lives unconcerned with the things of God.
2. Hell is separate from Heaven and nobody is moving once you are there.
3. Hell is torment and no relief will come.
4. Hell is not going to be a big party where you want your friends to join you.

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

I recommend you take the Bible seriously and concern yourself with pleasing God. The rich man didn’t want his brothers to join him. There is no ‘oh well, it’s option B for me!’ attitude regarding Hell in Scripture. It’s presented as horrible and avoidable.–JMB