Doctrine Matters with Kevin DeYoung – Episode Summary
Episode Title: What Is Hell?
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Kevin DeYoung (Pastor, Author, Professor)
Produced by: Crossway

Episode Overview

In this episode of Doctrine Matters, Kevin DeYoung delves into the challenging and often misunderstood doctrine of hell as part of a broader exploration of eschatology—the doctrine of "last things." DeYoung provides biblical definitions, addresses common misconceptions, and evaluates different theological perspectives on hell, underscoring its seriousness in Christian theology and discipleship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction: The Importance of Eschatology

• Eschatology covers questions about the end times, both cosmic (e.g., Christ’s return) and personal (what happens after death).
• DeYoung frames the week’s focus: “We want to spend a week thinking about hell, and then a week speaking and thinking about heaven.” (01:57)

2. The Necessity of Hell in Christian Doctrine

• Hell is not a doctrine “to be relished,” but one that must be believed because “God is a God of justice. Sin and evil are absolutely heinous.” (02:46)
• Analogy: Like evil punished in stories and movies, there is satisfaction in seeing justice done; this points to our inherent desire for justice—not sinful vindictiveness, but rightful retribution.

3. Biblical Terminology and Concepts of Hell

• Sheol: Old Testament Hebrew term meaning “death” or “the grave;” sometimes a place of punishment for the wicked. (04:23)
• Hades: New Testament Greek term, an intermediate state for the wicked, referenced in phrases like “death and Hades.” (05:01)
• Gehenna: Greek word used most often by Jesus, referring to “a place of eternal punishment.” The popular view of Gehenna as a garbage dump is not supported by historical evidence; instead, it is associated with the Valley of Hinnom, a place of destruction and idolatrous sacrifice. (05:39)
• “It is a place in the New Testament described with great, striking, overwhelming detail: eternal fire, outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, a lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” (06:33)

4. Is Hell Literal or Metaphorical?

• While the descriptions may be “apocalyptic,” they are meant to convey “literal pain and torment.” Whether the imagery is literal or not, “it is meant to conjure in our minds something unspeakably horrible.” (07:39)

5. Hell as Divine Punishment, Not Just Separation

• DeYoung critiques the popular view (drawn from C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce) that hell is purely “our freely chosen identity apart from God.” (08:27)
  • “In a limited sense, Hell, you can say, is God giving us over to what we want. And yet if that's all we say about hell ... we’re not doing justice to the full biblical record.” (09:49)
• Biblical examples show God’s active judgment (e.g., the expulsion from Eden, the Flood, Deuteronomy’s curses, Christ’s warnings about hell).
• “Wrath, divine wrath, is not only a result ... it is a recompense. God is active and just in punishing sin.” (12:38)

6. Rejection of Universalism and Annihilationism

• Universalism: The idea that all people will ultimately be saved is not supported by the full scope of Scripture.
  • “There's no indication that people are going to grow or mature or repent in the afterlife ... Why warn about those who do not inherit the kingdom, for example, if everyone in the end inherits the kingdom?” (13:34)
  • Quote: “Until the 19th century, almost all Christian theologians taught the reality of eternal torment in Hell.” – Richard Bauckham (14:23)
• Annihilationism: The belief that the wicked simply cease to exist after judgment is also counter to the biblical record.
  • “The Bible frequently depicts the wicked as experiencing ongoing torment ... This speaks of something that has continuing, lasting duration.” (16:02)
  • The resurrection of the wicked is “not the resurrection unto the cessation of existence, but the resurrection of judgment.” (17:10)

7. The Necessity of Hell for Christian Discipleship

• DeYoung recounts the disproportionate emphasis some theologians give to hell, noting its controversial status in modern theology.
  • “The reality is this doctrine needs to be defended. Not because we relish the thought of eternal punishment, but because it is such a clear teaching in Scripture and of Jesus himself.” (17:48)
  • Citing William Shedd, he notes that hell’s persistence in doctrine reflects its biblical and historical necessity for discipleship.

8. Practical Implications of the Doctrine of Hell

• The reality of hell:
  • Makes us “tremble before the holiness and wrath of God” (Heb. 12).
  • Leads to repentance (Matt. 10).
  • Spurs holiness and godliness (2 Pet. 3).
  • Prompts evangelistic prayer (Rom. 10).
  • Helps believers forgive, knowing “God will execute final judgment in his own time” (Rom. 12). (18:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Difficulty Yet Necessity of the Doctrine:
  • “Though the doctrine of hell is in one sense not something to be relished, yet it is to be believed upon ... because God is a God of justice.” (02:32)
• On Hell’s Biblical Images:
  • “Hell is described with these words: fire, sulfur, weeping, gnashing teeth. It is meant to conjure in our minds something unspeakably horrible.” (07:44)
• On Popular Misconceptions:
  • “If we make it seem as if this is just God saying, I leave you to your own desserts ... we’re avoiding the larger offense and scandal of hell.” (09:49)
• On Universalism’s Scriptural Problem:
  • “Why warn about those who do not inherit the kingdom ... if everyone in the end inherits the kingdom?” (13:40)
• On the Emotional Appeal of Annihilationism:
  • “It might be easier to tell people, okay, you're sort of like your, your choices are either infinity good or just nothing. Well, that's easier to swallow than eternal punishment. But the Scriptures just won't allow us to do that.” (15:49)
• On the Enduring Importance of Hell:
  • “It is historical, it is biblical, and dare I say, it's even necessary for practical discipleship.” (18:33)

Segment Timestamps

• 00:05-03:50: Introduction to episode and subject of eschatology
• 03:50-07:11: Biblical terminology: Sheol, Hades, Gehenna
• 07:11-13:34: Nature of hell, active divine punishment, evaluation of “separation” language
• 13:34-16:02: Refutation of universalism and biblical evidence for eternal punishment
• 16:02-18:33: Annihilationism and persistence of hell in doctrine
• 18:33-19:22: Practical implications; closing comments

Conclusion

DeYoung insists that the doctrine of hell, while emotionally and culturally difficult, is vital to Christian orthodoxy, ethical seriousness, and faithful discipleship. It must be reckoned with honestly and biblically, not softened or explained away to suit modern tastes. As DeYoung summarizes, “Let us not soften a blow that God in his gracious warning mercy does not mean to soften wrath.” (12:19)

Recommended Resource:
Kevin DeYoung’s “Daily Doctrine” (Crossway), a year-long mini systematic theology, for further study