Hell is an uncomfortable topic. No one likes to consider that they or someone they love might spend eternity excluded from God’s presence.

As a teenager I learned about Christianity for the first time, and God began to draw me to him. But I could not accept what the Bible taught about hell. I rejected the idea that those I cared about could be in hell. In my pride and rebellion, I was easily swayed by the smooth doctrines of Mormonism that promise that everyone will eventually receive a kingdom of glory.

But while I initially found comfort in the LDS idea of universal glory, I now realize it offers false hope by distorting Jesus’s clear warnings about hell.

The truth is that no one in the Bible taught more forcefully or persistently about the reality and danger of hell than Jesus Christ. And he didn’t just speak about it in generality. He warned about the absolute reality of hell in extremely vivid terms. As Leslie Schmucker noted, “Jesus doesn’t only reference hell, he describes it in great detail.”

Jesus described hell as:

• A place of eternal torment (Luke 16:23)
• Filled with unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43)
• Where people will gnash their teeth in anguish and regret (Matt. 13:42)
• Where people will beg to escape, but will not be able to (Luke 16:19–31).
• A place of “outer darkness” (Matt. 25:30),
• A place separated from the righteous and the kingdom of heaven by an unbridgeable chasm (Luke 16:19–31), or by a sealed door (Luke 13:22-30)

For more about the Biblical depiction of hell, I highly recommend this video.

In Church today, we discussed Luke 13:22-30. In that passage Jesus is asked, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” In response Jesus gives a sobering warning. The way to heaven is a “narrow door” that many “will try to enter and will not be able to.” A day is coming when that door will be closed by “the owner of the house” and people will be left standing “outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’” But they will be permanently excluded. In that day, there will be “weeping there, and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus’s warning is sober, many of the people of Israel who expected to be in the Kingdom by virtue of their lineage of nationality will be excluded and “thrown out.” Jesus was not merely trying to scare people but to extent mercy by calling sinners to repentance and faith before it’s too late.

This passage is deeply convicting. It inspires us to probe deeply and ensure that we have a relationship with Jesus and that we are known by him while there is still time.

But according to Latter-day Saint scripture and theology, Jesus didn’t really mean it when he spoke of eternal torment or a closed door or an unbridgeable chasm. In D&C 19:6–7, Joseph Smith purported to write down the words of Jesus declaring: “Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory.”

In other words, Jesus says that he spoke about “eternal” damnation, he knew that people would understand it to mean “endless” torment, and that he intentionally spoke in this misleading way in order to scare people into repentance.

This is really disturbing.  Joseph Smith’s doctrine not only contradicts the Bible’s plain teaching that the torments of hell will endure “forever and ever” (Revelation 14:11; Revelation 20:10), but also makes God appear deceptive. This teaching not only erases the urgency of Jesus’s warnings, but also undermines god’s truthfulness and holiness.

Rather than take Jesus at his word and fear the eternal torment of hell, mankind has long sought to either diminish or downplay these warnings. We presume that in the goodness of God none will suffer eternally. But in doing so, we downplay or minimize his rightful wrath against sin and wickedness and our culpability before a holy God. And ultimately we leave ourselves susceptible to false spirits and to receiving a “strong delusion” to “believe a lie.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11).

While there is still time and the door into his kingdom remains open, we must all repent of the sin of self-righteously thinking we know better than God. We must see ourselves as sinners dependent on the mercy and pardon of God. We must not “presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience,” (Romans 2:4) but bring ourselves down into the depths of humility and repentance.

Have you entered through the narrow door of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ? If not, do not delay. Today is the day of salvation. Jesus warned of hell but offers forgiveness and reconciliation to all who repent and turn to him. Do not delay!