Ok, so I'm going to write what I believe on the doctrine of hell just so everyone understands and I don't have to write the same thing over again. Please read it all as I don't want to have to repeat myself.
- In the Garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree or else they will surely die (Genesis 2:17). When Satan tempted Eve, he said, " You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The underlined words, "You shall not surely die" was the first lie ever told. Satan is still telling the world and its inhabitants that today. Whether it be through mediums or seances, or through the deception that we will be tormented and living in hell forever if we are lost. Don't be deceived!
- Romans 6:23- " For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." If the lost are burning forever and ever in hell, it is eternal life. That notion sharply contradicts this Bible passage. The death mentioned in this verse is the second death, or the final penalty for sin at the end of time, where sinners are blotted out of existence, or annihilated.
- The wicked do not have immortality. This attribute is only Gods and His alone. (1 Timothy 6:16) Only at the Second Coming of Jesus will eternal life be given to the righteous. (1 Corinthians 15:53) If the wicked do not have immortality, it is impossible for them to live eternally in hell fire.
1 Corinthians 15:53 says, " For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality."
- The wicked will be annihilated and destroyed completely.
Malachi 4:1,3- "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven. And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that will leave them neither root nor branch... You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, On the day I do this, says the Lord of hosts." That's pretty clear, isn't it?
Psalms 37:10 tells us, "For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more."
Revelation 21:8- "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
- Even John 3:16 tells us this fact. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life." Those who don't believe in Christ, will, in sharp contrast, perish or die the second death in the lake of fire.The verse doesn't say, that whosoever believeth in Jesus, should not be tormented in hell for eternity, but have everlasting life. It says perish. That is the sad fate of the wicked.
- What is God? The Bible tells us that God is Love. God is Just. His attributes are Perfect and He hands outs judgment toward the wicked that is fair. It isn't a fair judgment for sinners to burn for billions of years or all of eternity for 70 years of sin. Satan paints God as a wrathful tyrant, but that's not who He is. He is merciful and His punishment for the wicked in the Bible is just. They don't have to suffer for all of eternity, but instead are blotted from the face of the earth, in separation from God.
1 John 4:8- "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."
Ezekiel 33:11 says, "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn ye from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Isreal?" If God is such a loving God, that He hurts when the wicked die, how is it possible that He would cause sinners to be tormented forever? He is not cruel. He is merciful.
-Other verses that teach us about the total destruction of the wicked are:
Isaiah 1:28- "The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed."
2 Peter 2:3- "...for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
All these verses speak of the wicked's total destruction after a period of time. Now, there are a few Biblical passages that may seem to support the idea of torment forever, but I will clarify them as they have been brought up multiple times in this discussion.
Revelation 20:10- "The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
Now, we must remember that when we read the Bible, we have to take it in context with other verses.
Jonah 2:6 tells us,"...The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God." Now, this verse is talking about when Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days until God delivered him. Why would he use the term forever?
1 Samuel 1:22- "But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, 'Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever." Is Samuel still at the temple right now?
Exodus 21:6- "...He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." Again, is that servant still serving his master to this day?
The phrases "forever" and "forever and ever" actually mean an indefinite period of time, the limits which are determined by the nature of a person, thing, or circumstance. Obviously, Samuel is not in the temple right now. He was in the temple for an indefinite period of time. So, in this context, there will be an end to the torment, and then the person will be annihilated.
Another verse that is misunderstood is Jude 1:7 which says, " As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to theses, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." The fires of Sodom and Gomorrah are not burning now, so what could that mean? When this verse uses the term eternal, it is not talking about a fire that lasts forever, but rather the consequences of the fire are eternal. They do not change and the wicked will never receive life again, after the second death. The results are irreversible and complete.
The last matter I will address is the parable of Lazarus in Luke 16: 19-31.
When Jesus spoke in parables, it was meant to be a symbolic and figurative story. He wanted His listeners to have to think about the meaning. Matthew 13 tells us. He spoke to His listeners in parables because they did not understand. ( Matthew 13:13) We are not to take them literally. To take this parable literally would be quite a conundrum, as there are many other things wrongs in the story such as praying to Abraham. It would be very disturbing to look from heaven dwon to hell and watch your family burning and one finger dipped in water would not quench one's thirst. There are too many other problems with this story to be taken any other way but figuratively.
Basically, the rich man represents the Pharisees, or those who have access and freedom to the Word of God. Lazarus represents those people who had nothing spiritually and received nothing from the Pharisees. He was basically a Gentile, who got crumbs from the master's table. He had received nothing spiritually. Knowledge of God was given to the Jews to share and be a blessing to others, but the Jews were using it for their own selfish gain. When the rich man wanted to send Lazarus to his Fathers house to warn them, Abraham refused because they already had Moses and the Prophets. The Jews did not believe then, even though the had the Word, and they wouldn't be persuaded, though Jesus performed miracles. Even though, Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead, the Jews did not change. If this parable were to be used literally then it would not have been prudent to use Lazarus's name, as he was not dead then.
So, I believe the wicked may be punished for an indefinited period of time, before they will be completely and utterly destroyed! That will be the second death!
That is my view on hell, based on the Word of God. Thanks for reading!
- In the Garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree or else they will surely die (Genesis 2:17). When Satan tempted Eve, he said, " You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The underlined words, "You shall not surely die" was the first lie ever told. Satan is still telling the world and its inhabitants that today. Whether it be through mediums or seances, or through the deception that we will be tormented and living in hell forever if we are lost. Don't be deceived!
- Romans 6:23- " For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." If the lost are burning forever and ever in hell, it is eternal life. That notion sharply contradicts this Bible passage. The death mentioned in this verse is the second death, or the final penalty for sin at the end of time, where sinners are blotted out of existence, or annihilated.
- The wicked do not have immortality. This attribute is only Gods and His alone. (1 Timothy 6:16) Only at the Second Coming of Jesus will eternal life be given to the righteous. (1 Corinthians 15:53) If the wicked do not have immortality, it is impossible for them to live eternally in hell fire.
1 Corinthians 15:53 says, " For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality."
- The wicked will be annihilated and destroyed completely.
Malachi 4:1,3- "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven. And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that will leave them neither root nor branch... You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, On the day I do this, says the Lord of hosts." That's pretty clear, isn't it?
Psalms 37:10 tells us, "For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more."
Revelation 21:8- "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
- Even John 3:16 tells us this fact. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life." Those who don't believe in Christ, will, in sharp contrast, perish or die the second death in the lake of fire.The verse doesn't say, that whosoever believeth in Jesus, should not be tormented in hell for eternity, but have everlasting life. It says perish. That is the sad fate of the wicked.
- What is God? The Bible tells us that God is Love. God is Just. His attributes are Perfect and He hands outs judgment toward the wicked that is fair. It isn't a fair judgment for sinners to burn for billions of years or all of eternity for 70 years of sin. Satan paints God as a wrathful tyrant, but that's not who He is. He is merciful and His punishment for the wicked in the Bible is just. They don't have to suffer for all of eternity, but instead are blotted from the face of the earth, in separation from God.
1 John 4:8- "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."
Ezekiel 33:11 says, "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn ye from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Isreal?" If God is such a loving God, that He hurts when the wicked die, how is it possible that He would cause sinners to be tormented forever? He is not cruel. He is merciful.
-Other verses that teach us about the total destruction of the wicked are:
Isaiah 1:28- "The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed."
2 Peter 2:3- "...for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
All these verses speak of the wicked's total destruction after a period of time. Now, there are a few Biblical passages that may seem to support the idea of torment forever, but I will clarify them as they have been brought up multiple times in this discussion.
Revelation 20:10- "The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
Now, we must remember that when we read the Bible, we have to take it in context with other verses.
Jonah 2:6 tells us,"...The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God." Now, this verse is talking about when Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days until God delivered him. Why would he use the term forever?
1 Samuel 1:22- "But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, 'Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever." Is Samuel still at the temple right now?
Exodus 21:6- "...He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." Again, is that servant still serving his master to this day?
The phrases "forever" and "forever and ever" actually mean an indefinite period of time, the limits which are determined by the nature of a person, thing, or circumstance. Obviously, Samuel is not in the temple right now. He was in the temple for an indefinite period of time. So, in this context, there will be an end to the torment, and then the person will be annihilated.
Another verse that is misunderstood is Jude 1:7 which says, " As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to theses, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." The fires of Sodom and Gomorrah are not burning now, so what could that mean? When this verse uses the term eternal, it is not talking about a fire that lasts forever, but rather the consequences of the fire are eternal. They do not change and the wicked will never receive life again, after the second death. The results are irreversible and complete.
The last matter I will address is the parable of Lazarus in Luke 16: 19-31.
When Jesus spoke in parables, it was meant to be a symbolic and figurative story. He wanted His listeners to have to think about the meaning. Matthew 13 tells us. He spoke to His listeners in parables because they did not understand. ( Matthew 13:13) We are not to take them literally. To take this parable literally would be quite a conundrum, as there are many other things wrongs in the story such as praying to Abraham. It would be very disturbing to look from heaven dwon to hell and watch your family burning and one finger dipped in water would not quench one's thirst. There are too many other problems with this story to be taken any other way but figuratively.
Basically, the rich man represents the Pharisees, or those who have access and freedom to the Word of God. Lazarus represents those people who had nothing spiritually and received nothing from the Pharisees. He was basically a Gentile, who got crumbs from the master's table. He had received nothing spiritually. Knowledge of God was given to the Jews to share and be a blessing to others, but the Jews were using it for their own selfish gain. When the rich man wanted to send Lazarus to his Fathers house to warn them, Abraham refused because they already had Moses and the Prophets. The Jews did not believe then, even though the had the Word, and they wouldn't be persuaded, though Jesus performed miracles. Even though, Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead, the Jews did not change. If this parable were to be used literally then it would not have been prudent to use Lazarus's name, as he was not dead then.
So, I believe the wicked may be punished for an indefinited period of time, before they will be completely and utterly destroyed! That will be the second death!
That is my view on hell, based on the Word of God. Thanks for reading!
