Well ... there are several "elements" involved here:
Usage and understanding of what hell is? The usage and/or understanding of Forever.
Mortal versus immortal. What happens when one dies? It's a "package of a lot things" And what these words mean biblically. I also, study History, using the encyclopedia (Wikipedia) to learn about different beliefs and where different beliefs originate from.
The way I "Decipher" things out in the Bible is by going to either the original Hebrew or Greek languages and determine the meaning of words used. I do this because those languages are a lot more fluent/descriptive than the English language. Going back to the original languages provide a lot of clarity. Now, that may seem difficult? No, I am so thankful for the internet and this is easy and quickly done. I use very valuable "tools" here:
www.biblehub.com
I study the Bible topically, by words (not exclusively). Pick a word or words, run a search on through the entire Bible and see how those words are used in context and/or in the original languages. It is VERY enlightening, provides clarification
many times.
This particular conversation and my response was directed mainly at the term "burning forever". The word "forever" biblically. Does the word "forever" always mean enternally? No
The word forever can mean different things, a age, a long duration, eternity. maybe others.
But even so using verses in the English Language do clarify one another.
With that being said, without getting "too deep" into Greek or Hebrew Lets look at some verses in English. I however do recommend one does.
Malachi 4:1,3. (speaking of the final judgement)
Malachi 4:1,3. "For behold the day is coming burning like and oven, and all the proud, yes allude wickedly
shall be as stubble. And the day that is coming
shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts,that shall leave them neither root nor branch. . . You shall trample the wicked for they shall be
ashes under the soles of your feet."
Psalms 37:9-10
9 For the evildoers shall be
cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while,
the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
Revelation 14:11
11 And the
smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever ....
Doesn't sound like God is going to be tormenting the wicked for ever to me. Nope, they are going to be totally destroyed by fire and be no more.
I like to try and leave things on a positive note:
God Is Love
7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
13By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son
to be the Savior of the world.
God
is love. He does not delight in torture, pain, suffering (even for the wicked). In the end the unsaved, the fallen angels and Satan and the earth will be burned up and destroyed. Death and sin and the consequences thereof,
ALL will be no more. Amen. Then he will make everything new and perfect and we will live with Him. WOW, live with God.
It is because of sin here on earth we experience terrible things not because of God. Why does God allow this to continue to go on? Because God wants as many saved as possible to receive eternal perfect life in Heaven with Him. Without sin and it's destruction forever (eternally). He is long suffering to this end. He suffers. Don't think he doesn't.
The thing about love .... is one can not truly have it without free will. He loves us so much he gives us the choice to love Him ... or not. True Love, willingly.
What an Awesome, Loving God we have. Amen.
It is so sad that many people distort the character of God, who He Really is.
So when people ask and say: How can a loving God torture people in Hell, burning them forever and ever? What loving God would do this? They are correct. But what they don't know is that the truth is ...... He doesn't.
To me this false teaching turns more people away from God than almost any teaching out there.
Sorry this was so long ;o)