Am I a bad person because I don't believe in eternal hell?

[Anto9us]

Does NOT BELIEVING IN ETERNAL TORMENT make one a Universalist?
There are Anihillationists, who don't believe in ECT, but they are not Universalists, they think the damned just kind of wink out of existence.

If Timothy Ware is Universalist, and I know William Barclay is -- then there is room for Universalism among respected theologians.

The Bible is AMBIGUOUS about anyone being RIGHTEOUS - "there is none RIGHTEOUS, no, not one" but elsewhere speaks of RIGHTEOUS, or JUST individuals.

 

[SkyWriting]

To hear some folks talk, one would think that I am committing a terrible sin by not believing that hell lasts forever.

Scripture says that Hades will be thrown in the lake of fire along with death.
It seems to be that a lake of fire would not work like a deep freeze.
Fires consume things, right? Normally?
Why would the lake of fire preserve death? Just to cook it?

 

[TheLostCoin]

I think that there is a difference between believing in Hell and believing in hope that God will save people from Hell.

The Fifth Ecumenical Council in explicitly condemning Origen says that there exists a Hell, and it’s heresy to say Hell has an end.

With that said, the Orthodox Liturgy still prays for those who have gone before us.

I believe that God will judge the world in perfect justice. I don’t believe God will allow someone to end up in Hell if it’s unjust. And you should trust the infallible fact that God desires all men to be saved. The Bible says this. It’s because He loves us and sent his only begotten Son, such that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.

 

[timothyu]

It irks some to think 'others' would get off the hook so easy. Best be careful in case reap what you sow or judge not kicks into play. What one wishes for others can come back on them, good or bad.

 

[Not David]

To hear some folks talk, one would think that I am committing a terrible sin by not believing that hell lasts forever.

Not really.

Why do you discuss this topic here instead of the Orthodox Forum?

 

[RaymondG]

To hear some folks talk, one would think that I am committing a terrible sin by not believing that hell lasts forever.

The answer to the question you pose is the same as your answer to this question: Do you believe others who believe in everlasting torment, are bad people?

 

[Not David]

Scripture says that Hades will be thrown in the lake of fire along with death.
It seems to be that a lake of fire would not work like a deep freeze.
Fires consume things, right? Normally?

When we talk about "hell", we talk about "Gehenna".

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Literal Greek is "unto ages of ages", not "forever and ever", but it's a minority position here at C.F.

Still sounds like a long time?
Too long for most.
M-Bob

 

[timothyu]

How long is eternity outside a universe with a time dimension?

 

[Gideons300]

We are bad just because we are human? What about the image of God in us? What makes someone a wretched sinner worthy of God's anger and wrath? Does not believing in an eternal burning hell make me the worst of all men and worthy of that very fire? Some seem to think so.

It is not being a wretched sinner as to why God is angry.

It is staying a sinner, refusing the gift of His Son, that is the problem. Adam was created in the image of God. After the fall, the old nature has a new master.

blessings, Gids

 

[Gideons300]

The unrepentant sinner will be dead forever, not in torment forever. That's eternal life, which is only given to believers.

Thank you for that. It might be a minority position here, but you are on firm footing there. The second death is not death at all if it is eternal suffering.

Thanks OGW

Gideon

 

[SkyWriting]

When we talk about "hell", we talk about "Gehenna".

Republicans do you mean?

Matthew 11:23 N-GMS
GRK: ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾅδου καταβήσῃ ὅτι
NAS: will you? You will descend to Hades; for if
KJV: shalt be brought down to hell: for if
INT: have been lifted up to Hades will be brought down for

Matthew 16:18 N-GMS
GRK: καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν
NAS: and the gates of Hades will not overpower
KJV: and the gates of hell shall not
INT: and [the] gates of hades not will prevail against

Luke 10:15 N-GMS
GRK: ἕως τοῦ ᾅδου καταβήσῃ
NAS: will you? You will be brought down to Hades!
KJV: shalt be thrust down to hell.
INT: to Hades you will be brought down

Luke 16:23 N-DMS
GRK: ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς
NAS: In Hades he lifted up his eyes,
KJV: And in hell he lift up his
INT: in Hades having lifted up the

Acts 2:27 N-AMS
GRK: μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις
NAS: MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR
KJV: soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
INT: of me in Hades nor will you give

Acts 2:31 N-AMS
GRK: ἐνκατελείφθη εἰς ᾅδην οὔτε ἡ
NAS: ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR
KJV: left in hell, neither his
INT: was left in Hades nor the

 

[Not David]

Republicans do you mean?

Matthew 11:23 N-GMS
GRK: ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾅδου καταβήσῃ ὅτι
NAS: will you? You will descend to Hades; for if
KJV: shalt be brought down to hell: for if
INT: have been lifted up to Hades will be brought down for

Matthew 16:18 N-GMS
GRK: καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν
NAS: and the gates of Hades will not overpower
KJV: and the gates of hell shall not
INT: and [the] gates of hades not will prevail against

Luke 10:15 N-GMS
GRK: ἕως τοῦ ᾅδου καταβήσῃ
NAS: will you? You will be brought down to Hades!
KJV: shalt be thrust down to hell.
INT: to Hades you will be brought down

Luke 16:23 N-DMS
GRK: ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς
NAS: In Hades he lifted up his eyes,
KJV: And in hell he lift up his
INT: in Hades having lifted up the

Acts 2:27 N-AMS
GRK: μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις
NAS: MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR
KJV: soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
INT: of me in Hades nor will you give

Acts 2:31 N-AMS
GRK: ἐνκατελείφθη εἰς ᾅδην οὔτε ἡ
NAS: ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR
KJV: left in hell, neither his
INT: was left in Hades nor the

I don't rely on the King James Version and what do Republicans have to do with it?

 

[SkyWriting]

How long is eternity outside a universe with a time dimension?

Time does not exist in the next life.
"Without end" is one description. "Eternity" is another.
"For ever and ever" is another.

 

[Bruce Leiter]

To hear some folks talk, one would think that I am committing a terrible sin by not believing that hell lasts forever.

Why don't you believe that hell lasts forever? That's my question. Don't you believe that God is a just Judge and that you and I are deserving of eternal separation from him unless Jesus rescues us through his death and resurrection? God does love his world as its Creator, but humanity rebelled against him with a rebellion we all had when we were conceived and born. All of us are worthy of eternal death because God demands that we be perfect the way Jesus called us to be in the Sermon on the Mount. God's special love for believers delivers us through Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

Do you believe that God inspired the Bible as his revelation of himself, our condition, and our relationship with him? If you don't, I challenge you to read it through from beginning to end and then come back here with your questions.

 

[timothyu]

Time does not exist in the next life.

Good, otherwise after a few thousand years of singing and playing harp, it would wear rather thin.

 

[Philip_B]

1. Time is irrelevant when it comes to eternity.
2. Fire is generally understood to consume and destroy what it burns.
3. Hell is ultimately having ho hope, no future and no tomorrow.

We have often spoken in the Christian Tradition as if atonement is the satisfaction of a debt or the payment of a ransom. Atonement may be better understood in terms of its purpose 'AT ONE MEANT' or perhaps in txtspeak @1ment. That really opens to doors to understanding reconciliation, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.

 

[SkyWriting]

I don't rely on the King James Version and what do Republicans have to do with it?

You said "we". I dunno for whom you speaks then.

háidēs
hah'-dace

Thayer's Definition
name Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions
Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead
later use of this word: the grave, death, hell

 

[SkyWriting]

Good, otherwise after a few thousand years of singing and playing harp, it would wear rather thin.

(super-) Naturally.

 

[SkyWriting]

Why don't you believe that hell lasts forever? That's my question.

Because time does not exist off this earth.
Because a lake of fire that works like a deep freeze is dumb.
Because both hades and death will be thrown in together.
Because God is going to create an entire new earth.
Because "reconciliation" requires all things to be put right.
Because we can't hold on to sinners for eternity unless we had a just reason to do so.