Anxiety sufferers cast into hell?

[MichaelD111]

Rev 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Whoa, does this mean that anxiety sufferers are wretched and bound for hell?

 

[UberLutheran]

Rev 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Whoa, does this mean that anxiety sufferers are wretched and bound for hell?

Yup.

As well as all people who suffer from depression, bipolar illness, schizophrenia, paranoia, personality disorders, attention deficit disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, alcoholism, addictions of any kind, and people who are just plain ornery!

In fact, I think that includes just about everybody except me.

But I will wave to you all from Heaven, if that will help...

[just kidding]

 

[catlover]

Rev 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Whoa, does this mean that anxiety sufferers are wretched and bound for hell?

Dang one more thing I am going to worry about.

 

[Phinehas2]

But seriously though, I have been guilty of telling lies and i suspect most people have, but clealry neither is everyone going to hell.
Its 'deilos' and 'apistos' 'deilos is fearfull/faithless, so I suggest it doesn't include those who get panic attacks at all. However Jesus can heal anxiety sufferers.
If we trust in Jesus
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

 

[snoochface]

Dang one more thing I am going to worry about.

LOL.

Thank God (literally) that all those people, including us anxiety sufferers, have his forgiveness.

 

[MichaelD111]

Yup.

As well as all people who suffer from depression, bipolar illness, schizophrenia, paranoia, personality disorders, attention deficit disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, alcoholism, addictions of any kind, and people who are just plain ornery!

In fact, I think that includes just about everybody except me.

But I will wave to you all from Heaven, if that will help...

[just kidding]

Why are you making light of this? The verse says what it says. What is your alternative explanation? If you have none, perhaps it is best to keep quiet.

 

[MichaelD111]

But seriously though, I have been guilty of telling lies and i suspect most people have, but clealry neither is everyone going to hell.
Its 'deilos' and 'apistos' 'deilos is fearfull/faithless, so I suggest it doesn't include those who get panic attacks at all. However Jesus can heal anxiety sufferers.
If we trust in Jesus
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Huh? The verse distinguishes between the fearful and the faithless. The fearful are cast into hell, and the unbelieving are also cast into hell. They are two separate conditions, both of which result in eternal death.

 

[savedandhappy1]

Here are some more explainations of the words deilois and apistois.


But the cowardly
Cowardly is δειλοῖς [deilois] : “timid [ones],”1 “persons showing fear in a shameful way.”2 The word is used to describe lack of faith (Mtt. 8:26; Mark 4:40).

During the Tribulation, the Beast worshipers took his mark, partly out of fear of losing their lives (Rev. 13:15+). They were among those who, because of fear, saved their lives, but ultimately lost both their soul and body in hell (Mtt. 10:28). The wicked and lazy servant hid his talent in the ground out of fear rather than investing it for the Lord’s benefit. He was cast into outer darkness (Mtt. 25:25; Luke 19:21). Those who deny Jesus before men, possibly out of fear, will not be confessed by the Son of Man before God and His angels (Luke 12:8-9). Many of the religious rulers believed in Jesus, but for fear of being put out of the synagogue by the Pharisees, would not confess Him. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:43).

This passage concerns those who are among the unredeemed, it is not a threat that believers who struggle with fear at times are in danger of the Lake of Fire. Those who are born-again have not been given a spirit of fear, “but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Ti. 1:7).

unbelieving
Unbelieving is ἀπίστοις [apistois] : ones without faith. Those who did not believe the truth are condemned (2Th. 2:12). Those who are unbelieving have a defiled mind and conscience. They often profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him (Tit. 1:15-16). Lack of faith in the Son results in eternal condemnation:
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)
He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. (1Jn. 5:10)
There are no unbelieving among the overcomers: “And this is the victory which has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1Jn. 5:4b-5).

http://www.spiritandtruth.org/teaching/Book_of_Revelation/commentary/htm/032108.htm#3.21.8

 

[Pogue]

I see the verse, in particular the word fearful, as referring to those who lack sufficient faith in God, and are fearful as a result, not to those who are fearful as a result of anxiety disorder.

 

[MichaelD111]

This passage concerns those who are among the unredeemed, it is not a threat that believers who struggle with fear at times are in danger of the Lake of Fire.

This is clearly wrong. Deilos is also the word used to describe the disciples' lack of faith (Mtt. 8:26; Mark 4:40).

 

[snoochface]

This is clearly wrong. Deilos is also the word used to describe the disciples' lack of faith (Mtt. 8:26; Mark 4:40).

So then you think that believers, Christians who have accepted Jesus into their hearts and follow him, who have been forgiven by and reconciled to God, are going to be thrown into the lake of fire for suffering with anxiety? How does that jive in any way with basically the whole rest of the New Testament?

You have to read and understand the Bible as a complete work, not individual passage by individual passage. God has promised us that if we follow Jesus, we will be saved -- that's all over the NT. Individual sins of fear, and lying, or anything else really, as long as we recognize them as sins and ask for forgiveness and sincerely attempt to turn away from them (even if we fail time and time again) are not going to get us thrown into the Lake of Fire. Our cup may be smaller than someone else's cup, but it will still be overflowing, and we'll still be in heaven.

 

[LogosRhema]

Ok... If we are not saved by good works do you think the bad works are going to unsave us? We are saved by grace! Don't forget that! Sin separates us from God spiritually which is horrible and makes life that much more confusing! I'm not encouraging that because we are saved by grace to continue sinning,no! But we should continue in righteousness to become closer to God and become an example upon mankind!

 

[savedandhappy1]

This is clearly wrong. Deilos is also the word used to describe the disciples' lack of faith (Mtt. 8:26; Mark 4:40).

Yeah,?

Which were before the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, right?

Were they able to be saved by grace through faith before that time?

Isn't the Old Covenent still in play here as compared to the New Covenent given us through Jesus?

 

[Zecryphon]

Why are you making light of this? The verse says what it says. What is your alternative explanation? If you have none, perhaps it is best to keep quiet.

Why are you equating fear with anxiety? Everybody has anxiety, everybody. Does that mean, according to your interpretation of that verse, that everybody is going to Hell? That can't be correct as that statement is disproven by other scriptures.

People can fear anxiety and the feelings it produces. People who do this can bring what is known as a panic attack on themselves, but as this attack is mostly chemical in nature, I don't see how that release of chemicals will send a person to Hell. How much do you know about anxiety? From what I'm seeing here, not too much. I think what you need to do is take that verse in context and ask yourself what the people in that verse are fearing. I don't think it's anxiety or the feelings anxiety produces.

 

[catlover]

LOL.

Thank God (literally) that all those people, including us anxiety sufferers, have his forgiveness.

Exactly!

 

[DarkLegend28]

Rev 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Whoa, does this mean that anxiety sufferers are wretched and bound for hell?

In context, it probably just means those who are doubtful, ashamed, or not confident in their faith.

Without context, I suppose every little thing would be labeled as a sin and then we would be in big trouble, wouldn't we?

 

[UberLutheran]

Why are you making light of this? The verse says what it says. What is your alternative explanation? If you have none, perhaps it is best to keep quiet.

Have you ever heard of reading Scripture in the context of the passage in which it was written — and in context of the time in which it was written?

Apparently not.

Good luck trying to keep me quiet. If you succeed, you will have done what few people have succeeded in doing.

 

[Zecryphon]

Have you ever heard of reading Scripture in the context of the passage in which it was written — and in context of the time in which it was written?

Apparently not.

Good luck trying to keep me quiet. If you succeed, you will have done what few people have succeeded in doing.

So you're proud of the fact that you're considered by some to be a giant pain in the ... ? LOL

 

[UberLutheran]

So you're proud of the fact that you're considered by some to be a giant pain in the ... ? LOL

There is a reason I chose "Maude" as my signature picture!

 

[UberLutheran]

Rather than argue with everyone's answers, Michael — what do you think the answer is?