Conception of Hell

[Nemo Neem]

What is "hell" to you? For me, it's not the traditional "fire and brimstone" place, but a place full of darkness, decay, and moaning, a complete and total absence from God. Satan rules this darkness. I compare it to John Milton's conception.

 

[Sketcher]

Satan's not in charge, because he's being punished too (Revelation 20:10). Hell is primarily a place of punishment for him and the demons that followed him (Matthew 25:41).

It is a place away from and totally devoid of the favor of God, and the love of God (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30). It is the only truly God-forsaken place; God's Spirit has showed up in concentration camps and refugee camps to provide a measure of comfort, but there will be no such luck in Hell.

 

[Pete_Martinez]

Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

I would argue that hell is unbearable because of God's presence.

 

[Chococat]

Forgive my ignorance but what exactly is miltonian?

 

[Nemo Neem]

Forgive my ignorance but what exactly is miltonian?

John Milton describes Satan and Hell in his epic poem, Paradise Lost. I think Hell and Satan resemble that description, hence "Miltonian."

 

[JesusFreak78]

Hell is a place of eternal torment and it's several bible verses that support this.

Matthew 8:12
"but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 13:41-42
41 "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Revelation 14:9-11
9 "And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand,
10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."”

Matthew 18:8-9
9 "And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire.
9 "And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell."

Matthew 25:41
"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:46
"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Revelation 20:15
"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

 

[Sudwerkian]

I can't say I have a concrete understanding or knowledge of hell. There is a lot of metaphorical language to describe it (e.g. "lake of fire" etc.), which I believe but am not convinced it'll literally be that, per se. Having said that, I believe it'll be nevertheless *like* that, that say "lake of fire" would be a good descriptor of it, as would the various others.

In general though, I think of it this way:

...in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mt 8:12

...a place of eternal regret for some and eternal anger for others.

NOT a trivial place to be spending one's eternity.

 

[JesusFreak78]

I can't say I have a concrete understanding or knowledge of hell. There is a lot of metaphorical language to describe it (e.g. "lake of fire" etc.), which I believe but am not convinced it'll literally be that, per se. Having said that, I believe it'll be nevertheless *like* that, that say "lake of fire" would be a good descriptor of it, as would the various others.

In general though, I think of it this way:...a place of eternal regret for some and eternal anger for others.

NOT a trivial place to be spending one's eternity.

If "lake of fire" is a metaphoric language, how do you know Jesus isn't speaking metaphorically when He says He's the only way (John 14:6)?

I think the bible should always be taken literally unless it's obvious it isn't as when when Jesus is speaking in parables.

 

[Voice in the Desert]

The Bible should always be interpreted literally, that is as it was meant to be read. I think that most descriptions of Hell and Heaven contain no indicators that they were meant to be symbolic. Therefore for what its worth, as much as our limited human conciousness can in my opinion truly grasp we already know what heaven and hell will be like.

 

[JesusFreak78]

The Bible should always be interpreted literally, that is as it was meant to be read. I think that most descriptions of Hell and Heaven contain no indicators that they were meant to be symbolic. Therefore for what its worth, as much as our limited human conciousness can in my opinion truly grasp we already know what heaven and hell will be like.

I agree.

 

[StartedAtEly]

Medieval scholars argued that one of, if not the greatest horror of Hell, was the knowledge one was forever cut off from God. This question, what type of Hell do you believe shouldn't be a case of "I believe in this kind of Hell", because Hell is BOTH a place of fire and brimstone, and a place of emotional torment and loss.

 

[sam5432]

Hell will be outer darkness, complete and total isolation.

 

[Capuano231]

I don't really know. I don't really like the idea of my Atheist friends being in torment for all eternity, doesn't make me feel good...

 

[JesusFreak78]

I don't really know. I don't really like the idea of my Atheist friends being in torment for all eternity, doesn't make me feel good...

No one likes the idea of their loved ones and their friends spending eternity in hell, but we have no say in this. God told us what He has done and He has told us the consequences for braking His holy law. All we can do is accept it and know God knows best and His opinion and decision is always perfect and just.

 

[Capuano231]

No one likes the idea of their loved ones and their friends spending eternity in hell, but we have no say in this. God told us what He has done and He has told us the consequences for braking His holy law. All we can do is accept it and know God knows best and His opinion and decision is always perfect and just.

You're convinced that God, who only knows how to LOVE, is gonna send somebody to Hell for being a un-believer? That is complete nonsense and was used to convert pagans back in the day. Even now it still works.

 

[Timothew]

You're convinced that God, who only knows how to LOVE, is gonna send somebody to Hell for being a un-believer? That is complete nonsense and was used to convert pagans back in the day. Even now it still works.

God is love, and there is life in Him. According to the bible, there is no life outside of him. It is not that God is being mean, He wants everyone to come to Him for eternal life. There is just no other way to get eternal life.

I believe that hell is a metaphor for death, not eternal torture. The Bible say "the wages of sin is death," not eternal torture in a fiery cavern.

God so loves the world that he gave his only son, so that whoever believes in him would not perish, but have eternal life.

I agree with you, I don't think our lost loved ones will roast for all eternity. I am afraid for my friends who aren't christian because when they die, it will be the end for them when they could have had eternal life.

It seems that my view about hell is in the minority among christians and people get angry at me for even having this viewpoint, but I think it is based on an honest reading of the bible.

Tim

 

[JesusFreak78]

You're convinced that God, who only knows how to LOVE, is gonna send somebody to Hell for being a un-believer? That is complete nonsense and was used to convert pagans back in the day. Even now it still works.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.

The God of the old testament is also the God of the new testament. We all deserve to go to hell (including me) for braking the law. No one is without excuse and the fact that God choose to save some people speaks of His love and grace in bigger proportions that we can ever imagine.

The is no way you can start understand God's love without understand how Holy He is and without understanding God's judgment and His wrath.

 

[Timothew]

Oops,

Sorry JF for butting into your discussion!

Tim

 

[JesusFreak78]

God is love, and there is life in Him. According to the bible, there is no life outside of him. It is not that God is being mean, He wants everyone to come to Him for eternal life. There is just no other way to get eternal life.

I believe that hell is a metaphor for death, not eternal torture. The Bible say "the wages of sin is death," not eternal torture in a fiery cavern.

God so loves the world that he gave his only son, so that whoever believes in him would not perish, but have eternal life.

I agree with you, I don't think our lost loved ones will roast for all eternity. I am afraid for my friends who aren't christian because when they die, it will be the end for them when they could have had eternal life.

It seems that my view about hell is in the minority among christians and people get angry at me for even having this viewpoint, but I think it is based on an honest reading of the bible.

Tim

Revelation 2:11
The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. The one overcoming will not at all be hurt by the second death.

Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.

Revelation 21:8
But for the cowardly and unbelieving, and those having become foul, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the lying ones, their part will be in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

The bible is pretty clear that those who dies (the second death) will be in torment for all eternity in the lake of fire.

 

[JesusFreak78]

Oops,

Sorry JF for butting into your discussion!

Tim

That's okay. It's an open discussion and everyone can participate.