Doctrine of Hell

[FineLinen]

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

The Lord Lesous Christos, the salvation of Jehovah, has declared that there is everlasting punishment for those on the left, and everlasting zoe for those on the right.

What are the qualifications for aionial zoe, and aionial kolasis, according to the Saviour of the holos kosmos?

What are the qualifications for aionial kolasis? Is it failure to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? Is it failure to believe into Him? Is it sin, or darkness, or iniquity, or unbelief?

The qualifications for aionial kolasis are?


1. _______________________________________________?


2.________________________________________________?


3.________________________________________________?


4_________________________________________________?


5._________________________________________________?


The qualifications for aionial zoe are?


1. _______________________________________________?


2.________________________________________________?


3.________________________________________________?


4_________________________________________________?


5._________________________________________________?


6._________________________________________________?

The Bible is the story of a Restoration, deeper, wider, mightier than the Fall of Adam, and therefore bringing every child of Adam's race reconciliation. It is not, as the popular creed of unending despair teaches, the self-contradictory story of One Almighty to save, and yet not, in fact, saving those for whom He died.

It is the story of infinite love seeking "till it find;" a Love that never faileth, NEVER, though heaven and earth pass away:; a Love that is, from its very essence, inextinguishable and inexhaustable--being the love of a Divine Father. It is the story of the unchanging purpose of the unchanging Lord God Omnipotent. -Rev. Thomas Allin (Christ Triumphant)

Christ Triumphant by Rev. Thomas Allin

http://www.totlogcon.com/filealin.htm

 

[Zona]

...The literal view of hell can be seen to be false with some serious exegesis and the annihilation view, IMO, denies the work of Christ.

Will you map out your reasoning leading to your conclusion that annihilationism denies the work of Christ?

Thx.

 

[FineLinen]

Some time ago a "distinguished" member of this community posted regarding the Jewish Encyclopedia, and "the guys who speak, read and write Hebrew." The suggestion was that if we desire to know what "the truth" is, read the Jewish Encl.

The Jewish Encyclopedia

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/index.jsp

And this is "the truth" according to the Jewish Encyclopedia!


1. Our Lord before He made man created heaven and hell and declared it is very good. "The words "very good" in Gen. 1:31 refer to hell.

Note: Take your choice when this glorious event occurred: the sixth day, the second day, or before the world. Of course opinions on this vary.

2. The fiery furnace of Mek. xx.18b and 71b and Enoch xcviii.c and ciii.8 is identified as the gate of Gehenna. Opinions also vary as to the situation, extent and nature of hell.

3. Gehenna extends indefinitely (Men.99.b) and according to one opinion is "above the firmament" and according to another "behind the dark mountains." (Ta'an 32.b)

4. Gehenna is "situated deep down in the earth" and is immeasureably large. The whole world is "like a lid for Gehenna" and "the earth is one-sixtieth of the garden, the garden one-sixtieth of Eden (Paradise)..."Eden one sixtieth of Gehenna." Some say Gehenna cannot be measured (Pes. 94a)

5. Gehenna is divided into seven compartments...."A similar view was held by the Babylonians. Note: Ancient Iraq

6. Because of the extent of Gehenna, the sun on setting in the evening passes by it, and receives its own fire or evening glow from it.

7. The Persians Note: ancient Iran/ the Peacock Thronebelieved that "glowing molten metal flowed under the feet of sinners"

8. The "warm springs of Tiberias are heated while flowing past Gehenna." (Shab. 39.a)

9. The fire of Gehenna never goes out. "There is always plenty of wood there." (Men. 100a)

10. The fire is sixty times as hot as any earthly fire. (Ber. 6.7)

11. The Tiberian medicinal springs was ascribed to their connection with Gehenna.

12. "It is said God judges by means of fire."

13. "Gehenna is dark in spite of immense masses of fire." But, "It is like night."

14. "It is assumed there is an angel-prince in charge of Gehenna."

15. "It is assumed in general sinners go to hell immediately after their death."

Note: Except the sinners of Zion, of course, who repent at the gates of hell.

16. The pious;go to paradise, and sinners go to hell (B.M.83.b)

Note: Except the sinners of Zion, of course, who repent at the gates of hell.

17. "Every individual is apportioned two shares, one in hell and one in paradise." At death "the righteous man's portion in hell is exchanged, so that he has two in heaven, while the reverse is true in the case of sinners."

Note: This does not apply to Jewish sinners in Zion, "they repent at the gates of hell."

18. It would be better if sinners had not been born. "It would be better for the latter (sinners) if they had not lived at all." (Yeb. 63.b)

Note: Amen and amen!

19. Those who would have been better off if they had never lived at all will be happy to know their miserable existence in this present evil world will be enhanced by the God who receives their words...

Lord of the world, thou has done well; paradise for the pious, gehenna for the wicked. ('Er. 19.a)

Jewish sinners are exempt, the sinners in Zion repent at the gates of hell.

20. There are three catagories of men; 1.the wholly pious 2. the arch-sinners, not purified 3. those between these two classes. The depths of Gehenna are in levels commensurate with the sinfulness of the sinner being admitted.

21. Number 20 is similarily expressed by the heathen of Babylon.

A similar view is expressed in the Babylonian Talmud, which adds that those who have sinned themselves but have not led others into sin remain for twelve months in Gehenna.

Note: The doctrine of hell is not of heathen origin!

22. "After 12 months their bodies are destroyed, their souls are burned, and the wind strews the ashes under the feet of the pious."

23. Regarding heretics:

Hell shall pass away" BUT "they shall not pass away."

24. "All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men."....

1. those who have committed adultery, OR

2. shamed their neighbors, OR

3. vilified them.

25. The felicity of the pious in paradise excites the wrath of the sinners who behold it when they come to hell.

26. Abraham takes the d a m n e d to his bosom. "the fire of Gehenna does not touch the Jewish sinners because they confess their sins before the gates of hell and return to God." (Er.19a)

27. Heretics and Roman oppressors go to Gehenna. "the same fate awaits the Persians."

Note:Iran/ The Peacock Throne

28. It is chiefly the heathen who are cast into the fiery pool on the Day of Judgment. The Lord, the Almighty, will punish the heathen on the Day of Judgment by "putting fire and worms into their flesh, so that they cry out with pain unto all eternity." (Judith xvi.17)

29. God puts souls back into dead bodies on the Day of Judgment.

30. Sinners will disappear like chaff before the faces of the elect.

31. "There will be no Gehenna in the future world, however, for God will take the sun out of its case, and it will heal the pious with its rays and will punish the sinners."

Note: Remember #19

32. "It is frequently said that certain sins will lead man into Gehenna." ( Unchastity/ adultery/ pride/ mockery/ hypocrisy/ anger etc.)

33. "Hell awaits one who indulges in unseemly speech."

34.

Hell awaits one who always follows the advice of his wife.

35.Hell awaits those "who instruct an unworthy pupil."

Note: "Never try and teach a pig to sing, you will waste your time and annoy the pig."

36. "Hell awaits those who turn away from the Torah."


Noteoes that include the Jewish sinners who repent at the gates of hell? For further details see...'Er.18, 101a etc.

37. There are merits that preserve a man from going to hell.

Merits

Philanthropy/ fasting/ visiting the sick/ reading the Shema' and Hallel/ eating the three meals on the Sabbath

Note: Saturday

Israelites in general are less endangered than heretics, or the heathen.

Scholars, the poor, and the pious are especially protected.

38. "Three Classes of Men do not see the face of hell:"

1. Those who live in penury.

Note: Make that extreme poverty and want.

2. Those suffering from intestinal catarrh.

Note: Please do not ask me to define it!

3. Those that are pressed by their creditors.

39.

It would seem that the expressions 'doomed to hell' and 'to be saved from hell' must be interpreted hyperbolically.

Note: Make that mile high ice-cream cones.

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=115&letter=G&search=gehenna

 

[FineLinen]

The First Five Hundred Years -Dr. J.W.Hanson-

http://hellbusters.8m.com/updcontents.html

CONTENTS

Introduction

http://hellbusters.8m.com/updintro.html

Chapter 1 - The Earliest Creeds

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd1.html

Chapter 2 - Early Christianity-A Cheerful Religion

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd2.htm

Chapter 3 - Origin of Endless Punishment

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd3.html

Chapter 4 - Doctrines of Mitigation and Reserve

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd4.html

Chapter 5 - Two Kindred Topics

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd5.html

Chapter 6 - The Apostles' Immediate Successors

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd6.html

Chapter 7 - The Gnostic Sects

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd7.html

Chapter 8 - The Sibylline Oracles

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd8.html

Chapter 9 - Pantaenus and Clement

http://hellbusters.9m.com/upd1.html

Chapter 10 - Origen

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd10.html

Chapter 11 - Origen-Continued

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd11.html

Chapter 12 - The Eulogists of Origen

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd12.html

Chapter 13 - A Third Century Group

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd13.html

Chapter 14 - Minor Authorities

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd14.html

Chapter 15 - Gregory Nazianzen

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd15.html

Chapter 16 - Theodore of Mopsuestia and the Nestorians

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd16.html

Chapter 17 - A Notable Family

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd17.html

Chapter 18 - Additional Authorities

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd18.html

Chapter 19 - The Deterioration of Christian Thought

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd19.html

Chapter 20 - Augustine--Deterioration Continued

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd20.html

Chapter 21 - Unsuccessful Attempts to Suppress Universalism

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd21.html

Chapter 22 - The Eclipse of Universalism

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd22.html

Chapter 23 - Summary of Conclusions

http://hellbusters.8m.com/upd23.html

[move]"....And the leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse...."[/move]

Healing= Therapeia=

To heal.

To cure.

To restore to health.

Therapeuo Rooted In Therapeia

Therapeia=

Service rendered by one to another.

Curing and healing Medical Service.

 

[john14_20]

Will you map out your reasoning leading to your conclusion that annihilationism denies the work of Christ?

Thx.

Hi Zona

Col 1:16 For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.

Col 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.



The entire human race was created by Jesus, and is held together in Him.





Col 1:19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him;

Col 1:20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.



Every man, woman and child has been reconciled to the Father in Jesus.





Joh 1:3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.

Joh 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.



Everything that exists, that’s you and me and the whole human race, has been created by Jesus. Our life comes from Him.





Joh 1:14 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.



This One in whom we have our existence actually became one of us. Yet we continue to have our existence in Him. He continues to sustain us and hold us together.





Joh 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.



This union is so strong, that Jesus says we are actually in Him, and Him in us.





Heb 1:1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

Heb 1:2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.

Heb 1:3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;



Jesus is the heir of all things, the maker of all things, and the upholder of all things.





Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

Eph 2:5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),



God made us alive – we did not – and He did so in Christ while we were still dead in sin.





Joh 1:29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!



Jesus takes away the sin of who? The believers? The repentant?



No – He takes away the sin of the WORLD!





1Jo 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.



What is the work of the devil? To destroy us, to annihilate us, to take us to hell, to prevent us from entering into eternal life.



Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil (unless we think that Jesus tried but failed!)







1Co 15:21 For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.



AND



Rom 5:18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.



As the early church fathers saw, what was lost in Adam was restored in Christ.

The cure must be as universal as the disease. The salvation must be as universal as the fall.







Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.



AND



2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.



AND



Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,



You and me and the whole human race actually died in Christ. We were raised again in Christ and now sit, in Him, at the right hand of the Father.



All of this shows the immense union between Christ and us. The union is so strong that when He died, we died. When He rose, we rose. This union can not be undone – it is done, finished in Christ.



For us to cease to exist is to undo what Christ has completed.



The problem of sin is not a legal problem, it is an ontological one.



The early church father Athanasius saw this and he wrote that because of the fall humanity was at risk of lapsing back into non-being – we were at risk of ceasing to exist. Jesus Christ came and joined Himself to us all so that no longer could we be at risk of this.



Annihilationism says that is exactly what will happen to us – we will cease to exist.



But that means Christ’s work has been undone.

Blessings to all, Pete

 

[john14_20]

Something you need to possibly take a look at, as to why the pagan religions may have an accurate understanding of Hell.

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41 niv

Satan and his angels were well aware of what awaits them.... It has been prepared for them, not originally for man.

"When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" Matthew 8:28-29 niv

As you can see, Satan and his angels understand Hell, very well! Pagan religions have their source in demonic activity. Hell is something demons could teach accurately and yet not lead others towards the true God.

That may explain why they got Hell right. That is, if they speak of the same Hell. Which pagan religions do you refer to?

Grace and peace, GeneZ

Hi GeneZ

I did not intend to be specific but seem as how you want me to, here goes.

How about Zoroastrianism and Manicheanism


"Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world-religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith." - Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1979, p. 1)



"Zoroaster was thus the first to teach the doctrines of an individual judgment, Heaven and Hell, the future resurrection of the body, the general Last Judgment, and life everlasting for the reunited soul and body. These doctrines were to become familiar articles of faith to much of mankind, through borrowings by Judaism, Christianity and Islam; yet it is in Zoroastrianism itself that they have their fullest logical coherence....” - Mary Boyce, Op. Cit. p. 29.

Manicheanism was (and is) a dualistic religion founded by Mani, a Persian sage, in the third century after Christ. Mani synthesised Christian, Buddhist and Zoroastian elements into his religion. He taught that there were two gods, one good, one evil.
The good god, YHWH, the God of Jews and Christians is spiritual and light; the bad god, called Satan in the New Testament, is material and darkness, but equally eternal and equally powerful. Manicheans consequently believed that the sun and the moon and the stars, "in heaven" were the residences of the good god. The good god is also responsible for human souls and minds, the bad god for human bodies, passions and emotions. Humans are the battleground between the two gods, since they blend mind and matter, the basic principles of the two gods. The reason that humans blend mind and matter is, at least according to one variant of Manichean teaching, that the bad god tore a hole in heaven and trapped the souls that fell through the hole into material bodies.

And now........the really interesting bit............

Our great founding father Saint Augustine was both a Manicheanist and a Platonic philosopher!



Augustine was deeply affected by Manicheanism and was later to be deeply affected by neo-platonic philosophy.

He merged his pre-existing ideas left over from these two previous experiences with Christianity producing an understanding of Christianity quite different to what had been before him, and one we are still influenced (strongly) by today.

Aurelius Augustinus [more commonly "St. Augustine of Hippo," often simply "Augustine"] (354-430 C.E.): rhetor, Christian Neoplatonist, North African Bishop, Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church. One of the decisive developments in the western philosophical tradition was the eventually widespread merging of the Greek philosophical tradition and the Judeo-Christian religious and scriptural traditions. Augustine is one of the main figures through and by whom this merging was accomplished.

(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)


Saint Augustine successfully fused platonic philosophy with Christianity having incalculable importance.

(Christanity and Philosophy)



Blessings to all, Pete

 

[Zona]

...Every man, woman and child has been reconciled to the Father in Jesus....


Jesus takes away the sin of who? The believers? The repentant? No – He takes away the sin of the WORLD!...


What is the work of the devil? To destroy us, to annihilate us, to take us to hell, to prevent us from entering into eternal life. Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil (unless we think that Jesus tried but failed!)...


As the early church fathers saw, what was lost in Adam was restored in Christ....

The cure must be as universal as the disease. The salvation must be as universal as the fall....


You and me and the whole human race actually died in Christ. We were raised again in Christ and now sit, in Him, at the right hand of the Father....



All of this shows the immense union between Christ and us. The union is so strong that when He died, we died. When He rose, we rose. This union can not be undone – it is done, finished in Christ....

From what you have written, am I understanding correctly that you believe ultimately all are saved, regardless of bahavior/beliefs held while on earth? For example, if I consistently rejected the divinity of Jesus all my life, would you hold that somehow in the afterlife I would still be redeemed by Jesus' work?

 

[GenemZ]

Hi GeneZ

I did not intend to be specific but seem as how you want me to, here goes.

How about Zoroastrianism and Manicheanism


"Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world-religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith." - Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1979, p. 1)

I will say it again. Satan and his angels know about Hell and judgement. If they wanted to start a cult, religion, sect, etc... to blurr the distinctions of God's Word, in this area they are more than capable. After all, who inspires false religions and cults? I am not surprised to see God's issues popping up in their teachings. Satan and demons, are very Hell conscious. It can be an obsession for some of them. That is why certain demons are suicidal in their expression of possessed people. They wish to destroy themselves rather than face the torments of Hell. They hate themselves and are self destructive by nature. That is why the demons in Legion used to cut himself.

"Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones." Mark 5:5 niv

That is why, once they left the human body and went into the swine, they commited suicide by running into the water to drown! They wish to escape Hell somehow! If they could only end their own existence! They can not. But they desire to. Suicide.

" When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said, "because he is a lunatic {seleniazomai} and has it bad. He often falls into the fire or into the water."
Matthew 17:14-15

Grace and peace, GeneZ

 

[Zona]

The Lord Lesous Christos...everlasting zoe...aionial zoe, and aionial kolasis, according to the Saviour of the holos kosmos...

Is there an interpreter in the house?

 

[john14_20]

From what you have written, am I understanding correctly that you believe ultimately all are saved, regardless of bahavior/beliefs held while on earth? For example, if I consistently rejected the divinity of Jesus all my life, would you hold that somehow in the afterlife I would still be redeemed by Jesus' work?

You are already redeemed by the work of Jesus - it won't happen later.

The human race has been converted from the old Adamic existence into the new existence in the Incarnation

The human race has been saved from it's path to non-existence in the Atonement

And the human race has been born again in the resurrection

You were not given a choice when Adam plunged you into death

And you were not given a choice when Jesus Christ saved you

Your salvation is guaranteed - it has nothing to do with you.

The question is not about who is saved and who isn't - all are saved already

The question is who will experience this salvation - the answer is unclear, but I do not guarantee that everybody will.

You cannot escape the arms of the Father - He has you locked in an embrace and He will not let you go.

The question is "Do you want to be there?"

If not, it is hardly a pleasant experienece.

If yes, it would be the best experience of all.

Blessings to all, Pete

 

[john14_20]

Is there an interpreter in the house?

Hee Hee

ROTFLOL!

 

[FineLinen]

Zona: You posted....

From what you have written, am I understanding correctly that you believe ultimately all are saved, regardless of bahavior/beliefs held while on earth? For example, if I consistently rejected the divinity of Jesus all my life, would you hold that somehow in the afterlife I would still be redeemed by Jesus' work?

Questions:

1. What is the scope of one man's single act of disobedience?

2. What is the scope of the Last Adam's righteousness?

"Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all/pas mankind to condemnation

even so

by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all/pas mankind unto justification of life.

For as by one man's disobedience polus/many were made sinners

so

by the obedience of one shall polus/many be made righteous.

Is the "pas" and the "polus" of equal value on both sides of the equation? And, what does to be "made righteous" mean to you?

[move]"....because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all/pas men, especially/malista those that believe."[/move]

Zona: Does especially/ malista, and only/monon, mean anything to you, or do we need to bring in an interpreter?

 

[agenes]

Over in the apologetics forum one of the Christian doctrines that disturbs unbelievers is the idea that God will punish non-believers in hell for eternity. To be honest, I find it disturbing myself. It's for this reason I probably have not studied carefully what the scriptures say re. hell. (Being a "scripture alone" sort of guy, I realize whether it disturbs me or anyone else is not the issue.)

So, here's a question:

Where does scripture indicate that the unbeliever is punished forever rather than consumed (cease to exist) by hell?

I am only in the beginnings of looking at the scriptures, but this question immediately jumps out at me.

The Punishment of the Reprobate


"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him the world might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already..." (John 3:17-18). The Bible teaches that every person is guilty of sin. Sin is choosing our own way over God's; it is rebellion against God; and in a real sense it is an attack on the holiness of God. Because God is just and righteous, as well as loving, He cannot merely overlook our sin. Would God really be righteous if He did not do anything about attacks on His holiness?

The Bible teaches that our sin earns a penalty of death. Since all have sinned, this means that all are deserving of God's judgement in hell. Because of His love, God sent His Son Jesus to save us from this judgement. He died on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. By being judged in our place, Jesus satisfied the righteousness of God and made it possible for us to receive forgiveness.

God has done everything necessary to rescue us from the penalty of our sins. We have the responsibility to respond to God's free offer of forgiveness by turning from our sin and relying on Jesus to forgive us and give us eternal life. The penalty for our sins must be paid. Those who do not accept Jesus and His work at the cross must pay this penalty themselves in hell for all eternity.

The subject of hell is indeed very difficult and terrifying. Yet, it is a clear teaching of the Bible and needs to be understood; we cannot ignore the facts about something that God has revealed just because it is uncomfortable. This has been written to encourage understanding and to clear up much confusion on this important issue.

Hell is Real

Jesus repeatedly warns of hell. For example, see Matt. 5:21-22, 27-30; 23:15, 33. To deny the existence of hell is therefore to reject the authority of Jesus. It would be strangely inconsistent to accept Jesus as Lord but reject an aspect of His teaching. Furthermore, this would place a huge moral flaw on the character of Christ, if He taught of hell's reality when it really wasn't a danger to anyone. It must be understood, however, that Jesus does not want people to go to hell--He came so that we could be rescued from it through faith in Him. Hell is the necessary consequence of not accepting Christ's invitation for salvation--if one refuses to be with Him in heaven, the only other alternative is to be separated from Him in hell.

Hell is a Place

Hell is always referred to as a place. The Greek word used for hell in the Gospels is gehenna, a transliteration of the Hebrew expression, "Valley of Hinnom." In this valley (which was located outside Jerusalem), human sacrifices were offered to false gods at various points in Israel's history (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; 2 Chron. 28:3; Jer. 32:35). It later became a "garbage dump" of Jerusalem, with a fire that continually burned consuming its rubbish. When Jesus used gehenna to refer to hell, this called attention in his listeners mind to this valley, and they understood the terrible suffering that the wicked would undergo.

Hell is a Place of Punishment

At the conclusion of a parable, Jesus spoke of the faithful servant as being rewarded, but said that the unfaithful one would be "cut in pieces and assigned] a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 24:51). Both Testaments speak of "cutting in pieces" as severe punishment (Deut. 32:41; Heb. 11:37). Jesus probably does not mean that the lost will be literally "cut in pieces," but is using the expression to say that they will be punished. Some further passages on the terrible punishment of hell are Hebrews 10:29; 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9; Revelation 19:20; 20:10. At this point it should also be noted that the images of fire in hell are not to be taken with wooden literalism, but are descriptions of the terror and pain of hell with language from the present world.

There are two aspects to the punishment in hell--the pain of loss and the pain of sense. The pain of loss is the absence of all that is good; most significantly it is separation from God. This does not mean that God is not in hell, it means that those in hell will have no relationship with God and will not experience any His love, grace, or blessing. In other words, they will be cut off from any enjoyment of His spectaculor glory. This is the meaning of the image of darkness used to describe the fate of the lost. Those in hell will experience God's wrath and justice. The pain of sense is the suffering of torment in the body and soul--the addition of undesired punishment. Both of these aspects of hell are conveyed by Jesus in Matthew 25:41, when He says to the lost "Depart from Me [the punishment of loss], you cursed, into the everlasting fire [the punishment of sense--torment] prepared for the devil and his angels." In summary, the punishment of loss is the subtraction of blessing and the punishment of sense is the addition of physical and spiritual torment. In this section, we will investigate the punishment of sense. Later we will discuss the punishment of separation.

Punishment involves exposure to the wrath of God: Heb. 10:27, 31; Rom. 2:5; John 3:36 Punishment in hell will be a result of exposure to God's wrath. While God is not in hell in grace and blessing, He is there in holiness and wrath. John 3:36 says "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." Revelation 14:9-11 says that "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of God's wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."

God's wrath is the righteous assertion of His holiness against all that is unholy; it results in retributive punishment. Drinking from the "cup of God's wrath" means that the lost will directly endure this wrath in hell. Exactly how God's wrath will be experienced, I do not know (Romans 1:18-32 and Jude 7 perhaps give some partial insight into this). What does seem clear is that those in hell will be tormented because of God's wrath. John's use of the words "fury" and "full strength" show the terror of falling into the hands of the living God. We should note that God tolerates only so much sin until he responds in wrath.

Punishment involves terrible pain: Matt. 13:30, 40-43, 49-50; 18:6-9; 24:51 In Matthew 13:42 Jesus says "They will throw them [unbelievers] into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Some hold that the imagery of fire signifies annihilation of the wicked. But Jesus does not associate fire with annihilation, but with pain--"gnashing of teeth." Five times in Matthew Jesus describes those in hell as crying and grinding their teeth in pain; the people are "gnashing their teeth" because of the terrible pain (see Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51). Jesus speaks of the fire causing pain, not consumption (also see Matthew 13:49-50).

Punishment involves conscious torment: Rev. 14:10, 11; 20:10; Luke 16: 23, 28 We have seen the many Scriptures indicating the terrible pain and torment of punishment in hell, which results from exposure to God's wrath. It almost goes without saying that this will all be experienced consciously by the person (otherwise it wouldn't be punishment), and this is confirmed by Jesus' famous parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 In this parable, Lazarus went to paradise and experienced joy after death. The rich man, who had been greedy and had never repented of his sin, went to Hades and experienced torment after death. This man was aware and conscious of the torment, at one point saying "I am tormented in this flame."

Craig Blomberg, an expert in the study of parables, says that we should derive one point for each major character in a parable. Taking Blomberg's principles of interpretation, we can draw many significant teachings from this parable. First, like Lazarus, there will be life with God for God's people. Second, the unrepentant will experience irreversible judgement like the rich man. Notice that Jesus made it clear that there was no second chance after death, but instead there was an unbridgeable gulf between heaven and hell (16:26). Third, God adequately reveals Himself through Scripture so that none who neglect it can legitimately protest their fate.

Robert Stein, another scholar on parables, teaches "the rule of end-stress." This means that Jesus saved the main idea of the parable for last in order to leave it most significant in His readers minds. The final point in this parable is that God's word is necessary and sufficient for salvation--neglecting it is to commit "spiritual suicide." The parable ends with the statement, "If they do not believe Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead" (16:31). Jesus' main concern seems to be to draw attention to the severity of ignoring the Bible's message.

 

[agenes]

Hell is a Place of Separation

Having examined the punishment of sense in hell, we will examine the second aspect of hell's horror--exclusion from God and others.

From God: Eph. 2:12; 5:8; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 7:23; 8:12; 2 Thes. 1:8, 9; Jude 13 In Matthew 7:23 Jesus utters some of the most shocking words in the Bible. Having just warned of false prophets who look good on the outside but whose sin will ultimately give them away, Jesus addresses the topic of false disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father. For on that day many will say to me, `Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many great works in your name?` And I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'" How terrible that these people expected to gain entrance into heaven on judgement day, only to find that they had never really entered into a relationship with Jesus. This should be a call to seriously examine ourselves and "see if we are of the faith" (2 Cor. 13:5).

Matthew 25:30 says that the lost will be thrown "outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Being thrown out into the darkness symbolizes being excluded from the glorious light of God's presence, the absence of all good. The gnashing of teeth symbolizes the extreme suffering and remorse.

Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, "This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power..." Those who do not know God will be excluded from His presence forever when Christ returns.

Again, it is important to note that when we speak of those in hell as being "separated" from God, it does not mean that God is not in hell. It means that the lost are separated from fellowship with Him--they are not experiencing His glorious presence and love, but rather His anger and displeasure.

From others: Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; Jude 13; Rev. 22:14 In Matthew 8:11-12 Jesus again declares that unbelievers "will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This is in contrast to the many who "will come from the east and west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." The lost will be cast into "utter darkness," indicating utter loneliness and separation from all that is good. And as shown by their exclusion from the feast, unbelievers will be excluded from the joys of heaven and the presence other people. Matt. 22:13 and the verses listed above further describe hell as a place of darkness and separation.

Hell is a Place of Deep Regret

Seven times it is said that "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; and Luke 13:28). The weeping signifies deep crying in terrible sorrow, which results from the deep regret.

Hell has Degrees of Punishment

All who are in hell do not receive the same punishment. While all people there will be equally separated from God (which is the punishment of loss), not everyone will experience the same punishment of sense. The degrees of punishment are based upon the amount of light received and upon the works of the person.

According to light received Greater knowledge of God brings with it greater responsibility. This means that the greater the amount of light rejected, the greater the judgement. This is evident in Matthew 11:21-24: "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles theat were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgement than for you." Those in Capernaum will have a stricter judgement because they had more light. This is perhaps an unsettling concept to those of us in the United States, where there are at least three times as many Bibles as people.

In Luke 12:42-48 Jesus is also clear that there are degrees of punishment in hell. At the end of His parable, Jesus distinguishes the punishments of "many blows" and "few blows" based upon the amount of knowledge the unfaithful servants (who represent the lost) had of their masters will. He says "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many blows. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few" (Luke 12: 47-48). The basic principle is that "for everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (v. 48).

According to works Paul says in Romans 2:5 that unbelievers are "storing up wrath for themselves." The word used for wrath in this passage is the same word used when Jesus encourages believers to "store up treasure in heaven" (Matthew 6:20). Just as some people have more treasure "stored up in heaven" because of their obedience to God, so also some people have more wrath "stored up" for themselves because of their utter disobedience and rejection of God. Judgement according to works guarantees that the punishment will "fit the crime" and that the lost will be punished in proportion to their sins.

Satan Does Not Rule in Hell

A common misunderstanding is that Satan rules in hell. According to the Bible, this cannot be true because Satan himself will be enduring terrible torment in the Lake of Fire. He will not be able to torment anyone else there, let alone rule, because of the terrible fate that he will be experiencing.

Hell is Eternal

At the judgement, Jesus will say to the unbelievers "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). This verse shows that hell was not originally created for humans, but for Satan and his demons. Because of mankind's rejection of God, however, those who refuse to come to Christ will share in the fate of the devil. Revelation 20:10 further elaborates on the fate of devil: "The devil...was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Since unbelievers are to share the fate of the devil, and the devil will suffer torment in hell forever, unbelievers will also suffer eternal torment. Also note that Jesus says that the fire is eternal, which could not be said if hell was only temporary.

Matthew 24:46 is one of the clearest testimonies that people who are in hell will suffer eternally: "Then they [the wicked] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Jesus is drawing a parallel between the destinies of the wicked and the righteous. Since both destinies are said to be eternal, "it follows necessarily that either both are to be taken as long-lasting but finite, or both as endless and perpetual. The phrases `eternal punishment' and `eternal life' are parallel and it would be absurd to use them in one and the same sentence to mean: `Eternal life will be infinite, while eternal punishment will have an end.' Hence, because the eternal life of the saint swill be endless, the eternal punishment also..." [1]

Jesus asserts that in hell "the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:48). When a fire consumes its fuel, it goes out. The fire of hell never goes out because its work is never done. Thus, the fire never goes out because the wicked suffer eternal torment in hell, not eventual extinction.

The apostle John's statement in Revelation 14:9-11 that the lost will be tormented "with burning sulfur" refutes the annihilationists' claim that the purpose of fire in judgement is to end one's existence. (Annihilationism teaches that the lost one day are annihilated in hell and cease to exist.) John is clear here that the purpose of the sulfur is to torment, not annihilate.

That the "smoke of their torment rises forever and ever" (Rev. 14:11) also signifies that hell's suffering are without end. Annihilationism teaches that John intended a distinction between the fire and smoke when he wrote this, and thus he is not saying that the punishment will be eternal. It is said that while the smoke will last forever, the fire does not last forever (but only until the wicked are extinguished and cease to exist). This is serious distortion of the text. The smoke could not rise eternally if their was no fire to cause it. Plus, there is no indication that John intends to distinguish between the smoke rising forever, but not the fire lasting forever.

Revelation 20:10 is clear that the Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet will endure eternal torment: "They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Since Jesus taught that unbelievers will share the fate of the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41), unbelievers will also be tormented forever. Also, Rev. 20:15 is clear that unbelievers will be thrown into the Lake of Fire just as the Devil was.

Jude 7 says, "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire." First, note that the fire is a punishment. Next, note that it is eternal. Since the fire denotes punishment, and it is eternal, then the punishment must be eternal. For those who hold that the fire indicates that the wicked will be obliterated, we should note that Jude clearly defines the fire as being a punishment for the wicked, not as an agent to extinguish them from existence. One needs to exist to be punished.

British church historian Richard J. Bauckham elaborates on Jude's use of Sodom and Gomorrah as an earthy, temporal example of the fate of those in hell: "The idea is that the site of the cities...a scene of sulfurous devastation, provided ever-present evidence of the reality of divine judgement...According to Philo [a first-century Jewish writer] `even to this day the visible tokens of the indescribable disaster are pointed out in Syria--ruins, cinders, brimstone, smoke and murky flames which continue to rise from the ground as from a fire still smoldering beneath.' ...Jude means that the still burning site of the cities is a warning picture of the eternal fires of hell." [2]

Jude 13 says "They [false teachers] are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever." The blackness, denoting complete separation and loneliness, is "reserved forever," so it will never end. This statement is very clear.

Jesus expels evildoers to "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). John says that this involves being tormented day and night for ever and ever (Rev. 20:10). The Bible is clear--hell is eternal.

The Intermediate and Final States

One last thing that should be noted is that the Bible distinguishes between the intermediate state and the final state. The intermediate state is a person's disembodied existence after death but before the resurrection of their body (the Bible teaches that both believers and unbelievers will experience a resurrection of the body). This "intermediate state" is not purgatory, but is existence either in heaven with God (for believers) or in Hades excluded from God (for unbelievers). The final state is the believers existence on the new earth and in the new heavens after their resurrection, and the nonbelievers existence in the Lake of Fire (Hell) after their resurrection.

The main difference between the intermediate and final states is that during the intermediate state the person does not yet have their resurrected body, and in the final state everyone will have their resurrected body. The intermediate state for the lost is not technically hell. Hell is the Lake of Fire after Christ's return and the Last judgement. However, the aspects of hell which we previously discussed are true of both the intermediate and final states for the lost.

Conscious suffering (for unbelievers) and blessing (for believers) in the intermediate states is taught in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. 2 Peter 2:9 also teaches conscious existence after death but before the final jud gement and resurrection: "The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgement, while continuing their punishment."

Conclusion

Robert Peterson sums up the matter when he says that the images of hell "shock our sensibilities. They present a fate involving utter ruin and loss (death and destruction), the eternal wrath of God (punishment), unspeakable sorrow and pain (crying and grinding of teeth), terrible suffering (fire), and rejection by God and exclusion from his blessed presence (darkness and separation)." [3]

Jesus died to save us from hell and bring us into the everlasting enjoyment of His glory. All we need to do is turn to Him in repentance and faith and He will give us eternal life. There is no question of more importance in this life than where we will spend eternity.

Notes 1. Augustine, The City of God, 1001-2 (21.23). Quoted in Robert Peterson, Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment.

2. Richard J. Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco, TX: Word, 1983), p. 55. Quoted in Peterson.

3. Robert A. Peterson, Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment (Philipsburg, New Jersey: PR Press), p. 195. Peterson's book was a main resource for this paper. It is an excellent book, saturated with Scripture, and very clearly written.

All Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, by the Lockman Foundation.

 

[Carl Carlson]

Wow, some of you have sure put a lot of thought into this one.

I'm concerning myself with keeping myself out of hell, getting to heaven to be with Jesus, and to bring as many other people there as I possibly can.

God bless you all and if I don't see you here, I pray I will see you "up there".

 

[Pilgrim Simon]

Personal study extract...

The other resurrection (of unbelievers) is to nakedness, shame and desolation. The condition of the unbeliever is described as being a state where their fire is not quenched, (Mark 9 v 48) such that they are salted or purified by fire. (Mark 9 v 49). It is also said of them that their 'worm dieth not'. (Isaiah 66 v 24, Mark 9 v 48). Both Matthew Henry and John Owen agree that the worm is the reproaches of the unbeliever's consciences. It is a perpetual affliction. It is the anguish of conscience of inherent sin. This, Christ knew nothing of, because there was no sin in Him, only imputed sin, but those undergoing this punishment have inherent sin. It is the excruciating vexation of the unbeliever’s own thoughts, kindled by the wrath of God against themselves about their own sin. These are the goats, counted as cursed, and they shall go to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, into which the holy angels will cast them, (Matthew 13 v 42, 49). Their lot is shame and contempt, (Daniel 12 v 2). They are banished to outer darkness, as opposed to the glorious light of God's presence, (Matthew 25 v 30). In this place and condition, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth, (Matthew 13 v 42, 50) The wailing and gnashing of teeth is a phrase used to describe the Jews when they were thrust out of Gospel privileges after their rejection of Christ as the Messiah, (Matthew 8 v 12), and we see this outworked in the Acts of the Apostles, as the gospel was preached to the Jews. Those resurrected to judgement shall be everlastingly excluded from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might. (II Thessalonians 1 v 9).


These conditions last for all eternity. They shall not end. For the believer, death is swallowed up by life, and mortal puts on immortality. (I Corinthians 15 v 54, II Corinthians 5 v 4, Luke 20 v 36). The righteous go to eternal life, the others to eternal punishment. (Matthew 25 v 46). This punishment appears to be conscious suffering. Phrases such as second death and eternal destruction do not indicate annihilationalism in any form. Rather these are relative terms indicating loss of comfort or well-being or quality of life. That this punishment is eternally conscious is indicated by phrases like 'their fire shall not be quenched', 'Their worm dieth not', 'Wailing and gnashing of teeth'. It is recorded that the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day or night. (Revelation 14 v 11). For ever and ever means to the ages of the ages, and the word torment means to test by a touchstone, to examine by torture, distress.



Also, it is recorded that the redeemed shall look on these persons. The word used to describe them is sometimes used to signify a carcass, but it also means a faint or exhausted object, and such is their condition:- faint and exhausted compared to those who have life abundant. This is one of the ways in which the resurrection of unbelievers is second to that of believers. Thus unbelievers are said to perish, to be lost, ruined, or incur the loss of true blissful life with God. (II Peter 3 v 9)




It is also indicated by the phrase concerning Judas Iscariot:- 'Better for that man if he has not been born'. (Matthew 26 v 24, Mark 14 v 21). If Judas dies, is resurrected and after judgement is reduced to no conscious awareness, this phrase loses its meaning. Of all men in judgement, Judas shall be most afflicted. Here is an Indication of degrees of punishment in hell together with the previous verses indicated.

-------------------------------------------------

Jonathan Edwards argued that as sinners we have offended an INFINITELY HOLY God, therefore our sins deserve INFINITE punishment. Just as it is a greater crime to kill a King than a commoner, so here. The only way that satisfies God's wrath and mercy is the sacrifice of His own Son.

 

[FineLinen]

Agenes: One question for you.....

Matthew 24:46 is one of the clearest testimonies that people who are in hell will suffer eternally: "Then they [the wicked] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Jesus is drawing a parallel between the destinies of the wicked and the righteous.

What are the qualifications for aionial punishment and aionial life?

http://www.ccel.org/m/macdonald/unspoken3/unspoken3.htm

 

[FineLinen]

The Lord Lesous Christos, the salvation of Jehovah, has declared that there is everlasting punishment for those on the left, and everlasting zoe for those on the right.

What are the qualifications for aionial zoe, and aionial kolasis, according to the Saviour of the holos kosmos?

What are the qualifications for aionial kolasis? Is it failure to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? Is it failure to believe into Him? Is it sin, or darkness, or iniquity, or unbelief?

The qualifications for aionial kolasis are?


1. _______________________________________________?


2.________________________________________________?


3.________________________________________________?


4_________________________________________________?


5._________________________________________________?


The qualifications for aionial zoe are?


1. _______________________________________________?


2.________________________________________________?


3.________________________________________________?


4_________________________________________________?


5._________________________________________________?


6._________________________________________________?

 

[FineLinen]

The righteous go to eternal life, the others to eternal punishment. (Matthew 25 v 46).

Pilgrim Simon....One simple question for you....

If the noun aion, from which the adjective aionios flows, is everlasting; what is pro aionios?

Romans 16:25, 26

....the revelation of the mystery, which has been kept secret since the world began, but now made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made know to all nations for the obedience of faith.

"Since the world began"

Began= Aionios

"according to the commandment of the Aionios Theos"

2 Timothy 1:9

Who has saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

"Before the world began..."

Before= Pro= A primary preposition

Began= Aionios

Which was given to us pro aionios/ before aionios.

Titus 1:2

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

Promised= epaggello -#1861

Before= Pro -#4253

World= Aionios -#166 from #165

Began= Chronos (time that is either long or short) -#5550

"In hope of aionios zoe, which Theos, that cannot lie, promised pro aionios."

 

[@@Paul@@]

[/font]

Pilgrim Simon....One simple question for you....

If the noun aion, from which the adjective aionios flows, is everlasting; what is pro aionios?

Romans 16:25, 26

"Since the world began"

Began= Aionios

"according to the commandment of the Aionios Theos"

2 Timothy 1:9

"Before the world began..."

Before= Pro= A primary preposition

Began= Aionios

Which was given to us pro aionios/ before aionios.

Titus 1:2

Promised= epaggello -#1861

Before= Pro -#4253

World= Aionios -#166 from #165

Began= Chronos (time that is either long or short) -#5550

"In hope of aionios zoe, which Theos, that cannot lie, promised pro aionios."

Could you explain in English the difference as you see it?

"It's all greek to me"