HELL IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT

[Skidder]

HELL IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT

Never thought I’d see the day when the western church would abandon the doctrine of hell. But it appears the ecumenical spirit of this world is gaining a strong foothold when it comes to preaching the consequences of choosing one’s sin over the free gift of life in Christ Jesus. This is a false spirit that will often portray bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter: “We need to be positive, not negative'', “It’s God’s to judge”, '' tolerance”, '' “unity”, “diversity”, “love not hate”, etc… statements like these are often used to masquerade the subtle removal of the doctrine of hell. And for those blinded by this spirit they will never question these teachers for fear they might be branded as “judgmental”. But for those who have been forgiven much, the truth of what Christ died for is worth far more than the persecution that accompanies standing up for that truth. A truth that Jesus must have thought was rather important since He describes this “negative” place throughout the gospels with several direct references, parables, and analogies.

Yes, Jesus mentions hell quite often. So does this mean Jesus preached “negativity”? YES, and for good reason! Hell is negative! The most negative outcome of a single choice throughout eternity! When God offered His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world He did so according to His love, a love that also includes our free will. A single consequential choice by every human being that reverberates throughout eternity. A choice between two options with no strings attached.

God has placed on the table a free gift for every human being. A free gift of life that requires no effort whatsoever by the individual, only a choice. Will they choose life or death? One would think this would be a no-brainer, but because of man’s love for sin most will reject putting their faith in Christ (God’s salvation) because their sin is more precious to them than the truth. What do I mean by this? God will not be mocked there is no sin IN CHRIST, and there is no way to pack it up in a suitcase and take it with you. When a person puts their faith in Christ they do so forsaking the very thing that Christ died for… OUR SINS. They come to Him with open arms knowing that He is the only way unto life! If their sin is more precious to them than eternal life they will not choose Christ. The very reason there will be no innocence in hell, because they knowingly made that choice.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh at Pentecost He came with a relentless tenacity to convict every individual of this choice. He convicts the world of sin because of their unbelief in Christ, so THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE! And believe me I’ve heard a plethora of excuses to why people reject Christ, but inside they are not fooling anyone because God’s Spirit continually knocks on the door of their heart; and the more they reject Him, the harder their heart becomes!

John 16:8-9
And when He has come, HE WILL CONVICT THE WORLD OF SIN, and of righteousness, and of judgment: OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME;

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

So yes, there is a consequence for rejecting the free gift of life in Christ Jesus, and that CHOICE is called HELL. This is not a "peaceful place of slumber", or a "fictional place" as some have reported, but an extreme negative place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, and the worm never dies! A destination by no means that could ever touch those who CHOOSE LIFE, but only those who CHOOSE THE PENALTY OF SIN OVER THE ONE WHO TOOK THAT PENALTY! So let us not be deceived! We are not of those who keep this awful place a secret, but of those who LOVE and CARE enough to tell the TRUTH! “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.”-Matt 3:12

So let us not be poisoned by the lies of our enemy that somehow God has changed into an ecumenical God. He is righteous and Holy and never changes! God gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins! So by faith in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins!! But for those who continually reject God's peace offering unto death? They will surely die in their sins!

John 8:24
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 3:36
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 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved

Grace and Peace….

 

[brinny]

Thank you.

 

[RaymondG]

Is the horrors of Hell greater than the Beauty of Heaven? Is the news of death, more powerful than the good news of Life? Is your Idea of the love of the Father, less convincing than your Idea of the wrath of the Father?

If you answer yes.......then you have no choice but to follow your "good news" with consequences for if your words arent heeded.

Not one man on Earth can be shown one million dollars and told that it is theirs if they desire it........just take it for free!.....would he need to, afterwards, hear anything else.......No threats for if they decide not to take it.....no consequences....no fear of wrath for declining the money..... They just need to hear about that one mill, see it, and they will believe and Take it without needing to hear anything else. Unless, of course, they recognize that the money isnt real.

The Gift of God is greater than one million Dollars.....And the affect of being told of and shown this gift will be greater than the showing of 1 million.

Therefore.....if we need to add consequences, or add any fear.....What is it, really, that we are showing? And is it Real?

 

[Lazarus Short]

So in your view, UR-believers are in with church liberals and apostates. I have news for you: Our beliefs are quite orthodox, just without Hell. We are not fellow-travelers with that Unitarian-Universalist crowd, and I have never darkened their door.

 

[Albion]

HELL IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT

Never thought I’d see the day when the western church would abandon the doctrine of hell. But it appears the ecumenical spirit of this world is gaining a strong foothold when it comes to preaching the consequences of choosing one’s sin over the free gift of life in Christ Jesus. This is a false spirit that will often portray bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter: “We need to be positive, not negative'', “It’s God’s to judge”, '' tolerance”, '' “unity”, “diversity”, “love not hate”, etc… statements like these are often used to masquerade the subtle removal of the doctrine of hell.

You may be right about that, but it may also be the particular people or churches you or I have encountered, respectively. My view is that what you are referring to here is more a matter of a changing attitudes about WHO goes to Hell, and why, rather than a denial of there being a Hell.

 

[Skidder]

So in your view, UR-believers are in with church liberals and apostates. I have news for you: Our beliefs are quite orthodox, just without Hell. We are not fellow-travelers with that Unitarian-Universalist crowd, and I have never darkened their door.

I look at some of them as ecumenical Christians who have been drinking Satan's water of death.... false definitions of sin that water down the penalty of sin. The same penalty that Christ took on the cross. A penalty SO SEVERE it took THE RIGHTEOUS LAMB OF GOD to take that penalty. So those who preach a false penalty of sin (false hell) are also preaching a false gospel. Because the bible clearly says that Christ died for ours sins not a false definition of sin.

 

[timothyu]

Jesus' Gospel (good news) was of the Kingdom and it was our duty to forward His Gospel. But I suppose in a world where oppressed people don't see themselves as such because they have a tv or a smartphone, the idea of needing the Kingdom to set us free loses it's significance.

 

[Skidder]

Jesus' Gospel (good news) was of the Kingdom and it was our duty to forward His Gospel. But I suppose in a world where oppressed people don't see themselves as such because they have a tv or a smartphone, the idea of needing the Kingdom to set us free loses it's significance.

Even so, the bibles says just by what is created man is without excuse. And it also says the Holy Spirit is convicting them of their sin because of their unbelief in Christ. So if they reject these truths it's not because the Holy Spirit is not convicting them, it's because their sin is more precious to them than the one who died for their sins. God will not be mocked, there will be no innocence in hell. The only ones who will be there are those who choose the penalty of sin over the one who took that penalty... THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. He never stops knocking on the door of their heart. They have choice to let Him in or not.

John 16:8-9
And when He has come, HE WILL CONVICT THE WORLD OF SIN, and of righteousness, and of judgment: OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME;

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

 

[timothyu]

it's because their sin is more precious to them than the one who died for their sins.

Or as God simply said, put your will before mine and this life shall be your only reward.

 

[Carl Emerson]

The early church operated as a family community.

You will see from John 17 that the visible unity of believers was to be a prime evidence of God's grace, attracting folks into the Kingdom.

Today we are light years from this, and now on top of that we are to preach hell?

'Converts' then are confronted by a loveless vacuum and the seed withers and dies.

We have it all backwards.

Folks are looking for release from a life of Hell here on earth.

They long for a loving family and that is what the body of Christ is meant to be.

Sure the reality of Hell can be a wake up call for some, but the evidence of the loving healing heart of Jesus is meant to be central to our evangelism.

Why is the loving healing community Jesus spoke of largely absent?

Because the cost of denying self and reaching out to others is high, and modern life has brainwashed us into looking out for Number One.

What Jesus prayed for, we deny.

Instead of His Body of love we choose to live in the 'Hell' we have created, and have NOTHING to offer those seeking Him.

 

[eleos1954]

HELL IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT

Never thought I’d see the day when the western church would abandon the doctrine of hell. But it appears the ecumenical spirit of this world is gaining a strong foothold when it comes to preaching the consequences of choosing one’s sin over the free gift of life in Christ Jesus. This is a false spirit that will often portray bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter: “We need to be positive, not negative'', “It’s God’s to judge”, '' tolerance”, '' “unity”, “diversity”, “love not hate”, etc… statements like these are often used to masquerade the subtle removal of the doctrine of hell. And for those blinded by this spirit they will never question these teachers for fear they might be branded as “judgmental”. But for those who have been forgiven much, the truth of what Christ died for is worth far more than the persecution that accompanies standing up for that truth. A truth that Jesus must have thought was rather important since He describes this “negative” place throughout the gospels with several direct references, parables, and analogies.

Yes, Jesus mentions hell quite often. So does this mean Jesus preached “negativity”? YES, and for good reason! Hell is negative! The most negative outcome of a single choice throughout eternity! When God offered His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world He did so according to His love, a love that also includes our free will. A single consequential choice by every human being that reverberates throughout eternity. A choice between two options with no strings attached.

God has placed on the table a free gift for every human being. A free gift of life that requires no effort whatsoever by the individual, only a choice. Will they choose life or death? One would think this would be a no-brainer, but because of man’s love for sin most will reject putting their faith in Christ (God’s salvation) because their sin is more precious to them than the truth. What do I mean by this? God will not be mocked there is no sin IN CHRIST, and there is no way to pack it up in a suitcase and take it with you. When a person puts their faith in Christ they do so forsaking the very thing that Christ died for… OUR SINS. They come to Him with open arms knowing that He is the only way unto life! If their sin is more precious to them than eternal life they will not choose Christ. The very reason there will be no innocence in hell, because they knowingly made that choice.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh at Pentecost He came with a relentless tenacity to convict every individual of this choice. He convicts the world of sin because of their unbelief in Christ, so THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE! And believe me I’ve heard a plethora of excuses to why people reject Christ, but inside they are not fooling anyone because God’s Spirit continually knocks on the door of their heart; and the more they reject Him, the harder their heart becomes!

John 16:8-9
And when He has come, HE WILL CONVICT THE WORLD OF SIN, and of righteousness, and of judgment: OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME;

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

So yes, there is a consequence for rejecting the free gift of life in Christ Jesus, and that CHOICE is called HELL. This is not a "peaceful place of slumber", or a "fictional place" as some have reported, but an extreme negative place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, and the worm never dies! A destination by no means that could ever touch those who CHOOSE LIFE, but only those who CHOOSE THE PENALTY OF SIN OVER THE ONE WHO TOOK THAT PENALTY! So let us not be deceived! We are not of those who keep this awful place a secret, but of those who LOVE and CARE enough to tell the TRUTH! “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.”-Matt 3:12

So let us not be poisoned by the lies of our enemy that somehow God has changed into an ecumenical God. He is righteous and Holy and never changes! God gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins! So by faith in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins!! But for those who continually reject God's peace offering unto death? They will surely die in their sins!

John 8:24
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 3:36
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 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved

Grace and Peace….

***

Hell is the grave ... all who die the 1st death (earthly death) are dormant in the grave. Jesus himself called it sleep. Makes sense He would ... because He knows all will be resurrected in the future. The 1st to eternal life .... the second to eternal death (cease to exist for eternity). Many many many verses that plainly states ... the lost, including satan and his minions will be totally destroyed. This is God FINAL act ... final.

Job 14:12
So a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-16
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Ecclesiastes 3:20

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Malachi 4:3

And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

2 Peter 2:6
If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

Is Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by fire from the Lord still burning? No ... totally consumed by fire to ashes and are extinct.

We are not immortal ... only God is. If people are tortured in "hell" for eternity ... then they are immortal in hell. Only the saved become immortal for eternity and that happens when the Lord returns.

It's not ok to torture people ... we instinctively know that ... it's not ok for us ... it's not ok for God ... and He doesn't. There is no one burning in hell now and no one will be burned in hell for eternity. All are in the grave ... awaiting resurrection.

This "eternal torment" teaching makes many unbelievers immediately dismiss even considering coming to the Lord. They say what kind of a God tortures people for eternity. They instinctively know this is wrong ... we all know this is wrong .... yet many teach that it is so. So ask yourself .... is it ok for a man to torture another man with fire?

Did Jesus torture anyone?

John 14:9

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

Ecclesiastes 9

5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward (bad or good), because the memory of them is forgotten. 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.

 

[Butch5]

HELL IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT

Never thought I’d see the day when the western church would abandon the doctrine of hell. But it appears the ecumenical spirit of this world is gaining a strong foothold when it comes to preaching the consequences of choosing one’s sin over the free gift of life in Christ Jesus. This is a false spirit that will often portray bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter: “We need to be positive, not negative'', “It’s God’s to judge”, '' tolerance”, '' “unity”, “diversity”, “love not hate”, etc… statements like these are often used to masquerade the subtle removal of the doctrine of hell. And for those blinded by this spirit they will never question these teachers for fear they might be branded as “judgmental”. But for those who have been forgiven much, the truth of what Christ died for is worth far more than the persecution that accompanies standing up for that truth. A truth that Jesus must have thought was rather important since He describes this “negative” place throughout the gospels with several direct references, parables, and analogies.

Yes, Jesus mentions hell quite often. So does this mean Jesus preached “negativity”? YES, and for good reason! Hell is negative! The most negative outcome of a single choice throughout eternity! When God offered His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world He did so according to His love, a love that also includes our free will. A single consequential choice by every human being that reverberates throughout eternity. A choice between two options with no strings attached.

God has placed on the table a free gift for every human being. A free gift of life that requires no effort whatsoever by the individual, only a choice. Will they choose life or death? One would think this would be a no-brainer, but because of man’s love for sin most will reject putting their faith in Christ (God’s salvation) because their sin is more precious to them than the truth. What do I mean by this? God will not be mocked there is no sin IN CHRIST, and there is no way to pack it up in a suitcase and take it with you. When a person puts their faith in Christ they do so forsaking the very thing that Christ died for… OUR SINS. They come to Him with open arms knowing that He is the only way unto life! If their sin is more precious to them than eternal life they will not choose Christ. The very reason there will be no innocence in hell, because they knowingly made that choice.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh at Pentecost He came with a relentless tenacity to convict every individual of this choice. He convicts the world of sin because of their unbelief in Christ, so THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE! And believe me I’ve heard a plethora of excuses to why people reject Christ, but inside they are not fooling anyone because God’s Spirit continually knocks on the door of their heart; and the more they reject Him, the harder their heart becomes!

John 16:8-9
And when He has come, HE WILL CONVICT THE WORLD OF SIN, and of righteousness, and of judgment: OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME;

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

So yes, there is a consequence for rejecting the free gift of life in Christ Jesus, and that CHOICE is called HELL. This is not a "peaceful place of slumber", or a "fictional place" as some have reported, but an extreme negative place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, and the worm never dies! A destination by no means that could ever touch those who CHOOSE LIFE, but only those who CHOOSE THE PENALTY OF SIN OVER THE ONE WHO TOOK THAT PENALTY! So let us not be deceived! We are not of those who keep this awful place a secret, but of those who LOVE and CARE enough to tell the TRUTH! “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.”-Matt 3:12

So let us not be poisoned by the lies of our enemy that somehow God has changed into an ecumenical God. He is righteous and Holy and never changes! God gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins! So by faith in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins!! But for those who continually reject God's peace offering unto death? They will surely die in their sins!

John 8:24
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 3:36
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 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved

Grace and Peace….

The contrast in John 3:16 is between life and death, not life and weeping and gnashing of teeth

 

[timothyu]

When people discard things whether habits or objects, do they keep them around to torment for the rest of life? Or do they move on, those things forgotten.

 

[Der Alte]

***
Hell is the grave ... all who die the 1st death (earthly death) are dormant in the grave. Jesus himself called it sleep. Makes sense He would ... because He knows all will be resurrected in the future. The 1st to eternal life .... the second to eternal death (cease to exist for eternity). Many many many verses that plainly states ... the lost, including satan and his minions will be totally destroyed. This is God FINAL act ... final.
Job 14:12
So a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-16
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Ecclesiastes 3:20
All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
Malachi 4:3
And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.
2 Peter 2:6
If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
Is Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by fire from the Lord still burning? No ... totally consumed by fire to ashes and are extinct.
We are not immortal ... only God is. If people are tortured in "hell" for eternity ... then they are immortal in hell. Only the saved become immortal for eternity and that happens when the Lord returns.
It's not ok to torture people ... we instinctively know that ... it's not ok for us ... it's not ok for God ... and He doesn't. There is no one burning in hell now and no one will be burned in hell for eternity. All are in the grave ... awaiting resurrection.
This "eternal torment" teaching makes many unbelievers immediately dismiss even considering coming to the Lord. They say what kind of a God tortures people for eternity. They instinctively know this is wrong ... we all know this is wrong .... yet many teach that it is so. So ask yourself .... is it ok for a man to torture another man with fire?
Did Jesus torture anyone?
John 14:9
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
Ecclesiastes 9
5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward (bad or good), because the memory of them is forgotten. 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.

…..People often argue that the concept of hell was coopted from Greek or other pagan societies. According to three irrefutable Jewish sources; the Jewish Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Judaica and the Talmud, quoted below, among the Jews in Israel before and during the time of Jesus there was a belief in a place of everlasting torment of the wicked and they called it both sheol and gehinnom.
…..There were different groups within Judaism; Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes etc. and there were different beliefs about resurrection, hell etc. That there were differing beliefs does not rebut, refute, change or disprove anything in this post.

Jewish Encyclopedia, Gehenna
The place where children were sacrificed to the god Moloch … in the "valley of the son of Hinnom," to the south of Jerusalem (Josh. xv. 8, passim; II Kings xxiii. 10; Jer. ii. 23; vii. 31-32; xix. 6, 13-14). … the valley was deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore soon became a figurative equivalent for "hell." Hell, like paradise, was created by God (Sotah 22a);​

[Note, this is according to the ancient Jews, long before the Christian era, NOT supposed bias of Christian translators. DA]

(I)n general …sinners go to hell immediately after their death. The famous teacher Johanan b. Zakkai wept before his death because he did not know whether he would go to paradise or to hell (Ber. 28b). The pious go to paradise, and sinners to hell(B.M. 83b).
But as regards the heretics, etc., and Jeroboam, Nebat's son, hell shall pass away, but they shall not pass away" (R. H. 17a; comp. Shab. 33b). All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men: those who have committed adultery, or shamed their neighbors, or vilified them (B. M. 58b).[/i]
… heretics and the Roman oppressors go to Gehenna, and the same fate awaits the Persians, the oppressors of the Babylonian Jews (Ber. 8b). When Nebuchadnezzar descended into hell, [ שׁאול /Sheol]] all its inhabitants were afraid that he was coming to rule over them (Shab. 149a; comp. Isa. xiv. 9-10). The Book of Enoch [x. 6, xci. 9, etal] also says that it is chiefly the heathen who are to be cast into the fiery pool on the Day of Judgment (x. 6, xci. 9, et al). "The Lord, the Almighty, will punish them 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). The sinners in Gehenna will be filled with pain when God puts back the souls into the dead bodies on the Day of Judgment, according toIsa. xxxiii. 11 (Sanh. 108b).
Link: Jewish Encyclopedia Online
Note, scripture references are highlighted in blue.
= = = = = = = = = =
Encyclopedia Judaica:
Gehinnom (Heb. גֵּי בֶן־הִנֹּם, גֵּי בְנֵי הִנֹּם, גֵּיא בֶן־הִנֹּם, גֵּיא הִנֹּם; Gr. Γέεννα; "Valley of Ben-Hinnom, Valley of [the Son (s) of] Hinnom," Gehenna), a valley south of Jerusalem on one of the borders between the territories of Judah and Benjamin, between the Valley of *Rephaim and *En-Rogel (Josh. 15:8; 18:16). It is identified with Wadi er-Rababi.
…..During the time of the Monarchy, Gehinnom, at a place called Topheth, was the site of a cult which involved the burning of children (II Kings 23:10; Jer. 7:31; 32:35 et al.; ). Jeremiah repeatedly condemned this cult and predicted that on its account Topheth and the Valley of the Son of Hinnom would be called the Valley of the "Slaughter" (Jer. 19:5–6).
In Judaism the name Gehinnom is generally used as an appellation of the place of torment reserved for the wicked after death. The New Testament used the Greek form Gehenna in the same sense.
Gehinnom
= = = = = = = = = =
Talmud -Tractate Rosh Hashanah Chapter 1.
The school of Hillel says: . . . but as for Minim, [followers of Jesus] informers and disbelievers, who deny the Torah, or Resurrection, or separate themselves from the congregation, or who inspire their fellowmen with dread of them, or who sin and cause others to sin, as did Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his followers, they all descend to Gehenna, and are judged there from generation to generation, as it is said [Isa. lxvi. 24]: "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." Even when Gehenna will be destroyed, they will not be consumed, as it is written[Psalms, xlix. 15]: "And their forms wasteth away in the nether world," which the sages comment upon to mean that their forms shall endure even when the grave is no more. Concerning them Hannah says [I Sam. ii. 10]: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces."
Link: Tract Rosh Hashana: Chapter I.​

When Jesus taught e.g.,

• “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41
• "these shall go away into eternal punishment, Matthew 25:46"
• "the fire of hell where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die, Mark 9:43-48"
• "cast into a fiery furnace where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 13:42, Matthew 13:50
• “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6
• “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23
• “woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. ” Matthew 26:24
• “But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.” Luke 10:12​

…..These teachings tacitly reaffirmed and sanctioned a then existing significant Jewish view of eternal hell, outlined above. In Matt. 18:6, 26:24 and Luk 10:12, see above, Jesus teaches that there is a punishment worse than death or nonexistence.
…..A punishment worse than death without mercy is also mentioned in Hebrews 10:28-31.

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.​

…..Jesus is quoted as using the word death 17 times in the gospels, if He wanted to say eternal death in Matt 25:46, that is what He would have said but He didn’t, He said “eternal punishment.” The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, they knew that everybody died; rich, poor, young, old, good, bad, men, women, children, infants and knew that often it had nothing to do with punishment and was permanent. When Jesus taught “eternal punishment” they would not have understood it as merely death, it would have meant something worse to them.
…..Concerning “punishment” one early church father wrote,

“‘Then these reap no advantage from their punishment, as it seems: moreover, I would say that they are not punished unless they are conscious of the punishment.” Justin Martyr [A.D. 110-165.] Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 4​

…..Jesus undoubtedly knew what the Jews, believed about hell. If the Jews were wrong, why didn’t Jesus tell them there was no hell, no eternal punishment etc? Why would Jesus teach “eternal punishment,” etc. to Jews who believed, "The Lord, the Almighty, will punish them on the Day of Judgment by putting fire and worms into their flesh, so that they cry out with pain unto all eternity," which would only encourage and reinforce their beliefs?

 

[Daniel Marsh]

 

[timothyu]

There is a town in MN called Hope that a Lutheran minister in our area once upon a time came from. He always introduced himself as having come from 10 miles beyond hope.

 

[KateforChrist]

Never thought I’d see the day when the western church would abandon the doctrine of hell. But it appears the ecumenical spirit of this world is gaining a strong foothold when it comes to preaching the consequences of choosing one’s sin over the free gift of life in Christ Jesus.

The good news doesn't mean much to people who don't know the bad news. And telling people to repent when they have no understanding that they/we are sinners.

 

[timothyu]

And telling people to repent when they have no understanding that they/we are sinners.

Or how.

 

[Skidder]

The good news doesn't mean much to people who don't know the bad news. And telling people to repent when they have no understanding that they/we are sinners.

Nobody's innocent. Just by what is created man is without excuse. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh, convicting the world of SIN, righteousness and judgment, of SIN because the do not believe in Him.

John 16:8
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me

There will be no innocence in hell, those who end up there do so because they choose their sin over the one who died for their sins. They do not come into the light, because they love the darkness...

John 3:19-20
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

 

[Shrewd Manager]

HELL IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT

Is hell mentioned in the catalogue of God's very good creation in Genesis? No. Is it mentioned anywhere in the Torah? Uh-uh. The Tanakh? Nugatory. In the OT at all? Negative. And what about the Gospels and epistles? We found Hades, Sheol, Gehenna, Tartaroo, the darkness and the abussos sir, but no hell. And Revelation? Will the lake of fire do boss, we're running out of verses?

Mighty well-kept secret, can't find it anywhere in scripture!

Hey, what's the difference between Balaam's talking donkey and Hell? You can find the donkey in scripture.