Fair enough. So, could you explain these verses to me?
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
How could hell be the lake of fire, if it is also cast into the lake of fire? And what happens to death in there?
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
So, here God is very clearly telling us what the final destination of the lost will be.
Elsewhere in the bible, we are told that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."
The one that intrigues me is this:
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
Here again, we are clearly told that the wages of sin is death.
But here's the thing...the gift of God is eternal life.
Wait...don't we all already have eternal life? Isn't the point where I'll spend my eternal life?
Let's say you gave your kid a shiny new car when he went off to college. Now, his problem is that he can't afford a private parking place for it, and the public parking provided is full of theives who would strip his new car in an instant. So, you go out and buy him another car, right?
In the same way, if you areadly have eternal life, why would God give you another eternal life? Seems a bit redundant to me. I can only conclude that this is the gift that Jesus went to the cross to obtain for us.
Here's the thing...why would God want to keep these wicked folks alive and in torment throughout all eternity? What purpose could that serve? Those in Heaven do not need the lesson they might have provided...besides, God has promised to wipe all tears from their eyes. And it is now too late for the condemned to learn anything from their fate. The opportunity to repent and accept the Lord has now passed. Surely it isn't that God or His angels get some kind of sadistic thrill from the whole nasty business...
And here's my final argument...the thing that used to keep me awake at night. If Jesus paid my debt of sin in full...then does that mean that, somewhere, somehow, He is still twisting in agony in the flames????
If that is the punishment for sin, then He must be. Or else, we have been lied to.
I just cannot believe that....
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