I have heard that many Christians do not believe that hell is real. I found this to be absurd, but I am open to hearing both sides of the argument. So that is what has lead me to proposing this question, is Hell real?
If it is or is not please explain.
P.S. I for one do believe it exist. Sorry for the pun in the poll but is just too much for me to resist.
What is Hell
Hell is simply the grave, as taught in the Bible. Where do we go when we die? The Bible is very clear on this subject. Christ, the apostles, and the prophets teach that when a person dies they are asleep in a state of inactivity until the time of their resurrection.
Some clergy explain that when someone dies, good people go to heaven and bad people go to "hell", being tortured by demons for all eternity. This mis-teaching has been passed on as an accepted belief for centuries.
Some clergy say the deceased are now "looking down from heaven, watching over you". Have you ever been to a funeral where the clergyman says, "This man didn't quite live up to the standard and is now screaming at us from below, being tortured by a fiery landscape of brimstone and dwelling among devils?" Probably not. To condemn an individual this way would be to judge him, and the Bible says it’s not time for judgment" (Ecclesiastes 3:17, Ecclesiastes 12:14). If they declare a person is in heaven, is that not also making a judgment on them? It is not for us to judge.
Reason this, that the Bible teaches that we either live forever or die forever (Deuteronomy 30:19). If a person was being tortured for all eternity, wouldn't he or she still be alive (immortal)? When a person dies, they are asleep in the grave until their time of resurrection (Daniel 12:2).
Hell Is Simply the Grave
The Grave Hell (Strong’s Concordance #7585) in the Hebrew translation meaning Sheol or “grave”.
Ecclesiastes 3:18-20
When people die, they sleep in the grave until the time of judgment.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
When people are dead, they have no thoughts or actions.
Jonah 1:17, 2:1-2
Jonah cried to God from his would-be grave.
Acts 2:25-31
When Jesus Christ died, he was put into his tomb, but was not left in hell (the grave). His Father brought him back to life after three days and three nights.
(See also 1 Kings 2:10 and Matthew 12:40.)
Revelation 20:13-14
Death and the grave (hell) are eliminated.
State of the Dead
Psalms 90:3-6
You turn man back into dust And say, "Return, O children of men." For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night. You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew.
Job 7:21
"Why then do You not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, but I will not be."
Job 14:10-12
"But man dies and lies prostrate Man expires, and where is he? "As water evaporates from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dried up, So man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no longer, He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.
Psalm 13:3
Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
Daniel 12:2
"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
Matthew 9:24
He said, "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him.
Mark 5:39
And entering in, He said to them, "Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep."
Luke 8:52-53
Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died.
1 Kings 2:10
Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.
Deuteronomy 31:16
The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.
2 Samuel 7:12
"When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
1 Kings 11:43
And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.
1 Kings 14:20
The time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
1 Kings 16:6
And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son became king in his place.
1 Kings 22:50
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place.
2 Kings 14:16
So Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son became king in his place.
2 Kings 15:7
And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son became king in his place.
2 Kings 16:20
So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.
2 Kings 20:21
So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son became king in his place.
2 Kings 21:18
And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son became king in his place.
Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."
John 11:11-14
This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.
Acts 7:60
Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:6
After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
John 5:28-29
"Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
Job 14:13-15
"Oh that You would hide me in Sheol, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me! "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my change comes. "You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands.
Psalm 17:15
As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.
Isaiah 26:19
Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.
Luke 16:22-23
"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
1 Corinthians 15:20
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
Jeremiah 51:57
"I will make her princes and her wise men drunk, Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men, That they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up," Declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
Psalms 7:3-5
O LORD my God, if I have done this, If there is injustice in my hands, If I have rewarded evil to my friend, Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary, Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it; And let him trample my life down to the ground And lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
Psalm 76:5
The stouthearted were plundered, They sank into sleep; And none of the warriors could use his hands.
Jeremiah 51:39
"When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet And make them drunk, that they may become jubilant And may sleep a perpetual sleep And not wake up," declares the LORD.
Is God torturing people in "hell"? No Will God torture people in "hell" for eternity? No
and "hell no" (I can't resist either ;o) )
What loving God would do such a thing? He doesn't. He does totally destroy them and they will never live again. Total destruction in order to totally annihilate sin.
Another mis-teaching. Now, this is very condensed, there is a lot that happens, I'm trying to keep from getting too much on one post.
1st Resurrection - all the saved dead and saved living at the time will be caught up in the air changed into their new immortal bodies and from then on will be with the Lord. The unsaved dead remain in "hell" the grave, the unsaved living at the time are destroyed and lay dead upon the earth. Satan and his fallen angels are on a desolate earth and have nobody to tempt, for 1,000 years ... then the 2nd Resurrection happens.
2nd Resurrection - All the unsaved dead are resurrected (not immortal}, and the Great White Throne judgement, God sets the entire earth on fire and the fire totally consumes everything. (all the unsaved and satan and his angels) and the entire earth and that's the total end of sin.
God, then makes everything new, establishes his perfect kingdom on earth and there is no sin.
Understanding the State of the Dead is very important. What a person believes in this regard, will lead them down mis-teachings of other beliefs and belief systems and a bunch of confusion trying to explain a lot of teachings in the bible.
Nobody is immortal until they are resurrected from the grave. If one believes that any part of them continues beyond the grave before the 1st Resurrection, then the original lie of Satan is being perpetuated. Satan to Eve: "You will not surely die." (ie you are immortal).
1 Timothy 6
16 He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him.
To those who disagree ... I agree to disagree.
May the Lord lead all to the truth in His Holy word. Amen.