Let's Talk About Hell

[Stryder06]

I'll bite, after you answer some questions for me: Was Sodom destroyed? Was Sodom consumed? Was Sodom around later?

Sodom was destroyed
Sodom was consumed
Sodom was not around later.

Now, how do you reconcile what you believe Isa is saying in light of the texts I presented to you.

 

[mwood30]

Your reference to Jesus' parable is taken out of context. Secondly, you're flat out ignoring texts, even within Isaiah, that speak about the destruction of the wicked. You can't be destroyed and alive at the same time can you?

No, it is not out of context. Let me share the context with you:

but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore - Matthew 5:22, 23a

Please notice the word 'therefore'. I even used the KJV for you. The word 'therefore' shows the upcoming parable is illuminating the topic at hand - hell (Gehenna in Koine).

So, with the context in mind, let me paraphrase the passage:

1. Be right with your neighbor you will go to hell.

2. Therefore, if you have something against your brother, make it right with him you'll be thrown into prison (the metaphor).

3. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you pay the last penny.

The context of "getting out after you pay the last penny" is truly within a metaphor about Gehenna (hell). Really.

 

[mwood30]

Sodom was destroyed
Sodom was consumed
Sodom was not around later.

Now, how do you reconcile what you believe Isa is saying in light of the texts I presented to you.

"'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.

"'However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. Ezekiel 16:49-55 NIV

Yes, Sodom was destroyed. Yes, Sodom was consumed. Yes, Sodom is around no longer. And yes, Sodom will be fully restored. Praise God.

 

[Pythons]

*GASP!!!*

LOL! Not that shocking. We would agree on more then you think.

 

[Frogster]

I am safe.

john 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 

[Tangible]

I am safe.

john 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 

[JamesAH]

Obviously you don't know what hell is unless you ride the "it's a small world" ride at Disneyland

 

[Tangible]

Obviously you don't know what hell is unless you ride the "it's a small world" ride at Disneyland

Foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ...

 

[SummaScriptura]

I don't believe in the fire torment pit of hell. I believe that "hell" is the darkness outside of heaven where the evil souls are because they can't get into heaven, and because they are evil they torment eachother. But, not a pit of fire. I just don't believe that God would create such a place and then threaten to send people there to roast forever. O course, I could be wrong, it's just my own opinion.

What do you think?

I THINK your faith is not Christian, and feel it would be more honest on your part to just declare it.

 

[Frogster]

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

yep..romans 5,the great builder-upper of the soul.
To the degree we were in wrath,to that degree we are raised up out of it.

 

[SummaScriptura]

Imagine sinking in a bottomless lake filled with liquid fire based upon the same principle as the Shepard Tone...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfJa3IC1txI

 

[Strong in Him]

I don't believe in the fire torment pit of hell. I believe that "hell" is the darkness outside of heaven where the evil souls are because they can't get into heaven, and because they are evil they torment eachother. But, not a pit of fire. I just don't believe that God would create such a place and then threaten to send people there to roast forever. O course, I could be wrong, it's just my own opinion.

What do you think?

I believe that God showed his amazing, never ending love for us by sending Jesus to die for our sins on the cross. If we accept Jesus as our Saviour, the we have been reconciled to God, have forgiveness of our sins, peace with him and eternal life.

We all meet with God, see him face to face, after we die.

Anyone who has accepted this Good News, HAS eternal life, so they will be with God, the author and Lord of life, forever. Anyone who had deliberately and repeatedly rejected this Good News and refused to accept what God did for them in Jesus, will find it is too late to do anything about it.
They will not be able to be in God's presence, because they died in their sin and have not received his forgiveness, reconciliation with him and life. They chose to be without God in life; God will honour that choice and they will not be with him after death.
It will be hell, because they will have seen God for themselves, and known without doubt that the Gospel is true. They will be in torment, because of the knowledge of all the times that they rejected God and his amazing love while they were alive, and can never now receive it. You've heard the expression, burning with shame/guilt? It will be like that, but eternally, with no hope of rescue or salvation.
They may not necessarily have been evil, or bad, people while they were alive - but they rejected God's free gift, his love, his Son and his mercy.

Of course, I could be wrong too - it could be that all those who rejected Jesus will be literally thrown into a burning pit. But their bodies will have already died, and fire cannot destroy the soul. If it could, it would be a blessed relief for them - better to be destroyed outright than live for eternity with the knowledge that you rejected God.

 

[Pythons]

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And who 'determines' who is and who is not in Christ Jesus? The individual or the General Judgment?

 

[Timothew]

I THINK your faith is not Christian, and feel it would be more honest on your part to just declare it.

This is not a fair judgment.

The question is about hell, not about whether she is a Christian.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

I THINK your faith is not Christian, and feel it would be more honest on your part to just declare it.

Wow, I think you're the most judgmental and self righteous poster here. How dare you say such a thing, you have NO RIGHT.

 

[LJSGM]

There are two places in the new testament that they have labelled both as being hell. There is Gehenna which was a burning garbage dump outside the city, and there is hades which can be defined as shoel or the abode of the dead (I believe this use to be the place where people went before judgement day, both good and bad, I don't know if it still exists since Jesus' death and resurrection). There is also the lake of fire in revelations, but that is probably the same as the Gehenna that Jesus was refering to. Gehenna is basically a place where people are going to be destroyed (the second death) because that is what fire does, it destroys anything that is thrown into it and this death will be an everlasting punishment and destruction.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death (note it does not say torture).

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[chingchang]

I don't believe in the fire torment pit of hell. I believe that "hell" is the darkness outside of heaven where the evil souls are because they can't get into heaven, and because they are evil they torment eachother. But, not a pit of fire. I just don't believe that God would create such a place and then threaten to send people there to roast forever. O course, I could be wrong, it's just my own opinion.

What do you think?

If we base our view of hell on what the Bible says (and does not say)...you have a wrong view. Hell is a place where souls will be destroyed. Nothing left. There may some torment with regard to realizing one's fate as that process plays out...but no torture...

CC

 

[LJSGM]

There is a hell (Matthew 25:41 everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (demons)).

My father told me that there is only one hell. The lake of fire is a literal lake of fire and a spiritual place (Revelation 20:10). Hades and Gehenna are metaphors and are both symbolic references to the lake of fire. Humans go into the lake of fire immediately after dying (Luke 16:22-23 And being in torments in Hades). However, God's judgment precedes the lake of fire of course. God looks at the heart before He decides.

The abyss, or the bottomless pit, is the lake bottom of the lake of fire. The abyss is a prison for demons only. No human goes to the abyss. The demons will be sent into the lake of fire in the future. Humans go prematurely into the lake of fire.

The lake of fire is a place of eternal torment. My father describes the place as (paraphrased and I can't remember exact words), "if I were in the lake of fire, I would want to kill myself." Revelation 9 describes hell on earth in the end times. The Great Tribulation will be a time of great terror, worser than it is now.

Now about God threatening to send people, that is not true. God does not threaten people with hell. And besides, we do not know who goes to hell. Only God knows. God is the Master and Owner of heaven and hell. Ultimately, it is up to God to decide who goes to hell. For God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

He does not simply send sinners and unbelievers to hell if they don't receive/know/accept Jesus. That is written code. He looks at their heart. For God is required to judge sin. Judge means evaluate.

Finally, although man's destiny is written in the Book of Life, the Book of Life is subject to change (Revelation 22:19). The Calvinist definition of predestination is not correct. Predestination simply means that we can be like the apostles.

HOw did you verify that it was God speaking to you? and was it an audible voice or vision?

 

[Melethiel]

Jesus went to hell for 3 days, so was he burned in a fire torture pit too? Of course not.

Jesus went to hell to preach to the spirits in prison, as it says in Peter. Not to be tortured - common misunderstanding, and very, very, wrong. So hell could very easily be a fire torture pit, and your statement would still have no bearing. (For the record, I'm somewhat agnostic on whether hell is a firey pit or not. Your view could very easily be right. But yes, I do think that God could have created such a place, and it would not be anything against him - sin, after all, requires punishment, and while God is merciful, he is also just.)