The Church's view of the Lake of Fire

[SH89]

Has the Church always held that unbelievers will suffer for eternity--without an end--in the lake of fire?

What did St.Augustine/other early Chirstians say about this matter?

Did they believe that unbelievers will be destroyed in the lake of fire?

Thanks

 

[SH89]

Bump

 

[Chalkisle]

Dear SH89,

Do a Google search and type in "Conditional Immortality", and take a look at that way of seeing the Scriptures.........it might give you a whole lot to think about!

Blessings, Chalk Isle

Has the Church always held that unbelievers will suffer for eternity--without an end--in the lake of fire?

What did St.Augustine/other early Chirstians say about this matter?

Did they believe that unbelievers will be destroyed in the lake of fire?

Thanks

 

[withreason]

Dear SH89,

Do a Google search and type in "Conditional Immortality", and take a look at that way of seeing the Scriptures.........it might give you a whole lot to think about!

Blessings, Chalk Isle

this seems to sumerize the view of "Conditional Immortality"
The following is an examination of what is commonly called "conditional immortality" -- that a person's "immortality" is conditioned on receiving eternal life. In this view, the "soul" is not immortal but rather "sleeps" (see Lazarus for example in John 11:11ff) until the resurrection. The "soul" is defined as a combination of the dust of the ground and breath (see KJV translation of Genesis 2:7). And "the soul that sins" shall die (Ezek 18:4,20), not be tormented forever.

 

[Rafael]

Not everybody believes in a lake of fire where unbelievers are tortured forever, but that the lake of fire burns until it accomplishes its work of burning up the old heavens and earth along with the devil and those who chose death over life. I trust that God always does right no matter what happens, but this has some very good points about the original Greek and the balance of scripture concerning everlasting punishment.
This site has an interesting video lesson on the subject if your interested. It is under cities of ash and has a supplimental lesson on paper, too.

http://www.amazingfacts.org/items/storacle_lessons.asp

 

[Martureo]

I cant post links yet but look up these things on yahoo.

Heaven and Hell in the Afterlife -Peter Chopelas

On the Incarnation of the Word -Athanasius (look up Christian Classics Ethereal Library, enter and find the Church Fathers tab on the left, and then look for Athanasius select readings, and then open that up and look for On the Incarnation of the Word

Then look up on google, Justin Martyr, and the word hell. It will give you a link telling you what part of the 1st or 2nd apology he wrote about hell. You can find the actual full text of both apologies at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

 

[Martureo]

I cant post links yet but look up these things on yahoo.

Heaven and Hell in the Afterlife -Peter Chopelas

On the Incarnation of the Word -Athanasius (look up Christian Classics Ethereal Library, enter and find the Church Fathers tab on the left, and then look for Athanasius select readings, and then open that up and look for On the Incarnation of the Word

Then look up on google, Justin Martyr, and the word hell. It will give you a link telling you what part of the 1st or 2nd apology he wrote about hell. You can find the actual full text of both apologies at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

Okay I think I can post links now, so let me try here....

On the Incarnation of the Word - Athanasius

Heaven and Hell in the Afterlife - Peter Chopelas

The First Apology of Justin Martyr
(Chapters 12, 21, 22, and 52. He seems to take the stance that it is a location. I just wanted to offset Peter Chopelas a bit.)

 

[Rusticus]

The most important thing about the "Lake of Fire" is that the concept is borrowed from Egyptian (pagan) mythology........

 

[Kristos]

Where do bad boys go when they die? They don't go to heaven where the angels fly...they go to the lake of fire and fry.

 

[Kristos]

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:42'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;43'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'44Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'45Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'46And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

 

[SolomonVII]

The most important thing about the "Lake of Fire" is that the concept is borrowed from Egyptian (pagan) mythology........

So, do you think that is it just a myth then?

 

[PentecostalEmperor]

You are basically calling YAHUSHUA a liar if you don't believe of what he said about the Lake of Fire. Speaking about Hell, remember about the parable of when a rich man and a poor man died and one was sent to Heaven and one was sent to Hell? And if you think Hell is only a grave then why would there be flames in your grave and why would there by wailing and gnashing of teeth. Also in that parable it makes it clear that you are conscious after death. The rich man begging for a drop of water.

 

[Alphadux]

Polycarp was possibly a disciple of John, and he affirms that hell is eternal. Before his martyrdom he was told to renounce Christ or be cast to the beasts. Polycarp told them to bring the beasts. To that the proconsul said, "I will cause you to be consumed by fire, seeing you despise the wild beasts, if you will not repent." Polycarp replied, "You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why do you tarry? Bring forth what you will."

 

[bluemarkus]

the lake of fire will burn away and utterly consume to non existence everything that is thrown into it.

 

[Martureo]

You are basically calling YAHUSHUA a liar if you don't believe of what he said about the Lake of Fire. Speaking about Hell, remember about the parable of when a rich man and a poor man died and one was sent to Heaven and one was sent to Hell? And if you think Hell is only a grave then why would there be flames in your grave and why would there by wailing and gnashing of teeth. Also in that parable it makes it clear that you are conscious after death. The rich man begging for a drop of water.

Not necessarily. When Jesus said Gahenna, he was clearly not referring to an eternal Hell. The importance that causes us to know its not Hell is that Gahenna wasn't translated. It was kept with its semetic name. Even Peter was translated from Cephas. But Gahenna stayed Gahenna in the Greek. Gahenna was a Jewish theological construct of a fire of purification. You can talk to any Rabbi about this. The maximum stay in Gahenna was 12 months. Gahenna has stark similarities with the Zoroastrian lake of fire, wherein the fire is not quenched and worm does not die.

So if Jesus said Gahenna, it is likely that he was NOT referring to hell.

And hell cannot be fire, fire is a chemical reaction. Does Hell have a fuel source? Furthermore, Jesus was speaking in parable. Parabole is a Greek word which means comparison. Jesus also refers to it as darkness. Jesus also refers to it as being shut out of a banquet...

One thing is for certain though. It isn't seperation from God.

 

[DickBawlz]

Lake of Fire was an awesome song! Kurt Cobain, who is probably in Hell right now for killing himself, really had the pipes to pull it off. I've never heard the Meat Puppets version, but I can't imagine its any good.

 

[Martureo]

Lake of Fire was an awesome song! Kurt Cobain, who is probably in Hell right now for killing himself, really had the pipes to pull it off. I've never heard the Meat Puppets version, but I can't imagine its any good.

Good grief! The song is called Plateau, not Lake of Fire...

 

[Rafael]

So, do you think that is it just a myth then?

I think hell is a literal place, but it is going to be cast into the lake of fire that will not be quenched until it destroys. I am seeing where the translatiors have used certain Greek and Hebrew words to push ther own points of view - possibly - ??, as I am still searching to know if God really bears a grudge against evil to the point of torturing for eternity. If He does, then I will accept that He knows better than I do what would be worthy of such a terrible fate. Weighing these things with common sense and the heart of love along with the word is not all that easy IMO......
God bless us to know the truth, always, and be able to accept it.

 

[LindyLouWho]

Not everybody believes in a lake of fire where unbelievers are tortured forever, but that the lake of fire burns until it accomplishes its work of burning up the old heavens and earth along with the devil and those who chose death over life. I trust that God always does right no matter what happens, but this has some very good points about the original Greek and the balance of scripture concerning everlasting punishment.
This site has an interesting video lesson on the subject if your interested. It is under cities of ash and has a supplimental lesson on paper, too.

http://www.amazingfacts.org/items/storacle_lessons.asp

I have to agree

 

[hraedisc]

Yahoo.
Do a search.
"Champions of conditional immortality"
Be amazed.