The Truth About Hell

[Husky7]

Hell is not a physical place that people go to if they do not end up in heaven. The word “hell” is used 54 times in the Bible. It is translated from several different words with various meanings:
In the Old Testament:
31 times from the Hebrew “Sheol,” which means “the grave”
In the New Testament:
10 times from the Greek “Hades,” which means “the grave”
12 times from the Greek “Gehenna,” which means “a place of burning”
1 time from the Greek “Tartarus,” which means “a place of darkness”

“Tartarus” is used once, in 2 Peter 2:4, and means “a place of darkness or restraint.” “Tartarus” is where Satan and his demons reside now. It isn’t a place of punishment or flames.

“Gehenna” means a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment (see Matthew 5:29-30, described in Matthew 13:40-42 and 2 Peter 3:7.) Note these flames are still in the future at the end of the world.

“Hades” means “the grave” (Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:14). The body of Jesus rested there and His saints are resting there now awaiting the resurrection.

-The concept of "hell" stems from paganism, and the Egyptian belief in an afterlife. Contrary to what some teach, fallen man is mortal, not immortal. God taught that we can achieve immortality ONLY through his son Jesus Christ. Only by believing that Christ died for your sins can you achieve the GIFT of immortality. Therefore, when God judges all the unrighteous dead at the end of time; they will not be consciously living in fire for eternity. All the unrighteous will instead be destroyed by "Hellfire" (which is literal spiritual fire from God). These people will cease to exist. There is no place of eternal suffering; God would never do that to his creations.

 

[Jpark]

A Google search will show that this is a copy and paste. But I don't mind.

Hell is not a physical place that people go to if they do not end up in heaven. The word “hell” is used 54 times in the Bible. It is translated from several different words with various meanings:
In the Old Testament:
31 times from the Hebrew “Sheol,” which means “the grave”
In the New Testament:
10 times from the Greek “Hades,” which means “the grave”
12 times from the Greek “Gehenna,” which means “a place of burning”
1 time from the Greek “Tartarus,” which means “a place of darkness”

What about Abyssos?

“Tartarus” is used once, in 2 Peter 2:4, and means “a place of darkness or restraint.” “Tartarus” is where Satan and his demons reside now. It isn’t a place of punishment or flames.

From reading 2 Peter 2:4, I can tell that it is a subterranean place.

“Gehenna” means a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment (see Matthew 5:29-30, described in Matthew 13:40-42 and 2 Peter 3:7.) Note these flames are still in the future at the end of the world.

But the place is already prepared.

“Hades” means “the grave” (Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:14). The body of Jesus rested there and His saints are resting there now awaiting the resurrection.

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. 23"In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.

Sounds conscious to me.

As for Rev. 20:14, context determines the proper interpretation. What is the sea in verse 13?

Contrary to what some teach, fallen man is mortal, not immortal. God taught that we can achieve immortality ONLY through his son Jesus Christ. Only by believing that Christ died for your sins can you achieve the GIFT of immortality.

Immortality is only shared in. It is not achieved. Nor is it received.

Therefore, when God judges all the unrighteous dead at the end of time; they will not be consciously living in fire for eternity. All the unrighteous will instead be destroyed by "Hellfire" (which is literal spiritual fire from God). These people will cease to exist.

Eternal destruction is only for those who oppose Christ in His coming. 2 Thess. 1:9 must be read in context.

There is no place of eternal suffering; God would never do that to his creations.

Matt. 18:34-35 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35"My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

Jesus said God would.

As for eternal suffering, although verse 34 may not indicate eternal suffering, verse 34 is parable. Verse 35 is distinguished from verse 34. Reality is distinguished from parable (unlike Luke 19:27, in which there is no distinction). Verse 35 is ambiguous, that is, it does not indicate eternal suffering or temporal suffering. Regardless, Matt. 18:34-35 indicates that God does have people tortured.

Furthermore, God is eternal so any sin against Him must be eternally punished.

Also, a finite sin is counted as a infinite sin if one dies in his sins.

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

I agree OP. I don't understand why the clear teaching in the Bible where eternal life is contrasted with death is twisted and perverted to mean eternal suffering. Example: the 2nd death is obviously eternal tourment in fire because death doesn't mean death, it means eternal tourment.

This eternal suffering doctrine causes so many people to resist Christianity because they can't stomach a God that eternally tortures his creation. Can't blame them!

Furthermore, God is eternal so any sin against Him must be eternally punished.

Scripture reference please.

 

[John Stefanyszyn]

There is no man or woman who wants to die. Mankind has always believed that he will continue in some form of afterlife.

The truth is that it is Only Our Creator, Father, Almighty God who can give us eternal life. This eternal continuation is a gift to those who repent and recognize the Christ to be the Son of God and who do works worthy of the faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and as the One and Only Way to Our Father.

At the time of judgement it is shown that there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. In other words, when man will see that the Creator and His Son are real and that the "judgement and punishment" is real, they will at first cry in remorse but without repentance, as Essau did, and afterwards turn to intense anger against God. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth because man will not want to give up his belief in his desire to do his own will. Man will now realize that his existence will come to an eternal end. That there is no "fairy tale" or feel good possibility or hope for his existence to continue. This realization will be like a burning fire against his self-belief in his freedoms and universal values and the effect of this awareness of his end of existence will be like an eternal fiery smoke.

The way of man will come to an end for eternity.

There is no other God. There is no other Way of Truth. Christ, the Son of God, is the only Way to Our Father.

Christ is King of kings.

The Holy Spirit is here now.

Let us not place any belief of man before or above Our Father.

Something to reflect on: Is the belief in freedom of religion a blasphemy against the One and Only True God?

 

[Jpark]

Scripture reference please.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This may not say eternal torture, but it does imply eternal punishment. However, it is not eternal death or destruction. That is only for those opposing Christ in His coming (2 Thess. 1:9). If it was for everyone, why the distinction?

 

[SGM4HIM]

Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.


I guess this is one of those unpleasant parts of the Bible too.

 

[His_disciple3]

I agree OP. I don't understand why the clear teaching in the Bible where eternal life is contrasted with death is twisted and perverted to mean eternal suffering. Example: the 2nd death is obviously eternal tourment in fire because death doesn't mean death, it means eternal tourment.

This eternal suffering doctrine causes so many people to resist Christianity because they can't stomach a God that eternally tortures his creation. Can't blame them!



Scripture reference please.

could the ones that say Hell is not a physical [place please explain these:


Matthew 13:42
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
KJV


Luke 13:27-28
27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
KJV

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

What are you going to do with all the verses that contrast eternal life with death and destruction? To reconcile you have to add words to the scripture which simply are not there! I understand there are passages that tend to indicate eternal torment but if you study the for yourself and don't listen to what man tells you you will uncover the truth.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish [be tortured for all eternity] but have everlasting life.

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish [be tortured for all eternity] , than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing [being tortured for all eternity]!"

These shall be punished with everlasting destruction [everlasting torture] from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Stop trying to hammer your square peg in your round hole. Read the Bible for yourselves and don't try to massage man's doctrine into the truth. Study to show yourselves approved!

 

[juvenissun]

Hell is not a physical place that people go to if they do not end up in heaven. The word “hell” is used 54 times in the Bible. It is translated from several different words with various meanings:
In the Old Testament:
31 times from the Hebrew “Sheol,” which means “the grave”
In the New Testament:
10 times from the Greek “Hades,” which means “the grave”
12 times from the Greek “Gehenna,” which means “a place of burning”
1 time from the Greek “Tartarus,” which means “a place of darkness”

“Tartarus” is used once, in 2 Peter 2:4, and means “a place of darkness or restraint.” “Tartarus” is where Satan and his demons reside now. It isn’t a place of punishment or flames.

How do you figure that out?
I can see some demons are there now. But how should satan be there NOW?

 

[juvenissun]

“Gehenna” means a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment (see Matthew 5:29-30, described in Matthew 13:40-42 and 2 Peter 3:7.) Note these flames are still in the future at the end of the world.

...

All the unrighteous will instead be destroyed by "Hellfire" (which is literal spiritual fire from God). These people will cease to exist. There is no place of eternal suffering; God would never do that to his creations.

This idea is basically atheistic. It gives people a good reason not to believe.

 

[Jpark]

What are you going to do with all the verses that contrast eternal life with death and destruction? To reconcile you have to add words to the scripture which simply are not there! I understand there are passages that tend to indicate eternal torment but if you study the for yourself and don't listen to what man tells you you will uncover the truth.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish [be tortured for all eternity] but have everlasting life.

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish [be tortured for all eternity] , than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing [being tortured for all eternity]!"

These shall be punished with everlasting destruction [everlasting torture] from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Stop trying to hammer your square peg in your round hole. Read the Bible for yourselves and don't try to massage man's doctrine into the truth. Study to show yourselves approved!

As I indicated here, there is distinction.

While all will be resurrected, not all will experience the same kind of resurrection. The righteous will experience the resurrection Christ experienced and will have eternal life.

The wicked will experience a different kind of resurrection and will not have eternal life; they will have a body that exhibits properties of eternal life, that is, they cannot die or rot.

John 5:29 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.

Furthermore, eternal destruction is only for those who oppose Christ in His coming (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

2 Thess. 1:7-9 ...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

If all people who are not Christ's will be eternally destroyed, then what is Matt. 18:34-35 and Rev. 14:10-11?

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

John 5:29 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.

You are correct, the lost are resurrected and experience the final judgement. But what is outcome of the judgement? If their name is not in the book of life, they are tossed in the lake of fire, the second death (Revelation 20:11-15)

Furthermore, eternal destruction is only for those who oppose Christ in His coming (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

Ok, but what about the other versus that indicate destruction? Romans 9:22, Phil 3:19, 2 Peter 2:1, etc?

If all people who are not Christ's will be eternally destroyed, then what is Matt. 18:34-35 and Rev. 14:10-11?

Matt 18:34-35 does not necessarily speak of the final fate of anyone. God will deliver these men to torturers. What torturers? Are these men delivered to their earthly enemies? Perhaps. You read what you want to read when you read the Bible with preconceived notions. Could these torturers be the devil and demons of hell? Doubtful because they themselves are being tortured (Revelation 20:10).

Revelation 14:10-11. This passage speaks of the tribulation, and people who worship the Beast. This applies to no one who has lived or is living now. Perhaps those who worship the Beast are tormented forever, but you can't apply this verse to anyone who has lived or is alive now. I could add more, but this is sufficient to discount this scripture supporting eternal torment of all non-Christians.

 

[Jpark]

You are correct, the lost are resurrected and experience the final judgement. But what is outcome of the judgement? If their name is not in the book of life, they are tossed in the lake of fire, the second death (Revelation 20:11-15)

But why the distinction? It should say "resurrection to life and resurrection to judgment". But it says "resurrection of life and resurrection of judgment".

Eternal destruction might be plausible I suppose.

Ok, but what about the other versus that indicate destruction? Romans 9:22, Phil 3:19, 2 Peter 2:1, etc?

1 Peter 2:8 and,
"A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE";
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Matt 18:34-35 does not necessarily speak of the final fate of anyone. God will deliver these men to torturers. What torturers? Are these men delivered to their earthly enemies? Perhaps. You read what you want to read when you read the Bible with preconceived notions. Could these torturers be the devil and demons of hell? Doubtful because they themselves are being tortured (Revelation 20:10).

It's possible that there are specially chosen fallen angels who are exempt from punishment.

We see in the OT fallen angels being used by God and obeying Him. Aren't they supposed to take orders from Satan? Remember, the Scripture says Satan and his angels, not Satan and all the fallen angels.

Revelation 14:10-11. This passage speaks of the tribulation, and people who worship the Beast. This applies to no one who has lived or is living now. Perhaps those who worship the Beast are tormented forever, but you can't apply this verse to anyone who has lived or is alive now. I could add more, but this is sufficient to discount this scripture supporting eternal torment of all non-Christians.

I wasn't applying it to everyone. I indicated that it was a special punishment.

 

[ittarter]

Hell is not a physical place that people go to if they do not end up in heaven.

Okay.

The word “hell” is used 54 times in the Bible.

What version?

“Tartarus” is used once, in 2 Peter 2:4, and means “a place of darkness or restraint.” “Tartarus” is where Satan and his demons reside now. It isn’t a place of punishment or flames.

Seems that it could be a place of punishment, but you're right that the fire imagery is lacking here.

“Gehenna” means a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment (see Matthew 5:29-30, described in Matthew 13:40-42 and 2 Peter 3:7.) Note these flames are still in the future at the end of the world.

A decent theology of hell will reply with some sort of interim location where the dead "sleep" until they awake to judgment and THEN go to hell. You're not out of the woods yet. This is the big word to deal with.

“Hades” means “the grave” (Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:14). The body of Jesus rested there and His saints are resting there now awaiting the resurrection.

So, some problems with your explanation of the term, but clearly not a place of endless fiery punishment, I'll give you that.

-The concept of "hell" stems from paganism, and the Egyptian belief in an afterlife.

You could argue that the concept of a God-man stems from Greek mythology, but does that mean the idea is worthless and foreign to a Christian worldview? Hardly.

Contrary to what some teach, fallen man is mortal, not immortal. God taught that we can achieve immortality ONLY through his son Jesus Christ. Only by believing that Christ died for your sins can you achieve the GIFT of immortality.

There's a case to be made for this, but you haven't made it. Simply claiming your opponents are wrong isn't going to convince anyone with more than two beans between their ears.

Therefore, when God judges all the unrighteous dead at the end of time; they will not be consciously living in fire for eternity. All the unrighteous will instead be destroyed by "Hellfire" (which is literal spiritual fire from God). These people will cease to exist. There is no place of eternal suffering; God would never do that to his creations.

Well, unfortunately, because you're not closely or cautiously arguing your case, you're just going to incite a bunch of people to make similarly unsubstantiated counterclaims, probably resulting in a poor excuse for a thread. I've seen it before, many times.

Don't come on here to preach at people. Come to discuss, learn. Those with ears to hear, let them hear!

Peace.

 

[ittarter]

What are you going to do with all the verses that contrast eternal life with death and destruction?

Well, that's easy, anyway. "Eternal" doesn't mean endless, without end, everlasting. It is quality, not quantity. A different kind of life (or death) than the one we know from our earthy experiences thus far.

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

So in Romans 1:20 God's power and Godhead is not everlasting?

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

Let me be a little more specific. Your assertion that eternal does not mean 'everlasting' but actually refers to the 'quality' of the afterlife doesn't jive with how the word 'eternal' is used throughout the NT.

In Romans 1:20 'eternal' is used to describe God's power and the Godhead. Should we change the definition of this use of eternal to 'quality' as well? So therefore God's power is not everlasting but just has a different quality?

How about 1 Timothy 1:17. Is God the 'everlasting' king? Or are we redefining eternal in the verse as well?

You see, you have to undergo severe linguistic gymnastics to overcome what the Bible actually says, to make it say what you want it to say. Why not just read the Bible and believe what it says?

 

[Timothew]

Well, that's easy, anyway. "Eternal" doesn't mean endless, without end, everlasting. It is quality, not quantity. A different kind of life (or death) than the one we know from our earthy experiences thus far.

Death is a different kind of life?

 

[ittarter]

Death is a different kind of life?

No. Eternal death is a different kind of death than the earthy one we know from our current experience of reality.
Likewise, eternal life is a different kind of life than the earthy one we know from our current experience of reality.

 

[ittarter]

So in Romans 1:20 God's power and Godhead is not everlasting?

Exactly. It is eternal. The point is not that it is endless but that it is a different kind of power than the powers we see around us in our daily drudgery. You could say it is a power "from out of this world" or a power whose nature is greater than our present age or world.