Why do some 'Christians' believe that Hell is not eternal?

Albion · Mar 25, 2018

Papa DSNM said:
Hell is an incorrect rendering of sheol in Hebrew and Hades in Greek. Both mean mankind's common grave. This eternal torment dogma has been handed down over the ages to frighten people way back from the days of Babylon.

There is some truth to that, but the Hebrew concept of the afterlife was corrected for us by Christ's teachings, which were also stated in the rest of the New Testament. Therefore, we believe in hell in a different way than the Hebrews did...for the reason that the NT so instructs us and because we believe the NT to be the word of God.

Danoded · Mar 25, 2018

Papa DSNM said:
Ceasing to exist means exactly that. No more consciousness of anything. Satan too will be thrown into the lake of fire which means eternal destruction.

I'd also argue that that in itself is also an eternal punishment, since if you cease to exist, you're just not existing forever.

Danoded · Mar 25, 2018

Papa DSNM said:
Check the translation of Hell: Hebrew: Sheol and in Greek: Hades both mean the grave. The idea of fire and torment come from pagan non-christian beliefs.
The God of the Bible hates this false representation of his justice!

"Lake of fire"
"Weeping and gnashing of the teeth"

I don't see how the meaning of Hell has been misconstrued by pagans. It is the opposite agenda pagas push, that Hell either doesn't exist or is not eternal, which is unbiblical.

Papa DSNM · Mar 25, 2018

Danoded said:
I'd also argue that that in itself is also an eternal punishment, since if you cease to exist, you're just not existing forever.

Exactly the point...not torment

1stcenturylady · Mar 25, 2018

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:
The Angel in this verse is Speaking to ANYONE who takes the mark of The Beast or worships the Beast in these verses:

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If ANYONE worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of The Wrath Of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He Shall Be TORMENTED With Fire And Brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And The Smoke Of THEIR TORMENT Ascends FOREVER And EVER; and They Have No Rest Day Or Night, Who Worship The Beast and his image, and Whoever Receives The mark Of His Name.”

• Revelation 14:9-11

If you are going to yell, I'm not going to read it. Ignored.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith · Mar 25, 2018

1stcenturylady said:
If you are going to yell, I'm not going to read it. Ignored.

It's for Emphasis to drive home how Important it is not to take the mark of the beast and how Clearly it says that those who take it will be Tormented with Fire and Brimstone.

Rajni · Mar 25, 2018

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

But you said Hell isn't Eternal.

The scripture Clearly and Plainly says that that they have No Rest Day or Night and that the Smoke of their Torment Ascends Forever and Ever.

Click to expand...

The bible also indicates that the day-night cycle is, itself,
temporary.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:
It's for Emphasis to drive home how Important it is not to take the mark of the beast and how Clearly it says that those who take it will be Tormented with Fire and Brimstone.

Large font doesn't make something true.

Der Alte · Mar 25, 2018

Papa DSNM said:
Check the translation of Hell: Hebrew: Sheol and in Greek: Hades both mean the grave. The idea of fire and torment come from pagan non-christian beliefs.
The God of the Bible hates this false representation of his justice!

There is a an internet rumor floating around that some folks like to post as fact that the idea of fire and torment come from pagan non-christian beliefs.
.....According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Judaica and the Talmud, among the Jews in Israel before and during the time of Jesus was a belief in a place of everlasting torment of the wicked and they called it both sheol and gehinnom.
Clarification: There were different groups within Judaism; Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes etc. and there were different beliefs about resurrection, hell etc. I am addressing only the belief stated above, Any other beliefs are not relevant to this response.

Jewish Encyclopedia, Gehenna
The place where children were sacrificed to the god Moloch … in the "valley of the son of Hinnom," to the south of Jerusalem (Josh. xv. 8, passim; II Kings xxiii. 10; Jer. ii. 23; vii. 31-32; xix. 6, 13-14). … the valley was deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore soon became a figurative equivalent for "hell." Hell, like paradise, was created by God (Sotah 22a);

Note, this is according to the ancient Jews, long before the Christian era, NOT any supposed bias of Christian translators.

(I)n general …sinners go to hell immediately after their death. The famous teacher Johanan b. Zakkai wept before his death because he did not know whether he would go to paradise or to hell (Ber. 28b). The pious go to paradise, and sinners to hell (B.M. 83b).
But as regards the heretics, etc., and Jeroboam, Nebat's son, hell shall pass away, but they shall not pass away" (R. H. 17a; comp. Shab. 33b). All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men: those who have committed adultery, or shamed their neighbors, or vilified them (B. M. 58b).[/i]
… heretics and the Roman oppressors go to Gehenna, and the same fate awaits the Persians, the oppressors of the Babylonian Jews (Ber. 8b). When Nebuchadnezzar descended into hell, [ שׁאול /Sheol]] all its inhabitants were afraid that he was coming to rule over them (Shab. 149a; comp. Isa. xiv. 9-10). The Book of Enoch also says that it is chiefly the heathen who are to be cast into the fiery pool on the Day of Judgment (x. 6, xci. 9, et al). "The Lord, the Almighty, will punish them on the Day of Judgment by putting fire and worms into their flesh, so that they cry out with pain unto all eternity" (Judith xvi. 17). The sinners in Gehenna will be filled with pain when God puts back the souls into the dead bodies on the Day of Judgment, according to Isa. xxxiii. 11 (Sanh. 108b).
Link:Jewish Encyclopedia Online
Encyclopedia Judaica:
Gehinnom (Heb. גֵּי בֶן־הִנֹּם, גֵּי בְנֵי הִנֹּם, גֵּיא בֶן־הִנֹּם, גֵּיא הִנֹּם; Gr. Γέεννα; "Valley of Ben-Hinnom, Valley of [the Son (s) of] Hinnom," Gehenna), a valley south of Jerusalem on one of the borders between the territories of Judah and Benjamin, between the Valley of *Rephaim and *En-Rogel (Josh. 15:8; 18:16). It is identified with Wadi er-Rababi.
During the time of the Monarchy, Gehinnom, at a place called Topheth, was the site of a cult which involved the burning of children (II Kings 23:10; Jer. 7:31; 32:35 et al.; see *Moloch). Jeremiah repeatedly condemned this cult and predicted that on its account Topheth and the Valley of the Son of Hinnom would be called the Valley of the "Slaughter" (Jer. 19:5–6).
In Judaism the name Gehinnom is generally used as an appellation of the place of torment reserved for the wicked after death. The New Testament used the Greek form Gehenna in the same sense.
Gehinnom
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Talmud -Tractate Rosh Hashanah Chapter 1.
The school of Hillel says: . . . but as for Minim, [follower of Jesus] informers and disbelievers, who deny the Torah, or Resurrection, or separate themselves from the congregation, or who inspire their fellowmen with dread of them, or who sin and cause others to sin, as did Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his followers, they all descend to Gehenna, and are judged there from generation to generation, as it is said [Isa. lxvi. 24]: "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." Even when Gehenna will be destroyed, they will not be consumed, as it is written [Psalms, xlix. 15]: "And their forms wasteth away in the nether world," which the sages comment upon to mean that their forms shall endure even when the grave is no more. Concerning them Hannah says [I Sam. ii. 10]: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces."
Link:Tract Rosh Hashana: Chapter I.

When Jesus taught about,

•“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41
• "these shall go away into eternal punishment, Matthew 25:46"
• "the fire of hell where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die, Mark 9:43-48"
• "cast into a fiery furnace where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 13:42, Matthew 13:50
• “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6
• “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23
• “woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. ” Matthew 26:24

These teachings tacitly reaffirmed and sanctioned the existing Jewish view of eternal hell, outlined above. In Matt. 18:6, 26:24, see above, Jesus teaches that there is a fate worse than death or nonexistence. A fate worse than death is also mentioned in Hebrews 10:28-31.

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Jesus is quoted as using the word death 17 times in the gospels, if He wanted to say eternal death in Matt 25:46, that is what He would have said but He didn’t, He said “eternal punishment.” The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, they knew that everybody died; rich, poor, young, old, good, bad, men, women, children, infants and knew that it had nothing to do with punishment and was permanent. When Jesus taught “eternal punishment” they would not have understood it as death, it would have meant something worse to them.
…..Jesus knew what the Jews, believed about hell. Jesus corrected and criticized the Jews on several occasions. If their belief in hell was wrong why would Jesus teach things that supported their belief rather than correcting them?

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith · Mar 25, 2018

RayJeena said:
The bible also indicates that the day-night cycle is, itself,
temporary.

Large font doesn't make something true.

Scripture Is Always True.

jovanovic · Mar 25, 2018

dreadnought said:
No, I think there is always a choice. Some people wait longer than others to make the correct choice.

There is no choice in hell and doomsday, this is not in the bible.

jovanovic · Mar 25, 2018

Papa DSNM said:
Hell and Hades are translated grave. Faiths have been misled to believe that the loving God of the Bible would torment persons forever. He has never done that all throughout Bible history. Why did he not torment the Canaanites, Philistines, Ammonites etc? Will he now bring them back from the grave and torment them forever so that he can delight in their wails of despair? Some say he is not conscious of hearing that? How is that even possible with a God who knows everything at every moment? Let's be reasonable and really think and pray on this.

You are using your own logic here. The bible do not agree with you. The bible clearly states that hell is real and humans, satan and his angels will be inside and that they will be tormented for ever.

mmksparbud · Mar 25, 2018

The bible clearly states there will be no more pain, no more tears, no more sin, a long as there is a sinner, there is sin. as long as there is torment--there is pain.

jovanovic · Mar 25, 2018

mmksparbud said:
The bible clearly states there will be no more pain, no more tears, no more sin, a long as there is a sinner, there is sin. as long as there is torment--there is pain.

yes, for the ones who are saved. the ones who where not saved there is only pain.

mmksparbud · Mar 25, 2018

God did not qualify

jovanovic · Mar 25, 2018

mmksparbud said:
God did not qualify

i dont understand what you mean.

mmksparbud · Mar 25, 2018

Rev_14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

So for eternity, God and the holy angels (and I assume the saved, for we will be with Him) are all sitting on in a newly remade earth, watching billions and billions of creatures being tormented. I do hope they have plenty of hot sauce for that popcorn---sounds like fun.

mmksparbud · Mar 25, 2018

jovanovic said:
i dont understand what you mean.

He doesn't say--there will be no more tears only for the saved. He doesn't say, the earth is remade and all things are new, and there are no more tears only for the saved. He made a blanket statement. There will be no more pain, there will be no more tears. He said heaven and earth will be remade--all former things done away with--He didn't say, except for a huge patch over there for billions and billions of lost people and angels are burning forever and we all get to see them and hear them forever. What joy that will be to watch my beloved brother writhing in agony for all eternity. Not to mention all those teenagers who never could get their priorities straight and will burn along with Hitler and others like him for ever. I can hardly wait.

jovanovic · Mar 25, 2018

mmksparbud said:
Rev_14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

So for eternity, God and the holy angels (and I assume the saved, for we will be with Him) are all sitting on in a newly remade earth, watching billions and billions of creatures being tormented. I do hope they have plenty of hot sauce for that popcorn---sounds like fun.

yes because the bible says so. only because you feel its awful it does not mean it will not happen.

mmksparbud · Mar 25, 2018

Eze_18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Eze_33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked---but He is going to sit throughout eternity watching them writhe in agony instead. Eternal burning hell says more about the heart of the believer than about the heart of God.

mmksparbud · Mar 25, 2018

jovanovic said:
yes because the bible says so. only because you feel its awful it does not mean it will not happen.

Only because you feel this is funny and we're going to enjoy this watching this forever doesn't mean that it is true. Too many verses describing death as nonexistence to interpret the 2nd death as everlasting life.

Why do some 'Christians' believe that Hell is not eternal?

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