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

[jovanovic]

and the demons will suffer eternally as they are immortal.

but humans also is immortal. angels were created just like humans. why would the fallen angels get tortured for ever and ever but not fallen humans?

 

[1stcenturylady]

but humans also is immortal. angels were created just like humans. why would the fallen angels get tortured for ever and ever but not fallen humans?

I already answered that in the post you are answering. You only read the first sentence and then replied.

 

[eleos1954]

the opposite to enternal life should be enternal death.

but some verses in the bible say that the souls will exist for ever and can not be destroyed, correct me if am wrong, if this is the case then indeed the people in hell will be tortured for ever and ever. or maybe "for ever" means like 1 million years?

Nope ... not so ..... a soul is what you are ... not something you possess ... IF anything continues to exist beyond earthly death that denotes immortality and only God is immortal. All are dead and in the grave waiting for for the 1st resurrection (the saved) or the 2nd resurrection (the unsaved) who will be totally destroyed by fire and cease to exist. I just made a post about Hell that has several verses about this. And you are correct it IS either eternal life ..... or eternal death. God is not a torturer! He will destroy those who did not make the choice to received Jesus. It is however the choice they made.

 

[mmksparbud]

There have been many posts on this and there are many verses to support both views. There are more that support annihilation, but the number is not important. Neither is the end result important to our salvation except for one thing---our concept of who God is, for it is His character that we are to immolate. Anytime there seems to be a contradicting concept, the character of God must be taken into account, it can be the deciding factor. That there is a hell, there is no doubt. The question is one of duration of it. Those who do not believe in the eternal torment concept do so because of what the bible says about heaven, and hell, and what the bible says about the character of God.
The bible does state that the saved are given eternal life, not the lost. To come up with immortality for the lost you have to twist the words of scripture. We put on immortality, we are given it, it is the gift of God. Immortality, in order to burn forever, is not given to the lost. The bible clearly states that the lost are punished according to their works. Everyone burning forever is the same sentence and can not by definition be just--for no matter what, if you go to hell upon death--Cain would have been burning for thousands of years longer than most resent mass murderer ever will. How is it just to burn forever for stealing $5 and for killing millions of people? God is justice. It is He alone that can judge the heart. True justice can only be handed down by Him. Even under Hitler, the Jews suffering came to an end. Now they face endless burning for rejecting Jesus? How is that justice? Just at an only justice level, it makes no sense.
As long as there is a sinner, there is sin. With a sinner burning forever, sin is forever and God says there will be no more sin, no more tears, no more pain. There will be all of the above if burning is forever. The bible (Rev 20:14) states both death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire. Death will no longer exist after the 2nd death. Everything goes into that lake of fire and is destroyed--they will exist no more. No more pain--eternal torment is not possible when God says there will be no more pain.
Punishment is usually given in order to teach someone a lesson. The lost have no lesson to learn.. They have only their sentence to be carried out for the fulfillment of justice for their crimes. The death penalty is not handed out to teach the criminal a lesson--it can learn no more. Burning forever can not teach anything, it is a sentence that is not be finished. The 2nd death is the end result of a life apart from Jesus.
God never told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree they would burn in hell forever. He said they would die. God does not lie, He does not deal in half-truths, He is not sneaky and underhanded--what He says is. He spoke s world into existence--His words are truth. He did not tell Adam and Eve they would burn forever, therefore---eternal torment is not the price of sin, death is.
The concept of God being emotionless is not biblical. He takes joy, He feels sorrow, He grieves. He was grieved that He had made man and was so hurt by what they had become that He sent a flood that wiped out everything. Gen_6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
We can not comprehend the depths of the pain God must have felt. It would grieve Him too much to see His creations tormented forever. We would get sick of seeing anyone tormented forever, how much more so for the one that brought them into existence? No matter how bad a child is, can any mother and father bare to see their loved ones suffering forever? Our emotions are tiny compared to His, we were given a little share of His emotions. His pain at seeing His creations suffer forever would be far more immense than we can even begin to comprehend---even if it were for only one individual, much less billions.
There are more reasons--aren't these enough?

 

[eleos1954]

but humans also is immortal. angels were created just like humans. why would the fallen angels get tortured for ever and ever but not fallen humans?

Nobody gets "tortured" forever ..... all fallen mankind, fallen angels and even Satan get totally destroyed by fire and are nevermore.

 

[Danoded]

Nope ... not so ..... a soul is what you are ... not something you possess ... IF anything continues to exist beyond earthly death that denotes immortality and only God is immortal. All are dead and in the grave waiting for for the 1st resurrection (the saved) or the 2nd resurrection (the unsaved) who will be totally destroyed by fire and cease to exist. I just made a post about Hell that has several verses about this. And you are correct it IS either eternal life ..... or eternal death. God is not a torturer! He will destroy those who did not make the choice to received Jesus. It is however the choice they made.

By your logic souls can't be in Heaven now for eternity, even though Heaven is eternal.

 

[jovanovic]

Nope ... not so ..... a soul is what you are ... not something you possess ... IF anything continues to exist beyond earthly death that denotes immortality and only God is immortal. All are dead and in the grave waiting for for the 1st resurrection (the saved) or the 2nd resurrection (the unsaved) who will be totally destroyed by fire and cease to exist. I just made a post about Hell that has several verses about this. And you are correct it IS either eternal life ..... or eternal death. God is not a torturer! He will destroy those who did not make the choice to received Jesus. It is however the choice they made.

so if i have a soul how can i then be in the grave and dead? how do you explain abraham and his bossom or that jesus went to hell and preached the gospel? and the story with lazarus and the poor man? and we have the angels who are spirit, they have no body and still they are alive...

 

[jovanovic]

I already answered that in the post you are answering. You only read the first sentence and then replied.

angels did revolt too...their punishment is enternal torture, so then the punishment for humans who did revolt should be torture aswell.

humans, just like angels have a spirit/soul. god do not look any different on sinning angels then he does on sinning humans.

 

[DavidPT]

the opposite to enternal life should be enternal death.

but some verses in the bible say that the souls will exist for ever and can not be destroyed, correct me if am wrong, if this is the case then indeed the people in hell will be tortured for ever and ever. or maybe "for ever" means like 1 million years?

You start off by coming to a logical conclusion, then apparently try and talk yourself out of this logical conclusion by what you argued below it.

A point I was making in another thread a few moments ago went something like this, and that I will also add to that point here in this thread.

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.


This says---the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed. Obviously that literally means exactly what it states, it shall never be destroyed, ever.

Let's now do some comparing with the following verse.

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.


This verse indicates---which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell

Let's do some side by side comparing here.

which shall never be destroyed(Daniel 2:44)
which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell(Matthew 10:28)

What does the latter say? Does it say---which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell? Or does it instead say---which is able to never destroy both soul and body in hell? Which of the two would be the exact opposite of the sense meant in Daniel 2:44? Once one gets that correct, that it is clearly the former that is the exact opposite, how could one still conclude the body and soul in hell is never actually destroyed, thus ECT instead? That really means they think the latter is the exact opposite rather than the former, not to mention, the latter would be adding to the text. But either way, it simply doesn't logically work if ECT is true of humans cast into the LOF.

 

[TuxAme]

speaking of whishful thinking, you catholics believe in purgatory.

Do you know what purgatory actually is to be making that statement?

 

[jovanovic]

Nobody gets "tortured" forever ..... all fallen mankind, fallen angels and even Satan get totally destroyed by fire and are nevermore.

bible say that fallen angels and satan will be tortured infront of the lamb and holy saints for ever and ever.

 

[1stcenturylady]

angels did revolt too...their punishment is enternal torture, so then the punishment for humans who did revolt should be torture aswell.

humans, just like angels have a spirit/soul. god do not look any different on sinning angels then he does on sinning humans.

Those angels are still living today. They are immortal.

 

[2Timothy2:15]

It doesn't make sense to me at all, what do they think Hell* is for in that case?

Because they are sitting in compromised lukewarm churches ran by hirelings.

 

[jovanovic]

Do you know what purgatory actually is to be making that statement?

of course, its where people who have sinned goes but not wicked enough to go to hell, in this puratory people will get their sins cleansed in terrible pain...and when the cleaning is done you will let in into heaven...

 

[jovanovic]

Those angels are still living today. They are immortal.

yes, and they where created by god just like we humans. humans are actually said to be even more powerful than angels when we are in our spirit...

humans are also immortal, we have a soul/spirit just like the angels.

 

[TuxAme]

of course, its where people who have sinned goes but not wicked enough to go to hell, in this puratory people will get their sins cleansed in terrible pain...and when the cleaning is done you will let in into heaven...

And this is wishful thinking?

 

[1stcenturylady]

yes, and they where created by god just like we humans. humans are actually said to be even more powerful than angels when we are in our spirit...

humans are also immortal, we have a soul/spirit just like the angels.

Hell was made for Satan and his angels. It doesn't say it was made for man.

 

[Danoded]

Hell was made for Satan and his angels. It doesn't say it was made for man.

Are not people who practice evil in this life without repentance followers of satan? Is their reward not Hell?

 

[jovanovic]

There have been many posts on this and there are many verses to support both views. There are more that support annihilation, but the number is not important. Neither is the end result important to our salvation except for one thing---our concept of who God is, for it is His character that we are to immolate. Anytime there seems to be a contradicting concept, the character of God must be taken into account, it can be the deciding factor. That there is a hell, there is no doubt. The question is one of duration of it. Those who do not believe in the eternal torment concept do so because of what the bible says about heaven, and hell, and what the bible says about the character of God.
The bible does state that the saved are given eternal life, not the lost. To come up with immortality for the lost you have to twist the words of scripture. We put on immortality, we are given it, it is the gift of God. Immortality, in order to burn forever, is not given to the lost. The bible clearly states that the lost are punished according to their works. Everyone burning forever is the same sentence and can not by definition be just--for no matter what, if you go to hell upon death--Cain would have been burning for thousands of years longer than most resent mass murderer ever will. How is it just to burn forever for stealing $5 and for killing millions of people? God is justice. It is He alone that can judge the heart. True justice can only be handed down by Him. Even under Hitler, the Jews suffering came to an end. Now they face endless burning for rejecting Jesus? How is that justice? Just at an only justice level, it makes no sense.
As long as there is a sinner, there is sin. With a sinner burning forever, sin is forever and God says there will be no more sin, no more tears, no more pain. There will be all of the above if burning is forever. The bible (Rev 20:14) states both death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire. Death will no longer exist after the 2nd death. Everything goes into that lake of fire and is destroyed--they will exist no more. No more pain--eternal torment is not possible when God says there will be no more pain.
Punishment is usually given in order to teach someone a lesson. The lost have no lesson to learn.. They have only their sentence to be carried out for the fulfillment of justice for their crimes. The death penalty is not handed out to teach the criminal a lesson--it can learn no more. Burning forever can not teach anything, it is a sentence that is not be finished. The 2nd death is the end result of a life apart from Jesus.
God never told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree they would burn in hell forever. He said they would die. God does not lie, He does not deal in half-truths, He is not sneaky and underhanded--what He says is. He spoke s world into existence--His words are truth. He did not tell Adam and Eve they would burn forever, therefore---eternal torment is not the price of sin, death is.
The concept of God being emotionless is not biblical. He takes joy, He feels sorrow, He grieves. He was grieved that He had made man and was so hurt by what they had become that He sent a flood that wiped out everything. Gen_6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
We can not comprehend the depths of the pain God must have felt. It would grieve Him too much to see His creations tormented forever. We would get sick of seeing anyone tormented forever, how much more so for the one that brought them into existence? No matter how bad a child is, can any mother and father bare to see their loved ones suffering forever? Our emotions are tiny compared to His, we were given a little share of His emotions. His pain at seeing His creations suffer forever would be far more immense than we can even begin to comprehend---even if it were for only one individual, much less billions.
There are more reasons--aren't these enough?

yes people get different punishment, like someone feels 10000 deegress and the other one only feels 400 deegrees.

and hell is not opened yet, its on doomsday god will start to burn people forever....everyone will spend as much time in hell....the wicked right now (and since start of mankind) is going to dark sorrow place...which is not even close to be as bad as the real hell that will come at doomsday...

 

[1stcenturylady]

Are not people who practice evil in this life without repentance followers of satan? Is their reward not Hell?

Yes, and they will be destroyed, not suffer forever like the demons and Satan.