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Why dose hell last forever?

TheKingOfImmortality

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This is one my reasons why I am a ex-Christian. I dont get why god will send some one to hell forever and ever. I began to think about the subject a little and I thought about the people who were in hell. I wonder how could god let people burn forever and still be called a forgiving god? Now before any one talks about the really really bad people like Hittler there are some Chruchs out that there that say that if your gay you will brun, if your not a Christian you will burn like Ann Frank one the Jews Hittler killed(I like to point out I am not sure if that last one is what the religon really teaches but just wanted to prove a point) and then there are people were bad but I dont think desverd to be in hell forever. I began to relize I was beggning to show mercy to some of the people that God would not show any (I only think a few should stay down there forever like Hittler and NOT Ann Frank). If I am willing to show more compasion for every one I just named then god then somthing is really really wrong! God should show more mercy and love then me (because I am human, he is god,he should be greater then man meaning he should out do people when comes to love and forgivness), why should hell last for ever? Would this not make Christianty a fear base religon?
 

HypnoToad

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God should show more mercy and love then me (because I am human, he is god,he should be greater then man
If God is greater, wouldn't you expect that His wisdom is greater, and that He has knowledge on the subject that you don't? Yet you are quick to assume your judgement is superior?
 
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prophecystudent

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Yeah, God is so merciless that He sent His only Son to die in payment for our sins. Jesus never commited a sin, but He voluntarily died a horribly gruesome death to provide us a way to return to God and eternal salvation.

God made the rules. The chief rule is that if you reject His free will offering of salvation (namely believe in Christ and what He did for us) then you reject God's mercy. It is simple.

Perhaps too simple as so many people fail to understand it. But then, it says in the bible that the "wise" will not comprehend it, but those who believe as little children will.

Just as eternal salvation means we spend forever with God/Christ, the reverse is that those who do not accept salvation spend eternity in the lake of burning sulphur.

God gave us free will. We make our own decisions, and we must at the same time accept the consequences of those decisions. Seems simple to me.

God established the penalty for sin as death, and only blood could wash it away. In the Old Testament days the blood came from animals sacrificed to atone for man's sins. But that was only temporary and every time man sinned more sacrifices had to be made.

God sent His Son, called the Lamb of God, as the one time sacrifice for all our sins. His blood covers all our sins, and all we have to do is believe and accept His offer.

Seems pretty merciful to me.

Fred
 
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Digit

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Hi TheKing,

If there is one thing that I continually feel after reading your questions, it's that you seem very confused, and have accepted a great many things about Christianity as standards, when they are the exception.

I don't believe that hell lasts forever. It is called the second death and it is permanent. In addition eternal conscious torment doesn't reconcile very well with an eternal loving God. I'm not certain on this of course, as scripture alludes to both, but I feel it aligns better with God as revealed in the Bible.

Jedi is right though, in that the Bible too says that God is higher in His ways and thoughts, than we are, and we are to have faith in things we don't understand, that He has the right of them.

So put your faith in God, that even those things which are odd to you, are there for a reason and will all be explained one day.

Cheers!
Digit
 
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mystery4

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ThekingofImmortality

I have discovered alot of people think similarly to you. And for many people they turn away from Christianity, just as you have for that reason.

Your question, why does hell last forever?

My answer, when fire burns, how long does it burn for? Once its burnt can it ever be burnt again?

If that is what its like here on earth, then why would the fire that kills those in hell last any longer?

We read in Jude 7
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

And in 1 Peter 2:6
if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

Sodom and Gomoarrah are examples of "eternal fire". They are also examples of what will happen to those who reject God. Having said that, the answer to your question lies in the answer to this one.

Are the people of Sodom and Gomorrah still burning?
 
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revmalone

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Greetings friend
I know how you feel, hell is a terrible place and nobody should be in a place like that. I have many old friends who are there, and many time If my mind thinks of them I cry like a little child for them.

People don't go to Hell because of what life style they live and they don't go there because of things they do.

According to the Scriptures were not sinners because we sin, we all sin because were born sinners. Sin is in us the second were formed in the womb. Sin was passed down to each of us as a inheritance from the first people that disobeyed the Command God gave them.

God told them don't, but they did. Let me give this example from something we all can understand. A women who has a disease and gives birth to a child, the child is born and that child did nothing wrong but it suffers from the things that mother or father had done.

This is what the Scriptures are telling, Adam and Eve passed a disease to all humans born after, we know that disease's are passed down from generation to generation in a family, this is what happened.

We all have this infection, the scriptures say the proof that were infected because it dies. We all have it, because we all die. There is even no difference between us and animals, even they were infected because of the first created parents disobeyed Gods instructions.

Jesus fixed this whole thing, God placed him into Mary, God is sinless but human fathers pass the on the infection called death, and sinful desires. There is nothing humans can do to saved them selfs at all.

Jesus being placed into Mary as a virgin, bypassed the passing on of that infection to him, making him free from the infection we know as sin and death. Jesus was Gods son and not a human son.

We are forever without hope as humans to do anything to save ourselfs, that is why we as Christians put our trust into Jesus. God requires the offering of pure blood shed, because the infection is passed on in the blood from father to father.

We all know it take a male seed and a female egg to make a child. God was the father seed of Jesus, that is why he placed Jesus into a virgin, her womb was pure because she never had been with a man.

Those who die without trusting in what Jesus was able to do to save us all are placed into a Holding place we know as hell.

Hell is like a holding cell in a county jail, those who are awaiting trial are held until there day in court, this is all hell is for right now it hold the people who didn't trust in the things God did to save them.

God has set a day aside to judge all peoples, both good and bad.Jesus said in that day many are going to be those who did works in Jesus name, isn't that a shocker.

Do you know why, they were doing to be right, but it's what Jesus has done not us, were hopless to do what needed to be done.

Jesus died so God could place all of human sin on him and when he as a sinless sacrifice died with all sin on him he became the only one who God accepts to be the way to heaven and him.

God did everything he could to fix what was messed up, but by a person snubing all he did, they make a personal choice. We make decisions daily that effect us for years to come, but snubing what God did to make a way to him, is the choice to stay away from him, so that is the only reason there is a hell.

It hold those who snub what God did to save them, he made it free, he did it all because he love us all.

Nobody can walk into a place witout making a choice go thru the door, Jesus is Gods door, we make our choice to go in or not.

I want everyone to come in, here is a invitiation to you, and all who have read this.

Rev Malone
 
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R3quiem

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One of the most common answers is "God doesn't send people to hell, they send themselves there by rejecting him! So anyone who is there CHOSE it!"

I think that's flawed thinking. People want a God that is super nice and forgiving and unconditionally loving. But, their religion also says that many people burn in agony for eternity. Because they don't want to think their super-loving Father could do that to anyone, they think up the "They chose it!" idea.

Real answer: I don't know if hell exists or not, and if it does, I don't know why anyone would do that to anybody.
 
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tapero

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hi, i didn't come to Christ out of fear, nor have many others, some do.

As to hell being eternal, it's cause God has so ordained.

Why? God made it so

Not sure how any created being (man) thinks they are better than God, but such is the deception some are given to.

Not sure how any created being (man) thinks they are more compassionate than God. God created us, and is the one who gave us our compassion.

No one wants anyone to go to hell, no humans, except those who are very hurt and angry and then the sickos.

I would have to be quite studied in OT to fully grasp how sin is viewed by God and I'm not, and even if were,don't know that it's fully explained but we know much from the law as examples how sin was dealt with or was supposed to be dealt with.

We know all sin is evil, and all wrongdoing is sin.

Bible says God wants all to know forgiveness.

He provided the way to forgiveness.

In the OT the hebrews had God right there, in their midst and still despised, rejected and did not believe in him, meaning did not put their faith in him, they knew he exists, but none the less rejected God.

I never thought of God my whole life, until shortly before coming to Christ. So, dont' fully grasp why at 33 I believed but I did. Though through a funeral did observe something that led me to the church of the pastors doing the funeral, and then led me to Christ. Very much while not understanding what was going on with me.

We don't know I think why unforgiven sin merits eternal suffering but it does in God sight, so is what will occur.

God is more merciful than any created being and more fogiving than any created being, so for whatever reason that eternal suffering will occur, we don't know again, but God does.

That's why we come in faith. Much we don't know, but we walk by faith.

But again, for anyone to think themselves better than God really is a decietfulness occuring in that person, tho unaware, they are saying I am my own god, whther aware or not. satan is a deciever and liar. Not all can be blamed on him, but his work I gather is to keep many from Christ, and does so well.

Romans 1 says men are without excuse. So even tho I never thought of God until right before coming to Christ, I was without excuse.

I believe we are born knowing God and as we get older suppress that knowledge, as makes sense to me reading romans one, as what God says it men suppress the knowledge of God. Since i have no recollection ever of God, means that after I grew some, whatever knowledge I had I suppressed and went my own way. I had no one ever tell me about God, but even those with Christian parents, can become atheists.

Dont' understand it all, just glad I am in Christ, and don't know how I lived before without Him and desperately pray for those I love and those I don't love to know Him.

blessings,
tapero
 
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MelissaShae

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I know that it is very hard to think that people are burning in hell and I don't like to think about it either, but on the other hand, God said that there will be people in hell and he has explained what causes one to go to hell. I have to agree with one of the posters above that we don't send our selves to hell, our actions are judged and then God either rewards or punishes us.

We have no idea who is in hell, that is decision was made by God. Sure it would be a good bet to say that Hitler is in hell, but we do not know that for sure because we do not know if he confessed his sins to God and was forgiven. I don't like to assume about who is in heaven or hell because I am not the judge that determines that.

God is loving but he is also powerful and he does exactly what he says he is going to do. He never changes his mind or lets someone slide by on the rules that he made, inorder to be rewarded you must do what God has said we are to do and if not then hell is the punishment.
 
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zeke37

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ministers that teach a burning everlasting hell where souls are sent to be...tortured forever....while on the other side is Paradise.....are not teaching the Word as God would have you understand it, but their own interpretations of it. They wanna sell books and tapes and keep there financial gain train coming in.

There is a real true Christianity out there, which is bible based

It has only taken a very small handfull of ministers with a distorted end time view, that has basically taken the truth of the matter and made it into their own thoughts.

God is going to have a Judgement at the end of the 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ.

At that Judgement, God is going to grant some eternal life,

and to others...as in Satan himself, God is going to send into the Lake of Fire, which is described as the place where God DESTROYES souls, not torments them.

The destruction of the soul is forever and ever...not the torment....the smoke rises forever but the torment does not....poooooof they are destroyed....


and then the very lake of fire itself is destroyed....

so, God is not a Sadist....

you have been shown error by ministers....and for that I personally apologize.

Our God is fair, loving and very forgiving....not a mean and nasty sadist. Come on back to the fold....


in His service
c
 
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R3quiem

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Yeah, I always tend to believe in annihilation too. Most verses that discuss it use the word destruction, or similar words. Plus, there is some evidence against the eternal torture thing.

But then someone brings up the story of Lazarus and the rich man, with the rich man in fire and Lazarus unable to comfort him, and asks me to explain that. Then I'm usually like "eh...I dunno."
 
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drstevej

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Jonathan Edwards
“The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners”

[1] A deserved punishment and a just punishment are the same thing.

[2] God’s punishment is consistent with our mistreatment of Him, His Son and our Neighbor.

“The greater our obligation to love, honor and obey another human being the greater our crime no to do so.

To fail to love, honor and obey One to whom we have infinite obligation yields us infinitely guilty.”
 
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imablondegirl

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prophecystudent

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prophecystudent

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The people of Sodom and Gomorrah are in Hades now. As to whether they are "still burning" or not, I cannot say. I can say, with total confidence, that they will all end up in the lake of fire when death and hell are thrown in there as part of the Great White Throne judgement.

The cities were burned to ashes, and perhaps the residents mortal bodies. However, they will be resurrected for the Throne Judgement and they will be consigned to the lake of fire where they will remain forever.

The bible is clear. It says in more than one place that the "smoke of their torment rises up forever". Forever means forever.

To change the clear language of the bible because we may not understand it, or agree with it, is asking for serious problems.

Fred
 
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mystery4

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Hey Fred
Thanks for your response. Did you know that Hades is the greek equivalent of the Hebrew Sheol? Both mean grave. And I agree with you that they will be thrown in the lake of fire when death and hades are thrown in there. And as a matter of fact we are told that death is the last “enemy” to be destroyed (1 Cor 15:26).

However I tell you this. Fire must have 3 elements for it to continually burn:
1. Heat
2. Oxygen
3. Fuel (of some description)

That is the basics you learn when fighting fire, you take away one element and the fire can no longer burn. God is a not God of disorder (1 Cor 14:33). If then this is the way it is now, why would he change it for the “punishment” of the ungodly? Once the people have finished burning, where is the fuel for the fire?

More than once it says the fire will consume the ungodly, meaning there is nothing left to burn.
Ps 21:8-10
Ps 58:12-13
Ps 97:1-3
Isa 26:11
Heb 10:26-27
Rev 18:8

Isa 66:15-16 says he is coming with fire and many will be slain by the Lord.
2 Thess2:8 talks about how the lawless one will be destroyed by the splendor of God when he comes.

We are told that the present heaven and earth are being reserved for fire. They will be destroyed with the ungodly. 2 Pet 3:5-7, 10, 12-13. Matt 24:35 Mark 13:31

Rev 21:1 talks about a new heaven and earth because the first had passed away. God says in Isa 65:17 he will make a new heavens and earth and in Isa 66:22 he says they will endure before himself.

Jesus himself states in Matt 5:18 that heaven and earth will disappear...

Constantly throughout the scriptures we are given two options… Life or Death. There is no other option…
When God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden there is only one reason we are told that God put a Cherub to guard the way back in.

Gen 3
22 And the LORD God said… "He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." …24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they forsook their right to live forever. It was taken away and it is God’s gift to give back to those who accept him. Rom 6:23. In Rev 22:2 John says he sees the tree of life near the throne of God on either side of the river of the water of life. Therefore once again, we will be able to live forever.

In John 17 we are given a definition of what eternal life is…
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

And in the previous verse Jesus says that those who the Father gives him are they who receive eternal life. It doesn’t say everyone will have eternal life. That is the lie of the devil (Gen 2:4)…

As have others here previously mentioned that people in hell will be separated from God, how then will those people have the chance to know God if that is what Jesus says is eternal life?

Also if the tree of life is not in hell then how will they be able to live forever?

And if the Bible says death is the last enemy to be destroyed, if no one has died but all live forever, just in different places, then does that mean God is not powerful enough to destroy death and sin? For if the sinful are still full of sin when they are “tormented forever” in hell then does not sin still exist?
 
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heron

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Lazarus was mentioned -- before the Jews believed in heaven, there were two places a soul could go, and both were underground. People put a lot of weight on their earthly decisions.

Jesus offered a new option -- eternal life with Him and with the Father.

Everyone is so used to hearing about that option now, that they don't see why they shouldn't be invited.

We are accustomed to the natural death of the body, even though we're not happy about it. The second death appears similar, an ending to the soul life.

Jesus invited us to a place that would be prepared for us. It was part of a long-term plan, but I don't think God officially announced it before that time.

(Correct me.)
 
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Merlin

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Hi.
Hell is not 'forever' as forever implies time.
It's a difficult concept for many people, but there simply is no time.
Imagine that a clock says 12:04:00
Later it says 12:04:00
How long has it been?
5 minutes? 5 years?
In hell, the clocks are stopped.
There is no clock or calendar. It simply is.
As for sending someone to hell,

Imagine for a moment, (and this is only a story for illustration purposes) imagine you wish to
travel to Pleadeus-heaven. It is in a distant galaxy. You have no means of getting there on your
own.
The ruler of the land, Jehovah, builds a vehicle which is called Jesus-I in order for you to
come.
Jesus-I is the only possible way to get there.

Many people in many lands and many languages will have different pronunciations of Jesus-I
and many spellings too, but there is only one vehicle to get you there.

Jehovah (the ruler of Pleadeus-heaven) has made reservations in your name, but you must get
on board the vehicle yourself.

Now, many other (travel agents) want to make money selling you a ticket. But unless that
ticket is for Jesus-I, you won’t arrive where you want to.
A ticket on trans-global airlines will deliver you to Hawaii, not Pleadeus-heaven.

Many travel agents [religions] (perhaps called Catholicus, or Baptismus) will truly give you a
ticket to Pleadeus-heaven. But some charge higher prices. Sure you get your ticket, but they
burden you with other baggage.

The thing to be concerned with, is that Jesus-I only makes one trip, so you have to be on board
when it leaves.
If you get on board the wrong vehicle and miss the flight, it’s too late to belly-ache to your
travel agent.

I hope to see you at Pleadeus-heaven.
 
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