With sincerity, dedication and concern, by lending out their ears, many well meaning Christians study the hell fire message out of context. The message of forever being punished in hell is a message of Love and hope and not a message of discouragement. it's not a message that should cause you to lose trust in the love of God.
The Bible is clear that the Word of God is not to be interpreted. Scripture is to be compared verse by verse: 2 pet 1:20 - Matt 15:9 Isaiah 28:9-1. In order to study to Bible in context, without private interpretation, it is imperative that we refuse to hang on to preconceived ideas and refuse to use non Canonical quotes and writings completely!
So, join me and lets strip our minds from what we believe to be truth and let's focus on what the text says.
I am sure that we would both agree, that according to the Bible, the righteous would have to receive immortal bodies to enable them to live forever. Contradictory to God's Word, claiming that the unjust will continue to live forever, is to say that unjust have immortality, but Gods Word is clear: only God has immortality 1 Tim 6:6
From Scripture, it is clear that, as a result of NOT having glorified bodies, those who would end up in hell, DO NOT, and CANNOT obtain immortality, thus making it impossible for them to live forever; besides, the righteous have to eat from the tree of life to sustain life. rev 22:2 the Unjust do not have a tree!
Let's face it - Hell is a very real place as well as a scary place, the unjust will be burned with fire and brimstone, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there. Hell fire will punish the wicked and it will burn non believers to ashes;
When everything is said and done, the stars of heaven shall fall from the sky and heaven and earth will pass away by melting the earth and the elements with fervent heat, It will depart like a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island shall be moved out of their places. and, Rev 6: 13-14 2 peter 3:10 mal 4:3; matt 24:35
Hell fire will be used as a tool to purify the earth by fire, it is used to eradicate sin by wiping it out of existence. Luke 13:28; 2 cor 5:17,2 peter 3:10
but Be honest, in new universe, cleansed from all sin and all unrighteousness and purified by fire, where the elements, had been melted, dissolved and burned up by feverant heat, Where will Hell be?
Where is this continuation of an everlasting burning hell, where God, in a gruesome manner will constantly inflict and maintain the worst form of pain imaginable - OXYMORON! The Bible is clear, the former things will not come to mind?
Jesus, prayed for his executioners. If the hell theory proves to be true, How would it be possible for Jesus to maintain this kind of Love and mercy. while vindictively punishing those who would not accept Him as Savior - harsh sentence, won't you agree?
So, without imposing my thoughts on Bible I would agree, the Bible does say that God will have the wicked to suffer everlasting punishment in hell fire. but the Bible is perfectly clear, after being purified by fire, perfect punishment would have had been given, and the fire will go out.
So, in turn, without imposing your thoughts on Bible: Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, (future, not yet) that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: Then The righteous shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me. Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched - It will burn them up and it shall leave them neither root nor branch. there shall not be a coal to WARM at, NOR A FIRE to sit before it. they shall not deliver themselves FROM THE POWER OF THE FLAME (Notice, it is the power of the flame that will last forever!) They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; like stubble, they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Rev 21:4-8 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (any more pain means NONE WHATSOEVER)
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Behold, I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.I make all things new. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (take note, the unrighteous wont dwell there) So, I ask again, where is Hell and where is the wicked in a earth made new?
Now this I say, brethren, that corruption cannot inherit incorruption. GOD ALONE HAS IMMORTALITY. 1 cor 15: 26,50 1Tim 6:16:
Isaiah 66:24; Mal 4:3 Isaiah 47:14 and 14 it
So, the Wicked will be burned with unquenchable fire, the fire will burn them to ashes, it will burn them up until they are no more the fire shall never be extinguished, until it burns up everything then shall there not be a cole left not even warmth.
Mark 9:43,45 mal 4 explains Isaiah 47
14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it, God prophesied that He would strike the wicked with a merciful second death: Rev 21:4.
The elements will be burned up and so will hell: hell 2 pet 3: 10. there will be no more pain nor sorrow - Surely, you would agree with me that the everlasting pain of the wicked will bring their righteous families much pain and sorrow. Rev 21:4. Take note, the devil wont be fueling hell either, he will be annihilated Rev 19:20
I cannot reconcile a God of Love with an act of tyranny, and I cannot justify the theory of everlasting punishment with Scripture, neither can I serve a righteous and just God who mercilessly and vindictively burn people forever for the act of rejecting Him, or any other bad act for that matter.
By comparing scripture with scripture, I cannot find the teaching that hell will be burning forever and ever - By not studying the Bible for ourselves, we might assume such a theory from verses not well studied by comparison - This is eisegesis, private interpretation, and reading something into the text that is not there! but it does not square with other verses
IF you choose to believe in eternal burning hell fire and everlasting punishment, then the Bible must be contradicting itself for you! and that would make God is a God of revenge. then you are misinterpreting the Bible, because the Bible does not contradict itself.
BUT LET ME STRESS, ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, , HELL IS A VERY, VERY, REAL PLACE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, PAIN AND SUFFERING
If you are troubled by contradicting verses, please e mail me at cozz@att.net
Conclusion:
We should thus continue to serve God out of a pure heart with love and devotion and not so much out of fear - Jesus used fear to compel us, but love is the theme of his Gospel.
Hell should be avoided at all cost, but not for the fear of punishment but for loving God so much that you would follow Him at all cost. You want to avoid Hell because you love God and you want to avoid being erased out of existence by the second death to missing out on meeting Jesus and experiencing the Love of God in person, forever and ever .
Jesus warned that False prophets shall arise, and if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 24:24; Galatians 1:8 matt 15:9 Isaiah 8:20 2 Tim 2:15
So, what will happen to hell in the end: Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
When all is said and done, Where will hell be? - Gone: Rev 20: 11 Revelation 20:10-15
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Speaking about the unjust and hell, the Bible says: 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found NO PLACE for them.
Conclusion:
We should thus continue to serve God out of pure love and devotion and not so much out of fear - Jesus used fear to compel us, but love is the theme of his Gospel. So,
CONCLUSION
False prophets shall arise, and if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 24:24; Galatians 1:8 matt 15:9 Isaiah 8:20 2 Tim 2:15
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God:
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God
ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal - are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
Nahum 1:9 What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. the soul that sinneth shall die Nahum 1:9 Ezek 18:20,23
So, what have you imagined against the Lord; God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked what have you imagined against the Lord, affliction shall not rise up the second time the soul that sinneth shall die Nahum 1:9
HERE IS THE BURNING QUESTION:
Would you rather serve a God out of Love or fear. Would you rather serve a God of Love or revenge, a God of mercy or tyranny; a God who would kindly and righteously administer the death sentence or would you prefer that your unrighteous loved ones spend a life in pain and suffering, forever and ever and evermore, you decide? Would you rather follow the Word of God, or do you prefer the tradition handed down to you - YOU DECIDE:
So, Hellfire will be a bitter sweet experience for everyone,
Bitter because God, against His nature, would have to punish the wicked by annihilation Isaiah 28:21 21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Jesus would lose those whom He died for
The Just will lose their loved ones who rejected Jesus.
The unjust will be cut off from their families their loving Savior, they would miss out on heaven and lose their reward and experience the terrible hell of knowing that they are lost - Forever.
It will be a sweet experience because
God will receive His children
Christ will Save those whom He died for,
The Just will see Jesus and receive great reward.
the unjust will receive a mercy death.
We will inherit a new heaven and a new earth, all our tears would be wiped up and we will go into everlasting bliss.......................
