Some questions about Hell?

[Remnantrob]

so if hell is the grave, are you imlying that just the body goes to hell, Atalyah?

Don't worry i'm not gonna jump on you, i'm just curious.

So ppl who haven't accepted Christ are going to or are in hell Currently? What about those who came Before Christ?

[apothanein kerdos]

so if hell is the grave, are you imlying that just the body goes to hell, Atalyah?

Don't worry i'm not gonna jump on you, i'm just curious.

So ppl who haven't accepted Christ are going to or are in hell Currently?  What about those who came Before Christ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Their faith in what was to come was counted as righteousness for them.

[Atalyah]

Thanks for not jumping on me. Much appreciated!

I guess my belief on hell stems from the fact that I don't believe that we have an immortal soul. I understand death to be the cessation of all life, thought and action.

As it is written in Ez. 38, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die". The punishment for sin is death. Immortality is the reward for the righteous in the Kingdom of God, it is not something that we inherantly possess.

My hope is in the ressurrection, in the day that "God will redeem my soul from the grave", and until then, those who are dead in Christ are spoken of as being "asleep", as there is no conciousness in the grave. If a part of them were in heaven, then it would seem that Pauls language in 1 Cor 15 saying that those who have "fallen asleep in Christ are perished" is inappropriate.

As for people who die not having heard the gospel, they are simply dead. They return to dust and the breath of life returns to him that gave it. As Ps. 49 says (I think its Ps. 49 anyways, don't have my bible handy at the moment), those who understand not are as the beasts that perish. This is apt, as animals and man all have the same breath/spirit.

Those who came prior to Christ are in no different state than those who came after. The gospel was preached unto Abraham, and those who died in knowledge of it will be raised at Christ's return to be judged.

Another thing to think on is the judgement seat. We are told that we are judged at Christs return. If we believe that some are condemned to a firey hell prior to this time, or taken to heaven, it sort of confuses that as they would have to have been judged at the time of their death.

Consider, for example, the parable of the 10 virgins. In waiting for their bridegroom (Christ to come), they fell asleep (death). At his coming, they awoke (resurrection). The wise virgins receive their reward when the groom comes, the wicked receive their punishment. Jesus teaches us to be prepared for judgement *at his coming*.

Sorry if that was a disorganised, scatter-brained reply. I have a two-foot tornado (my son) whirling around my legs. I can get you references or go into more detail on any point later if you want.

[nebula]

Warning! Thread hijack potential in process.

[Atalyah]

Warning!  Thread hijack potential in process.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

um, did I do that? sorry

[Remnantrob]

Great responses I was wondering about the about words like eternal and forever? Are those words to always be taken literally or can they be taken figuratively? I ask because I read the word forever in the book of Jonah when he was in the belly of the whale but obviously he wasn't there forever and that same forever is used in the book of I Samuel when Hannah referred to dedicating Samuel to the Lord for the rest of his life:

I Samuel 1:11, 22

11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

22But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

I just thought that maybe it were possible that the word forever in Revelation might not have always been literal but figurative.JMHO

What do you think?

[Gerioke]

Revelation 20

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.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

[Remnantrob]

Thanks Gerioke That's kind of what i was talking about. If death is a cessation of life then what does the "second death" mean?

[jc49]

Hi friends,

I just got through an interesting thread on the Archangel Michael, and who he is and I have to say that I really enjoyed it.  It was like a roller coaster ride.  I figured that i didn't see anything about Hell on this page and i didn't want to know what the old WB members had to say about Hell, I was curious about what the current members believed?  So I'll just add a question here or there from time to time and you guys are experts so you know what to do. 

First question is:

1.  What is hell? and 1b.)  who's going there?  simple questions that don't really need a sermon to explain it.  If this is something that the moderator sees fit to not continue than I apologize and i will try to start a thread  that can be agreed upon.  I learn a lot from you guys so keep working with me. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HELL IS VERY HORRIBLE.........

[jc49]

Thanks for not jumping on me.    Much appreciated!

I guess my belief on hell stems from the fact that I don't believe that we have an immortal soul.  I understand death to be the cessation of all life, thought and action. 

As it is written in Ez. 38, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die".  The punishment for sin is death. Immortality is the reward for the righteous in the Kingdom of God, it is not something that we inherantly possess.

My hope is in the ressurrection, in the day that "God will redeem my soul from the grave", and until then, those who are dead in Christ are spoken of as being "asleep", as there is no conciousness in the grave.  If a part of them were in heaven, then it would seem that Pauls language in 1 Cor 15 saying that those who have "fallen asleep in Christ are perished" is inappropriate.

As for people who die not having heard the gospel, they are simply dead.  They return to dust and the breath of life returns to him that gave it.  As Ps. 49 says (I think its Ps. 49 anyways, don't have my bible handy at the moment), those who understand not are as the beasts that perish.  This is apt, as animals and man all have the same breath/spirit. 

Those who came prior to Christ are in no different state than those who came after.  The gospel was preached unto Abraham, and those who died in knowledge of it will be raised at Christ's return to be judged. 

Another thing to think on is the judgement seat.  We are told that we are judged at Christs return.  If we believe that some are condemned to a firey hell prior to this time, or taken to heaven, it sort of confuses that as they would have to have been judged at the time of their death. 

Consider, for example, the parable of the 10 virgins.  In waiting for their bridegroom (Christ to come), they fell asleep (death).  At his coming, they awoke (resurrection).  The wise virgins receive their reward when the groom comes, the wicked receive their punishment.  Jesus teaches us to be prepared for judgement *at his coming*. 

Sorry if that was a disorganised, scatter-brained reply.  I have a two-foot tornado (my son) whirling around my legs.  I can get you references or go into more detail on any point later if you want.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

JWS?uhmmmm...careful....