Is Hell really eternal burning?

[Guest Kilad]

I know about matthew and second peter where it talks about the body being cast into hell but is it really eternal torment? Can a loving God really burn his children in a lake of fire for all eternity? Or is the second death truly a second death? Is the second Death the complete and total elimination of those sinners eternal damnation in the since that they are gone for eternity never to experience the joy of being with Christ because they are no longer in existance?

Re 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Re 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Re 21:4 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.

Re 21:8 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.

[ayin jade]

Rev 14:9 And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice, If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark in his forehead or in his hand,

10 he also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented by fire and brimstone before the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.

And plenty of verses about where the worm never dies etc. It sounds like eternity without it being a total elimination.

[ONE WHO WISHES TO LOVE GOD]

Hello Kilad, well you certianly picked a hot topic. This is a question I also have turned around in my head as well. Scripture repeatedly uses fire in both a symbolic and a literal way. However what ever the case may be it is with out a doubt that it is a very undesrabel state of being even if one did interrupt the scriptures merely from a symbolic stand point. Be mindful of these things the time when God told Abraham that he was going to destroy Sadom and Gamora, and remember how Abraham question Gods judgement. Also know that what ever be the case our God is not unrightues such as we so as to render judgement unfairly but those meant for the second death deserve the fate that he judges for them.

Well I hope this helps

[Aviator227]

Hey Awesome,

I just joined worthyboards and this is the first post I clicked on, and i just wanna say that I'm glad I joined because I see already that there are people here who love the Lord and meditate on His truth, trying to figure out the mysteries of scripture.

To tell the truth I haven't thought about this topic so much, the way I saw it was like the passage with the rich man and lazerus, where those who are saved go to be with the Lord in paradise (the thief of the cross), and those who aren't go to hell, like the rich man in the parable. The lake of fire would be God's divine eternal judgement for everything tainted by sin, that is everything but God, the holy angels, redeemed man and the new heaven and the new earth.

Hope this helps, sorry I don't have my Bible out, I should use more references. I'll make another post with some for those who want to see where I'm coming from.

[Guest LDStudent]

I believe in a place known as Sheol, which is a waiting place for those who are dead. This is translated as "hell" in the KJV and "the grave" in modern translations. Paradise, where Jesus and the thief went, is contained within Sheol/hell. This is also where King David went as according to the Bible. The majority of Christians ignore Sheol, or aren't even aware it exists, primarily because they think everyone immediately goes to heaven/hell when they die. This simply is not true. Until there is the resurrection, everyone will be waiting... in paradise, or in a spirit prison, depending on whether the individual accepted the atonement or not. I believed this when I was an Evangelical; and I believe the same thing as a Latter-day Saint.

There is also 'gehenna' which is mentioned by Christ. This is where blasphemers will spend their eternity as sons of Perdition (the Devil).

[book_wirm]

Can a loving God really burn his children in a lake of fire for all eternity?

We have to stop thinking of and referring to all mankind as "God's children". This simply is not the case. God has His children, and none of them shall taste of the second death. But there are also those not born of God's Spirit, who are not His, who will suffer His wrath.

...is it really eternal torment?

There is no valid reason to think it is anything other, unfortunately. The scriptures are clear on this.

In Christ,

Eric

[apothanein kerdos]

I guess I come from another view on hell....though it is still equally painful and equally eternal. I believe that these people will have physical bodies, meaning that if thrown into fire, they would be consumed Thus, I believe hell as fire was imagry that Jesus was using. One thing that the NT hell and OT hell have in common is both talk about isolation. This means that humans, who have rejected GOd and are merely getting what they wanted, will have a full feeling of the seperation from God's presence. They feel this pain and thus "wheep and gnash" at this seperation....there is a worse way to die than fire; lonliness.

[Gerioke]

What is the difference between the refining fire and the lake of fire? I mean in a physical sense.

Also in the following passage, is Jesus just spewing nonsense?

Luke 23

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Could it be that Jesus calls for mercy on the lost?

[Guest Kilad]

The reason I ask is because my heart hurts for all of those who are mislead and follow false teachings. I come from a mormon background and have mormon friends and family. It makes me so very sad that they have been led down a false path by false teachings. Sometimes when I am in prayer I cry for them as I ask God to help them to see the truth of his word and save them from that path. They truly believe the false doctrine with all their hearts and blindly walk down the path of damnation. Many of these are good people who are blinded by satan, I know there is only one path to salvation it it saddens me to think that they will suffer for eternity because of their misplaced faith.

God Bless

[EricH]

What is the difference between the refining fire and the lake of fire? I mean in a physical sense.

Also in the following passage, is Jesus just spewing nonsense?

Luke 23

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Could it be that Jesus calls for mercy on the lost?

Jesus does indeed call for mercy, but this mercy can never be extended at the expense of God's holiness or any of HIs other attributes. Jesus extends mercy on the basis of His atoning work on the cross. That mercy is available only to those who avail themselves of this offer. This satisfies both God's mercy, and His holiness.