Is Hell Real?

[SpagLard]

gah. if hell(grave) is a metaphor then what is heaven?

Heaven is a metaphor for the state of the people (souls) those With God,
Hell is the opposite, it is to be disconnected permanently from God's grace.

 

[duari91]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Heaven is a metaphor for the state of the people (souls) those With God,
Hell is the opposite, it is to be disconnected permanently from God's grace.

So I am guessing you don't believe in the description either? The gates, the river of life, the roads?

hmmmm...

 

[gefsgirl]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Recently, I had an epiphany that I was not living my life for Christ. Now, I sit up at night being scared of the prospect of going to hell. I want to live for Christ. I want to be a good Christian and go to the kingdom of heaven.

I know that I should pray and accept Christ as my savior. I know that I must believe and repent my sins. But, is that enough? Is that all it takes?

Jesus said we must be born again.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.†(NIV)

 

[felix]

Heaven is a metaphor for the state of the people (souls) those With God,
Hell is the opposite, it is to be disconnected permanently from God's grace.

God cannot be disconnected from any place. He is omnipresent.

Hell is the wrath of God in God's hands.

Rev 14 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives [his] mark on his forehead or on his hand, :10 "he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Sent from mobile.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

If he'll isn't real, then I'm throwing my bible in the bin because it is really decieving. If it's lying about he'll, then hey, we can do away with Jesus being God, and the resurrection was not real. I mean the bible is to be interpreted in the plainest way. It is literal except where the language suggests metaphore and I submit, in the passages where he'll is described, I'd say there is nothing to suggest it isn't real. And I'll hold my hand up and say that the account of the rich man and Lazarus is no parable. But I'm open for debate on that one.

I have a question, if someone thinks he'll is not real, how do you get saved? And what re you saved from? And why did Jesus die.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Here's a plain truth
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/hellreal.htm

 

[Tri Unity]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Here's a plain truth
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/hellreal.htm

There is a good book you might enjoy called Four Views on Hell. Here is a summary:

Most contemporary Christians acknowledge the doctrine of hell, but they'd rather not think about how God punishes the wicked. The authors of Four Views on Hell meet this subject head-on with different views on what the Scriptures say. Is hell to be understood literally as a place of eternal smoke and flames? Or are such images simply metaphors for a real but different form of punishment? Is there such a thing as 'conditional immortality, ' in which God annihilates the souls of the wicked rather than punishing them endlessly?


It is a difficult subject when you examine the varying views and the arguments that are presented, but it is worthwhile examining all the same.


http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Fou...urce=book_link&utm_content=Four-Views-on-Hell

 

[jasoncran]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

If he'll isn't real, then I'm throwing my bible in the bin because it is really decieving. If it's lying about he'll, then hey, we can do away with Jesus being God, and the resurrection was not real. I mean the bible is to be interpreted in the plainest way. It is literal except where the language suggests metaphore and I submit, in the passages where he'll is described, I'd say there is nothing to suggest it isn't real. And I'll hold my hand up and say that the account of the rich man and Lazarus is no parable. But I'm open for debate on that one.

I have a question, if someone thinks he'll is not real, how do you get saved? And what re you saved from? And why did Jesus die.

why raise up the dead only to judge them to hell if hell isnt real?

 

[jasoncran]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Heaven is a metaphor for the state of the people (souls) those With God,
Hell is the opposite, it is to be disconnected permanently from God's grace.

actually it isnt. even the jews of then and today believed in a place for the dead that they were aware. theres an oral tradition from which that the catholics get purgotory from and the candle they use to pray. its called the mourners kaddish and the soul is that area for 365 days and prayed out of there. i dont agree with that but its interesting.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

I might look at it sometime thanks. But for me, I have studied it a long time ago and most other views are unscriptural or they impose meanings and twist texts but I am content to go by what the scriptures say, and if I'm wrong,ill prefer to be wrong for believing the bible.

 

[Tri Unity]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

I might look at it sometime thanks. But for me, I have studied it a long time ago and most other views are unscriptural or they impose meanings and twist texts but I am content to go by what the scriptures say, and if I'm wrong,ill prefer to be wrong for believing the bible.

Good answer

If this view of the scriptures assists you, then it is doing what it was intended to do.

 

[jasoncran]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

being a jw i didnt believe in hell. while i do think the church does get off on what the lake of fire is. it is a place that exist. but its description is metaphorical in that how does a fire consume a spirit being?or also the beast and the false prophet. the beast is a goverment. the lake of fire refers to the idea of that at one time the dead sea burned and churned smoke. it symbolises something to the jewish minds what hell would be like and a place of destruction and death etc yet no one human or spirit dies.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Well there are other things that could be stated. I studied cults and the differences and I can't remember all the texts etc, but I had it in my mind settled, hell is for real and if a sinner gets saved because a preacher tells him that his sins will take him to an everlasting eternal hell which doesn't exist,then his salvation's predicated on a falsehood?

I know fear of he'll isn't the primary driver for salvation as it's about breaking gods law that demands forgiveness, but even still, I think if he'll wasn't real historic Christianity would have picked up on it.

I apologise for all the he'll spelling and not hell. Im using an iPad and it lies to edit words as you type to what it thinks you mean and it bugs the life out of me lol

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

being a jw i didnt believe in hell. while i do think the church does get off on what the lake of fire is. it is a place that exist. but its description is metaphorical in that how does a fire consume a spirit being?or also the beast and the false prophet. the beast is a goverment. the lake of fire refers to the idea of that at one time the dead sea burned and churned smoke. it symbolises something to the jewish minds what hell would be like and a place of destruction and death etc yet no one human or spirit dies.

Well, there are three hells , there is hades, tatarus, and gahenna. We don't have much description of tatarus ( where some of the devils angels are kept ) but the other 2 are literal. I mean you say about the fire consuming spirit and therefore say its a metaphore. What if then term consume is the metaphor to imply total immersion in flame. That would make sense while still keeping the flame literal.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Just by way of interest

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment

The word hell there is from Tartaros (a Gr. name for the abode of the damned)

It's the only time it mentioned.

 

[jasoncran]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

Well, there are three hells , there is hades, tatarus, and gahenna. We don't have much description of tatarus ( where some of the devils angels are kept ) but the other 2 are literal. I mean you say about the fire consuming spirit and therefore say its a metaphore. What if then term consume is the metaphor to imply total immersion in flame. That would make sense while still keeping the flame literal.

actuall hades has tarturus(the area for the wicked) the lysian fields for the good. gehenna is the area that was trash pit outside of the city of jerusalem where trash was burned. its not the lake of fire.

20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
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.
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
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.
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.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

that isnt gehenna.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

actuall hades has tarturus(the area for the wicked) the lysian fields for the good. gehenna is the area that was trash pit outside of the city of jerusalem where trash was burned. its not the lake of fire.

that isnt gehenna.

I am well aware of that and that's perfectly true, it was a trash pit,therefore it's impossible that there is a lake of fire with the same name ?

 

[jasoncran]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

I am well aware of that and that's perfectly true, it was a trash pit,therefore it's impossible that there is a lake of fire with the same name ?

no the lake of fire is known then as the dead sea. it has burned with fire and emits smoke and is full of sulphur.its been known to even do that today.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

I should add that it could indeed be the location where the lake of fire will be, but for me, it's literal, eternal torment and fire.

 

[Down Yokel]

Re: Terrified of Hell...

If the lake of fire is going to be on this earth, and it is going to be forever, what does this make of it
      11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.