Re: Do you interpret hell as a place of eternal torment or were you burn out of exist
To me God feels like someone who would not burn someone for eternity. I like the interpretation were Christians believe that hell is a place were you burn up out of existence. From my memory the revelations talks about second death. Even if someone was to guarante me that I am not going to hell for sure I still don't want it to exist. Not for anyone and I literally mean anyone.
But my reasoning could be wrong and somehow eternal burning is justified but I still don't see it happening. Like I said I am not a Christian, not yet anyway but that something that I like about the Bible. That you can interpret it as no eternal torment.
But if Christianity is true faith than you are the ones filled with holly spirit and therefore you might be better at understanding God than me.
Thanks
Nobody likes the idea of hell, at least no one should. But that does not mean it doesn't exist. However, it is my opinion that there is a lack of understanding about what hell is and what goes on there.
If hell is for eternity, I do not think that there is some sort of eternal torture or physical torment:
Luk 12:43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Luk 12:44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
Luk 12:45 But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
Luk 12:46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
Luk 12:47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
Luk 12:48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. (ESV)
It would seem that there are degrees of physical punishment, just as it seems that for the believer there are degrees of reward:
1Co 3:12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--
1Co 3:13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
1Co 3:14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (ESV)
What is worth noting is that the unbeliever spends eternity apart from God, whether it's in hell or simply not existing, and the believer spends eternity with God.
Therefore, any concept of an eternal hell for unbelievers needs to take into account that there seems to be limited physical punishment. Any "eternal torment" then, would likely be regret and mental anguish over what is instead of what could have and should have been. I think at the judgement seat all things will become clear--the clear evidence for the existence of God, the pursuit by God and love of God, all rejected for the purpose of serving self and seeking pleasure--and the unbeliever will know that they got what they deserved.