Eternal Punishment

[elijah23]

I’ve got a question—actually four. This Scripture sounds like people are sent to hell and left there forever:

[44] "Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'
[45] Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'
[46] And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:44-46 RSV

This Scripture suggests to me that no one is sent to hell unless they refuse to accept Jesus as their savior:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV

Is there a way that both of these Scriptures can be true? Is it possible that the fires of hell DO last forever, but that people aren’t SENT there forever? Is it possible that instead they are only sent there until the Lord feels they have paid their debt? Is hell perhaps something that happens in this lifetime when we have sinned?

 

[ChevyRodeo]

The wages of sin are Death.

A lot more good verses out there can answer this

 

[mutzrein]

I’ve got a question—actually four. This Scripture sounds like people are sent to hell and left there forever:

[44] "Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'
[45] Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'
[46] And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:44-46 RSV

This Scripture suggests to me that no one is sent to hell unless they refuse to accept Jesus as their savior:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV

Is there a way that both of these Scriptures can be true? Is it possible that the fires of hell DO last forever, but that people aren’t SENT there forever? Is it possible that instead they are only sent there until the Lord feels they have paid their debt? Is hell perhaps something that happens in this lifetime when we have sinned?

I think many have been conditioned to believe that man is born with eternal life. So that when he dies he either spends eternity in heaven OR hell. Not so, the way I read my bible.

 

[Son of Israel]

I’ve got a question—actually four. This Scripture sounds like people are sent to hell and left there forever:

[44] "Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'
[45] Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'
[46] And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:44-46 RSV

This Scripture suggests to me that no one is sent to hell unless they refuse to accept Jesus as their savior:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV

Is there a way that both of these Scriptures can be true? Is it possible that the fires of hell DO last forever, but that people aren’t SENT there forever? Is it possible that instead they are only sent there until the Lord feels they have paid their debt? Is hell perhaps something that happens in this lifetime when we have sinned?

I think many have been conditioned to believe that man is born with eternal life. So that when he dies he either spends eternity in heaven OR hell. Not so, the way I read my bible.

That's correct. It doesn't take much Bible study to recognize that hell = grave, and eternal punishment is eternal death. The idea that God tortures people or their "immortal soul" is pretty weird. Jesus Christ is my Lord and my God and He isn't into that lol!