Feeling annoyed with other Christians saying nonbelievers go to hell. Is hell real?

[stevenb]

I have never believed in hell, other then for a short period of time when I was going through psychosis. Now and for many years, believing or not I never believed in hell. Maybe it's because I have suffered so much in this life, to think after all that i'd go to a place even worse is just non believable. I also feel like when other christians preach about hell it really turns people off to faith.

This could just be me, but what are your guys thoughts on hell? I know the bible says there is no peace for the wicked but. I don't know. I just cannot fathom a hell.

 

[gordon777]

Yeah the scriptures are overwhelming with proof. It's just hard to think about. Especially since I, and maybe others have such a tendancy to stray away.

Here is more proof from the scriptures, to make sure we all understand the correct way God has told us, and not some other way that men teach.

All have a tendency to stray away, we all like sheep have gone astray, turned to our own way, and the Lord laid on Christ that iniquity of us all.



Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.



Here in John 10, Jesus speaks of HIs sheep, ( all we, went astray.) and how they never perish, as no man plucks them away again. 1 Peter 2, tells again of all hose sheep, who went astray, returned to the Bishop and Shepherd of our souls. ( this is how the sheep do not perish.)





John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.




Going astray was the iniquity we all did, that caused the sacrifice of the Shepherd, to give His life for the sheep.

That record God gave of His Son, is the eternal life He gave to us, and that life is in His Son.

Here also is the proof that this world is the very same as hell, ( it is impossible to be different.) because the devil of hell is trying to afflict and deceive the sheep, and only by Christ risen in anyone, can they keep themselves from the devils temptations and lies and again proof that this world is the very same as hell itself, is that the WHOLE WORLD, lies in wickedness. ( how can hell be more wicked/evil)

But the Son of God comes to give us an understanding, to know Him that is true, ( we must stop believing in/hearing the devil liar, and doing his lusts. John 8:44.)

To be in Him that is true, in the Son of God Jesus Christ, the true God and eternal life, we keep ourselves from false idols. ( the devil, and his lies filling this world, especially the many false teachers who came to deceive now. 2 Peter 2:1.)



1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

 

[rstrats]

It seems very evident to me that, if God thinks our sin deserves eternal punishment, it is far, far, far worse than we sin-prone, sin-loving, sin-steeped creatures think it is.

As far as we know, no one asks to be born. Nevertheless, we are.

You call yourself a sin-prone, sin-loving, sin-steeped creature.

You call your neighbor a sin-prone, sin-loving, sin-steeped creature.

There's not a dime's difference between the two of you in that regard. Yet one of you may be given eternal life in the Kingdom and the other be given eternal life in the lake of fire. I guess I'll just never understand that.

Love and mercy are attributes of the supreme being. As such, why can't the person simply be returned to non-existence - their condition (I assume) before they were created.

 

[WIP]

Remember, this forum is not for debating our viewpoints. We must remain focused on answering the OP's questions.

 

[rstrats]

I can't respond to your post because I've been warned by a moderator that our discussion is off topic.

 

[for_his_glory]

Yeah the scriptures are overwhelming with proof. It's just hard to think about. Especially since I, and maybe others have such a tendancy to stray away.

In my 68 years on this earth I could not even count the times, being a Spiritually born again Christian, that I allowed myself to stray away at times, but to only find myself coming back to Christ as one of His promises is that He will never leave us or forsake us if we are truly His own.

We have always been taught hell is a place where non-believers in God go to for eternity, but according to scripture this is not what hell is. Hell is described as the world of the dead, a place where the departed go that have died as being lowered in a grave/pit. There they are kept until the return of Christ to either stand in Gods Great White Throne judgment for those who are not found written in the Lambs Book of Life, Rev 20:11-15, or those who have died in Christ that will stand in his judgment to give an account for the things done here on earth, 2 Corinthians 5:10.



Hell is not the lake of fire as God gives us a description of the lake of fire as in fire and brimstone which can be used literal as in Sodom and Gomorrah burned to ashes and as a metaphor for torment, suffering, punishment or as Matthew 8:12 describes it as outer darkness. The New Testament description is a bottomless pit (abyss) (Revelation 20:3), a lake (Revelation 20:14), darkness (Matthew 25:30), death (Revelation 2:11), destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9), everlasting torment (Revelation 20:10), a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30), and a place of gradated punishment (Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48; Revelation 20:12-13), everlasting fire Matthew 25:41, everlasting punishment, Matthew 25:46, lake of fire burning with brimstone.



Strong's Exhaustive Concordance: Hell

Hebrew # 7585 Sheol, Hades, or the world of the dead, grave, hell, pit

Greek # 86 place of departed souls, grave, hell​

 

[miamited]

I have never believed in hell, other then for a short period of time when I was going through psychosis. Now and for many years, believing or not I never believed in hell. Maybe it's because I have suffered so much in this life, to think after all that i'd go to a place even worse is just non believable. I also feel like when other christians preach about hell it really turns people off to faith.

This could just be me, but what are your guys thoughts on hell? I know the bible says there is no peace for the wicked but. I don't know. I just cannot fathom a hell.

Hi stevenb

It's ok to not believe in a place that is called hell. But the truth, according to Jesus is that there are two paths that lead off of this planet. One is wide and broad and it leads to destruction. The other is narrow and straight and leads to eternal life. So, whatever 'name' you want to give the place where those who are on that broad road that leads to destruction, that's the destiny of all those who refuse to confess Jesus as Lord.

Jesus described it as a place of eternal torment. I believe that a lot of people are mistaken in thinking that this eternal torment will be God's doing. Thus they question whether or not God really is good. I believe that the eternal torment will have nothing to do with anything from God, other than He isn't there to help them, but all the people who follow the broad road will be people who do evil. Now we may measure evil in degrees. Like the mass murderer isn't as evil as the lying tax cheat. But when you live an entire existence with only the wicked, greedy, idolatrous, liars, murderers and thieves, every day will be living in hell. Our souls will burn eternally with the lusts of our perversions. That is the fire of hell.

As I consider it.

God bless,
Ted

 

[journeyman]

I have never believed in hell, other then for a short period of time when I was going through psychosis. Now and for many years, believing or not I never believed in hell. Maybe it's because I have suffered so much in this life, to think after all that i'd go to a place even worse is just non believable. I also feel like when other christians preach about hell it really turns people off to faith.

This could just be me, but what are your guys thoughts on hell? I know the bible says there is no peace for the wicked but. I don't know. I just cannot fathom a hell.

Hello stevenb.
I believe the fire is the presence of our Savior,

For our God is a consuming fire. Heb.12:29

On judgement day, everyone will face him,

.....that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men 2Cor.5:10-11

After suffering the pain of humiliation, those who were unprepared to meet him will no longer exist,

.....the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 2Thes.2:8

The faithful will be with him forever,

.....Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly.... Isa.33:13-14

 

[D-D-W]

Our Lord spoke of Hell more than He did of Heaven. So yes - Hell is a very real place; one to be avoided at all cost.

 

[Highway54]

I have never believed in hell, other then for a short period of time when I was going through psychosis. Now and for many years, believing or not I never believed in hell. Maybe it's because I have suffered so much in this life, to think after all that i'd go to a place even worse is just non believable. I also feel like when other christians preach about hell it really turns people off to faith.

This could just be me, but what are your guys thoughts on hell? I know the bible says there is no peace for the wicked but. I don't know. I just cannot fathom a hell.

Hi Steve, hell is an English word that was translated from the Hebrew word Sheol, and the Greek word Hades. The King James version of the Bible translates Sheol 31X as grave; 31X as hell; and 3X as pit. The all mean the same thing Sheol, defined as the abode of the dead. Everyone who dies goes there to await a resurrection, as did Jesus. The Greek word hades is the same place, and is translated hell in each of it's 10 occurrences.

It also translates the word Gehenna as hell in all of it's 12 occurrences but it is not the abode of the dead, and it is a permanent judgment. The lake of fire in Revelation symbolizes Gehenna. All people in hell/grave will be resurrected and it will be emptied Rev 20:13 and the dead do not know anything Ecc 9:5,6,10. When you die, even if you are in the grave 1000 yrs it will seem instantaneous when you awaken in the resurrection.

I hope this helps, and can go into greater detail if you have questions on it sir.

 

[gordon777]

When we die, the spirit man has is temporal, it returns to God, there is no existence any more for that person.

The Spirit is life because of righteousness, the Spirit of God who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead dwells in us by faith, and our mortal bodies are raised up by His Spirit that dwells in us.

But if no eternal Spirit is in our body, ( because the spirit of man was temporally in him, we need the eternal Spirit. Hebrews 9:14.) he is dead, and the spirit he had is returned to God who gave it/the end of that persons existance.




Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.




I know that complicated confused answers, do not represent the simplicity of Christ. ( more like the subtilty of the serpent.)


It is clear already, that there are the temporary spirit of man, and the eternal Spirit of God.

No man can retain his spirit, the spirit of man that is in him, knows nothing of the Spirit of God.

The first man was made a living soul, but the second man is made a quickening Spirit.

We also are not to believe every spirit, many false prophets are teaching us now. Try the spirits, whether they are of God, or not.




Ecclesiastes 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.



Regarding hell, death and the resurrection.


Who has Christ, has life, and who has not Jesus, has death. ( no Spirit of Christ, no resurrection, the spirit man had, has returned already to God who gave it, and He died not give that spirit back, but those who have the Spirit of God are risen by His Spirit that dwells in them.)

Who is not found written in that Lambs book of life is dead while they live,( 1 Timothy 5:6.) and the end of all things is when death and hell are emptied out.




Revelation 20:14 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.

 

[dwb001]

In regards to your original question... yes Hell is real.
Your feelings do not alter the reality of existence.

 

[Anaphora]

Hell is called sheol. Its holding place for the spirtualty dead or wicked. Jesus gave analogy in Luke Chapter 16. There's two sides of the gulf. Neither side can cross over. Lazarus went to paradise. Richman ended up in hell, called sheol. Nahum chapter 1 to document the heathen and wicked get vengeance. Non believers don't have God's protection or blessings. Those who love and serve God are in paradise. Those in sheol are waiting for judgement day. Mark chapter 3, Its those who do will of God. Sheol is real. Psalm chapter 9 to further doctrine this. What are the spirtualty dead or wicked doing in sheol?? Walking around trying to figure out how they ended up here. Revelation chapter 20, the spirituality dead will be judged on judgement day.

 

[Tall Timbers]

My thoughts on hell are what I gleam from the Word of God. I don't pretend to know more than God or to be able to 2nd guess Him. Those who die without Christ end up in Sheol and await a day of judgment when they'll be tossed for eternity into the Lake of Fire. God knows best, I don't doubt Him. Accept the gift of life that Jesus offers and you'll end up in God's presence for eternity.

 

[tim-from-pa]

I have never believed in hell, other then for a short period of time when I was going through psychosis. Now and for many years, believing or not I never believed in hell. Maybe it's because I have suffered so much in this life, to think after all that i'd go to a place even worse is just non believable. I also feel like when other christians preach about hell it really turns people off to faith.

This could just be me, but what are your guys thoughts on hell? I know the bible says there is no peace for the wicked but. I don't know. I just cannot fathom a hell.

Well, there is a hell, but not as commonly portrayed if by that you mean Dante's inferno or to that effect. How many passages in the Bible did you read that nobody can face the Lord and live? How about the part that God is an all-consuming fire? And consumed means utterly destroyed and gone forever - although I'm not saying that such a presence can't cause a great conflagration and become a lake of fire: the fate of this Earth as this Earth age ends. If "eternal torment" which is not found in the Scripture is what bothers you, I agree God would not be that cruel but plainly said the penalty of sin is DEATH. Eternal torment doctrines hang their credence on this one belief: that human "souls" are eternal and only the body dies. No, the Bible says the soul that sins shall die. Only God is inherently immortal and the promise of Jesus Christ is to give eternal life (which presupposes a person can and will die and not immortal to begin with). In the resurrection, one wants to be in the first one: there is no fear of a second death as we are then born in the Spirit. Resurrected unbelievers are raised in the flesh to be burned up (there are many physical resurrections in the Bible. Resurrection merely means to bring back to life and does not necessarily indicate the form or one's eternal status).

Now there are many Christians out there who maybe think what I am saying is twisting primary doctrines and the theology is no deeper than just a few adjustments. Actually, it's deeper than that. It's based on a certain understanding as to how we came about and why we are here. And this in itself opens up a vast world (or I should say universe) of events. 3 Earth ages. The Earth and space is very old. Life (perhaps even man-like beings) inhabited the world and was governed in the angelic age. These are the fossils, bones and even evolutionary things scientists find. After the Earth became "without form and void" from God's judgement, Genesis is a recreation aka 2nd Earth age which is more recent; perhaps only thousands of years and God may have even picked up life where it left off to continue the continuity. Adam was created to become a son of God for God to have a family, and this made (fallen) angelic beings jealous of the world here they once had and tried to dethrone mankind since. Adam was now the ruler of this world. But the deception (and disobedience) caused sin to which mankind needed to be rescued. Satan even tried to mix the bloodlines to keep Messiah away (Genesis 6). That's the point of Jesus to fix things up and continue on. But this age of fleshy fallen man in the meantime is a difficult time. Jesus became what Adam was supposed to have become, and by dying and then rebirth in the resurrection is the end of this age and the start of the final one. So in short it's angels--> they sin --> God destroys the Earth--> Creates Adam as a new race to be like Him --> Mankind stumbles --> God has to fix things again --> end result New Heaven and Earth. (Nothing about "dying and going to heaven" but rather resurrection into the Kingdom). My paragraph does not do all this justice but just to show the intricacy of the whole Bible story. With this in mind, the other Scriptures bring the only logical conclusion as I stated about hell.

 

[gordon777]

Should non believers go to hell ?

Looking at the time of Noah, Noah preaches righteousness, to a wicked world. The earth was great in wickedness, every imagination of mans heart being only evil, continually.

Noah's house was saved, because of the ark he prepared, and Noah became the heir of the righteousness, which is by faith. ( Noah, the preacher of righteousness, believed in the righteousness of God, not man.)


Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

2 Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;



If we understand hell as God reveals life and death to be, we understand we are all dead, in thoughts, in what we do, in where we go. ( hell is where man is born into, and death is where we return to.)

That is why the scripture witnesses for us, that we pass from that death, we are all in, ( that's the purpose of the flood and Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah, to show all die in sin, as ensample to all others who afterwards live ungodly. 2 Peter 2:6.) if we love others, perceiving ( believing in) the love of the only begotten Son of God, who layed HIs life down for us while we were those sinners/.enemies, and anyone who does not love their brother, is in death, the same death as the flood/Egypt/Sodom, and they are Murderers.



Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 

[Randy]

I have never believed in hell, other then for a short period of time when I was going through psychosis. Now and for many years, believing or not I never believed in hell. Maybe it's because I have suffered so much in this life, to think after all that i'd go to a place even worse is just non believable. I also feel like when other christians preach about hell it really turns people off to faith.

This could just be me, but what are your guys thoughts on hell? I know the bible says there is no peace for the wicked but. I don't know. I just cannot fathom a hell.

Perhaps you should read Jesus's letters to the 7 churches in revelation. He is not weak but about those who overcome and are victorious
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

 

[Iconoclast]

Hell is the eternal place of the unsaved sinners,
who deny Jesus is God
who deny hell is a real place
who loved their sin
who were haters of God
They are cast into it by the angels
They are sent there justly for their sins
They have all eternity in this place of conscious eternal torment.

 

[stevenb]

Hell is the eternal place of the unsaved sinners,
who deny Jesus is God
who deny hell is a real place
who loved their sin
who were haters of God
They are cast into it by the angels
They are sent there justly for their sins
They have all eternity in this place of conscious eternal torment.

Since trying to believe again, I found myself getting mad at god. There was so little help in prayer and I am having trouble with trying to read my bible and listen to worship music. I try, it's just not appearing to be who I am. I do not encourage my sin, I hate it. But I am seriously upset with god. A rational person might read this and not understand, but if you had my brain that attacks itself 24/7 you'd get it.

I do appreciate the answers from everyone, very insightful, I don't think i'll ever be on your guys level of understanding. And I do agree that hell, if real, is a place not of god's doing but our own rebellion. I guess I always thought though that if there was a god, there wouldn't be a hell. Still can't wrap my brain around it, might just stop trying to.

I don't want to post on this thread anymore though because I didn't see the no debating rule until after I made this thread and I think this is kinda of an iffy subject, or at least if I continue with the questions I want to ask it might become that way.

 

[gordon777]

Since trying to believe again, I found myself getting mad at god. There was so little help in prayer and I am having trouble with trying to read my bible and listen to worship music. I try, it's just not appearing to be who I am. I do not encourage my sin, I hate it. But I am seriously upset with god. A rational person might read this and not understand, but if you had my brain that attacks itself 24/7 you'd get it.

I do appreciate the answers from everyone, very insightful, I don't think i'll ever be on your guys level of understanding. And I do agree that hell, if real, is a place not of god's doing but our own rebellion. I guess I always thought though that if there was a god, there wouldn't be a hell. Still can't wrap my brain around it, might just stop trying to.

I don't want to post on this thread anymore though because I didn't see the no debating rule until after I made this thread and I think this is kinda of an iffy subject, or at least if I continue with the questions I want to ask it might become that way.

We still are in a fallen wicked world, which has satan as its god, and God has left us off, to see if we trust in ourselves, one with the serpent, or one with God. That is why there is no signs of the Lord now, but plenty of false wonders from satan.

Whether people love or hate sin, it makes no difference to the neighbour/brother/friend, enemy, we are to love, and love others as ourselves, which is not hurting ourselves, but trying to do well for ourselves. If anyone sins against another, it is an evil act, those who do evil have never seen God. If someone sins against others, ( which is what sin is) that person feels the evil done on them, the same, as whether someone says they hated doing what they did, or they loved doing what they did. Murder is murder, fornication is fornication, adultery is adultery, false witness is false witness, stealing is stealing.

As for the level of understanding, again, the serpent is the most subtil of Gods creatures, but the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. That is why God tells us, to make ourselves a fool to be wise. If we glory in men, ( think they are understanding, or trust in them before God) we are caught by the wise in their vain craftiness. Read the scriptures, why bread what men say any longer, when we are warned about this, so much right now.




1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;

3 John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

 

[mphsmom]

I don't mean to annoy you, but the truth is the truth. Unbelievers will be cast into Hell for all eternity, eternally separated from God. Scripture makes it abundantly clear.