Bible Study The Lake of Fire or Hell

[Free]

Well Christ gave the answer...

John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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.

Jesus said a lot more than that. At least some of what he said about hell was that it was a place so terrible that a person should do everything possible to avoid going there. He also said, in the same breath, that life is eternal for believers and punishment eternal for unbelievers.

He also said there would be varying levels of punishment in hell, which is really difficult if the punishment is destruction. Annihilation actually isn’t punishment at all, it’s just ceasing to exist.

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)

And its given pretty clear...
Romans 5:21
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Not sure what you think is so clear about that in these verses.

 

[reddogs]

Jesus said a lot more than that. At least some of what he said about hell was that it was a place so terrible that a person should do everything possible to avoid going there. He also said, in the same breath, that life is eternal for believers and punishment eternal for unbelievers.

He also said there would be varying levels of punishment in hell, which is really difficult if the punishment is destruction. Annihilation actually isn’t punishment at all, it’s just ceasing to exist.

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)


Not sure what you think is so clear about that in these verses.

The separation from God is eternal, now this would conflict with the truth that Christ is the life and resurrection. We can be raised from the grave through His power, but in the case of the wicked, God will separate them for eternity and will not bring them back. Now as for the varying levels of punishment. Is it just for one who got angry at his brother and like Cain did him harm, versus the great murderers like Stalin and Hitler who killed millions to get the same level as you say of punishment. At the end, we will see how this is resolved, and from every mouth will confess that Christ is Lord and vindicate His justice in the matter.

Now, so you understand what will happen, the wicked will burn in the lake of fire till they are consumed, and let me tell you, from someone who suffered severe burns in a accident, it is tremendously painful. Annihilation is a terrible punishment, they will not blip out of existence, but perish as they are consumed.

Now to God the act of punishment is a strange act. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” Ezekiel 33:11.... Yet He will “by no means clear the guilty.” Exodus 34:7. Scripture is clear on this and tells us, “The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.” Nahum 1:3.

 

[reddogs]

The idea of God subjecting the wicked to never ending conscious torment would make Him morally worse than anyone even here on earth. Even Hitler may have tortured and gassed death millions of people, but he at least allowed them to perish, for it to cease. In contrast, the doctrine of perpetual torment and agony suggests that, even though God has the power to mercifully let the wicked perish, He will instead choose to keep them alive in terrible pain, with no merciful pause or end to their torment. God would not do such a injustice and enjoin such a immoral act, He will bring it to an end, once and for all, at the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Now, we have to understand that Gods judgement is true and without iniquity and we cannot question the work of how it will be done.
Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

So when Gods justice is meted out and He destroys the wicked, the wages of sin are finally paid at the second death. and the wicked perish. Sin, which leads to death, will be defeated and the originator of sin will be gone forever, never to return.

Revelation 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.

But for the saints, eternal life is their reward and they will have the right to eat from the Tree of Life. Sin will never raise its head again with all its pain and suffering. The universe will be forever healed of the rebellion started by Satan and life will move forward as God originally intended for man and all Creation.

Revelation 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.