Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Kevin Gamez
28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
Why would Jesus say this if hell is for eternity and for punishing the wicked soul forever? I don't believe hell is eternal. Peter makes it clear that this earth is reserved for the day of the Lord. In 2 Peter 3 we read, 3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
I included most of the chapter because there is a lot in it, not just about the day of the Lord, but about other important doctrinal principles, which today have become tainted. Like the state of the dead, where many believe that the spirit, or soul, lives on after the death of the body, but Jesus, and all scripture teaches that death is just a state of sleep, where those have have fallen asleep await the day of the resurrection, either the resurrection of life, or the resurrection of everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2). And Ecclesiastes 9:5 "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know not anything."
But I digress, Peter says that the earth is reserved for the day of the Lord in which it shall burn with fire, the elements shall melt with fervent heat. But according the God's promise, we shall look for new heavens and a new earth. Revelation also talks about this in chapter 21 beginning in verse 1; Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.…
There is much more to be said, but I am running out of commentary space. Please study further for yourself, whoever reads this.
John Anderson
The sad thing about an unsaved person is they don't realize that they have a soul. When life on this planet is over the flesh dies but the soul lives on. Hell in itself would be an aweful place to spend eternity, but being cut off from God for eternity, well I don't want to even think about that.