Katrice Johnson Supporter

I would like to start by saying that God loves that you are seeking understanding. I pray His spirit will lead you to all knowledge & understanding of His love for you. 

In answer to your question: The bible says in Revelation 20:15 that "anyone whose name was not recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." So yes there will be eternal torment for all those whose names were not written in the Book of Life which the bible calls the second death. 

The Good News is that being good enough has ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING to do with our eternal lives. We WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH to get to heaven on our own. That's the reason Jesus came. He came to make a way for us to live eternally in heaven with our father God. That's why we need Him and we need His Spirit to help us walk out this Christian life. 

My prayer for you is that God will give you peace in knowing that your eternal life does not rest on your shoulders. It's not anything that you can do, It was all taken care of by Jesus on the cross. He paid the price for ALL to be saved if you so choose. So Choose Christ Jesus and you will spend eternity with Him and all the believers.

December 12 2013 • 11 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ezekiel Kimosop - Pastor & Bible Scholar Supporter

One of the most trying questions that people often raise is why a loving God would relish the suffering of his premier creation by consigning and burning them in the lake of fire. This question is skewed and ignores the other side of the coin.

Those who raise this argument often forget a fundamental attribute of our God that he is longsuffering and forbearing, not wishing that any soul should perish. God told Prophet Ezekiel that he does not wish that a sinner should die. This same God gave humanity a solution for his righteous demands that sin must be purged.He gave his only begotten Son to die for our sins on condition that those who respond to the atoning grace of his blood are guaranteed eternal life.

It is easer to see the consequence of someone's eternal choice and blame God for the choice made but this is empty and wishful thinking. If God in the fullness of his grace has given us the direction to eternity, he cannot be responsible for the consequences of our conscious choices. Scripture states that there is no other name in heaven or on earth by whom we may be saved except the name of Jesus. There is only one way to God (John 14:6) and Jesus is certainly that way.

Hebrews 9:22 states that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Hebrews 10:26-27 says "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

There are no two ways about what Scripture speaks. Those who stubbornly reject Christ after getting the opportunity to hear the gospel have only one option left which is the way of eternal doom and this the narrow way the millions of people have elected willingly to walk after turning down the grace of God which has been offered freely to all men. This is the paradox of a world ruled by the prince of the air who has darkened the minds of millions of men that they do not perceive the freedom in Christ. He is the deceiver and liar who confuses people from seeing the way of the Cross.

Why then do we grieve over the consequence of those whose destiny they have chosen by their intransigence and disobedience? 

Why do we want to water down provisions of Scripture to accommodate our narrow thinking? If one hears the message and rejects it, woe unto them! Ezekiel 33:6 says "But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand". 

Many people walk in self deception in the foolish thinking that God cannot punish the wicked. They are utterly wrong. It happened in Noah's day and will certainly happen again because our righteous God cannot condone sin and wickedness because He cannot deny self and lower the standards of His holiness. He will never change that which He has spoken.

Let all and sundry be warned that hell is a reality and whether the sinners and the wicked all burn at once or forever is not material. The destiny of unrepentant sinners is clear and God is certainly not responsible for the consequences of their disobedience.

December 13 2013 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Angel Carr Supporter

Greetings in the precious name of Lord Jesus Christ, I too was brought up Catholic and was taught the same as you, however the bible says in The Book Revelation of Jesus Christ and elsewhere in other books of the bible.

"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". 

So you see, the word of God says that hell is cast into the lake of fire and destroyed after the thousand year reign of the Saints on Earth, therefore we cannot be tormented in Hell forever because God the all consuming fire envelops and destroys hell and everything in it. (But not until Satan is released for a short time after the millennium!)

This is known as the second death and of course the final death for a sinners soul, as only God can kill a soul. Remember that In the beginning was the WORD and the Word was with God and the WORD WAS GOD and the WORD was made flesh (Jesus of Nazareth) and dwelt among us. So you need to decide if you should believe the Word of God, which is infallible or your priest. I know what I believe. Good luck in your bible studies and God Bless You.

December 12 2013 • 8 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

JD Abshire Supporter

The most vivid account and description of hell is found in Luke 16. given by the Lord Jesus himself. Some say it is just a parable but if so, this is the only parable where proper names are used. I believe it is actual. 

This story does not represent the eternal state but sheol / hades, the grave or place of departed spirits.
Gehenna (the Hinnom valley) was a place south of Jerusalem where refuse, dead animals and unclaimed bodies were deposited. The stench was so bad that a fire was maintained continuously to burn up the refuse and help cover the odor.

In Matthew 18:19, 23:15,35, Mark 9:43-45 and other verses the Greek word Gehenna is used for hell representing the eternal state. In Mark 9:44, 46 and 48 it is a place where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. The worms are of the type that prey on dead bodies. If the worms do not die in the fire I believe it is safe to assume that neither do the bodies they feed on.

Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 

Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 

Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 
Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 
Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

December 12 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

mark ingham Supporter

We choose to accept Gods love in this life and thus determine our eternal destiny.If we reject God from our lives when we die He respects our decision and withdraws His presence from our lives completely in keeping with our wishes.Love,joy,happiness,the beauty of creation,care for each other,etc are no lomger a part of our lives.All that remain are the very worst of human traits:Hatred,envy,rage,selfishness,greed,etc.and this is Hell!
Hell is not a place God sends people,it is a place people have chosen to be by rejecting the offer of His Grace through Jesus Christ.
Such an eternity is difficult to imagine which is why fire becomes a fitting metaphor,as it creates a level of. Intensity that our finite minds are able to comprehend.If anybody reading this does not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour,then please accept Him now.God Bess you all.

December 13 2013 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Paul Fortune Supporter

Those who suffer the second death will not burn forever! The reason people mistakenly believe the lost will burn forever is the word ETERNAL..The Bible is clear that there needs to be a fire that cleans up the Earth and sin ETERNALLY Forever, sin must be finished it must never ever come back again! So it is in this context that we should understand the ETERNAL fire that the Bible talks about!

December 13 2013 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Bruce Lyon Supporter Elder: Restoration Fellowship Assembly

Those who are resurrected at the time of the White Throne Judgment and whose names are not written in the book of life will be caste into the lake of fire and be destroyed.

There is no such thing as a punishment in an ever burning hell-fire for unrepentant sinners. That idea is from Greek mythology and has nothing to do with any biblical revelation. Our God is a just God and He would never have anything to do with sinners suffering forever and ever in an indestructible state - immortal state in an ever burning hell-fire. The only way any human being can become an immortal being is to have a place in the congregation of God as attached to and in the lord Jesus His anointed one. 

Only those who have been faithful to the one God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob down throught the centuries and those who are in the lord Messiah Jesus will have a part in the FIRST RESURRECTION, which is a resurrection to life everlasting! Those who are a part of the second resurrection whose names are not written in the book of life will be caste into the lake of fire and destroyed. It will be as if they never existed!

We as immortal beings in the ages upon ages to come joined with our lord Jesus and his God and our God his Father and our Father will have no memory of those who have been caste into the lake of fire.

Scripture nowhere indicates that a human being is born with an immortal soul, that is pagan religion and not scriptural. Also, heaven is not the place of reward for the saved as Jesus our lord makes it very plain that the meek shall inherit the earth. Indeed we will co-inherit this earth with him and co-rule with him over the nations that survive and live over into the new age. May that day soon come. 

When we die, it is as if we go to sleep and we stay asleep until the coming of the lord Jesus if we died in him. At that time we will be resurrected and join with him in ruling over the nations. Our God has called us to be kings and priests with him in the coming new age. Time will have no meaning to us, so Paul could say his desire was to be with the lord, he knew that when he closed his eyes in death, for him the resurrection would be an a split second, and he will not know that 2,000 years have gone by until someone tells him!

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Re 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.

They will be raised in the second resurrection and appear before the White Throne Judgment.

Re 20:15 and if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire.

Re 21:8 and to fearful, and unstedfast, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the liars, their part is in the lake that is burning with fire and brimstone, which is a second death.’

December 13 2013 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Mark Mullins Supporter

John 3:16 states that all who believe will have eternal life, but those who do not believe will perish. The definition of "perish" is clear; according to Webster, perish is "to die or be killed. : to disappear or be destroyed : to cease to exist". It is true that the unsaved will be punished for eternity, but their punishment is to die the second death which never ends. 

The best argument that those who believe in eternal torment for the unsaved can make is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This is a parable like the other parables that Jesus told, all of which are intended to illustrate a point. The story is simply a vehicle for explaining a certain truth; the story itself is not the truth. I believe that the rich man represents the Jews while Lazarus represents the gentiles, and the truth is that the Jews are not necessarily the ones who will inherit eternal life.

December 13 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Vincent Mercado Supporter Skeptic turned believer, Catholic, father of 3

Yes. The unrighteous will burn in Hell - is real. The physical body will be tormented by the flames of hell for eternity. (Matthew 25:46)

I am not sure when you heard your priest said that, but is sounds he was talking to a group of young kids. He certainly is telling children about the horrors of hell, putting it casually, "if you are not good, you will go to hell." Which is true, therefore, he is stressing on living a morally good life e.g. obeying our parents, doing our homework, eating our vegetables, etc. 

It would be a different statement if he was speaking to an Adult Formation class. He will rephrase his sentence depending on the audience. He would have said, "People who refused God's love adamantly, obstinately deciding to go against God's love, dies in that state of rebellion against God will burn in Hell for eternity." (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

December 16 2013 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe Supporter

No, the sinners are not tormented for eternity in hell. "The wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23. The sinners are promised eternal death by means of eternal fire; meaning that the results of the fire is eternal; the fire itself is not eternal. In Jude 1:7, the same expression is being used to describe the eternal results of the eternal fire. There is no fire still burning in Sodom and Gomorra, the fire had eternal results because the two cities were destroyed and are no more. 

If the sinners are tormented for eternity in hell's fire, where is the promise of death? There is no text in the Bible which describes the immortality of the sinners. Would the God of love and mercy keep these poor sinners in continue state of reanimation just to torture them for eternity as a payment for 40, 50, 60, 80 or 90 years of sinful life? I do not believe that for a single minute. 

Malachi 4:1-3 tells as that "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." This text alone contradicts any notion that the sinners are being barbecued forever in hell. If their became ashes under the soles of our feet, that means that there is no more fire and sinners. My God is a loving God that will be forced to eliminate the sinners who refuses to repent and accept Jesus' sacrifice. Just think about it for a second; how much fun would Heaven be knowing that maybe my parents, kids, siblings or best friends are burning constantly for eternity in hell? The Bible is very clear is this subject: There is no fire burning now, there will be no fire burning for eternity!

July 23 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report