Post by ambassador on Dec 21, 2009 22:34:47 GMT -5
Is the Lake of Fire Literally Eternal?
[30 July 2009]
What happens when a lost person dies? Does the unsaved world die and literally spend eternity in torments, or is this simply something Christians like to say to scare people into getting saved? Many people today—even a large number of Evangelicals—are promoting the idea of “annihilationism,” an idea that claims that God destroys the bodies of the lost once they die. “Annihilationism” is UNSCRIPTURAL. The Bible is ADAMANT that the lost world will spend a literal eternity in the literal lake of fire and brimstone (sulfur). Their bodies will never be consumed; neither will their bodies ever be destroyed. We turn to the Scriptures, and God’s Word becomes the Final Authority.
Proponents of “annihilationism” twist (deliberately distort and misquote) Matthew 10:28 in an attempt to prove that God destroys both body and soul in Hell. However, this verse is merely saying God CAN do it, it is not saying that He IS going to do it or that He does it. God is more powerful than the men who can destroy the physical body. Matthew 10:28 is comparative; it is comparing God’s power to man’s power, nothing more.
But, maybe you are wondering: how do I know Matthew 10:28 does not endorse the idea of “annihilationism?” This verse cannot mean that God destroys body and soul in Hell because it would contradict the rest of Scripture. Obviously, people are twisting this verse to please men—people do not want to face an eternal lake of fire, so they avoid it. False teachers twist the Scriptures to make the Bible say what they want it to say; they are promoting “ear-tickling” doctrine, myths and fables, to appeal to the masses.
Revelation 20:10 KJV says “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” The beast (antichrist) and the false prophet have already been there in the Lake of Fire for 1,000 years—they have not been annihilated! The Bible says THEY WILL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER.
Mark 9:43-48 repeats FIVE TIMES that Hell is “the fire that NEVER shall be quenched.” This phrase “where the worm dieth not” refers to the unsaved person’s body lasting for all eternity (worms are NOT eating the lost people in eternity). Just like in the natural world, worms eat decaying flesh. Because this flesh in Hell will burn forever, the “worm” will never die, because there will always be flesh to eat. These bodies of literal flesh will last forever (see below about the Great White Throne).
Matthew 18:8 and Matthew 25:41 both say that Hell is an “everlasting fire.” In 2 Thessalonians 1:9 KJV, the lost world will be “PUNISHED with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” They will be punished from His presence; eternally separated from God forever.
We find even more Scripture in the little book of Jude that REFUTES/CONTRADICTS this idea of annihilationism. Jude 1:7 KJV, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Now we know from Genesis 19 that fire rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah, but this verse says ETERNAL FIRE—obviously, this is a reference to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah facing ETERNAL FIRE, the Lake of Fire. Jude 1:13 KJV, “[false teachers are] raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” Again, this verse says “DARKNESS FOREVER”: the Lake of Fire is literally eternal.
Right now, when a lost person dies, he or she goes spirit and soul into “Hell,” a spiritual place of torments (according to Luke 16:22-28)—every lost person from the ages past is here. At the Great White Throne Judgment, these lost people will be resurrected bodily, brought before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged and given their punishment, the eternal Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Now, do not be confused when Revelation 20:15 says “second death.” “Death” is “separation”—“death” does NOT mean annihilated/destroyed. They have already experienced a physical death (when they died on earth, and their body separated from the soul and spirit). This “second death” is being ETERNALLY separated from the presence of the Lord. They will have complete consciousness too!
That Lake of Fire in Revelation 20 is literally forever. Just like the believers’ bodies will be made to last all eternity in Heaven, the lost unbelievers’ bodies will be made to last all eternity in the Lake of Fire. When the Bible says “the second death,” it does not refer to lost people literally dying forever and becoming nonexistent. People in Hell will never receive eternal life, they will receive eternal death, eternal SEPARATION from God. God has given them a chance to escape through faith in the Grace Gospel, so He can be totally righteous and just for letting them suffer forever. God’s justice demands that if a person refuses His Son and His offer of salvation, He has every right to damn them to a lost eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ has done EVERYTHING to help everyone avoid that awful Lake of Fire.
Yes, it is sad, but that should encourage us to tell our loved ones the Good News of Grace!
[30 July 2009]
What happens when a lost person dies? Does the unsaved world die and literally spend eternity in torments, or is this simply something Christians like to say to scare people into getting saved? Many people today—even a large number of Evangelicals—are promoting the idea of “annihilationism,” an idea that claims that God destroys the bodies of the lost once they die. “Annihilationism” is UNSCRIPTURAL. The Bible is ADAMANT that the lost world will spend a literal eternity in the literal lake of fire and brimstone (sulfur). Their bodies will never be consumed; neither will their bodies ever be destroyed. We turn to the Scriptures, and God’s Word becomes the Final Authority.
Proponents of “annihilationism” twist (deliberately distort and misquote) Matthew 10:28 in an attempt to prove that God destroys both body and soul in Hell. However, this verse is merely saying God CAN do it, it is not saying that He IS going to do it or that He does it. God is more powerful than the men who can destroy the physical body. Matthew 10:28 is comparative; it is comparing God’s power to man’s power, nothing more.
But, maybe you are wondering: how do I know Matthew 10:28 does not endorse the idea of “annihilationism?” This verse cannot mean that God destroys body and soul in Hell because it would contradict the rest of Scripture. Obviously, people are twisting this verse to please men—people do not want to face an eternal lake of fire, so they avoid it. False teachers twist the Scriptures to make the Bible say what they want it to say; they are promoting “ear-tickling” doctrine, myths and fables, to appeal to the masses.
Revelation 20:10 KJV says “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” The beast (antichrist) and the false prophet have already been there in the Lake of Fire for 1,000 years—they have not been annihilated! The Bible says THEY WILL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER.
Mark 9:43-48 repeats FIVE TIMES that Hell is “the fire that NEVER shall be quenched.” This phrase “where the worm dieth not” refers to the unsaved person’s body lasting for all eternity (worms are NOT eating the lost people in eternity). Just like in the natural world, worms eat decaying flesh. Because this flesh in Hell will burn forever, the “worm” will never die, because there will always be flesh to eat. These bodies of literal flesh will last forever (see below about the Great White Throne).
Matthew 18:8 and Matthew 25:41 both say that Hell is an “everlasting fire.” In 2 Thessalonians 1:9 KJV, the lost world will be “PUNISHED with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” They will be punished from His presence; eternally separated from God forever.
We find even more Scripture in the little book of Jude that REFUTES/CONTRADICTS this idea of annihilationism. Jude 1:7 KJV, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Now we know from Genesis 19 that fire rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah, but this verse says ETERNAL FIRE—obviously, this is a reference to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah facing ETERNAL FIRE, the Lake of Fire. Jude 1:13 KJV, “[false teachers are] raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” Again, this verse says “DARKNESS FOREVER”: the Lake of Fire is literally eternal.
Right now, when a lost person dies, he or she goes spirit and soul into “Hell,” a spiritual place of torments (according to Luke 16:22-28)—every lost person from the ages past is here. At the Great White Throne Judgment, these lost people will be resurrected bodily, brought before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged and given their punishment, the eternal Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Now, do not be confused when Revelation 20:15 says “second death.” “Death” is “separation”—“death” does NOT mean annihilated/destroyed. They have already experienced a physical death (when they died on earth, and their body separated from the soul and spirit). This “second death” is being ETERNALLY separated from the presence of the Lord. They will have complete consciousness too!
That Lake of Fire in Revelation 20 is literally forever. Just like the believers’ bodies will be made to last all eternity in Heaven, the lost unbelievers’ bodies will be made to last all eternity in the Lake of Fire. When the Bible says “the second death,” it does not refer to lost people literally dying forever and becoming nonexistent. People in Hell will never receive eternal life, they will receive eternal death, eternal SEPARATION from God. God has given them a chance to escape through faith in the Grace Gospel, so He can be totally righteous and just for letting them suffer forever. God’s justice demands that if a person refuses His Son and His offer of salvation, He has every right to damn them to a lost eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ has done EVERYTHING to help everyone avoid that awful Lake of Fire.
Yes, it is sad, but that should encourage us to tell our loved ones the Good News of Grace!