BlessedinHim
June 25th, 2007, 02:47 AM
Punished Forever?
Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. I’ve always struggled with the concept of Hell. I can understand why a person who rejects Christ should not be allowed to live with him in Heaven for eternity. That’s their choice. I can understand the concept that if you reject God, you reject everything that defines his Character: Faith, Hope and Love and all he created. However, I can’t understand why God appears to go out of his way to make Hell painful:
Rev. 21:8, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
What about the good, decent person who doesn’t come close in behavior as the above listed people. I understand they still have a sin nature and that if you commit one sin you’re basically guilty of all. Are they to suffer the same fate Hitler and the anti-Christ are destined to suffer? Are they to be given an immortal, eternal, physical body that only feels torture and pain but doesn’t die? Isn’t just “knowing” you can’t live with God enough punishment?
I guess if it had been up to me, I would have simply “annihilated” them – blot out their existence where they have no self-awareness or consciousness. This seems to me more merciful. But I’m not God and I’m not in control.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m so grateful the Lord isn’t like me. I thank Him daily for who he is and what Jesus did for me, but I don’t understand, nor can I comprehend torture for eternity and what it really accomplishes.
A. There is a school of thought that says unbelievers will be punished "according to their works" before being destroyed altogether. This would, in effect, put a person out of his or her misery following a period of punishment reflective of their lifestyle. Those who do less evil would bear shorter periods of punishment than those who did more. Scholars are divided on this issue, but one thing is clear. It's better to be saved and avoid the situation altogether.
In all of this, it's important to remember that the notion of relative good and evil is man's perspective. God's view is that apart from Him we can do no good thing. The Israelites taught us that when they were out of fellowship with God, even their required sacrifices were disgusting to Him.
But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood, and whoever burns memorial incense, like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me." (Isaiah 66:3-4)
Punishment: Eternal Or Temporary?
Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. This is a follow-up on the punishment forever question. Ever since I read about the view you discussed (a couple years ago actually in one of your articles) I've been looking for something concrete to back this up. The idea appeals to me humanly, and presents a view of God consistent with his love ... However, I'm coming up dry.
Also, in light of Isaiah 66:24 and Mark 9:48 (and possibly 2 other vs in the KJV, I believe where it is repeated in the Mk 9 passage) I feel this is refuting the annihilation view. Is there another interpretation of "their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched". I've been wrestling with this now for about a year but wanted to find an answer through my own study. Can you help?
A. Among the three leading interpretations of Scripture pertaining to the destiny of unbelievers, the traditional view of eternal suffering is most consistent with Scripture. Those who like the conditional view point to the concept of being judged according to their works as being more in in line with God's character, but they don't have a good explanation for the verses you cite. (I won't address the allegorical view for obvious reasons.)
In John 6:28-29 Jesus was asked what works God requires of us. Jesus answered, "Believe in the One He has sent." With a perfect (might I say Heaven sent?) opportunity to list everything that God expects from us, Jesus mentioned only this. If this is God's only required work than being judged according to our works could simply mean judged according to whether we believe or not.
We humans need to get over our self importance. From my reading of the Bible it seems like throughout history we've distinguished ourselves primarily by messing things up. God chooses to work through us out of love, but He definitely doesn't need our help. He rewards believers with crowns because of our attitude of gratitude, not our results. Like he did with Adam and Eve, maybe God has given us only one rule. Believe in the One He has sent. Everything else comes after that, and with out it nothing else matters.
If that's the case then the admired non-believing philanthropist and the reviled mass murderer are on equal footing. They both failed to fulfill God's only requirement.
From Jack Kelly
Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. I’ve always struggled with the concept of Hell. I can understand why a person who rejects Christ should not be allowed to live with him in Heaven for eternity. That’s their choice. I can understand the concept that if you reject God, you reject everything that defines his Character: Faith, Hope and Love and all he created. However, I can’t understand why God appears to go out of his way to make Hell painful:
Rev. 21:8, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
What about the good, decent person who doesn’t come close in behavior as the above listed people. I understand they still have a sin nature and that if you commit one sin you’re basically guilty of all. Are they to suffer the same fate Hitler and the anti-Christ are destined to suffer? Are they to be given an immortal, eternal, physical body that only feels torture and pain but doesn’t die? Isn’t just “knowing” you can’t live with God enough punishment?
I guess if it had been up to me, I would have simply “annihilated” them – blot out their existence where they have no self-awareness or consciousness. This seems to me more merciful. But I’m not God and I’m not in control.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m so grateful the Lord isn’t like me. I thank Him daily for who he is and what Jesus did for me, but I don’t understand, nor can I comprehend torture for eternity and what it really accomplishes.
A. There is a school of thought that says unbelievers will be punished "according to their works" before being destroyed altogether. This would, in effect, put a person out of his or her misery following a period of punishment reflective of their lifestyle. Those who do less evil would bear shorter periods of punishment than those who did more. Scholars are divided on this issue, but one thing is clear. It's better to be saved and avoid the situation altogether.
In all of this, it's important to remember that the notion of relative good and evil is man's perspective. God's view is that apart from Him we can do no good thing. The Israelites taught us that when they were out of fellowship with God, even their required sacrifices were disgusting to Him.
But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood, and whoever burns memorial incense, like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me." (Isaiah 66:3-4)
Punishment: Eternal Or Temporary?
Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. This is a follow-up on the punishment forever question. Ever since I read about the view you discussed (a couple years ago actually in one of your articles) I've been looking for something concrete to back this up. The idea appeals to me humanly, and presents a view of God consistent with his love ... However, I'm coming up dry.
Also, in light of Isaiah 66:24 and Mark 9:48 (and possibly 2 other vs in the KJV, I believe where it is repeated in the Mk 9 passage) I feel this is refuting the annihilation view. Is there another interpretation of "their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched". I've been wrestling with this now for about a year but wanted to find an answer through my own study. Can you help?
A. Among the three leading interpretations of Scripture pertaining to the destiny of unbelievers, the traditional view of eternal suffering is most consistent with Scripture. Those who like the conditional view point to the concept of being judged according to their works as being more in in line with God's character, but they don't have a good explanation for the verses you cite. (I won't address the allegorical view for obvious reasons.)
In John 6:28-29 Jesus was asked what works God requires of us. Jesus answered, "Believe in the One He has sent." With a perfect (might I say Heaven sent?) opportunity to list everything that God expects from us, Jesus mentioned only this. If this is God's only required work than being judged according to our works could simply mean judged according to whether we believe or not.
We humans need to get over our self importance. From my reading of the Bible it seems like throughout history we've distinguished ourselves primarily by messing things up. God chooses to work through us out of love, but He definitely doesn't need our help. He rewards believers with crowns because of our attitude of gratitude, not our results. Like he did with Adam and Eve, maybe God has given us only one rule. Believe in the One He has sent. Everything else comes after that, and with out it nothing else matters.
If that's the case then the admired non-believing philanthropist and the reviled mass murderer are on equal footing. They both failed to fulfill God's only requirement.
From Jack Kelly