Questions about Hell

[carol1948]

I read a Baptist book about the Rapture, and there was one section on hell in it, and it seemed to say there were different levels according to ones works here on earth in hell???

I looked at the scripture they quoted, but I couldn't read 'that' into it.

Has anyone heard of that before? Can anyone one find anything Biblical that could support that line of thinking?

Yes, I've heard of this [probably because I have always attended Baptist churches]. It is based on a scripture passage which I can't put my hands on right now, that says that the one who knows to do right and does wrong will receive a more severe punishment than the one who does wrong in ignorance. I think Jesus compared a landowner or manager with a servant or laborer. If this has any reference to judgement it would have to refer to unbelievers since all the wrongs/sins of believers have been washed away. However, it could also be a comparison of the Jews who have (at that time) had the law for thousands of years so know to do right, with Gentiles who were sinning in ignorance. The Jews as a nation have endured much greater hardships through the centuries since then than many Gentile nations.
I can see that God can control the degrees of torment a spirit endures even though all are in the lake of fire. I don't really have an opinion of my own on this. I'm very thankful that judgment is God's work to do and not mine.

[TimothyK]

I see what you are saying about the fact that eternal damnation is what it is.......
My question is: what's with the details? I get that the stripes refer to the disobedient believer. I get that a lot of the details are for the Jewish rejection of their Messiah, and the offer to the Gentile. There are warnings, however, and some people cannot discern the warnings to which is which. The disobedient, or the unbeliever. They are not one and the same, to me. Saved, as by fire.......probably the refining process of the disobedient believer.....who manages Heaven, but without treasure stored. There is import to this discussion or it never would be referred to so often in scripture......

Details are never to be shrugged off, and therefore, the questions are valid. The examining healthful. I never like the answer: the gospel is simple, let's keep it simple. It misses too many things that are important in the life of growth of the believer. Too many are satisfied to be "in" and not care about "bringing glory to God" .

Let's keep the conversation in context. You're mixing up the correction of believers and the judgment of non-believers. Do you believe a disobedient yet blood bought child of God can warrant Hell and the Lake of Fire?

The ruin of such a person will be painfully evident and such people come near to being accursed, but can mankind defeat the foundation of Jesus Christ? The gates of Hell can't prevail against it, but man can?

According to degrees of eternal punishment as some believe, please explain with Scripture what is worse then eternal condemnation?

What is worse then the sentence of Hell and then the Lake of Fire that all the unsaved are likewise doomed to? In contrast, what is better?

You can't subtract from nothing. What is nothing + nothing?

Works not motivated by faith are empty. They are worthless. Nothing. All such people who are going to God based on this outside of Jesus Christ will then be given their due and just reward.

What was granted them by God's kindness will be stripped from them by their own request and choosing in foregoing the Messiah Jesus Christ that would plead for them with His blood, and they will then stand on their very own merits naked before an exceedingly just and holy God to present themselves with all their glory and splendor!

They are nothing before Him. They don't stand a chance. They will not justify themselves. They will receive the reward that they merit. Nothing begets nothing. Hell and the Lake of Fire is a whole lot of nothing.

You can argue the semantics of how much nothing is due to each one, but I maintain that nothing is nothing is nothing. It is irrelevant. Where if there is truth in 'degrees' of just how much nothing one outside of Christ should get, that matter is for God alone. We'll understand completely when we're on the other side.

But if you have all the details sorted out, by all means. Let's hear it. But if not, let's not confuse an absolute issue. Let's keep it simple.

[shebrews]

ok.

[TimothyK]

ok.

I'm sorry.

[Rei]

I've seen many bizarre 'I've seen hell' stories that group people into categories and what their punishments are. What is a good way to respond to these 'visions'? The most recent one that was thrust at me had hell-categories for 'pastors who don't pay their tithe', 'males with earrings', 'people with tattoos', 'football fans', among other strange things that apparently 'lead people to hell'. Also, Lucifer apparently designed football to lead people to hell. Just really, really strange unsettling stuff.

[Steve53]

I've seen many bizarre 'I've seen hell' stories that group people into categories and what their punishments are. What is a good way to respond to these 'visions'? The most recent one that was thrust at me had hell-categories for 'pastors who don't pay their tithe', 'males with earrings', 'people with tattoos', 'football fans', among other strange things that apparently 'lead people to hell'. Also, Lucifer apparently designed football to lead people to hell. Just really, really strange unsettling stuff.

We've had many discussions about the "severity" of punishment(s) in hell. If I can find more maybe I'll merge them all here. In many respects the personal anguish of the damned in addition to the lake of fire seems to be the prevailing consensus and that a few degrees of heat one way or another is really a small thing when looked at from an eternal viewpoint. Forever is long time to be separate from God.

[IMSAVED]

On the lighter side does anyone remember the farside cartoon.....(Man standing in Hell with a coffee cup) "Even the coffee is cold,they thought of everything".

[Hootmon]

ok.

Joy!

Hell is bad. Heaven is good?

Creation is indeed a case of 'bad vs. good'. Right?

[$teve]

I've seen many bizarre 'I've seen hell' stories that group people into categories and what their punishments are. What is a good way to respond to these 'visions'? The most recent one that was thrust at me had hell-categories for 'pastors who don't pay their tithe', 'males with earrings', 'people with tattoos', 'football fans', among other strange things that apparently 'lead people to hell'. Also, Lucifer apparently designed football to lead people to hell. Just really, really strange unsettling stuff.

We've had many discussions about the "severity" of punishment(s) in hell. If I can find more maybe I'll merge them all here. In many respects the personal anguish of the damned in addition to the lake of fire seems to be the prevailing consensus and that a few degrees of heat one way or another is really a small thing when looked at from an eternal viewpoint. Forever is long time to be separate from God.

Steve I think Rei is referring to those people who have had alleged visions of seeing particular groups of people in hell as he outlines, rather than whether there is any level of hell or punishment. In these so called visions, there's Christians in hell, and as Rei points out, pastors and people from all walks of life that are in hell because of some idiosyncrasy or interest or whatever, totally divorced from faith in Christ. My advice Rei, keep away from such rubbish and if you are watching these vids on youtube or the internet (not saying you are but I've seen them frequently posted there) simply do what I do - hit the 'close' button. Complete rubbish.

[Steve53]

Steve I think Rei is referring to those people who have had alleged visions of seeing particular groups of people in hell as he outlines, rather than whether there is any level of hell or punishment. In these so called visions, there's Christians in hell, and as Rei points out, pastors and people from all walks of life that are in hell because of some idiosyncrasy or interest or whatever, totally divorced from faith in Christ. My advice Rei, keep away from such rubbish and if you are watching these vids on youtube or the internet (not saying you are but I've seen them frequently posted there) simply do what I do - hit the 'close' button. Complete rubbish.

I got his meanings. Answered the larger question.

that group people into categories and what their punishments are

The board's position on trips to heaven or hell and back are known (or should be to anyone who's been here more than a week).

ETA - And we all should be very clear by now that there will be no born again Christians in Hell.

[AmazingGrace]

On the lighter side does anyone remember the farside cartoon.....(Man standing in Hell with a coffee cup) "Even the coffee is cold,they thought of everything".

I do...

(disclaimer: the comic is funny, the reality of hell isn't)

[Kliska]

I've seen many bizarre 'I've seen hell' stories that group people into categories and what their punishments are. What is a good way to respond to these 'visions'? The most recent one that was thrust at me had hell-categories for 'pastors who don't pay their tithe', 'males with earrings', 'people with tattoos', 'football fans', among other strange things that apparently 'lead people to hell'. Also, Lucifer apparently designed football to lead people to hell. Just really, really strange unsettling stuff.

A good way to respond to these visions is to point out scripture on Hell, and then say you'll stick with God's word over their subjective experiences and thoughts on the subject.

[Mommytoa3rdgradeboy]

Hell is literal...I don't care if a person is in the 'coolest' part of Hell; it would be horrible! I want NO part of it. Thank you, God, for washing away my sins, past, present, and future. PTL! The Bible states that there wil lbe weeping and knashing of teeth. There will be no parties there, like people joke about. They will be suffering in torment.

[carol1948]

I guess many of us have ideas about hell. One of mine is that there won't be groups, but only complete aloneness. Misery loves company and I don't think there will be anything to love in hell.

[saved by Grace]

it can be dark because sulfur burns darkly and it emits a horrible smell when it burns,you really don't want to end up there!

here is a video on the ashen remains of Sodom and Gomorrah,this was covered in the Bible in Genesis:18-19
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwTVFk1HK3Y

imagine the horror of being burned all over your body and having a horrible smell that never goes away and not feeling any footing at all and not dieing physically and being eternally separated from God,it is also known as the bottomless pit or the abyss.

we get by here by hope and faith but if you end up in hell all that goes away and you begin to gnash your teeth,weep and howl and wail in torment.

hearing someone wail in anguish and despair is bad enough here but in hell it is worse.all these ideas are straight from the Bible.

remember this is created for the Devil and his Angels but if if one denies Jesus that person will die in his or her's sins.

i post this only because i believe the scriptures 100 percent and i really hope someone out there can be saved.

[ranman]

If there is literal flames then how can it be a place of darkness?

And if you are an immaterial soul how can a soul burn? Everything about pain is caused by physical reactions in your body (nerves, neuro transmitters, etc).

And if your link it talked about hell being in the center of the earth. But Jesus talks about a place where the worm never dies.

Worms and maggots wouldn't last long in lava.

Jesus calls the Gehenna of hell a place of everlasting torment. He also calls it outer darkness. Maybe flames that produce no light only tormenting pain.

Mar 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mar 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mat 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So a place of darkness and torment where you are completely alone for all eternity. Not good!

The rich man and Lazarus show us that in hell proper, lost men are tormented in flames of fire.

At the Great White Throne Judgement lost spirits are resurrected to stand in judgement in their bodies. Then the whole man is cast into the lake of fire forever.

As far as the worms and maggots they must be special worms and maggots created by God.

Blessings!