Doctrine of Burning in Hell Keeps People From Christ

[Brakelite]

Do you believe that in order to understand the Bible properly, it requires abdicating your reasoning mind?

Besides the trinity, the doctrine of eternal suffering in hell, is one of the biggest IDOLS keeping people from Christ. I know it was for me for decades! Consider the following 9 reasons:

1. INCOMPATIBLE WITH AN ALL-LOVING GOD

This is the big one. In the end, for most people, an all-loving God should be distinguishable from pure evil. There cannot be an idea more purely evil than to distort any notion of love or justice with ECT, eternal conscious torment.

Death is merciful & loving, not ECT.

2. OT DOESN’T TEACH ECT BUT DEATH

God told Adam that sin will result in death @ GE 2:17. If ECT is true, it means God lied.

except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.​

GE 2:17 (NLT)​

According to Peter, God does not want to prevent us from burning eternally but prevent us from death.

The Lord is not slow in fulfilling his promise, as some consider him to be slow, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to be destroyed but for everyone to come to repentance.​

2 Peter 3:9​

3. JUSTICE

There is nothing equal about temporary sin resulting in eternal punishment. A human hardly lives a century. Even the most wicked life cannot be equally punished by ECT.

Some make an Appeal to Ignorance, supposing the human mind cannot understand the concepts of love and justice when preceded by the word divine.

Jesus is a man and can understand it. Jesus says many and few blows – not infinite in Luke 12:48. This suggests proportional punishment for wrongdoing, a balance justice demands, not an infinite number of blows for everyone, regardless of their sin, which is ultimately the case for ECT.

In order for ECT to be true, it means God and Jesus both lied.

4. BETTER OFF WITHOUT JESUS?

Before Jesus, the understanding from the OT was sin results in death.

Behold, they will be like stubble, the fire will burn them up. They will not deliver themselves from the power of the flame.​

IS 47:14 (REV)​

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They will go out and look on the dead bodies of the people who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched​

IS 66:24 (REV)​

It is the worm that does not die, not us! It is the fire that is burns endlessly, not people!

Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says Lord Yahweh, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desire that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?’​

EZ 33:11 (REV)​

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For I have told you often, and now tell you again in tears, that many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction.​

Phil 3:18-19​

If anything Jesus said is taken to reveal ECT is true, it means most people would be better off if Jesus had not come. The Good News of Jesus Christ cannot be for most, the punishment for sin went from death to ECT!

5. 2nd DEATH:

Dead is most common way to describe unbelievers, not ECT.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have life in the age to come.​

John 3:16 (REV)​

NOTE: John 3:16 does not say God sent his son to prevent ECT. Some make another Appeal to Ignorance, that “perish” or die means something mystical or spiritual, etc. This is either adding to God’s word or extreme eisegesis.

6. DEATH IS SUBSTITUTE FOR SIN, NOT ECT

There is not a single instance where sin is paid for with ECT. Every substitute for sin in Scripture is death.

If the penalty for sin is eternal burning, then Jesus did not pay the full price.

7. SATAN’S LIE, YOU WON’T NOT DIE

ECT embraces Satan’s 1st lie.

8. OUR PEACE IN PARADISE

How could we enjoy paradise knowing ECT for our loved ones? True, the Bible says tears will be wiped away not that our emotional responses will be altered in the knowledge that people we loved in life are being tormented without end.

In Scripture “forever and ever” means “until the end of the age.” It does not mean unending.

9. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT FOR DEMONS ONLY

Trinitarians go to technique to “support” their doctrine is what I call artificial synthesis, cherry picking verses and splicing them together. There is no verse that says unrepentant, evil humans are fated for ECT.

Then he will also say to the ones on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the fire in the age to come, which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.​

Mat 25:41 (REV)​

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14 Then Death and Hades (the grave) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.​

Revelation 20:14 (ESV)​

Agree with most. Disagree that demons or fallen angels are immortal. They will also die, in the end be destroyed. That lake of fire is the same fire that cleanses the earth prior to being recreated. It destroys sinners and demons alike, including Satan. Satan of course will suffer longest. He is the one ultimately responsible for what we see around us in the conflict between good and evil, but even he will, in the end be utterly destroyed. Sin will never rise again. Not because we can't... Not because we've lost our free will... But because we will never again choose to.

KJV Ezekiel 28:12-19
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God: "Affliction shall not rise up the second time." Nahum 1:9. The law of God, which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will be honored as the law of liberty. A tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom.

 

[Brakelite]

Fear of hell has definitely been a grace that helped me stay devoted to Christ.

Hell in the Bible is very clearly ECT, and all deniers show in their arguments they reject it just because they don't like the idea.

Annihilation is Biblical. Oh, you didn't know? You thought we invented the idea out of thin air? You think man is naturally immortal so cannot surely die despite the Bible declaring unequivocally that he can and does die? And is never resurrected a second time? Do you claim God's word as the basis for your faith? While those advocating for ECT produce at best 2 verses in defense, where a work doesn't die and smoke agenda forever, (no mention of people in torment in either) they also claim there no sense for annihilation...

Then read on....

DESTRUCTION
KJV Psalms 145:20
20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
KJV Psalms 101:8
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.
KJV Psalms 37:38
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
KJV Psalms 92:7
7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
KJV Proverbs 13:13
13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
KJV Proverbs 10:29
29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
KJV Philippians 3:19
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
KJV 1 Timothy 6:9
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
KJV 2 Thessalonians 1:9
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
KJV Matthew 7:13
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
PERISH
KJV Psalms 37:20
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
KJV Proverbs 19:9
9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
KJV Luke 13:3
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
KJV John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:10
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
KJV 2 Peter 2:12
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
BURNT UP
KJV Matthew 3:12
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
KJV Matthew 13:30
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
KJV Hebrews 6:8
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
KJV Malachi 4:1-3
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 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.
CONSUMED
KJV Isaiah 1:28
28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
KJV Psalms 37:20
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
KJV Psalms 104:35
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
DEVOURED
KJV Psalms 21:9
9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
KJV Hebrews 10:27
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
KJV Revelation 20:9
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
CUT OFF FROM THE EARTH
KJV Psalms 37:2, 9, 22, 28, 34, 38
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
KJV Proverbs 2:22
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
PERDITION... UTTER RUIN
KJV Hebrews 10:39
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
KJV 2 Peter 3:7
7 But 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.
CEASE TO EXIST
KJV Psalms 37:10
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

 

[GeneZ]

Jesus declared frequently the torments of Hell in the Gospels.
He was not afraid to tell the Truth when it was called for.

All of us who believe in Jesus were not stopped by knowing about Hell.
Nor, were we saved worrying about Hell.
Carnal Christians (who are saved) are unsure of their salvation might become neurotic over the thought of Hell.

God does not want people to seek salvation simply to escape Hell.
That would be a selfish, self preservation, salvation...
Jesus would not even be the first issue for them.

God desires people to see God's love and to believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.
They also know that there are people who deserve Hell, and see it as needed Justice.

 

[GeneZ]

Jesus spoke often about Hell...

There are certain people that need their bluff called by God!
Its not to be preached indiscriminately.
Its not to be a Gospel message as a call onto salvation...
Its to be objectively taught about and made known when called for.
The Holy Spirit will work on the souls that need to hear this truth as to break down their resistance.

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Hell is a real place.​

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“Don’t fear those who kill the body,” Jesus said, “rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28; see also 5:29-30; 23:15,33; Luke 10:15; 16:23). Commenting on Jesus’ teaching about an “eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46), John Broadus wrote: “It is to the last degree improbable that the Great Teacher would have used an expression so inevitably suggesting a great doctrine he did not mean to teach.” According to Jesus, hell is real.​

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Hell is a place of judgment.​

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In numerous parables, Jesus clearly and emphatically taught of a final judgment and the separation of the righteous from the unrighteous. The unrighteous will be condemned to a place of blazing fire and utter darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (See Matt. 13:24-30,36-43, 47-50; 22:1-14; 25:14-46.) Jesus called this place “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). Hell is not a place where people are tormented by the devil; it is where those who reject God will suffer the same fate as the devil and his demons. It is the place of final judgment.​

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Hell is forever.​

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Jesus spoke of hell as “eternal fire” (Matt. 25:41) and “eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46). In Matthew 25:46, the same word—eternal—is used to describe eternal life for the righteous and the eternal punishment of hell for the unrighteous. According to Jesus, hell will be eternal.​

Hell is more terrible than we can imagine.​

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The images of fire (Matt. 25:41), darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30), the weeping and gnashing of teeth ” (Matt. 8:12; 13:42,50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28), and being cut into pieces speak of the horror of hell.​

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https://explorethebible.lifeway.com/blog/adults/what-did-jesus-say-about-hell/​

 

[Wrangler]

KJV Psalms 145:20
20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

Although I cannot deal with the archaic KJV (preserveth & et al), the list you provided is most damaging to the ECT belief.

@Brakelite, in my spiritual walk, I have been dismayed at how widespread IDOLATRY is in Christianity at large. The word of God means nothing in comparison to the IDOLATRY of manmade doctrines.

The ECT ground would have a leg to stand on, if verses like Pslams 145:20 said something like, "All the wicked, will burn alive forever." But there is not one single verse like that. It truly amazes me how people can walk away from a study of the Bible and hold the doctrines they do.


Yahweh keeps watch over all who love him, but all the wicked he will exterminate.
(REV)

 

[GeneZ]

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Doctrine of Burning in Hell Keeps People From Christ?​

Right... Like it stopped everyone here from accepting Christ.


wake up!


No one is going to Hell because they were told about Hell.

 

[Diserner]

We have direct firsthand testimony from atheists, that an eternal hell would cause them to take salvation more seriously.

But if they just poof, then they really don't care.

Think about that—

"There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked."

No greater peace and reward for a life of wickedness, than to just disappear, as punishments go.

 

[GeneZ]

We have direct firsthand testimony from atheists, that an eternal hell would cause them to take salvation more seriously.

But if they just poof, then they really don't care.

Think about that—

"There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked."

No greater peace and reward for a life of wickedness, than to just disappear, as punishments go.

Its all one big Catch 22.

An atheist can not know Hell is real unless he is regenerated. He can only fear that it might be real.

Many atheists are angry about God because they think God ignores them.

Most likely God knows that some of them would demand something of God first,
so he could save them. As if they would be doing God a favor.

 

[Brakelite]

All the cogitations about what atheists think of hell...or not... And what they think of salvation, does not impede the gospel from reaching those who are open. So in that sense, you fellas are right. The holy Spirit can overcome doctrine whether right or wrong. So that isn't the important factor about ECT.
No. What is important, what everyone on this forum really need to consider above everything else when it comes to ECT, is
What your agreement with ECT says about what you think of God. It also impacts what you think of the atonement and the sacrifice the Father and the Son made for you. And as well what it says about your regard for the word of God. You've seen the list I posted. You have no excuse. You do not believe God words.
The wages of sin is death.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
... But fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. You quote these scriptures, and many more saying the same thing in unambiguous language when presenting the gospel. You expect atheists to believe them because they are the word of God. But you don't believe them yourselves. And because you don't believe them, you are painting in your own mind a picture of God that didn't exist...a picture you continue to paint for others, which you demand they believe, a picture the denied truth, insults the Godhead, and contradicts the plain reading of numerous passages of scripture. John 3:16 for example. The most common text quoted in presenting the gospel, but you deny it's validity.
How many of you actually read the list of texts I presented, or did you simply ignore them thinking they couldn't possibly be truth because they contradict your own cherished doctrine?
But again. The real sad thing about all this is your gross misapprehension of the character of God.

 

[GeneZ]

After we are resurrected? And, the Lord has gotten us all oriented to the amazing new state of eternal life?

Will be thanking the Lord for having the Lake of Fire.

We will have the capacity to immensely appreciate and be eternally grateful for God's wisdom.