Index To Articles Below Introduction The Importance of the Subjects of Heaven and Hell cannot possibly be over stated, since one or the other is the final, unalterable and eternal destination of every one of us. If salvation is deliverance from Hell, then Hell must be thoroughly understood! Therefore the ambiguity of ‘both sides of the coin’ simply wasn’t good enough. Challenging The Traditional Viewpoint: The doctrine of the duration of Hell has been so strongly held throughout the history of Christianity that few have dared to challenge it. Adding to the reluctance has been the fact that most modern challenges have come from the cults. Thus, a person who dares to question the traditional viewpoint runs the risk of being labeled a cultist or, at best, a Universalist. We are neither. [See Universalism] Clear Cut Teachings? In the absence of a clear cut and fully developed teaching in the New Testament (which should tell us something) I originally presented both sides of the issue (annihilation and eternal torment) in this section and left it to the reader to make up his or her own mind. But an in-depth study of the subject as presented in the Bible leaves no room for fence sitting.. Conflicting Arguments: The study is not an easy one. On the surface there appears to be an enormous amount of conflicting arguments, with both sides presenting seemingly compelling Scriptural evidence… The deeper one delves into the subject the less persuasive the argument in favor of the traditional view become. Presuppositions: However it is totally pointless to embark on a investigation unless one is prepared to set aside one’s denominational presuppositions and other biases and rely strictly on what the Word says. This seems to be easier said than done for many, if not most, Christians. A Core Doctrine?: Much of the problem with this topic centers around the fact that most Christians believe that an everlasting nightmare is a core doctrine of the church.. This is patently untrue. In the words of Keith Stump.. “ The doctrine of hell evolved long after the core doctrines of the historic Christian faith were established. The views of the early Church fathers about hell were far from unanimous. It took the Christian community hundreds of years to come up with a consensus on the issue. The majority view -- that hell is a place of eternal fiery torment -- emerged only after a long debate within the Church”.
Christians Do Not Really Believe In Eternal Torture: It seems to me that very few Christians really believe in the doctrine of eternal fires of hell, no matter how much they profess to do so. The thought of hell should stir us into a state of near panic for the welfare of our unsaved relatives, friends and acquaintances, yet when was the last time any of us tearfully went to an unsaved person that we care about and begged them to ‘repent and believe’. When was the last time you did so? One Question: All of which leaves us with one unanswered question.. While one can imagine how it is possible that saints will be rewarded “according to their individual deeds.” it is not equally clear how one will receive greater condemnation than another at the judgement. For example, in Matthew 11:21-24, where the Lord said .. speaking to the cities Chorazin and Bethsaida.. “But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you” . Also see the parable of the wicked servant in Luke 12:42-48.. “...And that servant, who knew his lord’s will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes..” Also See 2 Peter 2:20-21. This problem is not answered by the traditional view of hell as it is not possible to multiply or worsen ‘eternal’ torment. Nor is the problem solved by the ‘total annihilation’ view, which renders the same punishment to all regardless of offense. There are some things we simply do not know. What We Do Know is that Hell is a ghastly destination that should be avoided at all costs. Our Lord warned us about Hell time and time again. There will be no parties in hell! You should do all you can to make sure it is not your final home nor that of your friends or family. See Heart of The Matter
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Much of the confusion about hell has arisen from the fact that several separate and distinctive words (Sheol, Hades, Gehenna and Tartarus) in both Hebrew and Greek, were unfortunately translated into the single English word ‘hell’, which is now commonly used to signify the place of the damned. This conveys an improper meaning of the original word. Reading only the King James Bible, makes it close to impossible to tell which of the four original words is being used and what it really means.
Hell… Sheol, Hades, Gehenna and Tartarus
If the popular concept of a fiery hell is true then it stands to reason that the pain of hell and the salvation of Christ should be the two most talked about doctrines in Scripture. However is this true… or is the Bible strangely silent on the subject of eternal suffering? Lets turn to the Old Testament first. Hell In The Old Testament.
While nearly all "orthodox" authorities of eminence concede that Sheol and Hades do not denote a place of torment in the future world, most of those who accept the doctrine of endless torment claim that Gehenna does convey that meaning.
Hell In The New Testament.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 is believed by many to be a true account of the state of man after death and has been the foundation for many of the erroneous beliefs about "hell" within traditional Christianity. It has long been used by mainstream ministers to teach the reality of "hell," really has nothing to say about punishment or reward in the afterlife. Christ used this story, which fit the common misconception about life after death in his day, to show the fate that awaited the Jewish nation because of the unbelief and faithlessness which led them to reject him as the Messiah. They still suffer from that fate to this very day.
The Rich Man and Lazarus.
The eternal torment model of Hell creates countless problems when set against the clear teaching of God's character. Neither does it stand up to scrutiny in systematic theology. Lastly, and most importantly, the overall credo of scripture plainly teaches against it while frequently reiterating the vocabulary of death for the unrighteous. Keeping all of these things in mind, it seems overwhelmingly evident to me that the only consistent way to interpret God's Word on this subject is to believe in the ultimate annihilation of unbelievers in the Lake of Fire.
Eternal Torment or Complete Annihilation
An Overview
The Nature of Hell
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