one question and one warning.
one question and one warning.
question: is hell nihilistic or a state of torment? that is to say; does the soul cease to exist or enter a state of eternal torment ?
warning: i'm thinking about putting together a personal statement of faith. beware of forthcoming blasphemes.
Comments
well sir, i look forward to experiencing the depths of the oddity into which your faith extends.
Posted by: Dr Tchock | March 30, 2004 11:40 PM
i hope it is a bitter ending. I hope it is only eternal seperation and that hell is reserved for the fallen angels.
Posted by: Kirk | March 31, 2004 11:03 AM
Une autre question: Is there a difference between hell and the lake fire?
Also: What of the weeping and gnashing of teeth thing??
Posted by: Jer | March 31, 2004 4:09 PM
If I just went with Jesus, I'd say eternal state. If I just went with the book of Revelation, then I would say that there is an end to the punishment through obliteration.
I'm going to have to revise that because Jesus isn't so straight lined on this either:
Matt10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Revelation 20:13-15 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
According to Revelation 20 it could be that Hades in the waiting place for the damned and that is where the fire, weeping and gnashing of teeth come in. This being thrown into the lake of fire may be the end of both the soul and the body.
The idea that the soul is indestructable is a Greek one. It is not necessarily something that we derive from Biblical literature.
It is not heresy to hold one view or the other. I know which one I like more but either view leaves us with the reality that us and our friends will be separated from God forever if we are not reconciled to him through the blood of Jesus. This is the sobering reality that matters most.
Posted by: markio | March 31, 2004 4:27 PM