Why do Christians believe in a place of torment called Hell?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Here the Devil is said to be tormented day and night for ever but we can't assume “day and night forever and ever” is literal based on other scriptures that use it non-literally:


Isa 34:8 For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.
Isa 34:9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
Isa 34:10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

Isaiah uses similar language concerning Edom and Edom is not still burning and people do pass through that area. This is an intentional exaggeration and should be understood in that way just as Rev 20:10 should be.

Another example:

Exo 21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

Not literally forever of course. It simply means "a long time", ie: the rest of his life, an intentional exaggeration.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Sodom and Gomorrha are not still burning therefore this eternal fire does not imply the target burns eternally but that this fire exists eternally whether it has something to burn or not and since God is a consuming fire it makes sense that it is eternal because God is eternal.

See how simple this is?
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NKJV)
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

A process that never ends.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,322
29,573
113
2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NKJV)
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

A process that never ends.
Or, destruction that has an everlasting effect.

However/unfortunately, many do not accept that death is punishment.

Which is odd considering it was exactly what God promised Adam for disobedience.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Here the Devil is said to be tormented day and night for ever but we can't assume “day and night forever and ever” is literal based on other scriptures that use it non-literally:
So we can't "assume" that John 3:16 is literal either?

John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,067
4,348
113
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Here the Devil is said to be tormented day and night for ever but we can't assume “day and night forever and ever” is literal based on other scriptures that use it non-literally:


Isa 34:8 For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.
Isa 34:9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
Isa 34:10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

Isaiah uses similar language concerning Edom and Edom is not still burning and people do pass through that area. This is an intentional exaggeration and should be understood in that way just as Rev 20:10 should be.

Another example:

Exo 21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

Not literally forever of course. It simply means "a long time", ie: the rest of his life, an intentional exaggeration.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Sodom and Gomorrha are not still burning therefore this eternal fire does not imply the target burns eternally but that this fire exists eternally whether it has something to burn or not and since God is a consuming fire it makes sense that it is eternal because God is eternal.

See how simple this is?
No we can't assume day and night is forever. BUT "forever" is Forever, we can't assume it is NOT. day and night are contextual with Forever.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,322
29,573
113
So we can't "assume" that John 3:16 is literal either?

John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
The dead know nothing, and life ever after is attained only by putting on the immorality of Jesus, by grace through faith in His shed righteous blood, . This is a central message of Scripture, that the perfect Lamb of God willingly gave His life as a payment for the sin/s of those who believe in Him. In fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies concerning Him, as well as fulfilling the law on our behalf and offering Himself as a propitiatory sacrifice, Jesus took the punishments we all deserve.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Or, destruction that has an everlasting effect.

However/unfortunately, many do not accept that death is punishment.

Which is odd considering it was exactly what God promised Adam for disobedience.
The NT emphasizes several times, everlasting, eternal, forever and ever. Gee I hope eternal life doesn't end. And I sure don't want to be held accountable on Judgment Day for anyone burning in Hell "forever and ever". Death does not mean "cease to exist". Those in Hell "forever and ever" will certainly wish they ceased to exist.

1 Timothy 5:6 (NKJV)
6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,322
29,573
113
The NT emphasizes several times, everlasting, eternal, forever and ever. Gee I hope eternal life doesn't end. And I sure don't want to be held accountable on Judgment Day for anyone burning in Hell "forever and ever". Death does not mean "cease to exist". Those in Hell "forever and ever" will certainly wish they ceased to exist.

1 Timothy 5:6 (NKJV)
6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
Please see this post (<= link), and then further down the same page, posts #348 and 349 :)
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Please see this post (<= link), and then further down the same page, posts #348 and 349 :)
She was dead but still alive. The second death does not mean "cease to exist".

"They will be tormented day and night
forever and ever".
 
May 23, 2020
58
47
18
I have always been close to God my entire life and the God I know does not plan to torment people who reject him for all eternity. I know what is taught and the scriptures that those who teach this use, can you tell me how a wonderful and loving God would torment forever. Putting something bad to sleep forever and out of its misery, like a dog with rabies, is merciful. Please explain without scripture (because I know the verses well) ...explain by your experience and relationship with God what he revealed to you about this. I don't understand, the God I know is not like this. I do believe there is a judgment and evil people who reject him will not have a good end, but not that way.
I am really curious, what do you think happen to people how don't choose God after they die? Do you believe in Heaven. If there is something that happens to people who don't except Christ that is not a "good ending", then I think that is still to an extent a "Hell". But the misnomer is that God sends them. I believe that God wants to do everything he can (and in a matter of fact, he did by sending his own son to die on the cross for us) to keep us out of hell. He does love us that much. More than we know. But whether they go to Heaven or Hell is not a matter of what God has done, but what any individual person has chosen in regards to their walk with Christ whether it be real an intimate, or fake and non-existent. It's simply a consequence of free will that God won't touch because he desires us to have free will to Love him Back.
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NKJV)
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

A process that never ends.

lol, there is nothing in the verse that suggests that at all. It says destruction not "kept alive forever and not destroyed".
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
So we can't "assume" that John 3:16 is literal either?

John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
The verse in question says forever and ever not "everlasting".
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
No we can't assume day and night is forever. BUT "forever" is Forever, we can't assume it is NOT. day and night are contextual with Forever.
God has used same languiage for things that do not last forever and ever.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,067
4,348
113
God has used same languiage for things that do not last forever and ever.

not in the context of hell. Jesus, where He has said HELL, is eternal and forever and those who go there will have torment for eternity, cannot be understood by using another text or passage or verse. You don't use Isiah's words or daniels to remove what Jesus said about Hell YOU MUST LISTEN to Jesus and see what Jesus has said about hell as Authoritative whenever HE is speaking. And know that Jesu has provided more revelation on the topic that was limited to all other writers.
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
not in the context of hell. Jesus, where He has said HELL, is eternal and forever and those who go there will have torment for eternity,
Hell is eternal but the bible never says one time that humans are tormented there forever. That is said about one person only, the Devil, and the phrase "forever and ever" is used elsewhere in the bible as not actually forever so even in the Devil's case, it is not forever especially when we know there are passages that say the Devil will be destroyed rather than live forever.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,322
29,573
113
Hell is eternal but the bible never says one time that humans are tormented there forever. That is said about one person only, the Devil, and the phrase "forever and ever" is used elsewhere in the bible as not actually forever so even in the Devil's case, it is not forever especially when we know there are passages that say the Devil will be destroyed rather than live forever.
I wonder how people interpret God "making all things new" works when
they insist some part of His new creation will consist of a torture chamber :unsure:
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,193
1,577
113
68
Brighton, MI
Eternal doesn't always mean eternal...., if it did there would be contradictions in the bible. Sodom didn't burn for eternity it's consequences are eternal. We should understand this when we read verses referring to the eternal hell. The fire of hell will be eternal not burning for eternity but the result will be for ever and ever.

Luk_17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Jud_1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
In Matthew 25:46 does in fact mean eternal. If you limit one side of the equation, you have put the same limit on the other side.
I also, posted a greek scholar that proves such. It is the same greek grammar for both eternals.
Also, I pointed out that Jude 1:7 is out of context and purposely misinterpreted. The eternal fire that S&G is partly in the grave then after the judgement.

Context does matter.

https://bnonn.com/word-studies-are-not-exegesis/
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,193
1,577
113
68
Brighton, MI
It was said it would burn forever, yet it no longer burns. The term forever has been discussed with many examples given over a number of posts PROVING that forever does NOT always mean without end. Go back and start with this post. Then read posts #348 and 349 :D

Also it would be helpful if people excepted death as punishment. Obviously some do not.

The second death is eternal punishment because it lasts forever after.
Genesis 19 never said that they would burn forever.

Context Matters

https://bnonn.com/word-studies-are-not-exegesis/
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,193
1,577
113
68
Brighton, MI
https://bnonn.com/word-studies-are-not-exegesis/

Also, remember the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the other towns around them. Like those angels they were full of sexual sin and involved themselves in sexual relations that are wrong. And they suffer the punishment of eternal fire, an example for us to see.

The highlighted is in present tense.