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.

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,131
29,444
113
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.
And yet they are no longer burning :unsure:;):geek:
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
Genesis 19 never said that they would burn forever.

Context Matters

https://bnonn.com/word-studies-are-not-exegesis/
Matthew
25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.
25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,131
29,444
113
Matthew
25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.
25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Yes, the second death is everlasting... unlike the first :)
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
Yes, the second death is everlasting... unlike the first :)
Nothing confusing about the term "everlasting punishment". Emotionally upsetting? perhaps, but very straightforward. Lets just agree that we shall walk with Jesus. That is what really matters.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,058
4,341
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.
yes it does and Jesus is the one who said it more than once. And I posted the verses as many have.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,058
4,341
113
Nothing confusing about the term "everlasting punishment". Emotionally upsetting? perhaps, but very straightforward. Lets just agree that we shall walk with Jesus. That is what really matters.
i agree with you oyster67,

but surely you know the error of the idea hell is not an eternal place of torment is unbiblical. Those playing word semantics with

forever, eternal, day and night while taking the words of Jesus out of context is very disturbing.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,131
29,444
113
Nothing confusing about the term "everlasting punishment". Emotionally upsetting? perhaps, but very straightforward. Lets just agree that we shall walk with Jesus. That is what really matters.
I am not confused by the term "everlasting punishment" at all. The second death is everlasting punishment. Death was given as the promised punishment from Genesis throughout the rest of the Bible, from start to finish. However and unfortunately, many reject death as punishment. Just as they reject the plainly spoken truth that man is mortal and puts on immortality only through faith in Christ.
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
yes it does and Jesus is the one who said it more than once. And I posted the verses as many have.

The only verse that "might" say someone is tormented forever in hell fire is that one verse and it only says it happens to the devil only but two other verses say the devil will be destroyed and no longer exist and since there are no contradictions in the bible we have to recognize that even the forever and ever regarding the devil is a figure of speech and not literal.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,058
4,341
113
The only verse that "might" say someone is tormented forever in hell fire is that one verse and it only says it happens to the devil only but two other verses say the devil will be destroyed and no longer exist and since there are no contradictions in the bible we have to recognize that even the forever and ever regarding the devil is a figure of speech and not literal.

that is not correct.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,058
4,341
113
The only verse that "might" say someone is tormented forever in hell fire is that one verse and it only says it happens to the devil only but two other verses say the devil will be destroyed and no longer exist and since there are no contradictions in the bible we have to recognize that even the forever and ever regarding the devil is a figure of speech and not literal.
it is a biblical error to allegorize the word of God. Hell is a real literal place Jesus said so.

The reason why you are so greatly in error is

1. Jesus said the place hell would be one of the eternal consequences. Matthew 13:42 18:8 Mark 9:47-48
2. If hell is not an eternal place the payment of Christ was done for nothing. You have just made the death of Christ to no effect why did HE have to die such a terrible death to keep us from a place that is not that bad?
3. I guess the devil really has nothing to worry about and his work of trying to get people to a place he was told he would be going to is just figurative, not real.

4. You are making Jesus is a liar
 

Icedaisey

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
1,398
475
83
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.
That's what Jude says too.
"just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire." Jude 1:7
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
11,159
2,376
113
The only verse that "might" say someone is tormented forever in hell fire is that one verse and it only says it happens to the devil only but two other verses say the devil will be destroyed and no longer exist and since there are no contradictions in the bible we have to recognize that even the forever and ever regarding the devil is a figure of speech and not literal.
"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

However you interpret the word 'eternal' in the verse above, must retain the same meaning for both the wicked and the righteous.

Since we know that eternal life will be never ending existence in the kingdom of God, then eternal punishment would also have to be never ending punishment. To be clear, you can't have 'eternal' for the righteous mean never ending and then have eternal mean cessation of existence for the wicked.

In addition and as I have already made clear to you, the scripture states that the wicked will have no rest, day or night and that the smoke of their torment will rise up forever and ever. There is no way to distort or circumvent the meaning of this. The words 'no rest day of night' and 'smoke rising up forever and ever' support the idea of on-going punishment. If you will use reasoning, in order to have no rest day or night and their smoke ascend up forever and ever, they must be existing in order to experience that.

Regarding Satan, his angels, the beast and the false prophet, their punishment will also be never ending.

"But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur."

"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

Notice in Rev.19:20 that the beast and the false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire at the on-set of the thousand years. Then after the thousand years are over, Satan will be thrown into the same place, where the beast, the false prophet had been thrown. And all of them will be tormented day and night forever and ever. There's are those supporting words again which infers no cessation of said torment.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
lol, there is nothing in the verse that suggests that at all. It says destruction not "kept alive forever and not destroyed".
Then it would not say "everlasting". No need! Everlasting and eternal are greatly emphasized in the NT. To believe in "everlasting" life and not believe in "everlasting" fire is very inconsistent.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
"The rich man also died"
"being in torments"
"he cried"
"I am tormented in this flame"
"this place of torment"

Luke 16:22-28 (NKJV)
22 The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 27 Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'


Couldn't be any clearer.
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
it is a biblical error to allegorize the word of God. Hell is a real literal place Jesus said so.
No one denies hell is a real place. You have misunderstood.

The reason why you are so greatly in error is

1. Jesus said the place hell would be one of the eternal consequences. Matthew 13:42 18:8 Mark 9:47-48
No one denies "hell would be one of the eternal consequences". This is your second error.

2. If hell is not an eternal place the payment of Christ was done for nothing. You have just made the death of Christ to no effect why did HE have to die such a terrible death to keep us from a place that is not that bad?
Yet again, no one believe that "hell is not an eternal place" A third error.


3. I guess the devil really has nothing to worry about and his work of trying to get people to a place he was told he would be going to is just figurative, not real.
No one believes hell is a figurative place. That's your 4th error.


4. You are making Jesus is a liar
No, I am not.
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
Then it would not say "everlasting". No need! Everlasting and eternal are greatly emphasized in the NT. To believe in "everlasting" life and not believe in "everlasting" fire is very inconsistent.

Everyone in this thread believes the fire is everlasting. You are showing you don't even understand what others believe.
 

ewq1938

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2018
5,020
1,268
113
"The rich man also died"
"being in torments"
"he cried"
"I am tormented in this flame"
"this place of torment"


Luke 16:22-28 (NKJV)
22 The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 27 Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'


Couldn't be any clearer.

That is Hades not the lake of fire. Hades is temporary and will be cast into lake of fire, Rev 20