[Biblemat] S) IS HELL ETERNAL PUNISHMENT? (2)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is the second part
of this particular study.  Use to the glory of God.

IS HELL ETERNAL PUNISHMENT?  (2)

EVERLASTING EXISTENCE IS CERTAIN FOR ALL: -- 

     1. The righteous and the wicked will continue to consciou-
sly exist beyond the grave: -- Far from teaching that the wicked cease to 
exist at death, the Bible teaches that all men
have a future beyond this earthly life.  Jesus said that both
"those who have done good...and those who have done evil"
will be resurrected at the last day (Jno. 5:28,29).  The apostle
Paul affirmed this same truth, saying, "there will be a resurr-
ection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust" (Acts 24:
15).

     2. Everlasting existence is common to all men: -- As far as
future existence beyond this life is concerned, it makes no
difference whether one is righteous or wicked; every person
will continue to exist throughout eternity.  However, the con-
dition of existence for the righteous will be very different 
from that of the wicked.  While the righteous will enjoy per-
fect wellbeing in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21), the wicked will exper-
ience an ongoing state of misery, far removed from the Lord's blessings (2 
Thes. 1:9,10).  Thus, the question of the
final destiny of mankind is not one of future existence versus
nonexistence.  Rather the question is over the type of exist-
ence which one may anticipate in eternity.

HELL IS DESCRIBED AS ETERNAL PUNISHMENT: --

     1. The punishment of hell is of the same duration as the
reward of heaven: -- Speaking of sinners in the final judgment
Jesus said, "And these will go away into everlasting punish-
ment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46).  It 
should be noted that the terms which modify "punishment"
and "life" are identical.  Though translated as "everlasting"
and "eternal," both English words are translated from the
Greek word aionios, indicating that both states are without
end.  The inescapable conclusion is that if one makes the
misery of hell temporary, then he must make the glories of
heaven temporary as well.  The truth, according to Jesus, is
that both states are eternal.  The point is that the Lord here
presents a contrast between the righteous and the wicked 
with regard to where each will spend eternity and what each
will experience hereafter.  The righteous will enjoy an ongoing
existence of fullness of life in fellowship with God, while the
wicked will endure an ongoing existence of suffering miserab-
le punishment without end.

     2. The punishment of hell is beyond the grave: -- Some 
have pointed to Jesus' use of the word gehenna in order to
try to prove that He was only referring to the grave when He
spoke of hell.  However, if one makes gehenna literal rather
than symbolic, then we are reduced to having Jesus threaten
to throw the dead bodies of all of the wicked of all time into
the literal Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem as their final
punishment, which would reduce His teaching on hell to utter
nonsense.  The truth is that when Jesus used the word gehe-
nna to refer to eternal punishment He was using language 
that was commonly understood as future punishment beyond
the grave by his listeners.  According to Dr. Alfred Edersheim,
the Jewish Rabbis of Jesus' day rountinely taught that sinners would be 
tormented in gehenna after death (Death
and the Afterlife, Appendix I, 267-271).  It would be impossib-
le for the punishment of hell to refer to the grave since the
wicked will be cast into hell after they have been resurrected
from the grave (Jno. 5:28,29); Matt. 10:28).  Furthermore, the
eternal punishment of hell is far worse than anything one
might experience in connection with physical death.  Jesus
said, "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those
who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can
do.  But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who,
after He has killed, has power to cast into hell, yes, I say to
you, fear Him!" (Lk. 12:4,5).

     3. The punishment of hell is worse than non-existence:--
The Bible speaks of those who are dead in sin, being separat-
ed from fellowship with God, even while continuing their phys-
ical existence on this earth (Eph. 2:1; 1 Tim. 5:6).  Likewise, 
those who are condemned to hell will face eternal death, that
is, eternal separation from God.  Rather than ceasing to exist
the wicked "will have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).

     Those in hell will continue to exist for eternity, but their
existence will be one in which they are permanently separated
from God.  The case of Judas Iscariot is one that illustrates
the ongoing misery of hell.  Concerning the one who betrayed
Him, Jesus said, "It would have been good for that man if he
had not been born" (Matt. 26:24).  If the future punishment
of the wicked were annihilation, then Judas would end up in
a state of non-existence just as if he had never been born.
But the words of Christ indicate that something far worse
than non-existence would await the traitorous apostle.

     4. The punishment of hell is everlasting: -- Hell is describ-
ed as "the fire that shall never be quenched" (Mk. 9:43), "ever-
lasting punishment" (Matt. 25:46), "the everlasting fire prepar-
ed for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41), and "everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory
of His power" (2 Thes. 1:9).  While one may experience periods of misery 
during his earthly life, those periods cannot
compare with the unending misery and torment that awaits
the wicked in hell.  The Book of Revelation portrays the ruined state of 
those in hell as providing no consolation or 
rest from the constant, neverending torment associated with
ongoing punishment.  With reference to those suffering the
punishment of hell, John quotes the angel as saying, "And
the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and 
they have no rest day or night" (Rev. 14:11).  There is no
break, no rest, and no end involved in the punishment of hell
as it is described in the Bible.

CONCLUSION: --  The Bible presents the punishment of hell
as an utterly hopeless and absolutely miserable state that continues on 
without end.  Unfortunately, the Bible also makes it clear that the majority will 
spend eternity in such a
state.  Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the
gatd and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there
are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and 
difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who
find it" (Matt. 7:13,14).  While there will be no possibility of 
reversing one's fortunes in eternity, the hope and possibility
of spending eternity in heaven is available for those who will
believe and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As the Lord
Himself said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved:
but he who does not beleive will be condemned" (Mk. 16:16).
Are you ready for eternity?   ----- David Dann in Truth Maga-
zine, Vol. 51, No. 5, May 2007.

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