Re: “So....exactly what is it that folks will be doing for eternity.....once they go to Hell? Just.....sit around...or what?”
As I said previously, I never said that Hell was eternal physical torture, but, that doesn’t mean that it for sure won’t be.
As I also mentioned in a prior post, I believe that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is a true account. The rich man was aware and fully conscious. He was in torment of some kind. He could see into Heaven or Paradise but couldn’t cross over into it. Nor, could anyone from Heaven come to him.
Now it is possible that the conversation between Abraham and the rich man was allegorical, but even in that, the point was the rich man wanted someone to warn his brothers to repent so that they wouldn’t come to where he was when they died. It apparently wasn’t nice - it wasn’t just annilalation where he just ceased to exist in death.
I believe this means that you will be consciously aware of your separation from God, from loved ones, possibly in torment of some kind - whether physical or mental/emotional or all of the above - consciously aware that you are eternally lost and forgotten by God and man, totally alone with your pain.
You and some others mentioned it yourself in several passages - that the punishment is “everlasting.” Now, you might try to say that simply means that your “death”, your annilalation or ceasing to exist is everlasting, but, it doesn’t exactly say that - it is the “punishment” that is everlasting. It seems redundant to say that your ceasing to exist, or your annilalation is everlasting. I guess you could say that means that you will never exist again, but that just doesn’t seem to be the point or the warning from Jesus as to why Hell is such a terrible place or thing to be avoided at all costs.
Jesus seemed pretty clear that Hell is not a place you want to go. Are you willing to gamble that His descriptions of it are merely symbolic of simple annilalation? I wouldn’t want to take that bet.
On the one hand, I hope your view is correct. But, as I said, I wouldn’t bet on it and I wouldn’t go around telling people that simple annilalation is a sure thing.
As I said previously, I never said that Hell was eternal physical torture, but, that doesn’t mean that it for sure won’t be.
Well.....what would be the point...then? Why doesn't an immediate death in the Lake of Fire make sense to you? Wouldn't that be "Eternal Separation from God"?
I believe this means that you will be consciously aware of your separation from God, from loved ones, possibly in torment of some kind - whether physical or mental/emotional or all of the above - consciously aware that you are eternally lost and forgotten by God and man, totally alone with your pain.
This isn't actually scripture. We are told the dead know nothing [Ecclesiastes 9:10] and we are told the Lake of Fire is the second death [Revelation 20:14]
As I also mentioned in a prior post, I believe that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is a true account. The rich man was aware and fully conscious. He was in torment of some kind. He could see into Heaven or Paradise but couldn’t cross over into it. Nor, could anyone from Heaven come to him
You better believe he was in torment. He could see the folks heading to the "Lake of Fire"....and he was in the same line.
Jesus seemed pretty clear that Hell is not a place you want to go. Are you willing to gamble that His descriptions of it are merely symbolic of simple annihilation? I wouldn’t want to take that bet
A merciful God would not torture (conscious separation for eternity would be torture) His children forever. A merciful God would end the suffering of His children by putting them out of their misery.....burning them up in a Lake of Fire.
No where in scripture does it say folks will burn forever in a Lake of Fire. Not only is this not scriptural....it is not physically possible.
As an aside....I knew kids who stole frequently (shoplifting candy bars and gum) from stores....knowing it was wrong to do so. I still know some of these folks and know them to not be Christian....and forgiven. I would say....there is a good likelihood they never will be!
Now.....these folks have sinned (8th commandment) and will probably never repent. Eternal separation for 32 quadrillion years is probably a little too much for gum and candy bars. Even a week or two (burning as some believe) would be unjust.....for gum and candy bars.
Don't you think God's method makes more sense? Repent of your sins and live? Or die in your sins in a Lake of Fire?