HELL YES OR HELL NO Jeff Toner & Scott Blore
HELL OF A DISCLAIMER: We are all Christian brothers and sisters and our conversations will be centered on biblical texts. No one should claim to know all of the answers. Our discussion presupposes that Hell is real. We may not always agree but we strive to respect each others points of view
HELL OF A GOOD STORY
GIVE EM HELL: Eternal Torment Largely held Traditional view of eternal suffering Matthew 25:46 (NRSV) 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Terminal Punishment Some passages discuss Hell in terms of death and destruction, suggesting a finality Matthew 10:28 (NRSV) 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [a] a: Gehenna
GIVE EM HELL: Universalist View Still other passages suggest that everyone will be reconciled with God in the end Romans 5:18 (NRSV) 18 Therefore just as one man s trespass (Adam s) led to condemnation for all, so one man s act of righteousness (Jesus ) leads to justification and life for all Hell and Purgatory A view largely rejected by Protestants. Yet, the bible does speak of a postmortem cleansing of the soul 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NRSV) 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw 13 the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14 If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.
WHAT THE HELL: Week 1 Introduction Eternal Damnation Week 3 Terminal Punishment A Universalist View Week 2 Eternal Damnation Terminal Punishment Week 4 A Universalist View Hell and Purgatory Summary
HELL OF A START Week 1 (+/- Week 2) Apostle s Creed: a good starting point Introductory discussion of the after-life The historical context of Hell Eternal Torment Biblical Texts Arguments for Rebuttal from the Terminal, Universal and Purgatory views
APOSTLE S CREED I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born to the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen
APOSTLE S CREED I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born to the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen
SO WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK? Death Early Jews viewed as a temporary stage on the way to resurrection Death led to Paradise: A blissful garden where God s people rest Jesus: Many dwelling in my father s house: Hebrew word monē (temporary lodging) Resurrection New bodily life after whatever sort of life after death might be Ancients denied it Most Jews believed it God would look after the soul after death until, at last, God would give his people new bodies when he judged and remade the whole world This view was reinforced by Jesus It has become a central role of Christianity
SO WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK? Heaven Hell Not a lot in the bible about Literal vs Metaphorical going to heaven In Matthew, kingdom of God becomes synonymous with kingdom of heaven God s kingdom refers to God s sovereign rule coming on earth as it is in heaven. Worrying about getting into heaven devaluates the present world and present bodies as shabby or shameful Conjures images more medieval than from early Christian writings Three dangerous patterns of behavior Idolatry: worshiping something which is not God, as if is were Sin: failing to reflect the image of God, dehumanizing behavior Habit: Idolatry and Sin become ingrained and lead to ultimate dehumanization
LIKE HELL: IT IS Historical Context Sheol (Grave) The Hebrew Bible refers to the abode of the dead Early in the Bible, everyone goes to sheol (Gen 37:35) Later in the Hebrew Bible, it refers to a paradise of restful slumber, with the hope of resurrection (1 Samuel 28:13-15) Hades Greek word used to translate sheol More negative connotation and contrasted against heaven above (Luke 16:19-31) Gehenna = Hell 12 mentions in the New Testament An actual place. A valley where children were used in human sacrifice (II Kings 23:10). Later, a rubbish heap outside the SW corner of old Jerusalem (Ge Hinnom) Changed meaning over time as readers lost the literal translation (Matthew 5:22)
HOT AS HELL: ETERNAL TORMENT Scripture References Isaiah 66:22-24 Daniel 12:2-3 Matthew 18:6-9 Matthew 25:31-46 Mark 9:42-48 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 Jude 7, 13 Revelation 14:9-11 Revelation 20:10, 14-15 To sin against God, who is infinitely glorious, deserves an infinitely heinous punishement Watch for 3 themes Final Separation Occur at final judgement Irrevocable separation of wicked from righteous and God s mercy Unending Experience Never ending conscious torment Just Retribution A punitive judgement meant to magnify the justice of God
Isaiah 66:22-24 (NRSV) 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says the LORD; so shall your descendants and your name remain. 23 From new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD. 24 And they shall go out and look at the dead bodies of the people who have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.
Daniel 12:2-3 (NRSV) 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth [a] shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, [b] and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Matthew 18:6-9 (NRSV) Temptations to Sin 6 If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell [a] of fire.
Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV) The Judgment of the Nations 31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. 37 Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? 40 And the king will answer them, Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, [a] you did it to me. 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. 44 Then they also will answer, Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you? 45 Then he will answer them, Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mark 9:42-48 (NRSV) Temptations to Sin 42 If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, [a] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, [b] to the unquenchable fire. [c] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. [d][e] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, [f] 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 6 For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
Jude 7 (NRSV) 7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural lust, [a] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Jude 13 (NRSV) 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.
Revelation 14:9-11 (NRSV) 9 Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, 10 they will also drink the wine of God s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name.
Revelation 20:10 (NRSV) 10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:14-15 (NRSV) 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; 15 and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
HELL NO: THE PUSH BACK No where in the bible does it say that sin against God deserves infinite punishment Paints a picture of narcissistic God, pursuing his own glory. Missing for God so loved the world, that he gave his only son (John 3:16) Focusing on these 10 passages ignores others that may contradict them. When forming an opinion on anything from the Bible, it should take into account the entirety of the Bible Does God rejoice in the eternal torment of sinners? How can a saint (you and me) be fully happy when watching a loved one suffer torment in hell forever? Emotionally: Does it feel wrong? Human emotion, in the likeness of God can provide insight What of those that are not given the opportunity to hear the gospel and repent in this life?