FOREVER?

Dinosaurs during early life on earth before God created Adam

PURPOSE: Helping Christians engage in intelligent conversations with doubters and unbelievers

Will people burn in hell FOREVER?

THIS IS

COMBINE INSIGHTS

Here's where we combine the five Insights to get an informed biblical answer

‍Fire burns forever, but not people

The verses in Insights 2, 3 and 4 show that, for people who reject God's forgiveness and offer of salvation for a life of unforgiven sin, there is a real hell but people are not tortured there forever.

This is affirmed in some of the best-known verses in the Bible:

'For the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life' (Romans 6:23) – DEATH, not eternal life of torture.

‍'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not PERISH but have eternal life' (John 3:16) – PERISH not eternal life of torture.

Because the Bible teaches that justice is one of God's primary attributes, we can assume that after physical death, resurrection, and judgment, people who reject God's offer of salvation will eventually die (end of existence) in hell and that the degree and duration of punishment will be commensurate with personal sin as declared by God at the judgment.

Contrary to what most Christians have been taught through church tradition, but in accordance with what the Bible says, the duration could be very long, but not forever.

7 REASONS

for NOT BELIEVING that people burn in hell FOREVER

DEFINITION: The term 'people' as used here means all people alive now and all people who have ever lived. It means 'us,' today, and excludes people who will transgress in a future eschatological age.

✓ REASON 1. Jesus is full authority

Jesus said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me' (Matthew 28:18). Jesus is full authority on truth. Not church, not tradition, not even Apostle John's dream. In seeking answer to the question of whether or not people will burn in hell forever, we need to give full authority to what Jesus said. To be true, statements from theologians must align with statements from Jesus.

✓ REASON 2. Dream is lesser authority

The verses people use to 'prove' that people will burn in hell forever are from the Apostle John's dream in the Book of Revelation. Recalling a vision has less authority than hearing a direct statement. John's vague dream must be subordinated to Jesus' clear statements. The dream verses (#17 to #21 in Insight 2) are the only verses in the Bible that might imply that hell is forever (though the verses don't say so). However, the common interpretation of the dream verses is contrary to Jesus' direct statements.

✓ REASON 3. Dream verses are not about us

Even though many parts of John's dream are difficult or impossible to interpret with clarity, it's clear that the people who will be burning in hell forever are NOT people alive now or people who have lived in the past. In #17 and #18 in Insight 3, John specifically identifies the people who, along with Satan and his demons, will burn FOREVER: the false prophet and those who worship the beast and its image. That's not us, but rather some people in a future age.

✓ REASON 4. Jesus did not say hell is forever

There is no verse anywhere in the Bible where Jesus says that hell is FOREVER for any person alive now or at any time in the past. This is so important that, if hell is FOREVER, Jesus certainly would have told us as part of his many statements about hell.

✓ REASON 5. Jesus gave clear examples

Jesus gave graphic examples (#23 to #32 in Insight 4) of what hell will be like: a tree thrown into the fire ... weeds thrown into the fire ... fish thrown into the fire, etc. And what happens to them in the fire? In Jesus' words: 'destroyed ... consumed ... burned up ... perish ... .'

✓ REASON 6. Fire burns forever, not people

Jesus said that in hell 'the fire never goes out.' But this is not the same as saying that people burn forever in the fire. Jesus says that the fire is forever, but people thrown into it are consumed and perish. After a time of punishment commensurate with their sin, people who reject God's offer of salvation will ultimately die in hell (the 'second death' discussed in #19 and #20 in Insight 3).

✓ REASON 7. God is just and merciful

Torturing people in hell forever is capricious and cruel beyond comprehension, not in character with the just and merciful God we meet in the New Testament. God now freely offers salvation through Jesus, but physical death seals the offer, either accepted or rejected. People who reject or ignore the offer will be punished justly in hell for their individual sins. Death (second death, final death) will be God's gift of mercy to people in hell. Eventually, for them, it's the end of existence. Those who accept God's offer will be totally forgiven – no hell and no final death – and will have eternal life in a new and exciting dimension beyond our imagination.

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Very good explanation

I ran across your website this morning. At age 50, I lead a women's Bible Study in Florida. I am at a place where I am questioning so many things about what I have been taught - traditions handed down for generations. To continue teaching is becoming challenging. I have a daughter who is also a believer but wrestles aloud with questions concerning Adam and original sin, eternal hell with eternal suffering, etc. Honestly, I think her wrestling has led me to stop and think more. So now I am seeking…

How great it is to have a resource to help in ministering to the sceptical. Thank you. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to upcoming studies.

Found this to be very helpful. Answered my questions.

Thank you for the article! There are several nonbelievers in my life that I love deeply. My heart breaks for them. Every time I share my faith, I'm bombarded with science. Perhaps this will help. Thank you. God bless you.

This site is a literal God send! I've been struggling with reconciliation of what scripture says and what I've been taught through various denominations and their individual traditions. I'm so grateful, honestly, to have permission to think critically and to allow the Holy Spirit to teach me directly.

The reason the doctrine of original sin arose, was that Augustine couldn't read Greek and there was an inadequacy at certain points in the Latin translation, resulting in a misunderstanding.

Thank you for the Bible verses about hell. This is a very difficult subject that many people that believe in Christ have adopted as truth. I have yet to understand why.

Thank you for your good work.

Thanks you so much for your willingness to put your website together to help those of us asking questions about traditional lines of thinking. I look forward to reading more!

One of the best study sites I have found!

FInally someone uses their brain instead of emotions to explain what I have thought and tried to say for sooo long. Thank you!

I recently discovered your bible studies website and I just want to thank you for your initiative in establishing this study resource.

Not sure what to think of this bible study. If nothing else it compels you to really dig deep and think,read and pray for understanding which I think is a good thing.

Either believe the world or believe God. We cannot have both.

THANK YOU. You are helping me to understand so much more! I have always questioned, and for the first time, feel I am getting answers, or at least more of an insight to my own feelings and beliefs.

Humans were around a lot longer the 4000 bc. Thats not even as old as Sumer the first proven civilization. Evidence strongly supports that civilization may have existed long before Sumer.

God bless.

This is awesome, very detailed information and totally makes sense, thanks for sharing!

I really enjoy your website. I find your arguments compelling.

Not only do I thoroughly enjoy the topics you discuss but also the motivation behind their writing.

Excellent reading

Interesting and thought provoking, following a line of thinking that has interested me for years. To question traditional interpretation doesn't detract from the validity and power of scripture but reinforces it. Jesus was rejected by the religious experts of His day because He didn't fit the traditional interpreting of scripture. We still have much to learn.

God created everything that was created in six literal days.

Don't know, don't need to know. It'll all be revealed by & by.

You are absolutely wrong

Scientists lie to us. They lie about the age of the earth.

Thank you I knew about these things but I did not understand

Thank you for the work that goes into this site, and please keep the good material coming.

Unbelievable. Was man there at the beginning to make this determination. No. The human race is so arrogant and ignorant.

Interesting topics. The bible is good for salvation but not for earth history

I love this web site. I have always wanted to know more about what the Bible means. Please, please keep expanding this site.

I am eagerly awaiting more topics.

This makes me better understand that you need to "dig deeper" in Bible study.

2nd law of thermodynamics disproves big bang & evolution.

The main reason people believe that Adam was the first man is that is what someone told them. It’s man following man and not man reading the Bible for the truths that are in it.

Thank you for a good read on this subject: the indisputable existence of humanoids and civilizations before Adam.

This is a great Bible study, it explains everything perfectly so there is no confusion anywhere, it just helps understanding the Bible and God's word so well.

Very insightful

awesome info keep up this good work

Do you offer a textbook?

These explanations make real sense.

Adam was the first man created to have a living soul.

Please pray for me as I ponder the input you've provided online.

This is great, I am going to read more of your topics!

I am looking forward to reading through the rest of the Thinkers website. Thanks for investing in this work. It’s so important! Especially in these times.

Amen Amen Amen!!!

Since your website is new and still in the making, it leaves me excited yet hungry for more understanding. Thank you so much for putting your website together to help those of us asking questions about traditional lines of thinking. I look forward to reading more!

Beautifully done and very reasonable. I’ve been struggling with the contradictions in the Bible and science for years. I believe that there is a God but I wasn’t always sure if the Bible Was Gods word or man made. Thank you! Makes so much sense!

So interesting. Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming. Enjoy reading them so much.

Excellent points here.

I am a Christian, and I have always been a “young earth” proponent. My son, also a Christian, is an “old earth” proponent, and we have debated this topic. After reading the content of this website thoroughly, I am willing to reconsider my position.

You have developed material that is vitally needed for reaching the newer generations.

The problem with "science" today that too much of it is based on theory and not enough observation.

I am in to deep thinking concerning the Bible, while holding on to Biblical fact. Being open to possibilities where things are vague is food for the soul, yet being careful of being deceived into false teaching.

I hope this excellent presentation penetrates the evangelical church where sadly a majority of Christians believe that the Big Bang is an atheistic concept rather the Fingerprint of God that it is!

This is heresy. I hope you repent and trust the Scriptures.

Thank you. I have visited this site before.

Fully embrace this information. By the Spirit I have been convinced before reading this. Any serious thinker who is honest and observant will become agnostic in trying to remain with the ultra conservative ideas of literal six day creation. What a beautiful creation was being made by a glorious intelligent designer!

Very informative and interesting.

I'm preparing to teach my first Religious Instruction lesson for the year in a public Australian school tomorrow and we'll launch straight in to the creation story from the Bible. So thank you!! I feel confident now to answer any questions the kids might raise.

I agree there had to have been other people before Adam. The sons had children, with whom? Certainly not with their own mother or the gene pool would have died out.

Your Thinkers site is the best Bible site I've come across.

Fascinating to think about. Here is something also to absorb. Let Us make man in Our image. Who is Us? Why not let Me make man in my image. Sounds plural to me. Thank you for the compelling argument Adam is not the first man:)

Good points

Are these lessons available in printed form that can be purchased or that can be downloaded on line in a condensed version?

You should just go away. You are preaching heresy.

praying Gods direction, provision, and anointing on this site and everyone, like me, blessed enough to have been led to it .

Yea

Thank you for this most interesting discussion of genealogy re: the timing of the first man as relates to both the Bible as well as archaeology!!!

I like it! I always wondered about the dinosaurs, and whether other people lived before Adam. You see, the Bible says that Cain was worried about being slain by other people. So, what does that tell you? It's more to the Bible than some clergymen are letting on.

Came across this site and it's fantastic and so relevant.

This is from the devil. The Bible says Satan is a liar and the creater of it. This is a lie created by Satan to deceive people. Adam was the first man and the first sinner. His sin is what started death.

My views on original sin have changed. Romans 5:12 says "all men die because all have sinned". What it doesn't say is "all men die because Adam sinned".

You’re freaking idiots led by Satan! Change the Bible, go to hell! Hope you enjoy it!

This is great stuff!!

I absolutly loved this! My daughter is a high school science teacher, and we are both christians. We had our own ideas of what scriptures say, and what actual physical science says. This brought ALOT to light! Thank you.

Please let me know if it is available in a hardcover or paperback book.

Thank you for this.It helps me understand my youngest grandchild(age 31). Also this affirms my teaching as a science teacher and pastor.

Fascinating and deightfully clear!

Very interesting

Not bad, I'll have to check the Hebrew to double-triple check, for this kind of study the KJ is almost useless.

Thank you for your studies. I find them fascinating. And I will read more of your articles.

All bad things on the face of the earth are connected to sin , by one mans sin we were all condemned.

I don’t think Adam was the first human on earth. I am 72 in age. Most people my age and older do not have this perception. But from my bible study I believe this Genesis points to others.

I am 75 years old. I was raised as a Roman Catholic. I have studied religions all of my life. I have so many problems with the Bible starting with Genesis. I agree with your assessment that Adam wasn't the first human on earth. The more that I learn, the less I believe in the bible and religion as a salvation. But I shall continue researching.

I applaud you on your studies and have to say that I do not disagree with what I have read. You seemed to have covered this subject very thoroughly.

Dumbest thing I've ever read!

I have struggled with references to people before Adam, and coordinating it with science. This makes sense to me. Thank you for helping me with my dilemma.

Thank you

I am a person that right now I don't practice any religion whatsoever. Very interesting, thank you

Your site is full of heresy. Repent.

Wish I could remember all this.

Brilliant

I was just told about your website and it's so fascinating.

Thank you for this! I have had many conversations about science and Christianity. I am not very smart but now I am a little smarter.

By observing ruins etc firsthand, my personal opinion is that man existed before Adam. Adam was the first God breathed His Spirit into.

What a great and informative article! This information is invaluable when discussing biblical concepts with others, both Christian and non-Christian.

Rational Evangelicals. Exellent.

I now have Biblical support for my belief.

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Will people burn in hell FOREVER?

‍Fire burns forever, but not people

for NOT BELIEVING that people burn in hell FOREVER

Thinkers Bible Studies / Topic 3.4.1

HEAVEN AND HELL

Will people burn in hell FOREVER?

Why time in hell matters

What the Old Testament says

What the New Testament says

What Jesus said about burning in hell

Tradition vs. Bible

Here's where we combine five Insights to get an informed biblical answer: Will people burn in hell FOREVER?