does the bible contradict itself with this?

Question

John 3:16 "blah blah blah will not perish, but have eternal life"...

basically it says that believers will live forever...

so does that mean that people who aren't "saved" just die? what about hell?

So atheists are right... we are just going to die and go nowhere?

i know that verse by hear, i was raised in a christian home with that verse on a picture on our wall...

"For god so loved the world that he gave his one anf only son blah blah whover belives in him shall not perish but have eternal life" well maybe not by heart, but almost...

Answer 1

Yes. You are right. There is no eternal punishment for anyone. If you want to quote the bible look in Revelation. It says that death and hell will be tossed into the Lake of Fire. Nothing was tormented there. The word hell has been translated as the grave.

Answer 2

The definition of hell is a well argued point of all faith some like evangelical christians belive that unbelivers will go to hell an be tortured for eternity other belive that hell is just the absance from gods grace an word. in other word you will live in void. But if you are not a christian than you really dont have anything to really worry about . lol

Answer 3

There is disagreedment even within christianity about what that particular verse means, but it is more helpful not to just look at John 3:16 but actually John 3:16-18 i.e.

16"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. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[b]

So, some take this passage to mean that you must believe in Christ or be condemned to Hell (conservative traditional view) others take it to mean because Jesus "...did not come into the world to condemn..." it that it refers instead to earthly condemnation, suffering, and unhappiness (progressive view). Unless the person you're talking to is a radical ideologue (and there are bunches of them in christianity along with every other faith, even aetheism) a responsible christian will tell you that there is very much in the bible that is open to very wide interpretation. The most important thing about understanding what a given passage means is in internalizing it, leting it speak to you, and determining what it means TO YOU... That is of course assuming you allow it to speak at all. It's very easy to take one look at the radical branch of christianity, dismiss it summarily as hypocrytical, and go on your merry way, but I would argue that though the radicals might be the loudest christians, they are not by any stretch of the imagination, the majority.

Is it a contradiction? I don't think so, but that is really a question that you will have to resolve for yourself.

Answer 4

It begins in John 3:14

If you will look with a new heart you will see that, Eternal Life and Him refers to Moses

Next is Everlasting Life and Him refers to Jesus,

Next, Him refers to all others teachers such as Muhammad , the Pope, Joesph Smith, Joel, etc, and is Not condemned,

Finally is Condemned already, refers to (for not believing in God),

Answer 5

The Bible does not contradict itself. Eternity is for all, either in hell or in heaven. No verse in the Bible says "blah, blah, blah."

Answer 6

Well, it does say "those that believe will not perish..." The problem is, and I'm probably going to get abused for this but, the Bible is incomplete as a spiritual text, as are all religious texts aiming to teach a spiritual nature.
Believe what you wish to, but if you believe there is something beyond this life, then you are heading for that something just by recognising it exists.

Answer 7

No. Perish, in this case means spending eternity in Hell. See also Luke 16:20-27.

Answer 8

Here's a bit of a kicker all John 3:16:

KJV 1611 That whoever believeth in Him should not perish.
MON That whoever trusts in Him should not perish
Nor That whoever believeth in Him shall not die.
Gspd So that no one who believes in him should be lost.

The caps are the Bible version used in writing the above.
So yah pays your money and you takes your choice....the sheep won't know the difference.

Answer 9

the word of the holy inspired scripture is ever word the truth and nothing but the truth. Mr you can believe what ever you want to believe.. but that want stop truth from being so. Christ died on a cruel cross for both those who will believe and those who want believe.. God word says that the fool has believed in his heart there is no God, so my advise to you it quiet being a enemy of the Lord God who created you in your mother womb, it up to you not me if you believe or not i could care less either way... because God gives all men a free will to accept him or reject him ..you chose...it takes a fool to see the earth and not believe that a holy powerful God made it ..man you know what man can,t do and that make anything but a mess..so trust the word of the almighty powerful lord God

Answer 10

Those who lean unto there own understanding of scripture are leading others astray and blinded by their "pride!" But this has to occur for the Kingdom of God is coming to this earth and establish His way as the only way.

Pride is man's downfall. The End of the circle of man's self rule will be the beginning of Christ's Kingdom but that "pride" must be broken first!