that you believe in hell
2007-09-10 06:29:04 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The word “hell” is found in many Bible translations. In the same verses other translations read “the grave,” “the world of the dead,” and so forth. Other Bibles simply transliterate the original-language words that are sometimes rendered “hell”; that is, they express them with the letters of our alphabet but leave the words untranslated. What are those words? The Hebrew she’ohl′ and its Greek equivalent hai′des, which refer, not to an individual burial place, but to the common grave of dead mankind; also the Greek ge′en‧na, which is used as a symbol of eternal destruction. However, both in Christendom and in many non-Christian religions it is taught that hell is a place inhabited by demons and where the wicked, after death, are punished (and some believe that this is with torment).
Is eternal torment of the wicked compatible with God’s personality?
Jer. 7:31: “They [apostate Judeans] have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart.” (If it never came into God’s heart, surely he does not have and use such a thing on a larger scale.)
Illustration: What would you think of a parent who held his child’s hand over a fire to punish the child for wrongdoing? “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Would he do what no right-minded human parent would do? Certainly not!
2007-09-10 06:40:14 · answer #1 · answered by papa G 6 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Jesus talked about a place called Hell Matthew 12, Luke 16:24, , Revelation 2:11. It is a place of separation from God. Also Isaiah 14: 12-17.
Hell Is mentioned 17 times in Scripture. You can either believe it or not, it does not make it less real if it is not part of doctrine given by Gnostic teaching. There are 50 Scriptural references to the grave, 45 for death or Sheoul.
2007-09-10 06:40:21 · answer #2 · answered by ShadowCat 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes and no. I don't believe you have to believe the "Dante-esque" picture of hell to be a Christian...fire, brimstone, eternal burning...I'm not convinced that is an accurate perception. However, I do think you have to believe that we all have two options. At the very least, you have to believe that hell is death...you need to believe that we are all destined to die and that only through the grace of God through Jesus can we share an eternal existence with him.
In other words, I don't think it matters what you believe about hell in terms of its specific nature or attributes...is it eternal or will it be destroyed in the lake of fire when God eliminates death? Is it a torture pit full of fire and brimstone or is it a dark, unending void or is it just a temporary holding cell for souls that perish to wait for the final judgment? Do only certain people go there or do we all go there to wait for judgment day when some of us will be redeemed by Jesus? It doesn't matter. You just need to believe that we are all separated from God now and that through Jesus, we can all be reunited with him for eternity.
2007-09-10 06:40:29 · answer #3 · answered by KAL 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, every day there are more sincere and wise Christians who love God and Jesus Christ, One in Spirit here, and do not believe in "hell" (or worse) "hell-fire and eternal damnation"
About 20 years ago, if I remember right, a large USA survey/poll showed that about 13% of Christians do not believe in a literal hell made by God. This year a newer poll shows that this figure is up to 20%. I estimate by AD2030 here it will be up to 40% or better.
The Real Truth of God by Jesus here in Spirit is ever unfolding to us as we humans continue to advance in wisdom and experiences in Spirit of Truth-led God-consciousness.
See John 16:7-16 very important.
Soon, more Christians will know that God is not more stern and judgmental than Jesus is. God is just as loving, merciful, kind, gracious, generous, serving, good, beautiful, true and perfectly Fatherly Friendly as JESUS IS ! They are One in Spirit Absolutely and perfectly.
Peace and progress,
Brother Dave, a Jesusonian Christian Truthist
http://www.PureChristians.org/ Gospel enlarging website,
proclaiming worldwide the True Religion
OF JESUS and ABOUT JESUS and IN JESUS
Come and share !
2007-09-10 06:43:58 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you are a Christian then you should believe in Jesus Christ being the Messiah
The savior
If you believe in Jesus
then you should believe in his own words
He describes hell on several occasions even saying the rich man went to hell in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
How can a Christian not believe in Hell
2007-09-10 06:43:47 · answer #5 · answered by Tommiecat 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Particularly and exhaustively search the Greek word Gehenna. I have come to the following conclusions.
1. there is a gehenna fire.
2. it is present for either one or two reasons, depending on your interpretation.
2.a it is reserved exclusively for satan and his minions.
2.b it will also serve as a means of disposal of the
wicked human beings in that they will be consumed
by the fire and their ashes shall be trod underfoot
by the righteous.
The punishment may be everlasting, but there is no indication that the punishing is.
By the way, I am an atheist.
2007-09-10 06:47:47 · answer #6 · answered by B.Hound 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. The 'requirements' for belief were outlined in the Nicene Creed (325 A.D.) - and "hell" is not mentioned....but - "Judgment" IS clearly mentioned.
Jesus certainly mentioned "hell" quite a bit - so the church certainly understands what "judgement" means and can lead to...but - "being a Christian" is something God does to us in the waters of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism - so - there is no litmus-test outside of the clear teachings of the Nicene Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
2007-09-10 06:36:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I consider Christians who don't believe in hell to be Christians who have questions about how an eternal life based on the life you lived here is fair.
2007-09-10 06:34:56 · answer #8 · answered by Brief Boxer 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes, you can. God sentence Adam to return to the ground for his sin, not to a fiery hell. Look in the bible for a fiery place where the devil resides and tortures people for the rest of time. I guarantee you won't find it in there. Do some research on the words "Sheol" and "Hades" and "Gehenna."
2007-09-10 06:35:01 · answer #9 · answered by Lydia H 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Sure. You don't have to have any faith in the existence of Hell. Later, when you grow in the knowledge of the word, you will come around. Let me show you something that helped me to understand. This subject gets brought up a lot, but the right teacher can dispel a lot of error:
Read only as much as you want:
from Vine's Expository Dictionary
Sheol
(Strong's 7585)
The 65 occurances of this word are distributed throughout every period of biblical Hebrew.
First, the word means a state of death: "For in death there is no rememberance of thee: in the grave, who shall give thee thanks?" (Psalm 6:5; cf. 18:5). It is the final resting place of all men: "They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave (Job 21:13). Hanna confessed that it was the omnipotent God who brings men to sheol (death) or kills them (1Samuel 2:6). "Sheol" is parallel to Hebrew words for "pit" or "hell" (Job 26:6). "corruption" or "decay" (Psalm 16:10), and "destruction" (Proverbs 15:11).
Second, "Sheol" is used of a place of conscious existence after death. In the first biblical appearance of the word Jacob said that he would "go down into the grave unto my son mourning" (Genesis 37:35). All men go to "Sheol" --- a place and state of consciousness after death (Psalm 16:10). The wicked recieve punishment there (Numbers 16:30); Deuteronomy 32:22; Psalm 9:17). They are put to shame and silenced in "Sheol" (Psalm 31:17). Jesus alluded to Isaiah's use of sheol (14:13-15) in pronouncing judgement on Capernaum (Matthew 11:23), translating:Sheol" as "Hades" or "Hell," meaning the place of conscious existence and judgement. It is an undesirable place for the wicked (Job 24:19) and a refuge for the righteous (Job 14:13). Thus "Sheol" is also a place of reward for the righteous (Hosea 13:14; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55). Jesus' teaching in Luke 16:19-31 seems to reflect accurately the Old Testament concept of Sheol, it is a place of conscious existence after death, one side of which is occupied by the suffering. unrighteous dead separated by a great chasm from the other side peopled by the righteous dead enjoying their reward.
2007-09-10 06:42:41 · answer #10 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋