Heaven and Hell....?

Question

Am I right when I say Heaven is a place and Hell is a state of mind? Angels sound realistic, but fire, demons and a guy with a pitch fork and tail? I am a strong Christian and I have read the Bible on ths stuff. It seems that Hell is more of a state of mind then a place. What do you think? I will choose a best answer!!!!

Answer 1

If you're interested in a little Bible study . . . here are the notes from my sermon on Hell, from a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I don't write my sermons, just use an outline like this. You can look up the scriptures, and trace the "hell" theme.

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Here are my sermon notes . . .

background from the OT – OT refers to Sheol, but Sheol is NOT Hell. Sheol is death.

The idea of an after life grows throughout the Bible. Different people, at different times, respond to God in different ways, and the different ideas of what happens when we die changes through time.

(There is no Heaven, or Hell as an afterlife in the first five books of the OT)

Luke 16:19-31 19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’"

God is NOT in the story . ABRAHAM is, WHY? The story is for fellow Jews.. . HAS BEEN FIXED, the after life is different than what they believe – Has been fixed, new idea is different.

Jesus discusses judgment in Matthew 25:46

In Mathew, Mark and Luke Jesus uses the word Gehenna to refer to Hell, which is not the same word as Sheol. They are different words, different ideas.

Eternal fire Matthew 25:41 but -- Mathew 18:8, Hell of Fire – is that different than the fire of Hell?

Second Peter 2: 4 – Until the judgement? And then what happens? People go back to sleep

Mark 9:43 – "literal’ belief in the Bible? You’d think there’s be ONE person, willing to follow the rules.


Fear of Hell is a rather empty reason to follow Jesus. . . . your get 'saved', then what?

Billy Graham - The only thing I could say for sure is that hell means separation from God. We are separated from his light, from his fellowship. That is going to be hell. When it comes to a literal fire, I don't preach it because I'm not sure about it. When the Scripture uses fire concerning hell, that is possibly an illustration of how terrible it's going to be-not fire but something worse, a thirst for God that cannot be quenched. (Time magazine, 1 1-1 5-93)

Answer 2

Heaven is real, & is the spiritual realm.
God lives in a special part of it.
Angels also live there.

'Hell' is a misnomer for the state of death. It is originally Olde English for the storage of potatoes underground or in a cellar. It had nothing to do with heat or torture of any kind. 'Hell' was used to translate the words: Sheol (Hebrew) & Hades (Greek), which simply mean the common grave of mankind.

The Bible describes death thusly:

"Man came to be a living soul." --Genesis 2:7b

"...The soul that is sinning--it itself will die." --Ezekiel 18:4c

"His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground;
In that day his thoughts do perish." --Psalm 146:4

"...You will ... return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return." --Genesis 3:19

"... There is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in She′ol, the place to which you are going." --Ecclesiastes 9:10

The idea of Eternal Torment for anyone --even Satan-- is entirely Un-Scriptural. It is based on very Pagan beliefs, and a twisting of a Scripture of Revelation, part of which reads:

"Death and Ha′des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire." --Revelation 20:14

The common grave of mankind cannot reasnoably be believed capable of undergoing torture, so this lake is symbolic of everlasting destruction, without any possible hope of a resurrection to activity, or life.

So, no, 'Hell' is not a state of mind,
because in death there is total cessation of life...
No life, no thought process.

Satan the Devil --
The names mean 'Resistor' & "Slanderer', respectively.
He was origionally an angel, who later chose to resist & slander God. He is every bit as real as the angels who remain faithful. The same goes for the other angels who followed him in his willful coarse.

This isn't just what I think...
It is what the Bible actually teaches.

Answer 3

In scriptures I've read, the afterlife for the fallen will be full of anguish because of being left on the outside looking in.

The fire and brimstone seems to be reserved for Satan and a few of his followers.

I will be saved but "only as one just escaped from the flames" as promised in the Bible to those whose good deeds don't amount to much.

Answer 4

However you interpret these things is up to you. Many people do not even believe in heaven or hell, yet still are religious. Some believe that the "wages of sin is death" means distance from God, rather than "hell." Some people beleive in heaven but not hell for a variety of reasons.

Answer 5

hell is real, but the Bible does not say satan is in hell. It says he is roaming the earth and is currently having access to heaven to accuse the saints until he is kicked out during the tribulation.

Answer 6

they are both real and an actual place.... i honestly dont think that the devil actually has a pitchfork tail and all fiery.... people like that image surprisingly....im sure he is much more horrible..... Heaven is a place for the good people who have deticated their lives to God, and Hell is a place for people who have not done good with their lives..... hell does not sound fun at all

i agree with NICK and PEGGY PIRATE =)

Answer 7

hell is a real place. but satan isnt just a little dude with red skin and a pithfork, and the devil and demons were all once angles but the devil tried to overpower God and for that Lucifer (the devil) was banished from Heaven (along with angels who followed him) to hell. and demons and the devil were all once angels. but hell is where people go who lived an ungodly life with sin and didnt follow God


I hope this is helpful =]

Answer 8

It all depends on how true you believe the Bible to be. It disagrees with you, however, its all in what you believe the Bible to be

Answer 9

If I were Christian I would go with your version. But honestly I don't believe that either exist.

Answer 10

Hell is the absence of God