Christians--is there really a literal Hell?

Question

I mean, what does the Bible say about hell? What are some passages?

Does the Bible say that people will have eternal life in both cases?? Like in heaven or in hell?
If so, which verse says so?

Answer 1

Jesus believed in a literal Hell:

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "
Matthew 25:41-43

"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
" 'their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.' "

Mark 9:42-48

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

Luke 16:19-31

He died on the cross, taking God's punishment for the sins of men upon Himself, so that by repentance and faith in God, you would never have to go there.

Answer 2

Well in the bible it is characterized as the river of fire and Satan`s the ruler sent there by God. So if we are to believe there is a Heaven we would be wrong not to think there is a possibility of Hell.

I think we can look at it another way you die you may live a wonderful after life in heaven or you may live a tormented and painful life in hell. Either way we are suppose to have an eternal life in heaven or hell and God is the judger so who knows where we will end up in the end I guess pray and pray regularly.


It is like us considering there is the existence of angels but could not concieve the existence of demons.

As in life we have good and evil so why not in death we would have that as well Good Meaning God, and Evil Meaning Satan.

God Bless and Merry Christmas

Answer 3

No.

The idea of "Hell", an eternal fire for punishment, was invented by men. The Bible nowhere supports this concept, and in fact says the exact opposite.

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If you want to study Hell, you might want to start in the Old Testament and look up the verses mentioning "Sheol", "Gehenna" and "Hades".

Sheol is the the Hebrew word for grave. It's the place where you go when you die, and the OT never says anything eternal about it except that death is eternal and the people in the grave are silent.

Gehenna is a colloquialism that grew out of the Valley of Hinnom, a valley in Jerusalem purchased by the Hinnom family. It was used as a dump site for garbage and ashes from the temple, and so it had religious connotations. Being cast into Gehenna was like being a religious reject.

Hades is Greek and appears only a few times in Greek writings, such as the book of Esther and some apochryphal books left out of the Bible. It's mention has little to do with Jewish beliefs.

In the New Testament, there are very few mentions of these, but there are mentions of a "lake of fire". The New Testament never describes this as a place where human beings burn forever in full consciousness. The verses always referred to by Christians are the parable of the rich man and Lazarus and verses taken out of the book of Revelations. I always remind people that these are illustrations, they're not intended to reflect reality.

Instead, I point at verses that describe the world being destroyed by fire and forever fogotten:

II Peter 3:7 and 10
Isaiah 65:17
Zephaniah 1:1
Revelations 21:1

The problem with the idea that we are going to burn in hell forever and a day is that we're not immortal. We die. The only way for us to be immortal is for an immortal being to give us an immortal element, such as the Holy Spirit, which is what Jesus actually taught: "the Kingdom of Heaven is within you..."

Answer 4

the spirit and soul of an unbeliever wing their flight to hell at the time of death. Hell is a place of conscious punishment. The soul in hell is spoken of as a person, having eyes, ears, fingers, a tongue and memory. There is full knowledge of the conditions there. Luke 16:23-25. This is not a parable because parables do not include personal names of people. This is an actual event.

Answer 5

Luke 16:19-31

Answer 6

The Bible mentions hell as being flames and eternal torment. The Scriptures have been stimulated by the Holy Spirit and it says that God would not lie. we could desire to consistently assume it rather is a literal place. it rather is a one-way cost ticket in and an enduring place of no get away.

Answer 7

Dear Friend,

The Bible teaches us that ther is no Hell, just everlasting detruction. Think of it this way,

Adam had eternal life, God said if you eat from the tree of knowledge of Good and Bad you will surley die. If you go to hell to be tormented eternally, you have eternal life! albeit a fairly low quality of life!

And would be the point of sending you to hell, only to resurrect you and re-judge you later on! The Bble teaches us a completely different et of events,

Please see here for a detailed explanation:

http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=456

God Bless

Answer 8

Yes.


God bless you.

_______________________________________________


Sorry, I didn't see the rest of the question, about the verses.


...God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 2 Peter 2:4 (King James Version)

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:18 (King James Version)

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8 (King James Version)

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Revelation 20:13 (King James Version)

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Revelation 20:14 (King James Version)


Hope you find these verses useful.

Hope I helped. God bless you.

Answer 9

As renowned philosopher Jean Paul Sartre points out, "Hell is other people." [No Exit]


You are sure to receive responses pointing to John 3:16. All arguments reduce to Pascal's Wager.

Christians sometimes proffer Pascal’s Wager (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager ) suggesting to non-believers that they should accept Jesus (John 3:16) as some sort of insurance policy against hell, just in case it turns out god really exists. The fallacy with this line of reasoning is that faith in god for some reward or to avoid punishment is not faith at all. It is a selfish act to receive something in return for a belief. The point of religious belief so that one becomes a better person, not to receive a reward or please a spiritual being.

Answer 10

I think if we all believed that or knew for sure we'd all behave a lot better wouldn't we? I believe we make our own hell. No one is positive ...but just in case.....be good.

Answer 11

According to what he the bible says, yes. Why?