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Hell
[page under construction]
What is Hell? Is it a blazing hot place of eternal
torment? Is it the state of death outside of any presence with God?...the place for souls of
the rebellious who would not come to belief in the Savior, Jesus of Nazareth? Or is it a
place for the eternal relegation of those of the spirit world who are/were opposed to God?
The idea of such an eternal Hell might suggest a God who acts simply to satisfy His own need
for justice & revenge...not further intending to cause change in the one
punished.
Scripture uses 3 words which translators have used
for the word Hell:
- Sheol: the place of the dead; depths of the earth; or the
gloomy underworld of departed spirits (Psalm 139:8)...Old Testament & contains spirits of
both righteous (Psalm 16:10 & 30:3; Isaiah 38:10) & wicked (Numbers 16:33; Job 24:19;
Psalm 9:17).
- Hades: New Testament term referring to an intermediate place
for the good & bad.
- Gehenna: the valley of Hinnom outside the wall at the
southern end of old-city Jerusalem where, during a dark period in Jewish history, the
human-baby-sacrificial rites of Molech were celebrated & the place later converted by King
Josiah into a place of abomination where dead bodies were thrown & burned...being later
considered symbolic of the place of lost spirits.
Could Hell be that state
of being separated from God both on earth and in the afterlife? In the sense of the concept of
Universal Reconciliation, might
afterlife Hell be separation from God because those who were closer to God are in zones of
Heaven...seats in Heaven...closer to God?
Or, if Jesus truly died for all & all will
ultimately be in Heaven "with God", then is Hell that state in the life on earth where one has
NOT come to belief in Jesus? Therefore, there is no indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And,
therefore, that unbeliever's earthly life was under the reign of Satan, the ruler of the world. That is, Hell
on earth is existing apart from God. But, in the afterlife, if all are spared by the blood of Jesus, then "Hell" may be an eternal "mind separation" from God. This would be in the sense that Holly Spirit indwelt souls will be "in tune" in the most optimal way possible as the indwelling Spirit THEN has a perfectly audible voice (no longer "wee small" voice) so that we stay in perfect resonance and union with God at all times and for eternity, see HERE. This view greatly appeals to me. Therefore, let's recycle quickly through the list
I have as to the opportunity offered by the Gospel (HERE).
Here are some scriptures related to this
topic:
Matthew 5:22
Matthew 5:29
Matthew 7:19
Matthew 10:28
Matthew 11:23
Links:
an explanation of Hell website
***give me your comments about this
page***
check out the Highest
TRUTH
(posted 11 March 2005; latest update 7 July
2010)
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