Tag Archives: Eternal Life

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, JUDE

WHAT IS THE DURATION OF HELL, IN LIGHT OF JUDE 7? — BOB PRICHARD

It is quite common in today’s religious world to reject the biblical teaching of the reality and duration of hell. Many claim that the old time understanding of “eternal hell fire” is out of character for a loving God, and that when this life is over, the unsaved will simply cease to exist. This is an appealing doctrine to many, because it eliminates the possibility of punishment for sin. However, Jesus said, that the wicked “shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46). Paul spoke of those who do not know God, and refuse to obey Him, “who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

Hell, the ultimate abode of the wicked, is translated from the Greek word, Gehenna. This is a different term from hades, another Greek word incorrectly rendered as hell in the King James Version. Hades is the abode of all the dead, righteous and unrighteous, before the resurrection. The literal Gehenna, from which hell is derived, was a narrow gorge near Jerusalem that represented the worst of Jewish history. Years before the Jews stained this valley with the blood of their own innocent children offered in sacrifice to the idol Baal. In Christ’s day, Gehenna was a continually burning garbage dump whose name He appropriated to describe the final abode of the wicked.

Again and again the scriptures describe hell as a place of unending punishment for the wicked. Jesus spoke of the day when His angels would gather those who do iniquity and “cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42). John described hell, saying  “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night” (Revelation 14:11). Other passages describe hell as “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12), a “furnace of fire” (Matthew 13:42), and “eternal fire” (Jude 7).

Jude 7 speaks of Sodom and Gomorrah, the wicked cities that were “giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 7). Some contend that since the “eternal fire” that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah burned out, then the eternal fire of hell must do the same. The point Jude was making however, was that the wickedness of Sodom brought God’s wrath, and its destruction was so utter that the only thing to compare it with was eternal fire. Even today, the fire of Sodom is still burning in the sense that it serves as a warning to all men of the importance of obeying God.

What is the duration of hell? Jesus said that the wicked “shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46). Hell is just as eternal as heaven is, and in the same sense. If the fires of hell burn out, and are not eternal, then we should not expect the bliss of heaven for the righteous to be eternal. The term “eternal” literally means “always being.” Hell is eternal, and is not going to burn out. We must prepare to avoid it by obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ.

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, SALVATION

CAN A SAVED PERSON EVER SO SIN TO LOSE HIS SOUL? — BOB PRICHARD

The doctrine that once a person is saved, he can never be lost, is usually referred to as the “doctrine of eternal security,” or the “impossibility of apostasy.” This doctrine comforts many, but it is contrary to the scriptures. Several Bible characters fell away.

Demas faithfully served with Paul. Paul wrote, “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you” (Colossians 4:14), but then later wrote to Timothy, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10). Not only did Demas forsake Paul, but we understand that he forsook the Lord as well, “having loved this present world” too much.

Philip converted Simon the Sorcerer at Samaria, and even baptized him (Acts 8:13), but then Simon sought to buy the ability to give the spiritual gifts. Peter warned him, “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:22-23). Simon risked his soul for earthly riches and prestige. Surely he would have been lost if he did not follow Peter’s command to repent.

What about Judas Iscariot? When he betrayed Christ, not one of the other disciples suspected him. They certainly would have suspected him if he had not exercised the same spiritual gifts, healing powers, and casting out of demons as they had. He appeared to be a faithful servant of Christ to all of the other apostles. But who would argue today that he is saved?

God cares for His children, and He also gives those children free will. Each person has the right to choose to obey the gospel of Christ, or to refuse to obey the gospel of Christ, or to renounce Christ entirely. This ability to choose gives man responsibility. A man without free will would not be responsible for his sins. If a person can live any way he wishes to, and commit any sin he wants to after conversion, and he can do this without losing his soul, then that person has lost his free will to choose whether or not to be a Christian.  

Jesus said to the church at Ephesus, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:4-5). The church at Ephesus, meaning the individual Christians who made up that congregation, had “left” its “first love,” and had “fallen.” The Lord warned them of the consequences if they did not repent.

Peter lists a number of graces such as faith, virtue, and temperance, which each Christian should work to acquire, saying, “if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). Peter’s promise, “ye shall never fall,” however, is a conditional statement. We are promised not to fall “if ye do these things,” but implied in the promise is that we will fall if we do not do these things. The doctrine that a child of God can do anything he pleases and never be concerned for his soul is neither scriptural nor reasonable. Every man is accountable to God for how he lives. What dangerous ground a man walks on when he chooses to sin, rather than striving with all his ability to do the Lord’s will!