Is there really Eternal Hell Fire

I have heard many preacher preaching about eternal hell fire but is the fire really eternal?

Let's consider Jude 7 (1:7)..."Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire"

If i am correct Sodom and Gomorrah did not burn forever or else there will be a place on earth still burning perpetually.

Perhaps we have to look into the word "eternal" some more. Personally, I think the fire in hell will burn till nothing remains but it won't be forever.

What do you think?

I think these verses may mean the "people" in S and G suffering eternal fire, not the cities..but I may be wrong.

:)

If you are a sincere seeker of truth, then this thread, though it may take a while to read, could be helpful. These are the views of the moderator of this website.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6203&forum=45&start=10&19

The New Testament almost always adds deeper dimensions of understanding to events that occurred in the Old Testament. If Jude uses the word "eternal" it means eternal, if this word does not mean eternal fire, then we do not get eternal life either, as it is almost always the exact same word throughout the NT, if my memory serves correct, the word in greek is aionios. If you do not want "eternal life" then believe that the word "eternal" does not mean eternal for the fires of hell either. How the Sodom event practically works out in a physics understanding is not something we are privy to. However it is not inconceivable that the brimstone at Sodom, was Just the beginning of an eternal brimstone that those cities were subjected to. Even though Genesis tells us what happened in the physical realm temporarily, that does not negate or involve us in understanding what happened in the Spiritual realm as a result of the same event.

Good question. In my estimation, what one thinks about the literalness of the fires of hell shows what they think about the life and ages to come. I believe there will be a literal hell fire. Why? Because I believe there will be a literal and physical resurrection of the damned in the age to come. Remember, Jesus said that there would be those who would be tossed "body AND soul" into everlasting fire.

So, suffering in hell is not just some everlasting spiritual torment that happens to some sort of disembodied spirit or soul. It's a literal flame that burns forever and ever, a real person, with a real body, that never can be destroyed or consumed. The worm will never grow tired in eating those who are so ill fated.

Friend,

This topic has been discussed here several times and as Readymind pointed out you can look at this lengthy thread if you are truly looking for the truth.

But to answer your question about Sodom and Gomorrah. What do you think the verse means by " giving themselves over to fornication "? Do you think it means the people of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, or the walls, stones, and earth? The object the verse is refering to when it says " set forth as an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" is the same objest that it refers to when it says "giving themselves over to fornication and going after a srange flesh". That object being the people of those cities.

I would also agree with Untobabes, and Star that the "cities" speaks of its inhabitants.

Ya but are they not literally burning right now as we speak?
I have located this link..It is more sound to me. I will read the suggested thread as well. My objective for this post is to come to the knowledge of truth from the word and not man's ideologies. I am not just posting things for the sake of posting. Please be sure of that.

http://www.helltruth.com/portals/2/hell-fire.pdf

Hi kwamenat...

Are you asking these questions (about Hell...or the Sabbath) because you sincerely want to know...or is there something else at work here?

This is not the place for a Seventh Day Adventist agenda. If you sincerely want to know, then by all means, ask. However, I hope that this isn't just a door that you are using to try and present your own particular views as "truth."

That said: There are many verses that present a view of an eternal punishment. Would you like to see them?

The following is from 9 marks EJournal:Pastoral Perspectives on "Hell: Remembering the Awful Reality"

"Wisdom so often in life prescribes moderation. It’s wise to eat with moderation, to speak with moderation, to feel with moderation, some would even say to believe with moderation.

But there’s absolutely nothing moderate about the doctrine of hell. It’s extreme in every way. It’s an extreme idea for the mind. It’s an extreme confrontation for the heart. And it blows against all the rules of social etiquette.

Embracing the reality of hell means setting aside moderation. It means admitting that our sin is dark and heinous to the point of eternal damnation; that the white light of God’s character and glory justly destroys those who have fallen short of his glory; and that that our non-Christians friends have nothing greater to fear. That’s tough to do when you have moderate views of your sin, your friend’s sin, and of God’s glory.
Embracing the reality of hell also means going against the fallen cultural structures and belief systems of this world, all of which conspire together with our own hearts to repeat the serpent’s promise of a moderate outcome, “You will surely not die.”

As hard as it is to stare at the doctrine of hell, surely it must be salubrious to our faith to do so from time to time. It forces us to once again reckon with who God is and who we are. We hope this issue of the 9Marks eJournal will help all of us to do just that."

http://www.9marks.org/ejournal/hell-remembering-awful-reality

I usually avoid engaging in these kinds of topics on this forum, as I do not really have time to get involved in long winded threads, but I am going to make a bold and marginalizing statement.

If you extract the eternality of hell fire as a doctrine from scripture, the entire Bible collapses in on itself. The gospel message would have no meaning. I will suggest that many people today question the doctrine of eternal hell because they have hardly apprehended the message of the cross.

Areadymind wrote

If you extract the eternality of hell fire as a doctrine from scripture, the entire Bible collapses in on itself. The gospel message would have no meaning. I will suggest that many people today question the doctrine of eternal hell because they have hardly apprehended the message of the cross.

Amen. Unconverted sinners wish and hope with every fiber of their being that they will merely be annihalated at last or finally reconciled after some time in hell torments. If any of those two doctrines were true they would be able to say with all their heart, "let us eat, drink and be merry, for tommorow we die."

Those who claim to know God but object to the reality of an eternal hell have not had enough of a glimpse into the holiness of God. If they did get such a glimpse they would make no such objections. Because He is infinitely holy it makes sense that the punishment for waging war against Him would be of infinite measure.

Kwamenat, your question of the doctrine of an eternal hell is a fair question. The book you have linked by some person, Joe Crews, from helltruth.com has some errors in it.

I do not intend to make a full rebuttal but I will make a quick remark. The Bible promises everlasting torment, suffering, and punishment.

Matthew 25:46. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

The author of this book, Hell-Fire, makes a silly mistake on this point. He assumes that because "eternal life" is not promised to the damned that therefore this equates to "eternal death." Now, eternal death is an expression never used in the Bible; the very idea is non-existent. We do hear about "spiritual death" but that is evidently not Annihilationism.

Very simply, eternal life is not used in the Scriptures primarily as a quantitative expression of life, but as a qualitative expression. Eternal life is referring to the abundant life of joy and peace, etc., in Christ. Spiritual death, or eternal punishment, is the deficient life of those who are by nature enemies of God.

Moreover, I do not consider "hell-fire" to be a literal fire. I perceive hell-fire to be a profound description of how sinners experience the overwhelming Holiness of the Presence of God. (Deuteronomy 4:24.)

Nahum 1:6. "Who can stand before His indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him."

Isaiah 33:14. "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?"

Some of the best teaching which I personally enjoy on hell are by a gentleman, R. A. Finlayson, who says,

"Hell is eternity in the presence of God without a mediator. Heaven is eternity in the presence of God, with a mediator."

And,

"Hell is an encounter with the character and will of God. God's nature is holy, and His character is unsullied righteousness. For the unholy to mix with holiness is Hell."

I would recommend reading the following two articles:
The Holiness of God by R. A. Finlayson
The Last Things [Judgement] by R. A. Finlayson

Ya but are they not literally burning right now as we speak? I have located this link..It is more sound to me. I will read the suggested thread as well. My objective for this post is to come to the knowledge of truth from the word and not man's ideologies. I am not just posting things for the sake of posting. Please be sure of that.

The link that you have "located" is a Seventh Day Adventist site. One of the many "stealth" sites that they run in which they pose like an ordinary Evangelical site and do not give their true church association. It is a deceptive method of recruiting folks into the SDA.

Clearly kwamenat is here to promota SDA agenda with this post and his post on the sabbath day and I highly doubt he is honestly seeking answers to his questions. Beware false teaching.

In Christ,

Ron

eternal life is not used in the Scriptures primarily as a quantitative expression of life, but as a qualitative expression.

If the word " eternal " does not suggest quantity, I don't know what would.

Actually If you would have asked me my denomination, I would have told you. Refer to all of my post, it is filled with scripture. I didn't know that I am not allowed to participate in a Christian forum because of the church i go to. By the way i have been coming to this website for a few years now listening to sermons.. i just thought i would engage in some conversations to see the view of others on some issues. If i was attached to my denomination alone i would not be listening to all these preachers on here.

Be careful when you make statements, you do not know the heart of man!

Hi kwamenat...

I think that I am more interested in just WHY you asked the questions in these two threads. Did you REALLY want to know the answers...or was there an ulterior motive to spread your own views?

Of course, we don't know your heart. However, this is not a Seventh Day Adventist website. The purpose of this website is to provoke people to seek God and pray for genuine Biblical revival.

If you have sincere questions, we will definitely do our best to answer them. However, I suppose that you can understand the trepidation when it comes to people who might come in with an agenda or desire to proclaim their view as undeniable truth that would be seen by those who sincerely seek God (via His Word) in truth.

The fact is that many people are sincere and prayerfully read the Word of God and have arrived to views that are different than the two that you have brought up here.

I find this amazing! You find a link i posted from an Adventist organization site and all of a certain I have a hidden agenda. Actually some of the folks on here pointed me back to other threads in the forum that share the same concerns. Please,let's put the preconceived ideas aside!

Like I said, i have been visiting this site for some time to listen to sermons. I just recently noticed that you guys had a forum to discuss Biblical issues. I love whatever keeps me in the Word because it ultimately will bring us closer to God. As a matter fact I ask the same questions i do here with people in my denomination to see if they really can give Biblical text for what they believe in.

Its amazing how you get excited because you have found a place where you can discuss the word of God instead of spend your time on other unprofitable sites like facebook...only to be rejected by fellow Christians.

Matthew 7:1

in Christ,
Kwame

boG,

Thanks for your feedback but I am a little puzzled..

Moreover, I do not consider "hell-fire" to be a literal fire. I perceive hell-fire to be a profound description of how sinners experience the overwhelming Holiness of the Presence of God. (Deuteronomy 4:24.)

What do you mean by a profound description?