Did the Apostle Paul believe in a forever burning hell?

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St. SteVen

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This is a perfect example that scriptures are not about what you like or do not like, it is about what is.
Applying a wee bit of common sense helps to root out the bogus interpretations.

Would God create such a sadistic and inhumane place? To what end?
 

Grailhunter

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Applying a wee bit of common sense helps to root out the bogus interpretations.

Would God create such a sadistic and inhumane place? To what end?

Simple, to punish the wicked.....What is the alternative? Evil in Heaven?
Either way it is what it is.....Hell exists. The only alternative for you is to right your own Bible.
As it is the Christian Bible makes it clear that Hell exists as a fiery eternal punishment....

Matthew 5:22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the Gehenna of fire.

Matthew 5:29-30 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into Gehenna.

Matthew 8:12 While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 13:41-42 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:50 And throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of Gehenna as yourselves.

Matthew 23:33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to Gehenna?

Matthew 24:51 And will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Mark 9:43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to Gehenna, to the unquenchable fire.

Mark 9:45 And if your foot offend you, cut if off: it is better to you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Gehenna, into the fire that never shall be quenched.

Mark 9:48 where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

Luke 3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Luke 12:5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9 In flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Jude 1:7 Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, they serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Revelation 1:18 And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Revelation 14:10 He also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Revelation 20:10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
 
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David Lamb

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Will you be punished for your wickedness in the afterlife?
I would be if the punishment for my sins had not been taken by the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God, He is my Saviour!

(1Pe 2:24) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

As Horatio Spafford wrote in his hymn, "When Peace Like a River":

"My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"
 
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Jack

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Grailhunter

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Will you be punished for your wickedness in the afterlife?

If we are wicked. If we are evil. Hell awaits us.
But the goal is to be good and do good. And to ask Yeshua forgiveness for the few sins we commit.
If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. Genisis 4:7
The Johnny Appleseed of Truth
Be good and do good.
 
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St. SteVen

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If we are wicked. If we are evil. Hell awaits us.
But the goal is to be good and do good. And to ask Yeshua forgiveness for the few sins we commit.
If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. Genisis 4:7
The Johnny Appleseed of Truth
Be good and do good.
That sounds like salvation by works.
 

St. SteVen

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James 2:26
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
That sounds like salvation by works.
Do you think that is what James intended? (I didn't think so)
What you value is contrarianism. Anti everything outside your little small-minded tribe.
 

St. SteVen

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St. SteVen said:
Will you be punished for your wickedness in the afterlife?
I would be if the punishment for my sins had not been taken by the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God, He is my Saviour!
AMEN!

Believers seem to be under the impression that we will not need some correction before we enter eternal bliss.
They look down their nose at unbelievers saying...

Luke 18:11 NIV
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—
robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
 

Jack

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That sounds like salvation by works.
Well it's not. lol
Do you think that is what James intended? (I didn't think so)
What you value is contrarianism.
You can attack the Bible all you like STV. Payday is dead ahead.

Matthew 12:36-37 ... In the day of judgment.37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

You have a lot of words to pay for.

Anti everything outside your little small-minded tribe.
Small minded? A little child could understand. Why can't you? Faith and works go together perfectly.

Mt 7 Narrow is the way to Life and FEW there be who find it!
 
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St. SteVen

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Small minded? A little child could understand. Why can't you? Faith and works go together perfectly.
It's not the BASIS of salvation, but rather the evidence that conversion has taken place.
 

Grailhunter

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That sounds like salvation by works.

That is a misconception. Most of the time when the scriptures refer to works they are referring to the Mosaic Law.
Does Christ expect you to be good and do good?
2nd Corinthians :5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Mathhew 7:21-23

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; Philippians 2:12

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” 1st Corinthians 6:9-10

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

Faith is the beginning of the Journey from there.....
Love the Trinity and your fellow Man.
Have faith.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Participate in the Bread and Wine Ritual....John chapter 6.....Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.....Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

As far as helping others...Matthew 25:31-46....Note what happens to those that do not help others.

Be good and do good.
The Johnny Appleseed of Truth.
 
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3 Resurrections

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Revelation 20:10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Emphasis on the Scripture's use of "DAY AND NIGHT" in this text which discusses the Lake of Fire environment where the "alive" beast and false prophet would be tormented (before they had yet died).

We are told all the way back in Genesis after Noah's flood that, "WHILE THE EARTH REMAINETH...DAY AND NIGHT SHALL NOT CEASE." So, this "Lake of Fire" environment must be in a location on earth where the literal day and night process for the planet would still be going on. It is NOT describing the afterlife conditions for a perpetually-tormented fate of the wicked dead, or for the Devil and his angels either.
 

Grailhunter

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Emphasis on the Scripture's use of "DAY AND NIGHT" in this text which discusses the Lake of Fire environment where the "alive" beast and false prophet would be tormented (before they had yet died).

We are told all the way back in Genesis after Noah's flood that, "WHILE THE EARTH REMAINETH...DAY AND NIGHT SHALL NOT CEASE." So, this "Lake of Fire" environment must be in a location on earth where the literal day and night process for the planet would still be going on. It is NOT describing the afterlife conditions for a perpetually-tormented fate of the wicked dead, or for the Devil and his angels either.

I understand what you are saying but in the spirit world I am not sure if you have a spinning planet and a sun.
I interpret this to mean.....around the clock.....never ceasing....eternity.....forever. Which goes along with the other scriptures.
 

Jack

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Emphasis on the Scripture's use of "DAY AND NIGHT" in this text which discusses the Lake of Fire environment where the "alive" beast and false prophet would be tormented (before they had yet died).

We are told all the way back in Genesis after Noah's flood that, "WHILE THE EARTH REMAINETH...DAY AND NIGHT SHALL NOT CEASE." So, this "Lake of Fire" environment must be in a location on earth where the literal day and night process for the planet would still be going on. It is NOT describing the afterlife conditions for a perpetually-tormented fate of the wicked dead, or for the Devil and his angels either.
Guess you missed this part: they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.