The Truth About Hell

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Just because God say He will draw all men... just because God says He will reconcile all things to Himself doesn't mean all are going to be saved. It doesn't mean they will follow God and serve Him. Again, yes Christ is the Saviour of the world, the Saviour of all men (John 4:42, I John 4:14, I Timothy 4:10) but it doesn't mean He doesn't give us Free Will to pick who we want to serve. (John 3:16, John 14:15) And there will also be Free Will in the Millennium Reign as well. After it's over it's Judgment Day.Revelation 20:11 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.Revelation 20:12 - And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.Revelation 20:13 - 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 20:14 - And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.Revelation 20:15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire....Ezekiel 18:4 - Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.Ezekiel 18:20 - The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
First we have to define the term “saved”. We both believe that only those who put their faith in Christ will be “saved”. You believe that they will be saved from eternal torments or destruction; whereas I believe that they are “saved” from the punitive and purifying torments of Hell which 99% of mankind will pass through as part of God’s eternal punishment/correction. So no…all are not “saved”…but all will eventually be “reconciled”. Regarding free will….the vast majority of mankind alive today (and historically) haven’t heard the true Gospel. Therefore the notion that the majority in Hell somehow “chose” to be there by rejecting the Gospel is a boldfaced lie used to justify the idea that God is portrayed by most as a tyrant who tortures or destroys 99% of mankind forever. You’re faced with how you portray God. In my opinion, the way God is portrayed in “turn or burn” religion is near blasphemy. For example, let’s say we have a 16 year old girl in a village in India. She was raised in a Hindu family and has never heard the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now let’s say she drowns while swimming. What is this girl’s fate? Most who embrace “turn or burn” religion (both the eternal torment and destruction camps) portray God as a God who will take this poor pleading 16 year old girl and burn in alive or for destroy her forever. Look at the vicious attack these theologies place on God’s character. This doctrine is known as “exclusivism” and is primarily propagated by “fundamentalist” forms of Christianity. What I believe God has shown me is that this 16 year old girl will be ushered into God’s presence where her sins are brought before her, underscoring her sinfulness. Then the Gospel will be presented to her soul (Titus 2:11; I Peter 3:19-20). She will then face an everlasting “punishment” (Grk.- “kolasis”, indicating “correction” or “pruning”) (Matthew 25:46). Her soul will then be in torments sufficient enough to justly punish her for her actions (Luke 12:47-48; 59) and then she will be released and finally enter Heaven if she submits to God’s authority and her name is entered into the book of life (I Peter 3:19-20). If she doesn’t submit to God’s governance she will remain here until the final judgment where all those not found in the book of life are sentenced to the lake of fire as a final stage of purification and the breaking of their will (Revelation 20:15; 21:8). The righteous (those who have been saved and those who have been purified with their names being placed in the book of life) will enter into the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-24). However, it is noted that the city’s gates shall not be shut at all, indicating that those without the city are called to enter in (Revelation 21:25). The Bible clearly states that only those who’s names are in the book of life may enter but those who remain sinful and wicked are not permitted (Revelation 21:27). Let’s thank God that the story doesn’t end there. We read in Revelation 22 that in the midst of the city is the tree of life bearing 12 manner of fruit (Revelation 22:2). We are told that this tree is for the “healing of the nations”. These “nations” are the nations who were cut off and refused to accept the Gospel, being relegated to the lake of fire. Eventually all souls will submit and acknowledge Christ’s Lordship bringing them into full reconciliation with God (John 12:32; 1 Tim. 4:10; I Cor. 15:20-26; Col. 1:15-20).

I find it interesting that those who believe that God will torture people forever or destroy them forever all believe that they themselves are not going to face said fate...yet they gladly relegate 99% of mankind to this fate.QUOTE (watchman @ Mar 11 2009, 12:22 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=70584
savedbygrace is correct everlasting actually means everlasting, imagine that.
The Greek Septugent uses the aionios for "everlasting" here also....Genesis 49:26The blessings of thy father have prevailedabove the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmostbound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head ofJoseph, and on the crown of the head of him that wasseparate from his brethren.So when the earth is burned up...will these hills remain forever? Aionios is best translated "age enduring" and can easily speak of a vast age wherein the end is unknown. The Western mind often misses this important point.

QUOTE (Jordan @ Mar 11 2009, 02:57 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=70591
The saddest thing is, you have little to none understanding of what I said in my posts...especially Christina. And from reading your posts, you seem to lack understanding His reads. Things I do notice of your posts is1. Disagreeing Free Will (John 3:16, John 14:15)2. Second Death (The literal destroy of one's soul) (Ezekiel 18:4, 20, Revelation 20:14 and one more... John 3:16 word: perish)And lastly, nobody yet made a % of man's lost, but you... so be care what you say, cause, we don't make an estimation on what we think how many souls are going to be killed, because that's God's job. He is the Judge.
Just because you believe that God will DESTROY the soul (which isn't what the Bible teaches by the way) it doesn't mean that somehow you've improved God's tarnished image in some way. A God who would destroy a 16 year old Hindu girl who never heard the Gospel is a monster. To say God could or would do this is blasphemy.