I know the feeling! There have been pages and pages of replies in this thread since I last checked yesterday, so when I "called your bluff" I hadn't read your later responses (it's taken me all morning to get this far!).If you read my posts... you will see that I am trying to bow out of this topic... I made a few points here and there... and stated my beliefs.
Thank you. However, I asked because I don't believe the Bible (God's word) harmonises with "eternal separation from God". The first verse you quoted says "eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord". May I make two points. First, it's eternal destruction, i.e. they will no longer exist - it's not existing seperate from God. The second point is that it's says they will no longer be in the presence of our Lord - that's Jesus, not God (yes, Jesus is not God, but that's another discussion!).For the purpose of showing scripture as you have requested. Again...
2 Thessalonians 1:9 - Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Matthew 25:41 - Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Regarding Matthew 25:41, the conclusion at the end of the passage is:
46) These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" is referring to the symbolic fire in Revelation 20:
14) Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15) If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
15) If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
Those judged worthy of eternal life (their names have been written in the book of life) will have eternal life (there will be no more death - death is destroyed, by symbolically being cast into fire, as is Hades [hell] where dead souls go), those not judged worthy will be punished with eternal death (symbolised by being cast into fire) - there is no hope of a second resurrection to life.
So the seperation ("Depart from me ... into eternal fire") is not a sending away to live eternally elsewhere, it's a sending to an execution! Once again, the Matthew passage is also talking about Jesus, not God:
31) “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
Is it possible to be seperate from the presence of God? Psalms 139 (WEB) says:
7) Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
8) If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol [hell], behold, you are there!
8) If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol [hell], behold, you are there!