Since we know that Jesus conquers sin and death once and for all, are we to think that death still exists but it's under His feet (in outer darkness) or that death no longer exists in the future? I think, rather, for there to still be "outer darkness" and fire (why is it described as fire by the way?), doesn't that automatically mean the former, not the latter? though it could be true that it is only the mind that is thirsting 'cause it is meaningless and there is no blessing without God. I still do believe though that there is *much* suffering in Hell. Just sharing my thoughts. I am willing to change my mind/belief if it absolutely made sense to me. What's your belief now? I'll hear your thoughts and sorry if I'm just not getting it? Thanks.
You're not getting very clear thoughts from me because I'm clear on some things but not on other things. As I said, I don't believe God has given us much information on the eternal future of the ungodly precisely because it extends beyond our own personal business and is unpleasant. Those who make such choices should have to meditate on it.
From my experience of God's love, and from reading God's laws of compassion in the Bible I'm pretty sure that God will not "torture" people for all eternity. I use that word "torture" very carefully because it implies there is a sadistic interest in seeing others suffer.
But God is not like that, I'm sure.
But that doesn't mean that justice cannot impose a measure of unhappiness, implied in the words "stripes," and gnashing of teeth, and weeping. "Stripes" suggest an initial whipping, preceding a final sentencing. Gnashing of teeth suggests unhappiness about a hopeless condition. Weeping implies resignation in the fact of irretrievable loss. None of these things implies "torture."
"Eternal Death" suggests "death" continues to exist, but it is unlike the kind we now have in our physical bodies, which will be undone at the resurrection. Eternal Death suggests the same thing that the Lake of Fire suggests, that people will be permanently removed--not that they will be burning forever. The fire removes them one time. The fact they get thrown in there forever suggests they are removed forever--not that they are imprisoned there.
When I throw trash into a bonfire, it's burned up instantly. It doesn't just burn and burn and burn for an eternity. It is gone forever, but it doesn't burn forever.
That's what I believe about Eternal Death and the Lake of Fire. People are thrown in there and they are burned up immediately. They are thrown in forever because they are "burned up" and removed, and cannot come back.
But it is not an actual furnace where they must remain forever. They remain forever in a "burned up state," but they don't keep burning forever. They are forever cast out into Outer Darkness, which doesn't suggest they are still burning, as in being tortured.
This may be as clear as mud, but I'm not claiming to be sure about all of it--only that God is not sadistic. I believe He has a place for all of the Lost. Maybe they will work on a planet like this one in unhappy conditions--that would be "Hell" to me! But we will be in a place where we will be happy forever. It isn't our business to go too deep into such sadness.
