Let’s try to look at this through the eyes and ears of those Jesus was talking to. Mostly He was talking to Jews except for in some cases He talked to Gentiles.
If they were at all familiar with the Old Testament, the holy writ Scriptures, which surely they had a basic understanding of what the laws were, then when Jesus said “eternal punishment” the idea of eternal conscious torment would have been the furthest thing from their minds.
Eternal conscious torment isn’t even mentioned one time in the Old Testament. In the OT it’s unanimous the fate of the wicked was being destroyed; that’s put to death. That’s how early Christianity and the Jews understood the fate of the wicked if they heard “eternal punishment.”
The New Testament is based on the Old Testament. If you don’t understand the Old Testament the New Testament can’t be properly understood.
now learn this: the OT and NT are in harmony on the fate of the wicked. You’ll do well to understand this.
James 4:12
"God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy."
Hebrews 10:39
"But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction..."
Philippians 3:18-19
"For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 They are headed for destruction."
Psalm 92:7
"Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish they will be destroyed forever."
Psalm 37:20
"But the wicked will die... they will disappear like smoke."
Psalm 1:6:
"... For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction."
Hebrews 10:26-27
"There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies."
2 Peter 3:7
"...for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed."
Romans 2:7
"He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers."
Genesis 3:19
"For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."
Psalm 146:4
"When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them."
Ecclesiastes 9:5
"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten."
Ezekiel 18:20
The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Jeremiah 19:5
"They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed My mind to command such a thing!"
Malachi 4:1, 4:3 "The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all... On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."
Matthew 10:28
"And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
John 6:51
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever" (the offer to live forever only makes sense if it were possible to not live forever.)
2 Thessalonians 1:9
"They will be punished with eternal destruction,forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power."
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death."
2 Peter 2:6
"and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly"
Revelation 20:14-15
"And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire."
If they were at all familiar with the Old Testament, the holy writ Scriptures, which surely they had a basic understanding of what the laws were, then when Jesus said “eternal punishment” the idea of eternal conscious torment would have been the furthest thing from their minds.
Eternal conscious torment isn’t even mentioned one time in the Old Testament. In the OT it’s unanimous the fate of the wicked was being destroyed; that’s put to death. That’s how early Christianity and the Jews understood the fate of the wicked if they heard “eternal punishment.”
The New Testament is based on the Old Testament. If you don’t understand the Old Testament the New Testament can’t be properly understood.
now learn this: the OT and NT are in harmony on the fate of the wicked. You’ll do well to understand this.
James 4:12
"God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy."
Hebrews 10:39
"But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction..."
Philippians 3:18-19
"For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 They are headed for destruction."
Psalm 92:7
"Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish they will be destroyed forever."
Psalm 37:20
"But the wicked will die... they will disappear like smoke."
Psalm 1:6:
"... For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction."
Hebrews 10:26-27
"There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies."
2 Peter 3:7
"...for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed."
Romans 2:7
"He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers."
Genesis 3:19
"For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."
Psalm 146:4
"When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them."
Ecclesiastes 9:5
"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten."
Ezekiel 18:20
The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Jeremiah 19:5
"They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed My mind to command such a thing!"
Malachi 4:1, 4:3 "The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all... On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."
Matthew 10:28
"And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
John 6:51
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever" (the offer to live forever only makes sense if it were possible to not live forever.)
2 Thessalonians 1:9
"They will be punished with eternal destruction,forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power."
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death."
2 Peter 2:6
"and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly"
Revelation 20:14-15
"And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire."
Jesus die for our sins
is that mean Jesus cease to exist?
- 1
- Show all