Thank you for all the post and for those who disagree again you did not provide Biblical proof to refute you tried to explain the Biblical proof that was given . Jesus is the Authority on the topic not me.
Annihilationism is easy to debunk because Jesus did .
here is the list of over whelming proof of the context of hell. those who hold to annihilation theory do so with human reasoning and conjecture. These give example of earthly judgement and courts while forgetting Gods ways are not mans ways
Is 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
those supportive of this theory of "annihilation" too dismiss the words of Jesus concerning hell because some of what HE said were Parables. Mainly in Luke chapter 16 . That is because they do not have discernment or remember what Jesus Himself said about Parables . What is a Parable? More importantly When Jesus said them were they important ?
When Jesus said Parables:
The parables are used in giving one or more instructional lessons or principles and
can be an allegory and may include inanimate objects (like trees, plants, or things) or people in various societal positions.
Jesus clearly gives parables to hide the meaning from those
whose hearts are hardened. Some of the parables are hard to understand but they frequently serve as object lessons that use experiences from life to clearly communicate a meaning for Jesus’ teachings.
Now back to the context of Hell Biblically
When Jesus spoke about hell we must look at everything HE said about hell and draw understanding from that... all of it.
IF Jesus just used the Parable in Luke 16 concerning hell " Lazarus & a certain Rich man" they might have point , BUT that is not the case . We must take all Jesus said and the parables concerning Hell, if we do that the context of hell becomes very clear to the person who is open to what the word of God is saying as it has said it. pray and read what Jesus said about hell ALL of what HE said : this is good place to start:
- God made Hell because of who he is - holy, holy, holy (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8) - and thus is too pure to look upon sin (Hab 1:13).
- (2) God is love (1 John 4:7-8) and while he spoke more concerning Heaven than he did Hell, in his holiness and honesty Jesus spoke about Hell (i.e. Gehenna) a considerable amount of times too - since he is the Word, Jesus is actually the author of every usage of Hell in the Bible (Matt 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; parallels to the same; Matt 7:21-23; 8:12; 13:42; 24:29-31, 45-51; 25:30-32, 41-46; Rev 2:11, etc.).
- (3) God is the Judge and sends the unsaved to Hell (Matt 25:41; 2 Pet 2:4, 9).
- (4) In another sense, people send themselves to Hell, as they willing sin against God (Rom 2:5; 3:23; 1 Cor 6:9).
- (5) Hell was prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matt 25:41), but Satan's seed (Gen 3:15) will spend eternity there as well (Rev 20:14).
- (6) Hell is a place where one can never stop sinning (Rom 8:7-8; Rev 21:8; 22:14-15). Since the sinners in Hell keep sinning there is perpetual punishment.
- (7) Hell is a waterless place with no exit (Luke 16:24-26).
- (8) Hell is a bottomless pit (Rev 20:1).
- (9) Hell is a lake of fire into which the wicked will be cast alive forever (Rev 19:20; 20:15).
- (10) Hell is a place of eternal torments (Luke 16:23).
- (11) Hell is a place of everlasting punishment (Matt 25:46).
- (12) Hell is a place of everlasting destruction from the presence of God (2 Thess 1:6-10).
- (13) Hell is a place of being cut into pieces (Matt 24:51).
- (14) Hell is a place where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:48).
- (15) Hell is a place of outer darkness, of weeping, and gnashing of teeth (Matt 25:30).
- (16) It's not enough for God to take us out of Hell; he must remove Hell out of us; and thus he sent his only begotten Son to die for the sins of his people (Rom 5:8; Jude 1:23; John 1:29).
God bless
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2tim 2:15