I hear you talking my friend believe me......I believe it is time for me to obey God - bye (Romans 16:17)![]()
It's getting rough around here.
I hear you talking my friend believe me......I believe it is time for me to obey God - bye (Romans 16:17)![]()
Thanks for the honesty, and please allow me to be just as honest with you. By your own admission you are unqualified to have a valid position this or most other biblical subjects. It also means you are equally unqualified to decide who is a "scholar" and who is right or wrong on most subjects as well. People like myself have taken courses in Hebrew and Greek, studied the bible every single day for decades and have spent more time studying the bible than we have sleeping at night. I personally have spent more time studying the bible than I have worked jobs. (I worked in IT so I was able to study more than I worked.)
The results of decades of bible study led me to understand that Annihilation is the correct doctrine for most that are cast into the lake of fire. There *might* be an exception regarding the beast, false prophet and the devil but that is based on one single verse with a high likelihood of a figure of speech that does not mean literally forever. There are also two verses that say the devil will be destroyed and no longer exist so those need to be taken in consideration.
The case for eternal torture is weak, and comparable to one grain of sand versus the case for Annihilation which is comparable to all the rest of the grains of sand not only on the Earth but on every planet in the Universe. That is a vast difference between the biblical support for eternal torture versus the biblical support for Annihilation.
the biblical support for eternal torture the biblical support for Annihilation
I rest my case.

Well that's quite a mouthful. Luckily for me I actually understand what the Bible says per Matthew 13:23. I can see false doctrine miles away buddy.Thanks for the honesty, and please allow me to be just as honest with you. By your own admission you are unqualified to have a valid position this or most other biblical subjects. It also means you are equally unqualified to decide who is a "scholar" and who is right or wrong on most subjects as well. People like myself have taken courses in Hebrew and Greek, studied the bible every single day for decades and have spent more time studying the bible than we have sleeping at night. I personally have spent more time studying the bible than I have worked jobs. (I worked in IT so I was able to study more than I worked.)
The results of decades of bible study led me to understand that Annihilation is the correct doctrine for most that are cast into the lake of fire. There *might* be an exception regarding the beast, false prophet and the devil but that is based on one single verse with a high likelihood of a figure of speech that does not mean literally forever. There are also two verses that say the devil will be destroyed and no longer exist so those need to be taken in consideration.
The case for eternal torture is weak, and comparable to one grain of sand versus the case for Annihilation which is comparable to all the rest of the grains of sand not only on the Earth but on every planet in the Universe. That is a vast difference between the biblical support for eternal torture versus the biblical support for Annihilation.
the biblical support for eternal torture the biblical support for Annihilation
I rest my case.
Well that's quite a mouthful. Luckily for me I actually understand what the Bible says per Matthew 13:23. I can see false doctrine miles away buddy.
Anyhoo.......If you actually want to learn something I would read all of TDWs posts. That way you can start making up for all of that lost ground, and wasted time and effort........![]()
ROFL........Thanks for the chuckle buddy and you have yourself a good evening.....As someone who admits that their biblical understanding is only around 2.5 out of 10, I must reject your recommendations in this post because of the low level of biblical understanding you admit to having. You are wrong about eternal torture and wrong about the correctness of TDW's posts. If YOU want to increase that 2.5 score, then start listening to me, runningman, Laura and the other's that I don't have time to search for and list. Basically listen to the Annihilationists and starting considering the massive amount of scriptural evidence offered. Your score will soon go up much higher as a result.
Death is not the end of existence. All people are born dead in trespass and sin. Why would the second death be the end of existence? Lord Jesus said that God could (not would) destroy body and soul. All people have are spirit. There is no mention of the spirit being extinguished or destroyed. How do you destroy a spirit anyway?OK, no problem. Let's go with that then.
That still addresses those three only. No one else is ever said to be tormented forever, right? You only assume, with no scriptural backing, that God would treat anyone else as severely despite tons of scriptures stating the opposite.
Then we have to deal with the possibility that "for ever" there isn't literal because God has used similar language for non-literal "for evers"
Plus, scripture promises the devil will be destroyed and not exist anymore so that supports Annihilation even for the Devil and if the Devil will be destroyed, then certainly the beast and FP would also be destroyed since they cannot exceed the wickedness of satan himself.
Lastly, in the eternity pain no longer exists which further rules out any possibility of people being in pain forever.
At best eternal torture has support for only the beast, FP and Devil to be tortured forever but even that ignores other scriptures mentioned already.
The case for Annihilation is immensely stronger and better supported.
Death is not the end of existence.
How do you destroy a spirit anyway?
If God is going to annihilate unbelievers, there is no reason for judgement.
There is little incentive for people to repent.
What is to fear if God is going to annihilate sinners?
Yet unbelievers will be terrified when Jesus returns. "Don't worry, the atheists are right, there is no existence after death". Sorry, that makes no sense. And it requires reading into scripture what it does not say.
Annihilationist do not believe in the lake of fire as the good book says “the wicked will be destroyed.” Therefore will miss out on this blessing!” The point is sorrow and suffering are destroyed EVERYWHERE— God definitely means what He says.Rev 21:4 isn't talking about the lake of fire and those judged condemned to it's suffering.
This is a promise to the redeemed in heaven with Jesus,no more tears,death,sorrow,pain or suffering.
These things he promised to those who endured to the end and here it is just being reintegrated for believers.
Using this to also mean it's for damnation in the lake of fire is absurd!
God is the " I am".
He has set everything in motion.
All belong to our creator.
Everything has been prepared according to his word before he created the foundations of the world.
None can change God's intentions though many try to change his word!
The end of all as we know it WILL BE as God says not as man's false interpretation says.
He alone is sovereign,notice the end of the word sovereign it is REIGN,this is his world,his plan and will be executed according as he reigns and has decreed!
He does NOT SEEK COUNSEL of man his creation,nor does he ask OUR interpretation of what he means!
I read all postings.
I will be retaliatory now....." Oh go away Laura,you are worse than a gnat!
Why do you equate the second death with the first? Saying there is no reason for judgment if the wicked pass out of existence is very short sighted. You also say a death sentence is little deterrent. Again, very short sighted. What you say makes no sense! Men are lovers of self, and do not want to die. The fear of death is explicitly given as the reason for man's slavery to sin, but you count it as nothing?Death is not the end of existence. All people are born dead in trespass and sin. Why would the second death be the end of existence? Lord Jesus said that God could (not would) destroy body and soul. All people have are spirit. There is no mention of the spirit being extinguished or destroyed. How do you destroy a spirit anyway?
If God is going to annihilate unbelievers, there is no reason for judgement. There is little incentive for people to repent. People love sin, they hate God and hate God's ways. What is to fear if God is going to annihilate sinners? Yet unbelievers will be terrified when Jesus returns. "Don't worry, the atheists are right, there is no existence after death". Sorry, that makes no sense. And it requires reading into scripture what it does not say.
Sure, the concept of hell as fire and brimstone with demons poking people is false. But death is fundamentally separation from God. God offers salvation, but not all want to be saved. God respects that choice. And sinners will exist forever, knowing that they could have been saved but refused. A sobering thought. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Ad Hominem: an attack directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining.
What did the Pharisees do when they did not have a response to the man born blind who was healed by Jesus? They attacked him.
"If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. ... Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."
Lol I TOLD you what I was going to do!
Its sad we can't all like each other in this anonymity!
"Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire." - Rev20:14
PS And that it is NOT literal, since both death and hades are thrown into it!