December 23

TEN REASONS NOT TO BELIEVE THE TEACHING OF ETERNAL TORTURE

#2: THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH IT

-It is not the goal of our Creator to torture any of His created beings forever. This will become clear as one reads and studies the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The “hell” that is taught by Evangelical Christianity IS NOT THE “HELL” OF THE BIBLE. The words “Sheol”, “Hades”, “Gehenna”, and “Tartaroo” ( the four words translated as “hell” in the King James Version ) DO NOT in any way denote a physical location where God plans to quarantine people for the purpose of torturing them forever in literal fire. They do however speak of the grave, the fiery correction of God ( spiritually speaking ), and the corrective judgments of God, BUT THEY DEFINITELY DO NOT SPEAK OF A PHYSICAL LOCATION THAT IS PREPARED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TORTURING PEOPLE FOREVER!

-In addition to this, the Bible teaches that man’s torment ( period of severe trial and testing ) and God’s judgments are age-lasting ( “aionios” … of the ages ), and that they are for the purpose of CORRECTION. They are not eternal or everlasting. The King James translators did a very poor job in their translation of the words “olam”, “aion”, and “aionios”, which refer to the AGES OF TIME, but not eternity. These words ( “olam”, “aion”, and “aionios” ) speak of things that take place within the ages of time ( God’s purpose of the ages ), but they certainly do not mean or refer to eternity. The strongest meaning that they can possibly have is one of belonging to eternity, but not lasting through it. We must also understand that there is a difference between eternity and time. “Eternity” is not time that goes on forever, but it is TIMELESSNESS. Something that is eternal has no beginning and no end, such as God Himself. The Bible, when speaking of God, mainly refers to Him as the God of the ages ( “aionios” ). This in no way negates the fact that He is eternal, for He is the GOD OF THE AGES AND THE GOD OF ETERNITY. HE IS BOTH! HE BELONGS TO THE REALM OF TIME AND ETERNITY.

-After studying what the Bible actually teaches about “hell” and the “ages”, a person will be well on their way to seeing right through the false teaching of eternal torture. The reason that most people do not know that this teaching ( eternal torture ) is false stems from: The negative power of the traditions and doctrines of men, the ability of the organized church to instill the fear of eternal torture in people, and that people ( for the most part ) do not read and study the Bible for themselves. In fact, most Christians are absolutely CLUELESS as to what the Bible actually teaches on many subjects.

-It will take some courage to begin the journey of seeking to know the God of the Bible for yourself. You will most certainly be persecuted ( especially by Christians ) for this courageous effort, BUT FEAR NOT, for your reward is the assurance that …

-GOD IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN!-