Hell
Synopsis: Hell is the opposite heaven. It is eternal separation from God after a human dies. Some Christians believe this is a place of eternal torment, whereas others believe that it is a state of non-existence.
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Hell (discussion) (For short comments and opinions)
Main article
Hell is the opposite heaven. It is eternal separation from God after a human dies. Some Christians believe this is a place of eternal torment, whereas others believe that it is a state of non-existence.
Biblical passages
The Gospels portray images of destruction and torment when referring to hell.
Passages such as Matthew 3:10-12 give an image of destruction.
Often fire is used to give an image of hell, for example in Mathew 5:22, Matthew 25:41-46, Luke 3:9
Sometimes darkness is used as an image of hell, for example in Matthew 22:13 and Luke 13:28
Words for Hell
The words sheol (Hebrew), hades (Greek), gehenna (Greek, from Hebrew), and tartarus (Greek) are sometimes translated as "hell"
The word "Hades" of the New Testament is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word "Sheol" of the Old Testament (Acts 2:27, Psalm 16:10).
Gehenna was an earthly place used as a metaphor for the eternal destruction of evil. It comes from Hebrew and means "Gorge of Hinnom" (Ge-Hinnom). In the time of the Old Testament it was a place where children were sacrificed to the Ammonite god Molech (2 Kings 23:10).
Views
Eternal Punishment versus Annihiliationism
Many Christians believe hell to be a place of eternal punishment for those who have died without accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and receiving forgiveness of sins.
Some Christians believe in the existence of hell, but deny the idea of a continuous eternal conscious suffering. In this view, known as Annihilationism, those who have died without accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and receiving forgiveness of sins cease to exist. This view is sometimes argued as inconsistent with Scripture, however, if the Biblical descriptions of hell are seen as imagery, then an annihilationist view can be argued as Biblical.
Exclusivism versus Inclusivism
Quotes
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