Is an eternally burning hell a biblical teaching?
Dear Reader,
The teaching that there is a place where the wicked are now burning, and will continue to burn eternally is the most evil, pernicious, and mendacious of all teachings. And it has come straight from the heart of satan. This teaching was brought into Christianity from paganism by Apostate Christianity, the Church of Rome, just as she brought in other false teachings like purgatory, Christmas, Easter, and the worship of saints.
This teaching has probably caused more people to either become mad, or become atheists and unbelievers. Even the most wicked man will eventually kill or dispense with his victim. Are we to believe that God will be worse than the wicked? No, my friends, this teaching makes a mockery of our loving, kind, forgiving, and just Saviour. It is Satan’s strategy to cause men to believe that God is a tyrant and sadist. No friends, God does not delight in pain and death. Many times God pleads with the inhabitants of earth, and with his people Israel in Old Testament times to turn to Him, reject evil, and live. Here is what we read in the Bible: (Isa 45:22 KJV) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Here God pleads with everyone to turn to him for salvation.
Again we read, (Ezek 18:23 KJV) Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? Here God says that he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked should repent and turn to God for salvation and life. Elsewhere in this same book of Ezekiel the prophet writes: (Ezek 33:11 KJV) Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Can you imagine, the Creator God pleads with his creatures to return to him and live? What a lovely picture of God; pleading with mankind to return to him and live forever! And this is the picture that satan does not wish mankind to know; so he invents all sorts of distortions about God’s justice in dealing with the rejecters of his merciful provision for their salvation.
The superficial reading of some texts out of the general context of the Bible may make it appear that the fires of destruction will burn for ever. However, the terms “forever and ever” and “eternal fire” in no way depict a state of eternally burning people or earth. Jude 1 speaks of the vengeance of ‘eternal fire’ that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Are Sodom and Gomorrah still being destroyed today? Is the fire that destroyed them still burning them up today? Of course not. “Forever and ever” and “eternal fire” simply depict the finality of the destruction. Is is possible to talk of having destroyed something and at the same time to state that it is not destroyed? Of course not. That would lead to confusion and misunderstanding in any language.
The Bible teaches that God will create a new heaven and a new earth where the former things will not be remembered again. Here is how He puts it: (Rev 21:4, 5 KJV) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
How would you feel while living in the New Earth, to know that people, perhaps your father, or mother, or sibling, or even a friend, is being burnt for ever and ever without being killed somewhere on earth? Would that not be torture? Would you not feel remorse for those poor, wretched, individuals? Yes, friends, human beings do have sympathy and feelings of sadness today; and when Jesus comes to take us home and renew this earth we will still have feeling, emotions, and sympathy. And guess what? God has even greater feelings of sadness and sympathy for sinful humans. He will in no wise inflict torture, nor will his punishment of evil continue forever. He himself tells us that it will come to an end and that finally he will set up a new kingdom where there will be no more suffering.
Read these verses in the Revelation: (Rev 21:1-5 KJV) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Isn’t that good news about God, friends? A world where there will be no more pain, death, and suffering? Yes, indeed, it is. Let no one, pastor, priest, or friend, ever convince you that God burns up people for ever and ever. We serve a most gracious and kind God. I invite you to do as the Psalmist says: ‘taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in him’! Ps. 34:8. What a beautiful picture of our loving God. May his love every draw you to his side. God bless.
Pastor Ron is a retired Adventist pastor. Reach him at ron.hende@gmail.com with your comments.