Eddi, if you search on the internet, it's easy to find sources refuting the validity of Hell. Some refute the concept completely while others just water down it's place and condition to a mere state of mind or lack of closeness to God. Sadly, over 40% of misguided American professing Christians have joined on the bandwagon, but let me encourage you to get off.
The non-Christians on this site have good reason to reject belief in a literal Hell. They may be wrong, but at least they're being consistent since they don't accept the authority of the Bible's scriptures. A Christian though has reason to believe the authority of the Bible, particularly if he's been taught some Christian apologetics concerning the scientific, historical, archaeological, prophetic, manuscript authority, and textual criticism aspects supporting it. In thousands of details, these areas of study support Paul's statement in 2nd Timothy 3:16 that "all scripture is God Breathed."
If the Bible's scriptures are true and authoritative, which Jesus, the apostles, and fulfilled prophesy affirm, then no believer should be picking and choosing which parts are valid and those that aren't. Let's see then what a few passages of the Bible say about Hell:
"... and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (NIV Mat 13:50)
"... thrown into hell, where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched." (NIV Mark 9:48)
"... they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (NIV Rev 21:8)
"Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." (NIV Rev 20:15)
There's much more to be found, but the point is clear from a Biblical perspective. There is definitely a real place, ie location, where the unrighteous or unsaved will go, and it's clearly an unimaginably horrible place to be sentenced to. To consider Hell anything less than real or eternally frightful is as valid as making up your own religion. And I don't think you'll do well defending that position with any evidence.
As for rationalizing your view with a Good God being inconsistent with the punishment of Hell, we all have questions about how God will judge, but our opinions don't trump God's scriptures which are backed up with real evidence. In the end, God is just and will judge rightly. And love actually dictates that he punish justly, just as you and I would want any evil person hurting our loved ones to be punished.
I hope that steers you back on track and counters the overwhelming anti-christian views pressuring you on this website.
Actually, I reject what you are peddling because it ignores the Greek used in NT scriptures:
Rev 19:11 " And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him
was called Faithful and True, and
in righteousness he doth judge and make war "
εν ( in )
Rev 21:10 " And he carried me away
in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God "
εν ( in )
Act 26:10 Which thing I also did
in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice gainst
them.
εν ( in )
Rev 5:3 " And no man
in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon "
εν ( in )
Act 2:27 " Because thou wilt not leave my soul
in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption "
εις ( in )
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The problem is that there are three, iirc, different words translated as " in ":
επι epi {ep-ee'} a root;; prep AV - on 196, in 120, upon 159, unto 41, to 41, misc 338, upon, on, at, by, before 2) of position, on, at, by, over, against 3)
εν en {en} a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (
intermediate between 1519 and 1537); ; prep AV - in 1874, by 141, with 134, among 117, at 112, on 46, through 37, misc 321; 2782 1) in, by, with
εις eis {ice} a primary preposition; prep AV - into 573, to 281, unto 207, for 140, in 138, on 58, toward 29, against 26, misc 321; 1773 1) into, unto, to, towards, for, among
εις eis could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying " Jesse James wanted for robbery " , the word " for " could mean Jesse is wanted so he
can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he
has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one
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Just by that alone, you'd also have to claim that " righteousness " and " spirit " are also places, when they most assuredly are
not
It's like if I said " I'm in trouble " and you claimed " trouble " is a place ( When it's actually a state (( a situation-cf " en " ),
So, in reality, it seems like you want to label people " non-Christians " because they disagree with your rather wonky literalist interpretation that completely ignores the syntax of the NT scriptures as they were written
Ironically, " hades " when read properly, means " not knowing / understanding / seeing ", which seems to be exactly what you are doing
