what are your thoughts on hell

[URAVIP2ME]

Not only do I not believe in a God who would send people to an endless fiery hell, I also don't believe He annihilates them or has them undergo endless cycles of compulsory reincarnation in order for them to supposedly learn lessons based on actions from previous lives they won't even remember having lived.

Scripture agrees with you. Biblical hell is neither fire nor endless.

The temporary Bible's hell [ sheol] is just the sleeping place [common grave of mankind] Grave of mankind and Not demonkind.

Jesus taught the condition of the dead is being in a sleep-like state [John 11 vs 11-14 ]

Revelation teaches everyone in the Bible's hell [gravedom] does Not remain in hell, but are resurrected out of hell just as Jesus was resurrected out of hell.- Acts 2 vs 31,32.
Once hell is emptied out, then vacant hell is cast empty into a symbolic 'second death'
- Rev. 20 vs 13,14.

However, the 'guilty wicked' whether human or demon will be destroyed forever.
-Psalm 92 v 7; Exodus 34 v 7

 

[Astravalon]

Scripture agrees with you. Biblical hell is neither fire nor endless.

The temporary Bible's hell [ sheol] is just the sleeping place [common grave of mankind] Grave of mankind and Not demonkind.

Jesus taught the condition of the dead is being in a sleep-like state [John 11 vs 11-14 ]

Revelation teaches everyone in the Bible's hell [gravedom] does Not remain in hell, but are resurrected out of hell just as Jesus was resurrected out of hell.- Acts 2 vs 31,32.
Once hell is emptied out, then vacant hell is cast empty into a symbolic 'second death'
- Rev. 20 vs 13,14.

However, the 'guilty wicked' whether human or demon will be destroyed forever.
-Psalm 92 v 7; Exodus 34 v 7

Annihilation makes no sense to me either, as, like hell, it makes God appear unable to deal with sin in its entirety.

There was a time when I didn't have as much faith in God and His power to restore the soul as I now do, thereby more easily accommodating my former belief in either endless torment or annihilation.

I have since repented of that lack of faith on my part. I now see God as that which He is advertised by the bible to be: The Savior of the world, rather than of merely a small fraction of it.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I now see God as that which He is advertised by the bible to be: The Savior of the world, rather than of merely a small fraction of it.

Where did you get the idea of 'merely a small fraction' of the world would be saved ?

Doesn't Matthew [ 20 v 28 ] teach that MANY are saved ?

Doesn't Revelation [ 20 vs 13,14 ] show EVERYONE in hell could be saved ?
Saved because ALL in the Bible's hell [sheol] are resurrected out of hell.

Except for those judged guilty of committing the unforgivable sin [ Matt. 12 v 32; Hebrews 6 vs 4-6; Exodus 34 v 7 ], the MAJORITY of mankind will be saved.

Saved too because doesn't Romans [6 v7] say the one who has died is freed or acquitted from sin ? Unless committing the unforgivable, then one's death frees or acquits. Not meaning innocent but as a judge can pardon a person so the crime [sin] charges no longer stick. Since we can not resurrect oneself or another we need someone who can do that for us. Jesus can and he will. Resurrect some to heaven, but MOST of the people who have ever lived as far back as Abel will be resurrected back to life on a paradisaic earth during Jesus 'coming 1000-year reign over earth, or reigning over earthly subjects of God's kingdom right here on earth. -Psalm 72 v 8

Even now the living 'sheep' alive at the 'time of separation' of Matthew [25 vs 31,32]
can be part of the GREAT multitude, or GREAT crowd of Revelation 7 vs 14,9,10

 

[Astravalon]

Where did you get the idea of 'merely a small fraction' of the world would be saved ?

Usually Christians counter the universal salvation concept by saying that "narrow is the road and few there be that find it", as well as "many are called but few are chosen". Just one of the thousands of Christian perspectives out there as to what the bible says.

Still, if even one soul wound up not being saved, then Satan has an answer to Paul's question of where death's victory is: "Yo, Paul! Over here!"

Except for those judged guilty of committing the unforgivable sin [ Matt. 12 v 32; Hebrews 6 vs 4-6; Exodus 34 v 7 ], the MAJORITY of mankind will be saved.

Just out of curiosity since there's more than one take on it: What's your definition of "the unforgivable sin"?

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Usually Christians counter the universal salvation concept by saying that "narrow is the road and few there be that find it", as well as "many are called but few are chosen". Just one of the thousands of Christian perspectives out there as to what the bible says.
Still, if even one soul wound up not being saved, then Satan has an answer to Paul's question of where death's victory is: "Yo, Paul! Over here!"
Just out of curiosity since there's more than one take on it: What's your definition of "the unforgivable sin"?

Thanks for your reply.

Adam is already one soul that is Not 'saved' .
Satan also is Not saved - Rev 21 v 8
Remember earth is for those who want to obey God.
[ live by the Golden Rule, and Jesus new commandment of John 13 vs 34,35 ]
-Proverbs 2 vs 21,22; 10 v 30; 21 v 18

Matthew 7 v 22 'in that day' ties in with the 'time of separation' of Matthew 25 vs 31,32.
These 'last days' of badness on earth [ 2nd Timothy 3 vs 1-5,13 ] are filled with badness. There are workers of iniquity or lawlessness that are beyond reform or repentance. - 2nd Peter 3 v 9. So, in comparison with earth's population the living 'sheep' alive on earth are in the minority, but that does not include the majority of mankind who have ever lived.

Paul [ 1st Cor. 15 v 55 ] is in connection to Hosea [13 v 14].
God will ransom them from the power of the grave....the grave will be destroyed.
Isaiah wrote [ 25 v 8 ] death would be swallowed up in victory....
Isaiah [ 26 v 19 ] mentions the dead ones [ residents of the dust ] will live, rise up, awaken and cry out with joy....

The victory is that the time will come when there will be No more death.- Rev. 21 vs 4,5
With 'no more death' were is the victory for death ?
In the end there will be No death ever again.
Death will Not claim any more lives.
The resurrection also shows No victory for death.

As far as the unforgivable sin is: that knowledge brings greater responsibility.
Pilate's sin would not be as great as the religious leader's sin.
The religious leader's sins could not be forgiven on the grounds of ignorance.
They had No excuse left for their sins because they had the Scriptures and Jesus, too.
-John 9 v 41; 15 v 24; Hebrews 10 vs 26,27
God, of course, is the final Judge as to one's heart attitude.

Jesus bases his coming judgment of the sheep and goats by how they treat his spiritual 'brothers' that are alive on earth at the time of Matthew 25 v 40.