Hell is a Christian Hoax
IS THE PUNISHMENT OF THIS HELL EVERLASTING-ETERNAL?
Many Christians have a very strong opinion of things that they know virtually nothing about. Hundreds of times I have been told that "hell" is a literal place of literal fire which is everlasting or eternal. They have no proof of any such thing. Time and again I am told: "The Bible is LITERAL, Ray. You have to take it literally." Oh really, and do they even believe their own words?
Let's see if you believe the Bible teaches a literal hell of literal fire that lasts literally for eternity.
If there are Scriptures that clearly show that "hell fire" is not literal nor eternal, then how can there also be contradicting Scriptures which would suggest that "hell fire" is literal and is eternal? Hell fire cannot be both literal and eternal at one place in the Scriptures, but then it is also figurative and temporary at another place in the Scriptures. It is either one or the other, it cannot be both.
Let's look at a few examples from no less an authority on this subject than Jesus Christ Himself (Note: All quotations of Jesus in this paper will appear in red type).
"You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shall not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
And if your right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell" (Matt. 5:27-30).
Mark's account adds these words:
"...into hell fire...where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. For EVERY ONE shall be salted with fire..." (Mark 9:48-49).
And this includes you and me, (Matt. 3:11 & I Pet. 4:12).
From just this one teaching of Jesus we can know absolutely whether "hell fire" is literal and whether it is everlasting or eternal.
Let's pay close attention to just one statement from Jesus that should help everyone to see that this is figurative language that teaches us a great spiritual truth. Jesus did not say what most Christians think He said.
Jesus did not say: "And if your eye offends you, repent of your lust or God will cast you into an hell of immortal worms and everlasting fire which will never stop burning."
But that is what most Christians think Jesus meant even if He didn't actually say it.
Nonsense.
"And if your eye offend you..."
This word "offend" means: "to entice you to sin" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
Now then, is it even "literally" possible for a physical organ of the body to be the cause of a moral or spiritual sin? No, it is not possible. Lusting after a woman does not have its origin in the eyes but rather in the heart.
"...whosoever looks ( with the eyes) on a woman to lust ( in his heart, not in his eyes) after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."
The lust of the eyes is itself a "figure of speech." We "look" with our eyes, but we "lust" with our heart. And the "heart" in Scripture virtually never means the organ of the body which pumps blood. The "heart" in Scripture is the inner most man, the seat of emotions and passions, conscience, and moral character. No physical organ of the body has even one of these spiritual attributes. More proof:
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders" (Mark 7:21).
Did you notice that "looking on a woman to lust after her" IS adultery, and it comes not from the eyes, but from the heart. So then, is this teaching in Matt. 5:27-30, literal, or figurative? It is figurative. More proof...
Here's what Jesus said to do if one finds himself looking at a woman to lust after her:
"...if your right eye offend you ( entices you to sin) pluck it out ... if your right hand offend you cut it off..."
What? "Pluck it out ... cut it off?"
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