Lake of fire

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achilles12604
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Lake of fire

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Post by achilles12604 »

Question for everyone. The lake of fire referred to by the traditional Christian/ Catholic/ Fundi churches.

Is it literally a lake of fire? It is figurative? Other?
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Re: Lake of fire

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achilles12604 wrote:Question for everyone. The lake of fire referred to by the traditional Christian/ Catholic/ Fundi churches.

Is it literally a lake of fire? It is figurative? Other?
We can ONLY believe this to be figurative, IMO. God is a consuming fire.........is He really, or is this figurative?
How about this:
"Then one of the seraphin flew to me, having in his hand a live coal, which he had taken from the alter. And he touched my mouth with it and said..."Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniqutiy is taken away and your sin purged." Isa 6:6

Naturally, had this been a real coal and really purged Isaiah's lips, we would have been told, or at least he would have been noted as speaking with a lisp!! :-) Then there is something about a purifier's fire.......will have to look it up, but all these to say, yes, no doubt, the 'fire' is figurative.

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Re: Lake of fire

Post #3

Post by achilles12604 »

justifyothers wrote:
achilles12604 wrote:Question for everyone. The lake of fire referred to by the traditional Christian/ Catholic/ Fundi churches.

Is it literally a lake of fire? It is figurative? Other?
We can ONLY believe this to be figurative, IMO. God is a consuming fire.........is He really, or is this figurative?
How about this:
"Then one of the seraphin flew to me, having in his hand a live coal, which he had taken from the alter. And he touched my mouth with it and said..."Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniqutiy is taken away and your sin purged." Isa 6:6

Naturally, had this been a real coal and really purged Isaiah's lips, we would have been told, or at least he would have been noted as speaking with a lisp!! :-) Then there is something about a purifier's fire.......will have to look it up, but all these to say, yes, no doubt, the 'fire' is figurative.
I happen to agree with you completely.

Anyone else have a different opinion?
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #4

Post by chibiq »

Short answer: I'm undecided, but since I'm a Christian, I don't see the importance since it's not for me.

Extended answer:

Revelation 20:10 says the devil will be thrown into a lake of fire with the beast and the false prophet, and that they will be tormented day and night forever. Seems pretty cut and dry right?

Obviously, they're not "annihilated". Then, ahead a couple verses (v.15), you see those not found written in the book of life have the same fate. Tormented, day and night, forever. Or are they?

A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.

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Post #5

Post by McCulloch »

chibiq wrote:A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.
What kind of callous unfeeling person expresses glee over the idea that someone would be faced with either eternal torment or painful annihilation? I somehow doubt that Jesus would have included a LOL when discussing that rich man in torment seeking just a drop of water from Lazarus.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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Post #6

Post by chibiq »

McCulloch wrote:
chibiq wrote:A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.
What kind of callous unfeeling person expresses glee over the idea that someone would be faced with either eternal torment or painful annihilation? I somehow doubt that Jesus would have included a LOL when discussing that rich man in torment seeking just a drop of water from Lazarus.
That's not what I was "lol"ing about. Besides, like I said, it's not something I'm worried about either.

By the way, thanks for pointing out how compassionate Jesus is.

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Post #7

Post by OnceConvinced »

chibiq wrote:Short answer: I'm undecided, but since I'm a Christian, I don't see the importance since it's not for me.
Too bad if you're not a true Christian, like some members of this site claim I was, even though they don't know me or how I lived my life as a Christian.
chibiq wrote: Revelation 20:10 says the devil will be thrown into a lake of fire with the beast and the false prophet, and that they will be tormented day and night forever. Seems pretty cut and dry right?

Obviously, they're not "annihilated". Then, ahead a couple verses (v.15), you see those not found written in the book of life have the same fate. Tormented, day and night, forever. Or are they?

A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.
It may be a place of eternal torment, it may be an eternal lake of fire, but hell can definitely not be a place where humans will suffer eternal torment. All you have to do is take a look at the most famous scripture of all John 3:16. It says that if we believe in him we will not perish and have everlasting life. So therefore if we don't believe in him we will perish and we wont live for eternity. Therefore we will not suffer for eternity in hell. We will perish.

Society and its morals evolve and will continue to evolve. The bible however remains the same and just requires more and more apologetics and claims of "metaphors" and "symbolism" to justify it.

Prayer is like rubbing an old bottle and hoping that a genie will pop out and grant you three wishes.

There is much about this world that is mind boggling and impressive, but I see no need whatsoever to put it down to magical super powered beings.


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byofrcs

Post #8

Post by byofrcs »

McCulloch wrote:
chibiq wrote:A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.
What kind of callous unfeeling person expresses glee over the idea that someone would be faced with either eternal torment or painful annihilation? I somehow doubt that Jesus would have included a LOL when discussing that rich man in torment seeking just a drop of water from Lazarus.
I love to answer rhetorical questions. LOL is either Laugh out loud or Lots of Love.

Lets work it out. In Proverbs 1:26 we have quite clearly (translations I know)...

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (King James)

and yet it is often said that Jesus loves you. Even though he is a aspect of the trinity of God who's incompetent rules and regulations placed humanity in this predicament and who laughs at the calamity, Jesus is God is Jesus who saves and yet is an aspect of the same entity that condemns the rich man to torment in hell.

The is a sickening concept as LOL works either way.

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Post #9

Post by chibiq »

byofrcs wrote:
McCulloch wrote:
chibiq wrote:A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.
What kind of callous unfeeling person expresses glee over the idea that someone would be faced with either eternal torment or painful annihilation? I somehow doubt that Jesus would have included a LOL when discussing that rich man in torment seeking just a drop of water from Lazarus.
I love to answer rhetorical questions. LOL is either Laugh out loud or Lots of Love.

Lets work it out. In Proverbs 1:26 we have quite clearly (translations I know)...

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (King James)

and yet it is often said that Jesus loves you. Even though he is a aspect of the trinity of God who's incompetent rules and regulations placed humanity in this predicament and who laughs at the calamity, Jesus is God is Jesus who saves and yet is an aspect of the same entity that condemns the rich man to torment in hell.

The is a sickening concept as LOL works either way.
You're crazy, man.

Jesus loves the sinner, but hates the sin, remember?

This verse was about the Father, anyway. It means that if you laugh at God when you don't need him, he'll laugh at you when you do. This was written in the Old Testament, before our sins were forgiven.
The Message - Proverbs 1:25-28 wrote: "Since you laugh at my counsel
and make a joke of my advice,
How can I take you seriously?
I'll turn the tables and joke about your troubles!
What if the roof falls in,
and your whole life goes to pieces?
What if catastrophe strikes and there's nothing
to show for your life but rubble and ashes?
You'll need me then. You'll call for me,
but don't expect an answer.
No matter how hard you look, you won't find me."

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Post #10

Post by Cathar1950 »

chibiq wrote:
byofrcs wrote:
McCulloch wrote:
chibiq wrote:A friend and I have been mulling over whether or not angels and other supernatural creatures are eternal. If so, it could mean that they'll be tormented forever, but the dead may just be like water thrown into hot oil.

Finally a question I'm undecided on, lol.
What kind of callous unfeeling person expresses glee over the idea that someone would be faced with either eternal torment or painful annihilation? I somehow doubt that Jesus would have included a LOL when discussing that rich man in torment seeking just a drop of water from Lazarus.
I love to answer rhetorical questions. LOL is either Laugh out loud or Lots of Love.

Lets work it out. In Proverbs 1:26 we have quite clearly (translations I know)...

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (King James)

and yet it is often said that Jesus loves you. Even though he is a aspect of the trinity of God who's incompetent rules and regulations placed humanity in this predicament and who laughs at the calamity, Jesus is God is Jesus who saves and yet is an aspect of the same entity that condemns the rich man to torment in hell.

The is a sickening concept as LOL works either way.
You're crazy, man.

Jesus loves the sinner, but hates the sin, remember?

This verse was about the Father, anyway. It means that if you laugh at God when you don't need him, he'll laugh at you when you do. This was written in the Old Testament, before our sins were forgiven.
The Message - Proverbs 1:25-28 wrote: "Since you laugh at my counsel
and make a joke of my advice,
How can I take you seriously?
I'll turn the tables and joke about your troubles!
What if the roof falls in,
and your whole life goes to pieces?
What if catastrophe strikes and there's nothing
to show for your life but rubble and ashes?
You'll need me then. You'll call for me,
but don't expect an answer.
No matter how hard you look, you won't find me."
That might explain God's laughter but it hardly justifies yours does it?
That is what is often so funny about the Bible-Believer as they pull out some scripture as if it covers for any lame thing they say or do.

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