I grew up immersed in it, this is why I know :D and perhaps we're in hell right now. we were kicked out of the garden, and revelation tells us that even the dead in hell we be risen for judgement. those who reject Christ are cast into the lake of fire and extinguished. and it is a mirror, in the sense that what you do here affects your soul in heaven, which is why Christ tells us to not worry about storing up riches on earth, but worry about storing up riches in heaven.
You raise another interesting point. Personally, I prefer the "and extinguished" idea (annihilationism) over the eternal suffering bit. Scripture doesn't really specify. There has never been consensus, which tells me we don't know because it isn't that simple. Of the first 5 church districts, 3 taught eternal torment 2 taught annihilationism.
Neither has us in hell now, although the past year seems like it! We are between heaven and hell. Earth is the place for humiliation. It is the battleground between good and evil. Everybody's pissed because evil is growing stronger in our world; that's the elephant in the room nobody's talking about.
Maybe we can use that to unite We the People against our common enemy?
hmm, I can't remember where I read of the souls being extinguished, but now I've just found this part, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Rev. 20:10, and then of course, "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20: 13-5. also of course the several times Jesus mentions a place of endless torment. kind of goes directly against what I was saying, but I know I did read about how souls cast into the lake of fire were extinguished. I'd have to re-read revelation, or perhaps it was earlier in the new testament.
This was all written in Koine Greek. If you study the meanings of the words here, it gets less certain: "to the end of the age." Other sections may intend "to the ages of the ages."
While this is all Greek to me, it all points to one thing: " all judgment has been given to the Son." Really, it's all up to Him. Can He decide anyone's "age" is up at a certain time? Scripture says nothing against that, we just know He won't be capricious about it.
One ancient Church Father (ACF) hoped that even satan would be redeemed through the fire, in enough time.
speaking of ages, did you know the creation story in the quran depicts, periods, or ages, instead of days? the 7th age of course being God's rest. maybe this is what paul was talking about in hebrews, "Let us therefore fear, least, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Hebrews 4:1 and "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest." Hebrews 4:3-5
I grew up immersed in it, this is why I know :D and perhaps we're in hell right now. we were kicked out of the garden, and revelation tells us that even the dead in hell we be risen for judgement. those who reject Christ are cast into the lake of fire and extinguished. and it is a mirror, in the sense that what you do here affects your soul in heaven, which is why Christ tells us to not worry about storing up riches on earth, but worry about storing up riches in heaven.
"Cast into the lake of fire and extinguished."
You raise another interesting point. Personally, I prefer the "and extinguished" idea (annihilationism) over the eternal suffering bit. Scripture doesn't really specify. There has never been consensus, which tells me we don't know because it isn't that simple. Of the first 5 church districts, 3 taught eternal torment 2 taught annihilationism.
Neither has us in hell now, although the past year seems like it! We are between heaven and hell. Earth is the place for humiliation. It is the battleground between good and evil. Everybody's pissed because evil is growing stronger in our world; that's the elephant in the room nobody's talking about.
Maybe we can use that to unite We the People against our common enemy?
hmm, I can't remember where I read of the souls being extinguished, but now I've just found this part, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Rev. 20:10, and then of course, "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20: 13-5. also of course the several times Jesus mentions a place of endless torment. kind of goes directly against what I was saying, but I know I did read about how souls cast into the lake of fire were extinguished. I'd have to re-read revelation, or perhaps it was earlier in the new testament.
This was all written in Koine Greek. If you study the meanings of the words here, it gets less certain: "to the end of the age." Other sections may intend "to the ages of the ages."
While this is all Greek to me, it all points to one thing: " all judgment has been given to the Son." Really, it's all up to Him. Can He decide anyone's "age" is up at a certain time? Scripture says nothing against that, we just know He won't be capricious about it.
One ancient Church Father (ACF) hoped that even satan would be redeemed through the fire, in enough time.
speaking of ages, did you know the creation story in the quran depicts, periods, or ages, instead of days? the 7th age of course being God's rest. maybe this is what paul was talking about in hebrews, "Let us therefore fear, least, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Hebrews 4:1 and "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest." Hebrews 4:3-5