Eternal Torment; Is It Scriptural
by Roy Francois

Eternal Torment; Is It Scripture
 
 
 
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” [Malachi 4:1] KJV
 
There is a confusing teaching that man will receive eternal life. Man will never have eternal life, but he can receive everlasting life. If man had eternal life that would make him God. If I would have made this statement without an explanation I would have been inundated with comments about how I’m the anti-Christ and headed for hell. This is what happens all the time in this hub world. In our effort to prove I’m right and you'll wrong we often doesn't really hear what the other is actually saying.
 
If we actually listen to each other, I think we would find there is much we agree on. But in our battle to be the one that’s right we sometimes force disagreement on issuers we would otherwise agree on. The pride of needing to be right all the time gets in the way of true communication. But man can never have eternal life because:
 
Eternal=existing through all time: lasting for all time without beginning or end.
 
If man was created at some point, then he could never have eternal life. But without adding the true definition, can you image the scripture I would be hit with to prove me wrong? Scripture twisted and taken out of context. Simply because the other was not listening, and just set out to prove the other wrong.
 
Now I’m going to set out to explain why I believe the bible does not teach the immortally of the soul or eternal torment. Even though the spirit of man can, and does, function apart from his earthly physical body [when the body dies] it is in nowise immortal in and of itself. Only one is immortal, and he gives immortality to whom He pleases:
 
“… our Lord Jesus Christ which in His times He shall shew, who is blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of lords. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. [1 Ti 6:14]."
 
Behind this misconception, is the first deception:
 
And the serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die.” [Gen 3:4].
 
In other words, you are eternal and immortal like the gods.
 
The one thing that people just don’t like to hear is that they are not immortal. Man was given a chance at everlasting life in the Garden of Eden, he refused it. Instead he chose to try to gain immortality through occult knowledge. The deep things of Satan!
 
If Adam were already immortal, why would he need to eat of the Tree of Life to live forever? Remember there were two trees of importance in the Garden of Eden. One that led to occult knowledge, the other would give life everlasting [not eternal life]. He did not eat of the Three of Life, that he may live forever, having made his choice to gain godhood by means of the occult; he was driven from The Garden of Eden so that he would not eat of the tree of life and live forever in sin. What is the reason God gives for placing an angel with a flaming sword in the garden which turn every which way? To protect the Tree of Life, so that man would not gain immortality. [Gen 3:24].
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. [Gen 3:22].
 
Those who believe in the natural in mortality of man usually cite this verse of scripture to prove their point. They consecrate on the portion of the verse that states “the man has become as one of us” in debate with those believers its almost impossible to get them to quote the entire verse of scripture. The reason is that the next portion of the verse clearly explains in what way the man has become like God, it is that he now knows of both good and evil. Nowhere in this verse of scripture is there any indication has become eternal or immortal like God. In fact, he is now prohibited from doing the very thing that would grant him immortality, it was because of his newly gained evil knowledge that he was denied immortality.   
 
God’s plan from the beginning was for man to eat the fruit of The Tree of Life to live forever. And man must still eat from that tree to live forever. God has not changed His plan for man to receive everlasting life. We still must eat from the tree of life. That tree of life is still in paradise waiting for man to eat of its fruit to receive everlasting life:
 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which in the Paradise of God.” [Rev 2:7].
 
There is no other way to immortality but to eat of the tree of life. Satan’s deception did not change God’s original plan for man to receive everlasting life. To believe there’s any other way to everlasting life, is to fall under the spell of the occult. Jesus pave the way to back to the tree of life. It is through Him that we get back to the tree of life. We are not naturally immortal beings!
 
“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, and everlasting life. [Romans 2:7]. Why would someone have to seek for something they already possess?
 
“For this corruptible must put on in-corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [1 Co 15:53].
 
The fact that it must be put on immortality in the future, means we are not inherently immortal.
So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory." [1 Co 15:54].
 
It was the fruit of the tree of life that gives immortality, and it is still that fruit that Tree that gives everlasting life today. Man having fallen for the lie of Satan, that he is immortal and eternal like God, he now needs a place for the eternal soul to dwell throughout eternity. So, if the eternal soul is bad it needs a bad place to spend all eternity, a place to be tormented through all eternity. A concept that is contrary to love as we understand God’s love toward man.
 
Man in all his cruelty never think of doing this to another human being, yet they teach that a loving God, one that’s defined as love itself, would do something so cruel. Just thing about it. A man lives only 25 years as a sinner and without repentance, and for those 25 years for him to spend all eternity, flesh burning screaming begging for mercy, could be my son or daughter, or yours, God forbid. The man born in iniquity, and shaped in sin, the cards staked against him from the start. For his flesh to burn for all eternity would be a cruel punishment. What ever happen to the love and mercy God said we should show to each other? Would not God show that same mercy? This doctrine turns God into a horrible monster, and shows us to be more merciful than God Himself. God in the book of Genesis drove the man from the garden so that he wouldn’t eat from the tree of life and live forever in sin.
 
As we have seen from scripture man’s immortality is conditional, it depends on man meeting certain conditions. If Adam was to live forever it was required that he eat of fruit of Tree of Life. Which he didn’t! He listened to the liar and thought he could gain immortality [godhood] through esoteric knowledge. By means of the occult! Satan said man would never die, God said the man would surely die. Who do you believe in this argument, Satan who says you are eternal and equal with God, or God who said you can die if you continue in sin?
 
“And fear not them which can kill the body, but not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. [Matt 10:28].
 
To destroy= (1.) demolish: to demolish something or reduce some to fragments. (2.) Ruin: to ruin something or make something useless. (3.) Abolish: to abolish, rescind, or end something. The Word of God makes it perfectly clear that the soul of man can be destroyed! Throughout scripture God used words like destroy and perish, when describing the soul that continues in sin. "The soul that sineth shall die!" [Eze 18:20]. So, man has the potential for immortality, but it’s conditional. There is another order of created beings that were called the sons of God even before man was created. These being are of a higher order than man, these beings are immortals. With the title of sons of God, comes the gift of immortality. These beings were created with unconditional immortality. It is for these beings that the eternal hell was created, and not for man. When the soul of man is thrown into this eternal lake of fire it is destroyed, like the bible says, because it is not immortal.
 
Not so with them that were created immortal, they are immortal, which was there gift from their creator, everlasting life. When they fell God did not take back that gift from them, they live forever. But they live separated from their God. God in His great mercy made sure that man would not suffer the same faith. So, He drove the man from the Garden of Eden so he wouldn’t eat from the Tree of Life and live forever with Satan and his angels in their everlasting home Hell. Had man eaten the fruit from the Tree of Life after sinning he would have to spend eternity in hell.
 
But God in his mercy made immortality conditional for man. Either he would become a son of God, and be given immortality, or if he refuses that gift he would perish. In that way God actually showed just how merciful He really is. Man sends man to eternal torment, God simply take the person out of existence. Which one sound like a loving and mercy God? The soul that continues in sin will be destroyed, as if it had never existed. Hell was not made for the soul of man, the lake of fire was not made for the soul to exist alive in, it is for the destruction of that soul, but it is meant for everlasting home of Satan and his angels:
 
Your whole outlook on life and death depends on who you believe about life and death. The devil says you are eternal and will never die. God said you are mortal and can die. Which one will you believe? The liar [Satan] who say what you want to hear, or God who cannot lie, who say you will surely die if you continue in sin. The choice is yours to make, but make that choice based on the word of God and not on Satan’s deceptions.
 
This false doctrine of eternal torment has driven many searching soul away from Christianity, and caused The Loving Father to be seen as a monster, simply because they have accepted the word of the deceiver over the word of their creator on the immortality of the soul. And many that preach this eternal torment may not even be saved themselves. Don’t get angry at me. I’m just repeating what Jesus said. So be careful who you condemn to eternal torment. Just talking about Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean one is actually doing the will of Jesus. There are some that are casting out demons in the name of Jesus that will be condemned in the Day of Judgment. But don’t take my word for it, here’s what Jesus said:
 
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I confess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. [Matt 7:22-23] KJV.
 
The view that most Christians hold is that all damned souls will be cast into a fiery eternal lake of fire to be tormented day and night throughout all eternity, flesh burning, people screaming to God to please have mercy on them, while God looks the other way unfeeling, no compassion, couldn't careless tormentor. This God whom they describe as love, merciful and just! This God that loved mankind so much that he took on human form and came to earth and paid the cost of our sin, justice demanded that we should die because sin is death, this God die in our place.
 
This God took upon Himself the beating Lucifer had planned for us. This is the God they claim will watch His wayward child tormented throughout all eternity without a moment's rest, something so inconceivable to the rational mind. This is the prominent view, but is this view biblical? Many realizes that this just doesn't fit the character of the God of the bible who is love. Some tries to soften their stance a bit by saying it only means mental anguish throughout all eternity.
 
But even this is not biblical, as we saw earlier, God placed an angel with a flaming sword in the garden to protect the tree of life from man eating of its fruit and living forever in sin. Now before we go any further let me say here and now that I'm not saying that hell does not exist, there must be a prison for criminal spirits. As I read my bible it states that the soul that continue in unrepentant sin will die, at some point it will cease to exist, the second death that destroys the sin filled soul.
 
What I don't understand is how God would not inform the man of this fate which is much more horrible than death in the Book of Genesis. This terrible fate is nowhere mentioned when God described what would be the man's fate for disobeying the law of life. Surly, if this was the man's fate God would have warned him of this. But God's description of the man's fate for breaking the law is that the man would cease to exist. The man would return to the dust from which he came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
 
Now let’s look at some verses of scripture that describes destiny of the unrepentant sinful soul:
Jesus says both body and soul can be destroyed in hell. [Matt 10:28]
 
This word destroyed have been given so many false meanings that it’s lost its true meaning. The eternal tormentor theorist argument is that destroy only means partial destruction. So, let’s take a look at this word that have been so twisted.
The Greek word used for destroyed is appolumi [ap-ole-loo-mee] Bulinger 220; Vine 164.
 
When describing natural death this word “appolumi” is most often used and has always meant the total destruction of the physical body, and the end of our life in this physical world. This is the first death that the bible speaks of, from this death all will be resurrected to stand judgment. This first death completely destroys the physical body and its ceases as a functioning entity. It’s been “apollumias” DESTROYED!
And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and the awake Him, and they say unto Him, Master, carest not that we perish?” [Mark 4:38.]
 
The Greek word used here for perish is [apollumi]= to destroy fully [reflexively to perish, or lose] literally figuratively. To destroy, die, lose, mar, perish. [Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries]
 
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in he that perish [apollumi] because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” [2 Thess 2:10]
 
Here we see the Greek word [apollumi] means total destruction [not semi destruction] the thing is destroyed and is no longer a working entity, it’s been destroyed!
 
“And fear not them which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.” [Matt 10:28]
 
Here the body and soul share's the same fate, the total destruction! Jesus didn't say that one would be destroyed and the other would semi-destroyed or preserved.
 
Heaven is the home of the immortals that's why the sons of God are able to dwell there. The earth is the home of mortals awaiting our immortal bodies, ones that are fit for heaven. According to scripture mortal man is to be exalted above the angels, at lease the ones that fell. Apparently, the angels that fell were corruptible, or it would have been impossible for them to sin. But it is said of man, once exulted it will be impossible to be corrupted, he is to be incorruptible! That's why Lucifer hates you so much and them that serve him hates Christians. Darkness hates light, when light comes darkness must flee! So, the once corrupt man is to become incorruptible and impossible to sin:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible shall put on in-corruption, and the mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory.” [1 Cor 15:51-54]
 
As long as we are in these bodies we are corruptible and no one can be save by keeping the law and those who claim to keep the law are lying to themselves, the law must be kept perfectly! Just one sin and the law requires the death of that law breaker. Only one has kept the law perfectly and that one is the only begotten Son of the Highest God, Jesus the Christ, that's why we must put on Christ to receive immortality!
 
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God.” [1 Corin 1:18]
 
“He is patient with you, not wanting to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” [2 Peter 3:9]
The perishing being referred to is the second death, in none of this is there any mention of eternal torment, only total destruction, apollumi!
 
As the first death totally destroys the physical body, the second death destroys the soul, the soul dies just as the physical body. Spiritual death kills the spiritual body which the physical death cannot touch. Both bodies suffer the same fate in hell, DEATH! Remember the Greek word Jesus used for destruction is apollumi and means total destruction.
 
“By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction, of ungodly men.” [2 Peter 3:7]
 
Some claim because the earth is eternal man is also eternal because he is made of the earth, well 2 Peter 3:7 destroys [apollumi] that argument! Is God saying He will semi destroy the physical universe with fires of destruction? If God had meant that He would have used a different word than [apoleia] which is the noun form of apollumi. One of the major tricks of Lucifer is to throw doubt on the word of God. Just look at what's being done today before our very eyes. The bible is becoming just another book as people go to others who are claimed to be expert that continue to draw up document to change the word of God. They can produce documents they claim that gives them the right to alter the word of God and then watch as people follow them like sheep without a Sheppard.
 
They pull up web-sites that say what they want to hear and preach that website as gospel above the written word of God.  They pull out everything that doesn't fit with their new age doctrine and people go along with it because they are the so-called wise men of our times, the wise theologians, the new age scribes. “Beware of the scribes!” What was Lucifer's trick he played on Eve? It was to call the word of God into question, did God really say this? And when that doesn't work he outright calls God a liar.
                                         
                                            The Second Death
 
“Thine hand shall find out all thy enemies: thy right hand shall find out all that hate thee. Thou shall make them as a fiery oven in time of thy anger: The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.” [Ps 135:20]
Devour= to destroy something rapidly and completely.
 
“For the day of the Lord is near all the heathens: as thou holy hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drank upon my holy mountain, so shall the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, but they shall be as though they had never been!”  [Obadiah 16]
 
This is the second death, to be as though they had never been, they cease to exist!
 
“For behold, the day cometh, they shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea' and they that do wickedly, shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Host, and it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” [Malachi 4:1] they cease to exist!
 
Adam was to gain immortality only on the condition that he obeyed his creator. God explained to Adam what he was and what he would become when he died:
 
“In the sweat of thy face shall thy eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it thou was taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.” [Gen 3:19]
 
God made it plain to Adam that he was not some eternal spirit, on top of that God never said that the man would be tortured throughout all eternity in flames without a moments rest. Surly God would have warned Adam of this thing that is much more horrible than death, than ceasing to exist! Adam was to go from dust to everlasting spirit on the condition of his obedience to his maker, conditional immortality!
 
Now really Adam had no excuse for his disobedience, he lived in the perfect environment, he lived in paradise. He was originally without sin, so it wasn't the sin in him that caused his fall, his fall was deliberate. Adam followed his woman into death instead of his creator into life. Yet God did not condemn him to eternal torment of burning flames.
 
Now Adam's children didn't have the luxury of coming into this world sin free. They are procreated in sin and already wrapped up in inequity, bent toward evil from the start through no fault of their own. But the God of mercy showed them mercy, knowing they are helpless. No God is not a monster! God took the punishment and death upon Himself that the law demanded of us. Do you mean to tell me that this God of love would watch as one of His children who refuse the gift of life burn without a moment's relief throughout all eternity and show no mercy? God is merciful, He takes the person out of existence; they will be as if they never were.
              
                     No' God is not an evil creator or a creator of evil!
 
So, when this corruption shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory!” [1 Co 15:54]
           
“And the last enemy to be destroyed is death!” [1 Co 15:26]
 
If what the eternal torment theorist say is true, that death is just eternal separation from God in hell, then death is immortalized instead of being destroyed. Then death rules from hell eternally, so death is never ending in the universe. We can't have beings in a constant state of death and say that death is destroyed.
 
So, let us be very careful who we send to eternal torment. If you are wrong about God tormenting soul for all eternity, just think of the reproach you are bringing on his name, and the people you are responsible for driving away from God. If you are preaching the immortality of the soul, it is not from the bible, God Said
    
 
                 "The soul that sineth will die!" [Ezekiel 18:20] KJV


I grew up in a very religious family, a religion of Spiritism and because of that up-bringing I was caught-up in the occult. I have many occult experiences that only led me deeper and deeper into the deep things of Satan. One of my addictions to the occult was the UFO phenomenal and spirit contact which is forbidden in the word of God. Playing around with deceiving spirits, that includes UFO's will lead to the soul's destruction, that is why I'm publishing this article as a warning to those who have not gotten involved in the truly deep things of Satan to stay clear! I was headed for Hell!
Copyrights 2015

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