Is the doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment biblical or not?

freelight

Eclectic Theosophist
Souls having 'immortality-potential'........

Souls having 'immortality-potential'........

The soul is not immortal but the soul can be immortal? :freak:

I thought you were trying to use logic.


This view and other schools hold that the soul is not inherently 'immortal' (meaning having the exact same divine-nature-substance) as 'God' (in this sense only 'God' alone is immortal). However, thru God's grace and divine provision, souls can be made 'immortal'. Only as souls become partakers of the divine nature and thru the 'new birth' (the fusion of the soul with God affecting a transformation) do they actually share the divine-nature with God, and thus have eternal life, real immortality, incorruptible being.

The James E Padgett messages which I shared about earlier here, holds that souls can be perfected on a level of human love, and go no farther than the 6th sphere, while the 7th sphere is for those who have received the 'new birth' and been transformed by the Spirit, via divine Love, thus becoming immortal like God is immortal. In this teaching, 'immortal' as a term denotes only the divine-life-essence of God, and therefore cannot be applied to describe souls who have not received the 'new birth', since they are still more or less 'mortal', even though they can advance to a high level of perfection of human love, and have a measure of happiness on that level of soul-development.

But to address your message above again,....souls may not not be inherently 'immortal', but can become immortal thru receiving the Spirit of God, or the divine love to such a degree, that a real 'new birth' (regeneration) occurs in that soul, in its union with God, that it merges and takes on the nature of God. In any case, the Padgett messages simplify matters without the limitation of using only the Bible and its limited passages concerning this issue, since these spirits reveal a theology that has their own terms and meanings, while similar to biblical theology, yet different as well, as they admit to errors in biblical texts, thru changes and corruptions in their transmission, and so shed the light of what they feel is true, by way of their message on the 'divine love',..how that it is key to transforming the soul, via the 'new birth', making it immortal.

Much of our mulling over ECT concerns whether souls are inherently 'eternal' shall we say (lets not say 'immortal' as we understand the term explained above), or IF souls can actually suffer a true 'death' (disintegration/extinction). ECT makes no sense, but may hypothetically be possible only IF a soul is a continual sinner, and keeps suffering the consequences for his perpetual iniquity. Soul-death may be possible IF the final and complete consequence of the total embrace of iniquity and rejection of 'God' is destruction of that soul's existence. (the wages of sin is death). Universalism could be possible IF indeed, the power of God's Love, Will and Spirit ultimately prevails in the souls of all sentient beings, where all eventually come back into harmony with Source, because at last...the Power and Presence of 'God' is irresistible, besides being the only true reality.

There is only One Reality anyways that we call 'God'. - all else are relative perceptions, speculations, assumptions, conditioned and coloured by 'point of view' or 'interpretation'. The law of karma prevails in this realm of conditional existence. Only by transcending karmic law, by fulfilling the the law of love and merging with the divine nature (in which there is no sin), are we saved, healed, restored, liberated, enlightened, made like God, etc.




pj
 

freelight

Eclectic Theosophist
looming.....

looming.....

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

:) - I just edited my last post, a few 'touch-ups'. Alot here is really semantics, terms, meanings, interpretation and 'context' issues. It might be enlightening for many religionists to admit that much of their theology of the afterlife is 'speculation', besides what they could actually 'prove' (have fun with that 'subjectivity'). We have a Bible laden with so much interpretation, a con-fusion of translations.

The 'putting' on of immortality is pretty awesome, which means there was a state of existence prior that did not have 'immortality'. So we see this 'duality' of the 'earthly' and 'heavenly'...at least in Pauls teaching which reflects other 'dualist' schools. Again, back to our definition of the word 'immortal'. Since Christianity took on alot of prefigured greek philosophical concepts (plus pagan),...further complexities get woven into things. - but thats the fun of weaving and unweaving :)



pj
 

Timotheos

New member
The soul is not immortal but the soul can be immortal? :freak:

I thought you were trying to use logic.

We are not immortal. The Bible is clear on that. The soul that sins will die, remember? Also Matt 10:28, I went through this earlier today.

BUT, (And this is a BIG BUTT!) We CAN have immortality as a GIFT from God, who alone possesses immortality 1 Tim 6:16.
He gives this gift to those who are in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 6:23

But I fully explained all of this here:
Timmy said:
Hi Aimiel,

I agree that God is immortal, "The King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality..." 1 Tim 6:15-16

However, this says that God ALONE is immortal, that means that souls are not naturally immortal, doesn't it? So souls are mortal.

Take a look at Matthew 10:28
“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." So the soul can be destroyed in Gehenna (Hell).
The soul is not immortal, and can be destroyed in Gehenna.

Now look at Ezekiel 18:4
"Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die."
The soul is not immortal, God can destroy the soul, and the soul who sins will die.
The soul dies, it doesn't live forever, it dies as a result of sin.

Look at Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.
Since Jesus took our sins from us, we no longer owe the penalty for sin, which is death. Instead we can have eternal life. But this also means that whosoever rejects Jesus Christ will perish, and will not have eternal life.

The soul is not immortal, God can destroy the soul, the soul who sins will die, but whoever believes in Jesus Christ will not perish but will have eternal life.

Edit to add: I thought that was a great post, if I do humbly say so myself :chuckle:
 

oatmeal

Well-known member
Is the doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) biblical or not?

Which verses in the Bible support ECT and which verses in the bible support the doctrine that the wicked perish instead?

The second death means the second death.

Revelation 20:6

Amen
 

not4sure

New member
We are not immortal. The Bible is clear on that. The soul that sins will die, remember? Also Matt 10:28, I went through this earlier today.

Metonymy of the adjunct: The writer puts the adjunct or attribute or some circumstance pertaining to the subject for the subject (Bullinger, Figures of Speech, pp. 587-608).

EXS:

“May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.” (Ps. 20:2)

“Then shall you bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.” (Gen. 42:38) Here the adjunct‑‑gray hairs‑‑is put for the subject‑‑old Jacob. The stated title is “name”; but the intended meaning is the LORD Himself, or better, all the attributes of the LORD.
 

Timotheos

New member
Metonymy of the adjunct: The writer puts the adjunct or attribute or some circumstance pertaining to the subject for the subject (Bullinger, Figures of Speech, pp. 587-608).

EXS:

“May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.” (Ps. 20:2)

“Then shall you bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.” (Gen. 42:38) Here the adjunct‑‑gray hairs‑‑is put for the subject‑‑old Jacob. The stated title is “name”; but the intended meaning is the LORD Himself, or better, all the attributes of the LORD.

I assume this means I'm wrong, but I can't tell why????
:chuckle:
 

Aimiel

Well-known member
From the article "Hell," by Matt Slick on CARM.com:

Conclusion

Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven and spent so much time warning people not to go there. After all, if people just stopped existing, why warn them? If it was temporal, they'd get out in a while. But if it were eternal and conscious, then the warning is strong.
 

Lazy afternoon

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
From the article "Hell," by Matt Slick on CARM.com:

Conclusion

Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven and spent so much time warning people not to go there. After all, if people just stopped existing, why warn them? If it was temporal, they'd get out in a while. But if it were eternal and conscious, then the warning is strong.

Luk 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

They all perished then and they will all perish in hell fire which burns everything about them if they do not repent before their first death.

They can not be conscious for the spirit of them goes back to God who first gave it to man, and the word soul just means the life they had while living.

LA
 

Aimiel

Well-known member
They all perished then and they will all perish in hell fire which burns everything about them if they do not repent before their first death. They can not be conscious for the spirit of them goes back to God who first gave it to man, and the word soul just means the life they had while living.
You haven't answered the question. Why should Jesus warn them, if they merely would not exist any longer? He gave the strongest possible warning (indeed most of His teaching on the afterlife) against going into ECT. If you don't see that in Scripture, it's because you've been blinded by a cult or cult-like beliefs. The Word of God is quite clear on this subject.
 

Timotheos

New member
From the article "Hell," by Matt Slick on CARM.com:

Conclusion

Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven and spent so much time warning people not to go there. After all, if people just stopped existing, why warn them? If it was temporal, they'd get out in a while. But if it were eternal and conscious, then the warning is strong.

Yeah, I saw that. Matt Slick is wrong. If people will stop existing, you should definitely warn them. Why wouldn't you? But go to CARM, check out the thread by Timothew. He is a wise man. :chuckle:

Also, Jesus definitely did NOT speak more of Hell than of Heaven. I don't know why people keep repeating this. I counted the times each is mentioned, and it simply isn't true. And Jesus never ever said that there was eternal conscious torment in hell. He said Body and Soul are destroyed in hell. Matthew 10:28.
 

Lazy afternoon

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
You haven't answered the question. Why should Jesus warn them, if they merely would not exist any longer? He gave the strongest possible warning (indeed most of His teaching on the afterlife) against going into ECT. If you don't see that in Scripture, it's because you've been blinded by a cult or cult-like beliefs. The Word of God is quite clear on this subject.

You just proved you have no proof of what you believe from scripture because you need Matt Slick to help you.

Your attempt to prove your beliefs by claiming I have been blinded by a cult and have cult like beliefs, is just your dodge for the fact that you are wrong and you have no scriptual backing for your opinion.

What do you not understand about the word "perish"??

Did anything thrown into Gehenna continue to live?

So you believe in the torturous god of the RCC?

Do you not realize that men turn away from hearing your god because he tortures people for eternity if they do not do as he says.

Any half wit has enough common sense to know that anything burnt up by the heat of Gods spirit can not live in it, but that fact eludes you and Matt slick your idol.

What do you not understand about consume--

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.


Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
Job 34:15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

LA
 

Lighthouse

The Dark Knight
Gold Subscriber
Hall of Fame
I'm not sure how the definition you gave supports your idea that destruction doesn't really mean destruction. Is it okay with you if I believe that destruction means destruction, since the dictionary definition definitely supports that meaning?
I didn't say it doesn't mean destruction.:doh:

Your post is nothing but an obfuscation.

Yes sir it does. It leaves ash behind. But ash is not living, ash is not conscious, so really this confirms what the Bible says, the wages of sin is death and the road is wide that leads to destruction.
Wheat and chaff aren't living or conscious, either. Do you know what a metaphor is?

Why? Because the fire will not be quenched until the chaff is completely burned up. The greek word for burned up is katakausai and means "completely comsumed by fire".
It does not state it will not be quenched until a specific point; it states that it will not be quenched, ever.

Here's a question for you; where does it state that anyone will burn in the Lake of Fire?

It should, but he's conceited.

Exactly.

He knows that. He's just trying really hard to skirt around it and avoid it.

It has already been shown to him that apollumi (verb form) and apolleia (noun form) in scripture, which are translated destroy, perish, lost, lose, die, etc., do not mean "cease to exist".

In fact, in ancient Greek literature even outside of scripture, these Greek words were not used to mean "cease to exist".

Homer, the ancient Greek poet that wrote the Iliad and the Odyseey used the words for the slain and the perished.
But these slain and perished ones still existed (and were still conscious) in Hades.

The word meaning at that time did not carry the modern connotation of annihilation, as in ceased to exist.
They carried the connotation of going from existing in one state of being to existing in another state of being, but not as "ceased to exist".

It would be wise to familiarize yourself with the actual use of the ancient words at the time they were used instead of trying to force a modern meaning to them just to satisfy your own agenda of what you perceive that God's divine justice ought to be.

And example would be:
2 Thessalonians 2 KJV
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Our modern use of the word "letteth/let" has the connotation of "allow/loosen".
But in the day it was written, it meant "restrain/retain".
So, to use our modern definition, instead of the definition of that time, would cause one to have a completely unbiblical understanding of the message of scripture.
Yup.
 

Doormat

New member
Here's a question for you; where does it state that anyone will burn in the Lake of Fire?

2 Peter 3:7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
 

Totton Linnet

New member
Silver Subscriber
Perhaps, since they say the story of Lazarus and Dives is just a parable and used for the purpose of making certain points, they could explain what those points are for which the parable is put forth .
 

Doormat

New member
It doesn't describe anyone being burned up, or consumed, in or by the fire.

2 Peter 3:7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

How does the fire destroy them if it doesn't burn or consume them?

Also, you didn't answer the question: What do you believe 2 Peter 3:7 describing?
 
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