For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that everyone
believing in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life.
John 3:16
From ancient times people have wondered what happens to us after death. Does part of us live on after death? Can we still feel pain or bliss? Will we remember our former life? Can we be reborn and have another lifetime on this earth? What is the present state of people who have died? Is it possible to communicate with the dead? Do we have eternal life now or will we receive eternal life after death or at a later resurrection? Will we suffer in Hell for eternity? Where does the teaching of "immortality of the human soul" come from? Is there anything we can do to receive eternal life if we do not already have it? This booklet answers these questions by revealing the teachings of the Bible.
As we will show, the Bible is unique in its teachings about the afterlife, which differ radically from the myths listed above. The Bible is also distinctive in its verifiable accuracy. The history given in the Bible has, time and again, been proven to be true as more information becomes available to archaeologists. It is also unique in that it makes accurate prophecies. Many of these prophecies have come to pass over the centuries exactly as foretold. It leaves us with no doubt that its Author is in full control, and that the remaining prophecies will also come to pass when their time is ripe. As God says through His prophet Isaiah:
Remember the former things of eternity, for I am God, and there is no other God, there is none like Me,It is this total mastery of time and events that gives us confidence that this particular book is God's word and is thus the only truly reliable source of knowledge about the past, the present and our future, both on earth and in the 'spirit' realm.
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from the past things which were not yet done, saying, 'My purpose shall stand, and all My desire I will do,'
Isaiah 46:9 and 10
The first topic we need to explore is the question of immortality. Side issues such as near-death experiences, communication with the dead and details about hell are covered in appendixes at the back of this booklet. These issues can only be understood within the context of Biblical teachings about the soul and the nature of man.
We can prove that the soul of man is immortal because man's acts of intelligence are spiritual; therefore, his soul must be a spiritual being, not dependent on matter, and hence not subject to decay or death.No Bible passages are quoted to support their position. The Roman Catholic Church relies on human reasoning and the authority of their own church instead of the Bible to teach this doctrine.
Many Protestant denominations also teach that the soul is immortal.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the soul as the "spiritual or immaterial part of man, held to survive death (the immortality of the soul)." But is this what God teaches in His Word?
The origin of this doctrine is ancient. Idol worshiping pagans, centuries before Christ, taught the 'immortality of the soul.' Egypt is reputed to be the mother of this concept. According to Herodotus, who was born about 484 BCE and is honoured as the first historian: "The Egyptians were the first to accept the doctrine that the soul of man is immortal." Note that Herodotus wrote this nearly 500 years before Christ.
The ancient Greek philosophers also knew this concept. Socrates and Plato believed that death was the separation of the immortal soul from the body. (Reading Phaedo, included in Five Great Dialogues of Plato by Walter Black, Inc. will prove this.) These men taught philosophy between 400 and 500 BCE.
By 343 BCE, Aristotle was teaching these ideas to Alexander, son of Philip of Macedon. He is known to us as Alexander the Great, the man responsible for establishing the massive Greek Empire. Aristotle was a student of Plato and thus the doctrine was spread far and wide by the Greeks.
Many Protestants and Catholics pay tribute to Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354-430 CE) Prior to his conversion to Christianity, Augustine had studied the Greek philosophy of Plato. After his conversion, he brought some of this philosophy into the Christian teachings. Baker's Dictionary of Theology, under the heading of Augustinism, says:
Augustinism as a philosophy, has been regarded by some as a Christianized Platonism, an attempt to bring Plato into the stream of Christian thought...In this way the Egyptian philosophies entered into the early Christian church after the death of the apostles. This was just as the apostle Paul had warned them:
For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among you yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.With Paul's warning in mind, let's see what the Bible says about the human soul and life after death.
Acts 20:29 & 30Watch, lest anyone rob you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
Colossians 2:8
Then God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living souls, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the expanse of the heavens."The word soul is translated from the Hebrew word nephesh. Nephesh signifies breath, as in a breathing creature. These verses show that God says that all living animals are also living souls. Only a few verses later, God also talks of man being a living soul:
God created great sea creatures and every living soul that moves, which the waters swarmed with, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:20 and 21
And Jehovah God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living soul.Again soul is translated from the same Hebrew word (nephesh). And again God emphasises that we, like the animals, were created with living souls. In these passages God does not say that our souls, or those of the animals, are eternal. Indeed the word living used in these passages is correctly translated from the Hebrew word chay. If there are living souls, there may also be dead souls. Genesis 2:7 suggests this: Until God breathed life into the man, he was both a dead body and a dead soul. If the soul (nephesh) is an integral part of the person or animal, and if souls can die, we should be able to find scripture texts to support these ideas. Consider the following:
Genesis 2:7
After Abraham had recovered a number of people and their possessions captured in battle, he paid tithes to Melchizedek, king of Salem. Then as he and the king of Sodom were dividing the spoils of battle...
Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the souls and take the goods for yourself."The context makes it obvious that the King of Sodom wanted his people returned to him, not invisible souls that had been separated from the bodies of those who had died in battle.
Genesis 14:21
When gathering manna in the wilderness, the Lord commanded the Hebrews to harvest it according to the number of their souls:
This is the thing which Jehovah has commanded: Gather it, each one according to the mouths he must feed, one omer per head, according to the number of souls; each man take for those who are in his tent.'Note that this scripture uses the words mouths, heads and souls interchangeably, that is, a soul is not just an immaterial essence.
Exodus 16:16
Speaking about eating a sacrifice improperly, Leviticus 7:18 says in part, "the soul that eats of it shall bear his iniquity." So, the soul can and does eat. Verse 27 confirms that the soul eats, as does this quote from Jesus Christ:
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your soul, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not the soul more than food and the body more than clothing?Scripture does not present the soul as an airy essence separate from our body. When Joshua recorded how the wicked city of Hazor was destroyed, he said the souls of that city were struck with the sword, destroyed, and not left to breathe:
Matthew 6:25
And they struck every soul who was in it with the sword's edge. He destroyed them. He did not leave anyone breathing, and he burned Hazor with fire.Obviously, Joshua was speaking of the people living in the city when he called them souls (nephesh).
Joshua 11:11
There are also numerous places in the Bible where dead bodies are called souls:
Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a dead soul.The word soul here also comes from the Hebrew word nephesh and refers to a corpse. Likewise, Numbers 6:6&11 and Numbers 9:6,7&10 are a few of the places where soul refers to a dead body and nephesh is translated as such in the King James Version.
Numbers 5:2
Yet God reveals even more than the examples above have shown:
The Bible tells us that the soul and body can be separated from each other, though the result is very different from what is taught by those who believe in the 'immortality of the soul'. Jesus' words teach us much in this connection:
For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?Thus we see that rather than being an immortal soul, we can lose our soul. God can totally and permanently destroy us - both our body and our soul if He decides it is necessary. Man can only "kill" our souls temporarily. Understanding that our existence depends totally on God is the beginning of true wisdom, which leads us to loving and obeying God. As scripture clearly states:
Matthew 16:26And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Matthew 10:28
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.No person who carefully reads and studies the Bible can prove the doctrine of the immortality of the soul; instead, they will prove to themselves that the soul is subject to death and is not immortal.
Psalm 111:10Praise Jehovah! Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah, who delights greatly in His commandments.
Psalm 112:1Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
Matthew 22:37There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves imperfection. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
Not only does the Bible omit saying the soul is immortal-- it denies it.
After proving that the Bible says the soul can and indeed does die, some argue that it must be the spirit that is immortal. The text most often turned to for such proof is Ecclesiastes 12:7:
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.However, a careful reading shows that the text does not say the spirit is a conscious being. In fact, the word spirit is from the Hebrew word ruwach which means breath. In other words, God gives the breath of life at birth and receives it back at death.
Another text that uses the word ruwach is Psalms 146:3&4, where the Psalmist is speaking of the death of a person.
Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit goes out, he returns to the earth; in that day his thoughts perish.This text proves that when a man dies his conscious existence is suspended.
Psalm 115:17 also speaks of the dead:
The dead do not praise Jehovah, nor do all who go down into silence.King Solomon agrees when he writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:
For the living know that they will die; but the dead, they do not know anything, and there is not a reward for them anymore, for the memory of them is forgotten.There are many scriptures which show that man is in an unconscious state after death. Sincere Christians should investigate the "immortal soul" doctrine for themselves. Accepting the orthodox stance may allow you to be deceived.
Ecclesiastes 9:5
As E. E. Francke said in his book, Future Of Death:
The terms 'immortality of the soul' and 'never-dying soul' and 'deathless spirit' are used so frequently in pulpits, and in Christian hymns, that we are [required] to inquire if such terms are Biblical. The word soul is used in the Bible 873 times; 768 times in the Old Testament, and 105 times in the New Testament. IT IS NOT CALLED AN 'IMMORTAL' SOUL EVEN ONCE IN ALL THE 873 TIMES THAT IT IS USED. The word 'spirit' is used in the Bible 827 times; in the Old Testament 442 times, and in the New Testament 385 times; yet in all the 827 times that we find the word 'spirit' used in the Bible, IT IS NEVER ONCE SPOKEN OF AS A 'DEATHLESS SPIRIT' OR A 'NEVER-DYING SPIRIT.'
These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep, but I am going that I may awaken him."Jesus spoke of death and sleep in synonymous terms. Just as we wake from a deep sleep not knowing what has happened while we slept, so it is with death.Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he has slept he will recover."
However, Jesus spoke about his death, but they thought that He was speaking about rest - in sleep.
Then Jesus said to them openly, "Lazarus has died."
Lazarus said nothing of any conscious existence anywhere while he was dead. So we ask the question: if he was in a place of constant torment, as some preachers suggest, why did Jesus bring an end to divine justice? If he was in heaven with the angels, as others argue, why would Jesus bring him back from his reward of bliss to suffer and die a second time? It seems more reasonable to assume that he was in an unconscious state, as the Bible shows the dead to be, and that Jesus was demonstrating His power over death by bringing Lazarus back to life.
Men and brethren, it is permitted to speak openly to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Acts 2:29Had Peter said no more, we might think the pagans were right, that the immortal soul had separated from the body and gone on to heaven as most Christians believe. But Peter plainly says,
For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right, till I make your enemies a footstool at your feet." ' Acts 2:34&35
"Who will grant that You would hide me in the grave, that You would conceal me until Your wrath turns back, that You would set a limit for me, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my trials I will wait, until my change comes. You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall long for the work of Your hands.Job's hope was to see God, not as a disembodied spirit, but in the flesh at the resurrection.
Job 14:13-15For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He shall rise on the earth; Even after they destroy my skin, yet this remains, -in my flesh I shall see God,
Job 19:25-26
A long list of faithful and godly people is given to us in Hebrews 11 including Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Speaking of these great men, the writer to the Hebrews says:
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not obtain the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Hebrews 11:39 and 40This passage is made clearer by a quote from Thessalonians, which shows that these men are now dead, but will be raised to life at the time of Christ's Return:
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain until the coming of the Lord can not go before those who are sleeping at all. For the Lord Himself, with a word of command given by an archangel's voice and with the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. So then, comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 to 18
Now to the King of all ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ages of ages. Amen. 1 Tim 1:17 (CHCGP version)If God is incorruptible, it follows that he must be immortal. Later in his letter, Paul says God is...
the only One having immortality, living in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honour and everlasting power. Amen. 1 Tim 6:16This scripture indisputably shows that God is the only one with immortality. But if God is the only one presently immortal, what is the focus of the other immortality passages?
Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, toleration, and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and your impenitent heart, you treasure up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will give to each one according to his works:The most convincing scripture showing man's present mortality and the conditional gift of a future immortality when Christ returns is in the 'resurrection' chapter of your Bible:to those truly and patiently doing good works, seeking glory and honour and incorruptibility, everlasting life;
but to the self-seeking, who are indeed even disobeying the truth, but obeying unrighteousness; anger and wrath,
Romans 2:4 to 8
Behold, I tell you a mystery: Indeed, we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For it will trumpet, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.The time for this event is "at the last trumpet", which is the time of Christ's return, as shown in this verse:And when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then the word which is written will occur: "Death was swallowed up in victory."
1 Corinthians 15:51 to 54
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruit, afterward those of Christ at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:23The second century Christians heartily agreed with the Bible. They taught that immortality was not naturally inherent in man, but was a future GIFT from God. While their writings are not part of the inspired Word of God, they show what the Christians of the generation following the apostles believed.
Clement of Rome, a companion of Paul, believed immortality to be a gift to Christians. He wrote:
How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the GIFTS of God! Life in IMMORTALITY, splendour in righteousness, truth in perfect confidence, faith in assurance, self-control in holiness!...Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised GIFTS." (The First Epistles of Clement to the Corinthians. Chapter XXXV. The Ante-Nicene Fathers. New York: Scribners, 1899. Vol.1, p.14)Ignatius, a friend of Polycarp (a disciple of John), was martyred in 107 A.D. Before his death he wrote:
Be sober as an athlete of God: the PRIZE set before thee is IMMORTALITY and eternal life, of which thou art also persuaded." (Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp. Chapter 11. The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol.1, p. 94)Similar quotations may be found from Theophilus of Antioch who died about 181 A.D. and Justin Martyr who was beheaded about 166 A.D. Irenaeus looked forward to the premillenial return of Christ and taught that immortality was conditional upon accepting Christ. (See Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1 & 11).
Our purpose in pointing out the beliefs of early Christian writers is to show that it was after the second century that the Egyptian philosophy of the immortal soul was accepted into Christian circles. Before then, it was discredited by many ancient writers who are openly acknowledged as Christians.
Of the early Christians, those who were Greeks brought to the new religion the Platonic idea that the soul was indestructible, and the Greek influence gained the domination in the early church. The Platonic doctrine of natural immortality came to be accepted. THE NOTION WAS WITHSTOOD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AS BEING SUBVERSIVE OF THE VERY EXISTENCE OF CHRISTIANITY.Over 90 Protestant writers from the sixteenth century down to the modern day have written and preached that immortality is the future hope only for those with whom God is well pleased. These writers include Lutherans, Anabaptists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Baptists, Methodists, Plymouth Brethren, etc.
The variety of backgrounds is further apparent in that some of them were from Germany, others from Switzerland, England, America, etc. Some authors were great Hebrew and/or Greek scholars. The scholars include William Whiston, translator of The Works of Josephus; Charles Fred Hudson, compiler of Hudson's Greek-English Concordance; Ethelbert W. Bullinger, producer of a Greek Lexicon and The Companion Bible and Dr. Richard Francis Weymouth, New Testament translator.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are sleeping, lest you also sorrow as the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God will lead those who sleep in Jesus with Him.Christians living at the time of His return to this earth will be instantly changed from mortal to immortal. However, our new life will not be an eternity of meaningless, though pleasant, inactivity. God has planned an eternity of fulfilling and interesting work for each of us.For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain until the coming of the Lord can not go before those who are sleeping at all. For the Lord Himself, with a word of command given by an archangel's voice and with the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 17
Initially we will work with Christ upon the earth during the one thousand years that Satan is bound in the bottomless pit. We will restore the earth to the Paradise that God originally created:
And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed them to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made them kings and priests to our God; and they shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9 and 10The Bible clearly shows us that our work during the Thousand Years is only the mere beginning of what God has in store for us. We are told in I Corinthians 2:9 and 10 that:And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, the old serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and threw him into the abyss, and shut him up, and sealed it over him, that he would not deceive the nations any longer till the thousand years were finished. And after these things he must be released for a little while.
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them and the souls of those who were beheaded for their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hand. And they lived and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:1 to 4
But just as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have come into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."It is only after the end of the Thousand Years, after all that is evil and corrupt has been totally destroyed, that the fullness of the joys and challenges that God has in store for us will be revealed. A brief account of some of these things are given in Revelation chapters 21 and 22.But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
But surely our greatest joy will come from being a friend and companion of Jesus Christ and His Father.
If we find that our personal beliefs disagree with the Bible, but we desire to be true Christians we have only one course to follow: Let God be true even if it means every man on earth must be a liar. If these words sound harsh, note that the originator was the Apostle Paul:
For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief not destroy the faith of God?Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ to those who believe in Him. This gift is not bestowed on those who refuse Him and prefer to continue in sin. Sin pays wages--death! True Christians receive the fabulous gift of eternal life, just the opposite of death.Let it not be so! But let God be true and every man a liar, as it is written, "that You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are being judged."
Romans 3:3 and 4
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23Historians state that the immortal soul doctrine began in Egypt. However, the idea of disobedient man continuing to live forever, instead of dying as God says he will, comes directly from Satan himself.
The first couple were at peace with their Creator in the garden of Eden when the serpent, representing Satan, spoke. Note his reply when Eve told him they would die if they ate from the tree of good and evil:
And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' "This is the only place in the Bible where intentionally rebellious men and women are promised they won't die. It is Satan's promise, and God tells us it is a lie. Satan has promoted it in nearly every pagan religion and in many Christian denominations. Satan is the father of the lie.And the serpent said to the woman, "Surely, you will not die." Genesis 3:2 to 4
When speaking to the false teachers of His day, Jesus said:
You are from your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you desire to do. That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44We must trust the words of Jesus. He said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) The truth sets us free from Satan's lies and assures us that God alone can give us eternal life. It also shows us that He does not keep His enemies alive so He can torture them for eternity. (If you still think this may be so, please read the appendixes at the end of the booklet that deal with scriptures that some claim show such a fate.)
However, do not think that you can live a life without God and escape Judgement. God makes it clear that everyone will one day have to stand before him and be judged. If you fall short, you will be taken away and executed. It is not a fate to be taken lightly:
"The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all that offends, and those who practice lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 13:41 to 43
When the people of Israel went to their ageing leader Joshua, just before his death in the Promised Land, he gave them this inspired advice:
"And if it seems evil in your eyes to serve Jehovah, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, whose land you dwell in. But as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah"....You too can make a covenant with the Lord. God does not require you to have lived a sinless life before He will accept you. In fact, he knows that you have sinned. This is why Jesus Christ had to die. He, the only sinless man, suffered and died in our place so we could be given eternal life. If you think your sins are so horrible that God could not possibly forgive you, remember that Saul, who later became one of Christ's greatest servants, spent several years capturing, beating and executing Christians before his conversion. (See Acts 22:3 to 21) Conversely, if you think you are without sin, you need to study God's Word to learn what sin really is. I John 3:4 tells us that "sin is lawlessness". We doubt that even one reader could claim to have always kept all of the Ten Commandments faultlessly. Please let these scriptures illustrate these points:"When you forsake Jehovah and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do evil to you and consume you, after He has done good to you."
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve Jehovah!"
So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Jehovah for yourselves, to serve Him."
And they said, "We are witnesses."
"And now turn away from the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Jehovah, the God of Israel."
And the people said to Joshua, "Jehovah our God we will serve, and we will listen to His voice."
So Joshua made a covenant with the people on that day, and set for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. Joshua 24:15, 24:20 to 25
What then? Do we excel? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks to all be under sin, just as it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks God. All have turned aside; they have become worthless together; there is not one who does good, no, not one."Jesus promises us that He shall teach us, comfort us and give us satisfying, wholesome work:"Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have used deceit; The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and they have not known the way of peace. The fear of God is not before their eyes."
Now we know that what the law says, it speaks to those in the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgement before God. Because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified before Him, for by the law is the full knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all those believing. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to display His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that had occurred before, to display His righteousness at the present time, for He is being just and the justifier of the one who has the faith of Jesus. Romans 3:9 to 26
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
For the law was powerless in that it was weak through the flesh. God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and because of sin He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those living according to the flesh concentrate on the flesh, but those living according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
For to be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:3 to 6
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is pleasant and My burden is light."However, Jesus also warns us that there is a cost in becoming His disciple. Perhaps the greatest cost is where it can really hurt: your friends and family may turn their backs on you, you may be despised and hated for speaking the truth in a world that loves a lie:
Matthew 11:28 to 30
And great crowds gathered to Him. And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and also even his own soul, he is not able to be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me is not able to be My disciple.You must choose to accept the terms of the new covenant to gain forgiveness and immortality. If you haven't already done so, accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and as your Lord. That means you will accept and obey His teachings even when they disagree with men, with no regard to whether it is popular or not. Like the Berean disciples, you must search the Scriptures daily, to learn which things are true. (Acts 17:11) As Christians, our present joy is in the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, our constant companion and helper. It links us with every other Christian who has truly died to sin and been reborn through baptism. (John 16:5-16, Romans 6:1 to 14) Scripture warns us not to rely on church rituals like confirmation or infant baptism as substitutes for the saving blood of Christ. (Colossians 2:18 to 23)"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it; lest he lays the foundation and lacks the strength to finish it, and those who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and lacked the strength to finish it.'
"Or what king, going to attack another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet those who come against him with twenty thousand? Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace.
"So then, whoever of you does not abandon all that he has is not able to be My disciple. Salt is good; but if the salt loses its flavour, how will it be seasoned? It is not fit for the soil nor for making manure, but they throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Luke 14:25 to 35
God wants us to serve Him because of gratitude for our salvation and because we truly love Him. His Word declares that we either accept His offer of salvation or perish.
Jesus made this prayer for His followers, recorded in John 17:17:
Sanctify them in Your truth. Your word is the truth.God wants people to know the truth. Knowing His truth sets us apart by leading us to righteous behaviour. We are not to be physically separated from the world but to be a light in its midst.
May God help you in your search for truth and may you walk eternally in His Way.
Scriptures that appear to support eternal torment: What do they really say?
Following are the main scriptures that are quoted to 'prove' that God is intending to endlessly torment all those who have not received salvation through Jesus Christ.
...it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.Some modern translations have modified this passage to make it more supportive of the 'eternal separation' concept by departing from a literal rendering of the Greek. Our translation, given above, flows directly from the Greek. The passage clearly shows that unrepentant sinners will be eternally separated from God, which truly is a terrible fate. But there is not one word to convey the idea that they will be spending eternity in agony over their foolish decision. In contrast, the passage openly states that their penalty will be destruction - forever! Their agony will be great, but it will be confined to the time between their judgement and their final death.These shall pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His power when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 to 10
And there was a certain rich man who usually wore a purple robe and fine linen, rejoicing in luxury from day to day.This passage is a parable intended specifically for the rich Pharisees who were mocking Christ, as reading verse 14 will show. Jesus wished to graphically illustrate the folly of their greed. He also foreshadowed their coming refusal to accept the word of one who would soon be returning from the dead - Himself. As a parable it does not have to be literally true, but is designed to make a point. Even so, the parable does not state that the rich man will be tormented for eternity. However, God does say there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in the day of His Judgement:And there was a poor man named Lazarus who was laid at his gate, full of sores, desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. But even the dogs came and licked his sores.
So it was that the poor man died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And he lifted up his eyes in Hades, being in torments, and he saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Then he called and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am suffering in this flame.'
But Abraham said, "Child, remember that you received all your good things in your lifetime, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is comforted here and you are suffering. And besides all these things, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there cross over to us.'
Then he said, 'Then I ask you, father, that you send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he can testify to them, that they do not also come to this place of torment.'
Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
But he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
But he said to him, 'If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if one rises from the dead.' Luke 16:19 to 31
And He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Stand back from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you are thrust out.God says that the wicked will be totally burned up, not that they will be burned forever:
Luke 13:27 to 28
Then Jesus sent the crowd away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world, and the good seed; these are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
Therefore as the tares are gathered and consumed in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all that offends, and those who practice lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 13:36 to 43
Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him.
"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an furnace, and all the arrogant, all who do wickedness will be chaff. And the day which is coming shall set them ablaze," says Jehovah of Hosts, "which will not leave them either root or branch."
"But to you who fear My name shall arise the Sun of Righteousness, with healing on His wings; and you shall go out and frisk like stall-fed calves."
"And you shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says Jehovah of Hosts. Malachi 3:18 to 4:3
"For as the new heavens and the new earth which I shall make stand before Me," says Jehovah, "So shall your seed and your name stand. And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says Jehovah.This scripture clearly designates the bodies inhabited by the worms as corpses. There is not even a hint that the corpses are aware of anything. The sense of horror belongs not to the corpses, but to the living people who view them. It does not support the concept of eternal punishing."And they shall go out and see the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be put out, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." Isaiah 66:22 to 24
Nor does it state that the corpses will be on view forever, an idea dealt with under "HELL". Saying that the 'worm does not die' may simply mean that the corpses will be left unburnt long enough for the maggots to develop into flies and leave the corpse. Logically, after the maggots have finished their work, the remains of the corpses will be completely consumed by fire. The fire itself is separate from the corpses and does not require a continuous supply of corpses to continue burning.
Jesus refers to the 'worm that does not die and the fire that is not quenched' in Mark 9:42-48. He urges us to do everything possible to turn from our sins and warns us clearly of the horrible end of those who continue in sin. He also calls this place Gehenna, which is discussed in detail in Appendix IV. These corpses will be put on view in such a graphic and repugnant manner to highlight the folly of rejecting righteousness through Christ's sacrifice.
And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, then he shall also drink of the wine of the anger of God, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. And those who worship the beast and its image have no rest day and night, even anyone who receives the mark of its name."Note that it is the smoke that rises forever (ie. out of sight) while they are being tormented. Compare Revelation 19:3, which describes the smoke from the burning of 'Babylon the Great' rising 'forever and ever'. The passage does not say that their torment continues forever, but it does say that while the torment is happening, it will continue both day and night. God leaves no doubt that He intends to punish those who refuse to obey Him, but His punishment is just. Studying these verses in their context shows that this time of punishment occurs during the period of miraculous events leading up to Christ's Return and the setting up of the Kingdom of God. We believe that the torment "day and night" could actually refer to Revelation 9:5 & 6:Here is the patience of the saints; here are those keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 14:9 to 12
And they were instructed that they should not kill them, but they be tormented for five months. And their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.In those days men will seek death and they will not find it; and they will want to die, and death will flee from them.
And when the thousand years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to war, whose number is as the sand of the sea.Note that Revelation 16:13 & 14 makes it clear that it is the unclean spirits of the Devil, the beast and the false prophet who will be tormented for ever and ever. Verse 20:9 states plainly that all the humans who followed Satan in his final battle were destroyed by the fire from God.And they went up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and burned them down.
And the devil who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:7 to 10
The White Throne Judgement recounted in Revelation 20:13-15 also confirms that for all others, being cast into the Lake of Fire is the second death, from which there is no resurrection. As Jesus says:
...do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Matthew 10:28
Please read our free booklet The Beasts of Daniel and Revelation for further details of these events.
We believe that a careful study of these verses and their context will verify our position that the God of the Bible is a god of Mercy and Justice, who has no intention of torturing millions of people for eternity. Only those who steadfastly refuse to accept His offer of forgiveness which leads to eternal life will be destroyed, and this will be done with great sadness.
Please recall that we have already clearly shown that the Bible teaches that only Jehovah God and His Son, Jesus Christ, presently have eternal life.
And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you today; You shall be with me in Paradise.
This is confirmed by recalling that Jesus spent the next three days and three nights dead in a tomb. He could not have been in Paradise with the ex-thief that day.
The Bible clearly tells us that there are many separate resurrections. Quite a few resurrections have already occurred. In this context we wish to remind you of the raising of the widow's son through Elijah (I Kings 17:17-24) and the raising of the Shunammite's child through Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37). Jesus also raised several people from the dead before his crucifixion, (Luke 7:11-17, Luke 8:40-56, John 11:1-44). After Christ's resurrection, Eutychus was resurrected from the dead through the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:7-12) However, Jesus' resurrection in 31 CE was unique. Jesus became the first 'man' to be given immortality. In each of the other resurrections we have listed so far, the person was simply given back their physical life, so they could complete their natural life cycle. There was no reason to believe that they would not age and die in the normal manner after their resurrections.
The Bible tells us that two massive resurrections are yet to come. The first one has been referred to in the main body of this pamphlet. It is the resurrection of God's servants, as shown in this passage:
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them and the souls of those who were beheaded for their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hand. And they lived and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.This is the resurrection referred to in 1 Corinthians 15:35 to 50, where we are told that our resurrected bodies will be incorruptible, glorified, powerful, spiritual, heavenly. Verses 50 to 58 make it clear that this transformation from mortal to immortal is only for those who are the brethren of Christ. John 5:9 tells us those who have done good are called to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement. The details of this resurrection to judgement is given in Revelation 20:11 to 15. Verse 15 states that those not found in the Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. Verse 14 tells us that the Lake of Fire is the Second Death. It offers no hope of any sort of immortality for those not in the Book of Life, not even the possibility of a life of eternal misery.But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who is part of the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4 to 6
The NDE generally conforms to the individual's personal beliefs about what the afterlife may be like. Thus those that go to 'heaven' usually find it much like they expected it to be, although there is an enormous variation in actual details. One ardent horse rider discovered heaven was just like the Wild West! Of course God could use a NDE to teach a person a valuable lesson. But God is not the source of NDEs which confirm pagan or unBiblical beliefs. Many scientific researchers feel that NDEs are a type of hallucination produced by the stresses of dying and help to distract the person from their pain. There is no evidence that these experiences last beyond the point of total organic death, which is in complete accord with the Bible.
It is clear that "channelers" can not have the spirits or souls of the dead speaking through them. This leaves us with only two possibilities.
The first possibility, and probably the most common, is that the medium (the traditional name for a channeler) is a fake. There are many people who desperately miss a deceased loved one and are willing to pay generously for another chance to speak to them. Unfortunately, there are also many people who desperately want to become rich and are willing to lie to do so.
The second possibility is far more sinister. There are invisible spirit beings that are willing to communicate through mediums. These spirits are not our friends, however, nor God's.
These beings were angels who have heeded Satan's voice and turned against God. (See Revelation 12:7-12) They have become like their master- full of lies and hate. Like him, they are devious and delight in causing pain and suffering. A medium who is being used by one of these demons, to give them their real name, may be able to reveal details that no human knows. The demons can even imitate the voice of a dead loved one. But their deception is designed to lure you into eternal destruction and if possible make you suffer immensely along the way.
These are the beings that work ouija boards, that take control of people and stay in them against their will. They are not a joke nor an idle amusement. Hear what God says about these things:
You shall not turn to mediums and psychics; do not seek to be defiled by them: I am Jehovah your God.Despite the clear testimony of these passages, some claim that an account of King Saul attempting to consult with the prophet Samuel after his death shows that mediums can contact the dead. Reading the entire tale in I Samuel shows the absurdity of this idea. I Samuel chap 15 details how Saul and Samuel parted ways long before Samuel's death, and how Samuel never spoke to Saul again. As this was the case when Samuel was alive, the probability of Samuel allowing a medium to bring him back to consciousness and then conduct a conversation with Saul is virtually zero. When one remembers God's condemnation of mediums, and recalls that Samuel was God's prophet, the probability becomes absolutely zero. As we mentioned above, the truth must be that Saul was speaking with an evil spirit who was impersonating Samuel. (I Samuel 28)
Leviticus 19:31And the soul who turns to mediums and psychics, to go whoring after them, I will set My face against that soul and cut him off from his people.
Therefore sanctify yourselves, and be holy, for I am Jehovah your God.
Leviticus 20:6-7A man or a woman who have a medium or psychic with them shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.
Leviticus 20:27There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who conjures spells, or a wizard, or a diviner, or one who consults spirits, or a psychic, or one who inquires of the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to Jehovah, and because of these abominations Jehovah your God drives them out from before you.
Deuteronomy 18:10 to 12
One would do well to follow God's own directive in this matter:
And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and psychics, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:19 and 20
Obviously there could be no deep joy in such an existence. Thankfully scripture clearly denies such a state of affairs.
As we have pointed out above, the popular notions of Hell have been created to frighten people into repentance. The knowledge that God's gift is Eternal Life and His punishment is Eternal Nothingness is surely enough to convince any thinking person to seriously consider His offer.
The misinformation about hell is so pervasive that we have decided to use transliterations of the Hebrew and Greek words commonly translated as 'hell'. Thus our translation uses Sheol in the Old Covenant and Hades and Gehenna in the New Covenant.
A look at these words in their context in scripture will reveal some of the half-truths these doctrines are based on and expose other aspects of the 'hell' teachings as total fabrications.
The wicked shall be turned into Sheol, and all the nations that forget God. Psalm 9:17It can also be a place that people can be cast into while alive, and that exists below the earth's surface:
So they and all those with them went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed over them, and they perished from among the congregation. Numbers 16:33However, the differences are vast. Hell is usually presented as a place to which only the evil are sent. In contrast, the Hebrews believed that all people went to Sheol when they died, as these passages show:
When Jacob was told that his son Joseph had died, he:
...refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into Sheol to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him. Genesis 37:35Jacob clearly expected to be in Sheol with Joseph when he died.
Job's prayer to God was:
Who will grant that You would hide me in Sheol, that You would conceal me until Your wrath turns back, that You would appoint a limit for me, and remember me!Not only did Job expect to be sent to Sheol, he also expected to remain there until God decided to resurrect him!
Job 14:13
Please note that Numbers 16:33 also says the people cast alive into Sheol perished. This statement is confirmed by Psalm 6:5 which states:
For in death there is no remembrance of You. In Sheol who will give You thanks?Yet another difference is brought out in 1 Samuel 2:6:
Jehovah kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and brings up.Thus we see that although Sheol is pictured as a place below the ground where the dead go, it is a place where all the dead go, where there is no consciousness while they are there, and from which God will eventually bring them back again. It is really equivalent to the Grave, not a place of eternal tormenting.
The first passage is spoken by the Apostle Peter, who is clarifying a prophecy given by King David:
Foreseeing this, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. God has raised up this Jesus, of which we are all witnesses. Acts 2:31 and 32This shows that even Jesus Christ's soul went to Hades when he died! It is definitely not just a place for the sinful! We see that Jesus's soul was also brought out of Hades when the time was fulfilled, just as God had promised. The following passage shows that at the end of the Thousand Year Reign of Christ, everyone will be brought out of Hades:
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to their works.The New Testament even reveals that Death and Hades itself will then be destroyed. Not only is one's time in Hades not eternal, even Hades itself has only a very limited timespan!
Revelation 20:13
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:14 and 15
Unlike Hades, Christ makes it clear that Gehenna is a place reserved for the guilty; a place that everyone should strive to keep out of. As Jesus said:
Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the judgement of Gehenna?Gehenna is truly a place to fear. It is here that God will destroy those who oppose him, consuming both body and soul. And it is here that the difference between Gehenna and Hell is made clear. Gehenna is the place where unrepentant sinners are cast while still alive and fully conscious. But it is not the beginning of eternal torment. It is the second death, a person's final and total end.
Matthew 23:33And you should not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Matthew 10:28
But do not think that this will be an easy death. Before Gehenna comes the Judgement. Everyone will have to stand before God. Even those who rejected Jesus as their Saviour will at last know and acknowledge who He is and understand that in rejecting Him they have also rejected eternal life in paradise:
...For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.Please know that God loves you and does not want you to perish:
Romans 14:10 to 12Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in the highest heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9 to 11The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all that offends, and those who practice lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:41 and 42
"Again, when a wicked [man] turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he keeps his soul alive.Life or Death. The choice is yours.
"Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
"Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord Jehovah. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.
"Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
"For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord Jehovah. "Therefore turn and live!"
Ezekiel 18:27 to 32
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