Hell, pt. 1

04/30/20 • 37 min

Handout available here
What's hell like? What's it for?
What if there were no hell?
1 John 4:18, do we focus on fear or love?
Greek, Hebrew, and English terms
Sheol/Hades - the place of the dead (NOT hell)
Gehenna/corr

Only 12 occurrences (really 6)
Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, place of child sacrifice (2 Chronicles 28:3)
Place of judgment by Babylon (Jeremiah 7:31-32)
Jesus' use mirrors Jeremiah, with coming Roman destruction
Brad Jersak, Her Gates Will Never Be Shut

Meaning of 'aionios' - eternal?

How long it lasts or qualities of Age to come?
Hebrews 9:12 & 2 Thessalonians 1:9
Happens once and endures

Hell as Destruction

Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes
John 3:16 - what it plainly says and how it's interpreted
Matthew 10:28; Romans 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; Galatians 6:8 - destroyed/perish/corruption
Implies destruction that endures, not ongoing torture
Plato vs. Paul
Is destruction not bad enough?

Only 12 occurrences (really 6)
Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, place of child sacrifice (2 Chronicles 28:3)
Place of judgment by Babylon (Jeremiah 7:31-32)
Jesus' use mirrors Jeremiah, with coming Roman destruction
Brad Jersak, Her Gates Will Never Be Shut

Meaning of 'aionios' - eternal?

How long it lasts or qualities of Age to come?
Hebrews 9:12 & 2 Thessalonians 1:9
Happens once and endures

Hell as Destruction

Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes
John 3:16 - what it plainly says and how it's interpreted
Matthew 10:28; Romans 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; Galatians 6:8 - destroyed/perish/corruption
Implies destruction that endures, not ongoing torture
Plato vs. Paul
Is destruction not bad enough?

Previous Episode

Judgment

Handout available here
Grace vs. works
God's judgment will be perfectly just and perfectly loving
Saved by grace - Romans 8:1; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:4-9
Works still matter - Ephesians 2:10; James 2:12-17
Why work for good on earth? NT Wright, Surprised by Hope
Build for the kingdom
Saved and judged
Revelation 20:11-15 - Two sets of books
1 Corinthians 3:8-15 - Buildings tested by fire
Heavenly rewards? What is our crown?
Unloving Christians won't feel very much at home in heaven
Love endures from this life to the next - 1 Cor 13

Next Episode

Hell, pt. 2

Handout available here
Review: Does hell torment, destroy, or purify?
Matthew 25:46 - How to translate and understand "eternal punishment"
Give 'em hell! Why we hold on to hell as torment
Objections to 'everyone goes to heaven!'
Purpose of Punishment