Our Moderator, "Fish of Faith" has asked us "that this topic is brought back down to a civil discussion".
I am all for that my friends!!!! Lets all do that as this is a highly controversial issue but one that needs to be discussed in love and peace as it is very important.
As with any point of Bible doctrine, the issue of
eternal torment for the wicked dead must be carefully sought out from the Bible, final authority simply because that is exactly what we are told to do in 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
This cannot be stressed too much, for it is only in the Scriptures that we can learn God's truths. This means that we must first go to the written word of God to understand the abstract. For example, if Scripture pointedly declares that
the wicked dead will be in eternal torment, then we must interpret God's mercy, love, grace and justice as allowing for this.
Now I do not know how many of us have done studies in other denominational teachings but in contrast, the following is an example of how Ellen G. White the founder of Seventh-Day Adventism (SDA), views this doctrine:
HELL;
"How repugnant to every
emotion of love and mercy, and even to our sense of justice, is the doctrine that the wicked dead are tormented with fire and brimstone in an eternally burning HELL; that for the sins of a brief earthly life they are to suffer torture as long as God shall live.
The Jehovah Witnesses (JW) have similarly written:
"Hell could not be a place of torment because
such an idea never came into the mind or heart of God. Additionally, to torment a person
eternally because he did wrong on earth
for a few years is
contrary to justice".
These comments can be found............. at :
http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/eternaltorment.htm
Now lets read revelation 20:10........
"Rev. 20:10: The devil, who deceived them, was cast 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"
That seems radically different than the JW's and SDA doctrine. Who is right????
The Greek word translated
tormented in Rev. 20:10, with its meaning, is:
basanizo, bas-an-id'-zo; from G931; to torture:--pain, toil,
torment, toss, vex.
It is found elsewhere: And suddenly they [demons] cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to
torment us before the time?" (Mt. 8:29, NKJV).
Consequently, this verse and Rev. 20:10 together give us in-depth insights into the
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Mt. 25:41, NKJV).
Such
everlasting fire that the Lord spoke of in Mt. 25:41 was specially prepared for spirit beings to be tormented in forever and ever (Rev. 20:10; Mt. 8:29). According to that verse, Rev. 20:10 and Mt. 25:46
people will also go into this special fire.
And these ["goats"] shall go away into
everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (KJV). The Greek word for "punishment" in this verse also means
torment: kolasis, kol'-as-is; from G2849; penal infliction: punishment,
torment.
If they were annihilated, they couldn't experience
everlasting torment. All people likened unto
goats will be thrown into the same
fire prepared for the devil and his angels, which collaborates with the clear teaching of Rev. 20:10.
Eternal torment is real and must be avoided.