God gives us a picture for our understanding
"So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age… and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:40) See Matthew 3:12 where it is explained, "He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Unquenchable just means that the fire is unstoppable - it will succeed in burning up the chaff. This has nothing to do with forever torments!)
"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away [just] as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." (John 15:6)
"And just as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking… but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed." (Luke 17:28-30)
"…just as Sodom and Gomorrah…, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality…, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire." (Jude 1:7 - the reality of 'eternal fire' is revealed, explained and illustrated in Sodom and Gomorrah's experience of destruction)
Besides the following verses, what else has been or will be 'burned up'? The harlot/Babylon (Rev. 18:8), the old heavens and earth (2 Pet. 3:10), and Edom (Is. 34). God appears to indeed be a consuming fire. And His judgments are true.
Even believers experience a judgment of fire (1 Cor. 3:10-15). God's judgments of fire have nothing to do with some agonizing molten 'hell'.
So, when the Bible states that something is "just as" something else, do you believe it?
If not, why not?
Taken from "Everyone will be salted with fire"
No comments:
Post a Comment
I understand this is a difficult subject and there are different views from folks who all value God's inspired word. I value your feedback, corrections and questions. Please leave a comment!