VERSION 2.0
Revised 2022
Revised 2022
PROVE ALL THINGS, HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD
1 Thessalonians 5:21
1 Thessalonians 5:21
SECTION V NOTES
Miscellaneous Verses Sometimes Used To Support Eternal Torment
Daniel 12:12
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. |
Although this verse says nothing of torment, some still try to read this teaching into the words 'shame and everlasting contempt'. First, the Hebrew words rendered 'shame and contempt', mean literally 'reproach' and 'abhorring' respectively. These words are representative of how others will consider the wicked, not of how they themselves will feel for all eternity.
Second, the Hebrew word Olam does not express "endless time", or "eternity". Please see: Preliminary Comments to Section I(a) and Section VIII In the resurrection, when the sins and judgment of these are laid bare for all to see, they will ever be looked upon with a sense of reproach, abhorring, and indignity. Still, the verse says nothing of eternal torment. |
John 5:28-29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. |
This verse carries with it the same basic thought of that above, with one difference. The word here rendered as 'damnation' (Greek krisis) has been rendered 43 times as 'judgment' elsewhere. 'Damnation' is hardly a fair translation of this word. 'Judgment' represents the whole judicial process as well as the sentence, not merely condemnation.
In the resurrection, only a special class come forth in the first resurrection, the rest rise to judgment. It is left for us to decide from other scripture what this judgment entails. Please see Man Became a Living Soul Chapter 9 - The Day of Judgment The verse does not speak a word of any pain or conscious torment for these beyond the judgment. |
2 Peter 2:9-12
The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption. |
The advocates of eternal torment see proof of this doctrine in the words 'reserve under punishment for the day of judgment'. They believe this means that when the wicked die, they are 'reserved under punishment' in hell. Even allowing that such an exposition is correct (which we do not) still this passage would not say anything of the fate of these beyond the judgment, and thus once again has no bearing on the doctrine of eternal torment regardless of interpretation.
The obvious meaning of the passage, however is completely overlooked. God knows how to deliver the godly (those living) from temptation, and reserve the wicked (those living, notice 'especially those who walk according to the flesh etc') under punishment even before the judgment. This is basically saying that the wicked will reap what they sow. It has nothing to do with an 'intermediate state' between death and the judgment. The context plainly declares what the fate of these is to be: They are to be 'destroyed' and 'utterly perish in their own corruption'. |
2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, (Gk. Tartarus) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. |
This verse does not mention humankind at all, but rather fallen angels. The word rendered here as 'hell' is Tartarus and is the only time the word appears in the New Testament. The word is never applied to human men and women.
Whatever Tartarus is, it is for fallen angels only. Some take this passage to refer to some literal prison, others to the fallen condition these angels are currently in. Either way, the passage has no relevance to the doctrine of eternal torment for humankind. |
Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings? |
Those who would offer in this verse as 'proof' for the doctrine of eternal torment surely stretch the limits of credibility. Obviously they have never heard of a rhetorical question. The question being 'who can dwell with everlasting burnings?', the answer implied is obviously NO ONE. However, if eternal torment be true, then countless billions will indeed dwell with everlasting burnings; the opposite of what this passage teaches.
Notice also that the fire is a 'devouring fire'. It burns up the wicked. Please see also Section VII for more information. |
