Does Everyone Live Forever?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

Ha!
I truly do not understand this topic very well on a soul verses our immortal physical body, and how a sinner(following the just and unjust resurrection) can feel torture forever. So I’m truly looking to learn so if you are not a novice on the subject, as I am, give me some schooling. Seriously.

What is a soul made up of, (& how does it differentiate from our physical body) that it can feel torture forever?


Or whoever else wants to chime in on that, I’m all ears....

We are told what makes up a soul in no uncertain terms.

Gen 2:7

7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

[JamesGlen]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

We are told what makes up a soul in no uncertain terms.

Gen 2:7

7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

So therefore wouldn’t it stand to reason that to die, one would seise to exist just as before they were born?

And are the soul and body inseparable?
Can our soul exist without our physical body, from this passage?
It looks to me like a no.

[TulsaDavid]

You cannot think of the soul in physical terms. The second (and final) death is defined as the lake of fire, an eternal place of torture. Even a worm will not die there.

God formed the body, but He breathed the breath of life into man. Until that point he was not a living soul.

[JamesGlen]

Immortal souls of worms?


I’m not getting it.

[TulsaDavid]

Some kinda worm. They might just be able to tell you, "It's been nice gnawing you."
See Mark 9:44-48.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by JamesGlen

Immortal souls of worms?


I’m not getting it.

The word used is σκώληξ, which is maggot.

Corpses only have maggots until all rotting flesh is gone, and the fire only burned until the corpses or refuse was consumed. In this case the maggots eat forever, as the fire burns for ever.

[TulsaDavid]

Keep in mind, this is in hell, where the fire is never quenched. Whatever the "worm" or "maggot" is there, it is in an unending state (the worm never dies, which lends strength to neither do we). This strongly lends weight that souls there will NOT be eaten up into nothingness, even as grotesque as having worms or maggots is.

Interesting that everything we loathe worst is part of the unending lake of fire. Fire (we loathe burning), a lake (we loathe the feeling of drowning) and worms (we loathe the grotesque). Then there are those who will be blaming each other (weeping and gnashing of teeth).

It is wishful thinking that one might be eventually annihilated from such torment. The reality is this is eternal punishment. It's not something I want to bench test either way.

[Michael The Disciple]

Why is there almost no teaching on Hell-fire in Churches? I mean where an entire teaching session is presented? Yes I understand Theologians do write books about it. I mean Pastors of Churches. And I dont include "snippets" where Pastors veer off their message and mention going to Hell for maybe ten minutes.

If people really believed in being tormented throughout all eternity where is the sense of alarm? They hold to the end that this doctrine is true but how many of them have ever told a sinner to their face they are going to Hell-fire for eternity?

I also include annihilationists, tho they are few in number. Are Christians ashamed of the doctrine of eternal punishment?

[TulsaDavid]

Remember, MTD, just because you don't hear it locally doesn't mean it's not preached. That also doesn't negate that sometimes it's preached as a scare tactic rather than from an anointed burden. I've seen hellfire preaching misused. Thankfully, I've witnessed it used completely in the Holy Ghost, witnessed across the board, and effective in reaching someone to whom God designed that message.

You probably already know most of the answers to your questions. We're so materialistic, we don't really even care anymore about heaven. From your picture, we're probably not many years apart. Remember 40+ years ago all the songs about heaven, longing to be there. You don't hear those as often anymore, either. We have it too well here.

If persecution has slain her thousands, then materialism and affluence have slain her millions, don't you think?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by votivesoul View Post
It is the smoke that ascends up into the ages of ages, not the torment. The smoke is the symbol of the agony unbelievers endured as they were destroyed at the 2nd death. All that remains of these twice dead sinners is the whirl of ash to which they were reduced.

Amen. Sounds like this.

Psalms 37:20

20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.