Ask a Bible QuestionMost Popular500ALL Questions2304Angels, Spirit Beings123Antichrist32Baptism52Bible and Bible Characters388Christian Character and Conduct551Chronology31Church and The Bride of Christ223Church history, False church65Creation, Evolution78Future Prophecies144God, Faith304Heaven and Earth110Hell, Death/Grave131Israel, Middle East102Jesus' Life, Teachings, and Death410Jesus' Second Advent, Rapture73Judgment111Kingdom and the Millennium130Life Decisions and Doing the will of God362Marriage92Miracles41Miscellaneous Bible Questions560Mosaic Law, Tabernacle, Tithes84Occult, Magic, Spiritism31Parables41Past and Present Prophesies149Prayer67Religions85Resurrection, Eternal life, Immortality135Revelation70Sabbath12Salvation, Ransom and Restitution186Satan63Sin and the Permission of Evil181Soul30The Holy Spirit79Trinity41
...
Do the words "everlasting" and "forever and ever" as applied to the punishment of the wicked, mean an eternity of misery, and torment, or merely punishment for a season?

July 30th 2014 | 38962 views 

Let no one be deceived regarding the duration of the punishment of the wicked, as it is repeatedly put forth in the scriptures that it is for eternity and not merely for a season. However; it is not a question as to the duration of the punishment, but it is a question as to the nature of the punishment. It is about this point that many Christians have been confused. When the Apostle says, concerning the ultimate fate of the wicked, "they shall suffer everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord," they at once get the thought of the eternal feature of the punishment, but do not get the proper idea as to its nature; reasoning generally that "destruction" means preservation (in fire and brimstone). Death is the punishment for sin. It is the penalty for disobedience. "The wages of sin is death" (`Rom. 6:23`.) And when death is eternal, it is eternal punishment. There should be no question on this point. The scriptural proposition is very plain. "The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." The wicked, who after full light and knowledge, refused to accept of the grace of God as manifested through Christ, will never receive the "gift" of eternal life.

Related Questions

I have a friend that believes that God uses the devil to kill Christians when it's their time to come to heaven. I told her no, God doesn't need to use the devil. Please clarify this for me and give me scriptures to prove it to her. Thank you!
December 05th 2018 | 39315 views Revelation 20:14-15 and Matthew 5:22. Is second death hell fire? Will unrepentant souls be thrown in hell fire at the end?
February 10th 2022 | 77314 views If the burial site is a resting place until judgment day, then why do people talk of loved ones have "gone to a better place with our Lord"?
November 03rd 2014 | 40866 views What becomes of the soul at death? Is it put into the grave with the body, or does it fly away in a disembodied state, and go soaring around through space, waiting and longing for the time to come when it can get back into its body (put on its clothes again, so to speak) at the resurrection?
August 18th 2014 | 39217 views When a Christian dies, where does he go?
May 29th 2015 | 41690 views Since the Apostle clearly explains in 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, that the body will not be resurrected, what does he mean when he says: "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption," etc. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) What is meant by the expression, "it"? What is resurrected?
August 01st 2014 | 38911 views Why would God create us if He knew we would just die?
February 07th 2026 | 5115 views Does the statement of our Lord as to the "Rich Man" and "Lazarus" teach that the wicked go to eternal torment at death?
July 31st 2014 | 39130 views