and perfection of love to sinners as well as perfection of hatred of sin; and that, guilty as you are, you must never doubt his affection, for he has pledged you in his heart's blood, and proved his love by his death." Charles
Spurgeon CHAPTER 2 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you can not bear them which are evil: and you have tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars:
QUESTIONS & OBJECTIONS 1:18 "Hell is just a metaphor for the grave."
There are three words translated "hell" in Scripture:
Gehenna (Greek): The place of punishment (Matthew 5:22,29; 10:28; and James 3:6) Hades (Greek): The abode of the dead (Matthew 11:23; 16:18, Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27) Sheol (Hebrew): The grave (Psalm 9:17; 16:10) There are those who accept that hell is a place of punishment, but believe that the punishment is to be annihilated—to cease conscious existence. They can't conceive that the punishment of the wicked will be conscious and eternal. If they are correct, then a man like Adolph Hitler, who was responsible for the deaths of millions, is being "punished" merely with eternal sleep.
His fate is simply to return to the non-existent state he was in before he was born, where he doesn't even know that he is being punished.
However, Scripture paints a different story.
The rich man who found himself in hell (Luke 16:19–31) was conscious. He was able to feel pain, to thirst, and to experience remorse.
He wasn't asleep in the grave; he was in a place of "torment."
If hell is a place of knowing nothing or a reference to the grave into which we go at death, Jesus' statements about hell make no sense. He said that if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, it would be better to remove it than to "go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched"
The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:
"Shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2) "Everlasting punishment" (Mathew 25:46) "Weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew
24:51) "Fire unquenchable" (Luke 3:17) "Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish" (Romans 2:8,9) "Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 1:9) "Eternal fire ... the blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude 7,13) Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: "He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone ... the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."
3 And have borne, and have patience, and for my name's sake have labored, and have not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come to you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of his place, except you repent.
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Hitler's Nazi Germany had "God with us" engraved on the belts of Nazi soldiers. See 8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things says the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know your works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but you are rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which you shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be faithful to death, and I will give you a crown of life.
11 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things says he which has the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know your works, and where you dwell, even where Satan's seat is: and you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.
15 So have you also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.
18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes like to a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know your works, and charity, and service, and faith, and your patience, and your works; and the last to be more than the first.
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against you, because you suffer that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he