Liberating you from bad ideas about God
There are five warning passages in Hebrews. Two of them, Hebrews 6:7-8 and Hebrews 10:27, are often used to teach that Christians can go to hell if they turn away from Jesus or stop believing the truth. But is that what the author of Hebrews is saying? No. A careful study of the context reveals what the author IS teaching.
By carefully studying the context of 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, we learn that the references to fire, vengeance, and everlasting destruction in this passage are NOT warnings about people suffering forever in the burning flames of hell. There is a dire warning here, but it is not about everlasting punishment in hell.
The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is probably the premier passage in the Bible that convinces people about the reality of hell as a place of eternal suffering and torment. But is this really what Jesus is teaching in this text?
Many believe and teach that the imagery of unquenchable fire and corrupting worm in Mark 9:42-50 refers to the suffering and torment of unbelievers in everlasting hell. But is this what Jesus meant? No. This article looks at the context and the verse that Jesus quotes, Isaiah 66:24, to see what Jesus really meant.
Some think that the everlasting fire of Matthew 25:41 refers to eternal torture in the pit of hell. But this is not what Jesus meant. When the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24-25 is studied in order and in context, we see that Jesus is teaching something much more serious and practical for how to live our lives TODAY.
When Jesus speaks of a fiery hell in Matthew 18:8-9, is He warning people about being tortured forever in flames of fire? No. The context makes it clear what He is referring to.
