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Is Eternal Punishment Interminable?

From: Court
To: The Path of Truth
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2016 10:08 AM
Subject: Question

I was reading an article you wrote on John Piper being a false teacher, and I had a question about it. Before I ask the question I would like to make clear that I am familiar with Piper, but do not completely know his doctrine. I have only watched a few short videos of him on youtube. However, your criticism of him as a false teacher revolved around the fact that he preaches about a place of eternal punishment for nonbelievers (Hell) as you can read from your own writing:

One of the biggest and worst lies ever told in manmade Christianity, one that John Piper subscribes to and teaches, is that there is a place of interminable torment and punishment for sinners. Men think to find this doctrine in the Bible, but while it is something the carnal man would wish on others, it is surely not something God has ever said or that ever entered into His mind. He made creation as an act of His love. He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for it. We are His, bought and paid for by His blood.

I was wondering where you got the idea that there is no hell, based on the fact that there are numerous verses in The Bible – some even spoken by Jesus, whom you believe to be God, as I also do – about the existence of a place of eternal punishment for people who do not believe in Christ. See a few examples, of many, below:

Revelation 21:8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Matthew 25:41
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Romans 2:6-8
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Matthew 25:46
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Revelation 20:15
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

2 Thessalonians 1:9
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. …

As much as I do not like the idea of a place of torment for nonbelievers, I have to except the fact that the Lord, whose ways are above mine, has created such a place, and I am nobody to discern what is fair and unfair compared to the all knowing, righteous God.

From: Paul Cohen and Victor Hafichuk
To: Court
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2016 6:54 AM
Subject: Re: Question

 Court, you write:

I am nobody to discern what is fair and unfair compared to the all knowing, righteous God.

So if you are nobody to discern what’s fair and unfair, then who are you to discern the meaning of God’s Word? Plainly you don’t understand the Scriptures and have no business interpreting the Scriptures or relying on carnal men to do so for you.

For example, men have mistranslated the Greek words you interpret to mean “time without end.” Read The True, Scriptural Meanings of “Forever,” “Everlasting,” and “Hell”. All the Scriptures you cite are plainly answered in our Christ-inspired, Biblically-based writings (The Restitution of All Things). Read them, more than once, with your Bible.

Ask the Lord to open your heart and ears to the truth. But if you want to believe lies, then you will believe lies, because you haven’t received a love of the truth from God, Who has given you over to strong delusion.

Also read The Rich Man and Lazarus – A Pagan Parable.

Paul and Victor

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