Nero Turtle

@golaj

I am currently reading The Fire that Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of the Final Punishment by Edward Fudge. It’s a pretty dense book to be honest. That’s not to say that I am not enjoying it. The copy that I have is the blue one. I am close to half way through it.

Evangelical Christians agree that a dreadful destiny awaits those who reject God’s presence now. According to the traditional majority view, that destiny will involve everlasting conscious torment in Hell. However, believers are increasingly questioning the traditional view, finding it unbiblical and inconsistent with God’s own character.
 
This internationally-acclaimed book investigates the whole teaching of Scripture on the topic of final punishment, and concludes that Hell will involve the irreversible destruction of body and soul, leaving room for whatever degree of conscious torment God justly decrees in any individual case.

Edward William Fudge was an American Christian theologian and lawyer, best known for his book The Fire That Consumes in which he argues for an annihilationist Biblical interpretation of Hell. He has been called “one of the foremost scholars on hell” by The Christian Post. He died in 2017.

I am also an annihilationist. I was so prior to getting into this book. Scripture (KJV) depicts death as a sleep. And the final punishment as destruction and not as some place as eternal torment.   

12 responses

  1. Thor Avatar
    Thor

    Hey man. I’m having some conflicting thoughts on this post. Not because I think you’re wrong but if anyone that’s not saved and goes to heaven then why is Jesus coming back?

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    1. Pat Avatar
      Pat

      The bible clearly dictates that death is a state of sleep. John 11:11-14, and that the dead in this state of sleep know nothing. Ecclesiastes 9:5. When we die we do not automatically go to the good place or the bad place. None of our relatives are looking down on us despite the many funerals we’ve been to that tell us so. The bible says that Sodom and Gamora were destroyed with eternal fire. And yet they are not still on fire. The bible also says that God is an everlasting fire. We must connect the dots and see that they are one and the same. When it comes to the final judgment of the dead who are not in Christ is states that they will be sent to eternal destruction. Not eternal torment. If I destroy something and never rebuild it, that something will have forever been destroyed. The gift in Christ is eternal life. And yet, if I am already eternal and spend time in hell, how is an eternal existence a gift?

      PS: how is that series coming along?

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      1. Tho Avatar
        Tho

        I personally am questioning everything about my faith. You don’t know what to believe and who to believe. Even the Bible is someone’s opinion of what happened or what Jesus said. It just makes me think what is true. Every video, article, movie, documentary is all based off of someone’s opinion of what happened and what is true. And if there is no hell then what is the point of just being a good person. If there is no finial punishment and the fear of going to hell then what is the point. Even if you’re not saved then there is no point in being saved because you’re not going to go to hell because there is no hell. I’m going off on a rant. I just don’t think I believe it any of this anymore.

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      2. Pat Avatar
        Pat

        The reason I know it to be true regardless of all of the little nuances would be the 70 weeks of Daniel. History proves that to be true. I recommend you do some homework on that one. I suggest you dig deep into the “opinions of men” on this topic.

        Here is a good place to start.

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    2. Pat Avatar
      Pat

      here is a good video on the topic

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  2. Thor Avatar
    Thor

    If there is no hell then what is the point of being saved? For all of the people that is not yet saved what’s the point in getting saved because if you’re not afraid of the punishment at the end then you don’t have to worry about going to hell because there is no hell. I think that’s my biggest problem with this post. Is just doesn’t make sense. I feel like other than having a relationship with Christ and living your life like Christ the best you can that’s why we strive to live our life this way so we get into heaven and not go to hell. But if you’re saying there is no hell then what’s the point in living like Christ and having a relationship with him? There wouldn’t be a hell to be afraid of going to. There would be no point.

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  3. Samantha Avatar
    Samantha

    Well this was a handful to read. I can see where you’re coming from but whoever Thor is I think he is on to something. There is definitely a hell. It mentions it many times in the Bible and I think your intentions are good but I think you should be careful to what you say. I feel like the message your giving out to non believers is there is no hell and no final punishment so then it comes down to there would be no point in following Jesus at all.

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    1. Pat Avatar
      Pat

      to your closing statement. If there is only one reason for knowing jesus, ie, not going to hell, then you are seeking a relationship with him for the wrong reason. not going to hell is a selfish reason for knowing him.

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  4. Samantha Avatar
    Samantha

    And I completely agree with that should not be the only reason having a relationship with him. I’m not saying that’s the only reason I have a relationship with hun but for many people they come to Christ for many reasons and one of them is definitely so they don’t have to go to hell. Everyone wants to go to heaven and have a relationship with Christ that’s why they become a Christian but to opening say there is no hell just blows my mind.

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    1. Pat Avatar
      Pat

      the world hell is sheol which means grave. or abode of the deal, regardless of salvific belief.

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  5. Samantha Avatar
    Samantha

    But that’s just where our bodies go. Our spirit goes to heaven or hell not our body.

    Even if there is no hell then what is your thought on people not being saved? Like going into what Thor was saying above.

    You should have a podcast about all this stuff. I think people would think it’s interesting.

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    1. Pat Avatar
      Pat

      And 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.-Genesis 2:7

      You dont have a soul. you are one.

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