Problems with the popular Christian teaching of Hell and Death .
a) Does man go to Hell or heaven as soon as he dies. Bible says the eternal life or condemnation will be given only after second coming.
John 5: 28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
1 Thes 4:16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Daniel 12: 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
b) Is God a God of Love or not.
Is our God really a God of love?
If yes, then why He torments sinners for millions and millions of years without any relief?
If a sinner lives for 25 years; will a God of love and justice torment the sinner for 25 million years?
c)What is the wages for sin? What does Bible say as the wages fo sin?
Is it Death or eternal torment?
Jesus was punished on our behalf so we will not face the eternal death. The punishment He received for sins is death not torment in hell fire
If man can be burned up forever and ever then he should be immortal and possess eterlnal life already.
but Bible promises eternal life only after the day of second coming.
d) Bible tells both Satan and wicked will be destroyed forver. We will deal with the verses which appear to teach that wicked will burn forever and ever.
Rev 20:9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
When talking about the Fate of Satan in Eze 28: 18Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (When righteous will have eternal life the wicked will perish, i.e., cease to exist)
e) After death, The dead know nothing, they will be in a state of unconsciousness.
Eccl. 9:5,6,10 “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither you go.
Psalms 6.5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Psalms 146.4 His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Job 14.10-15 But man dies, and wastes away: yes, man gives up the ghost, and where is he? So man lies down, and rises not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath be past, that you will appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee:
f) After death, Bible calls it as a period of sleep. It is not a period of bliss or torment.
Job 3.11 Why died I not at birth?… For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest.
1 Thess. 4.14-17 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which SLEEP in Jesus will God bring with him. vs. 4:13 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” Jesus will bring the sleeping saints home to heaven as well! He will raise them with a shout, with the trump of God,
Acts 13.36 “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, FELL ON SLEEP, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:”
Matthew 9.24 “He said unto them (the mourners), Make room: for the maid is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed him to scorn.” “For they knew she was dead.”(see also Luke 8:53)
Deut. 31:16 Moses was told he would sleep with his fathers
1 Kings 2:10 David slept with his fathers
Daniel 12:2 after a time of trouble, Michael will arise and the dead will awake from the dust of the earth
Matthew 9:24 Jesus described the dead girl as sleeping
Matthew 27:52-53 after the resurrection of Jesus, many dead saints arose from their sleep and appeared to many
John 11:11 Jesus described the death of Lazarus as a sleep
Acts 7:60 when Stephen was martyred he fell asleep
1 Cor. 15:18 Paul describes the dead as asleep until the resurrection of the dead