14 Fallacies About Hell

1. That the grave is hell.
   This is abundantly disproved above.

   That fire in hell is figurative,

   The word fire is found in Scripture 542 times and is used figuratively only a few times. It is always clear when it is used figuratively, as of anger (Psalm 89:46); jealousy (Psalm 79:5); zeal;) Psalm 104:4; John 2:17; shame (Romans 12:20); trials 1 Peter 1:7); judgment (Zechariah 13:9) Word of God (Jeremiah 23:29) (James 3:5-6); and God Hebrews 12:29). Fire is used in plain literal descriptive language in the following statements of hell:

   1. Set on fire the foundations of mountains in the lowest sheol (Deuteronomy 32:22).
   2. Neither shall their fire be quenched (Isaiah 66:22-24; Mark 9:43-49)
   3. Unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:10, 12).
   4. Hell fire (Matthew 5:22; 18:9 Mark 9:43-49).
   5. Cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19)
   6. Furnace of fire (Matthew 13:40-50).
   7. Cast into everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8; 25:41, 46).
   8. Fire that never shall be quenched (Mark 9:43-49; Luke 3:17).
   9. The vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 6-7).
   10. Tormented with fire and brimstone (Revelation 14:9-11).
   11. Lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 21:8).
   12. Lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 20:14-15).

   That punishment of hell is not eternal

   If language means anything the torments of hell are proved to be eternal in the following:

   1. Danger of eternal damnation (Mark 3:29).
   2. Eternal Judgment (Hebrews 6:2).
   3. Vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7).
   4. Shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29).
   5. Everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8; 25:41)
   6. Everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46).
   7. Everlasting destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
   8. Everlasting chains (Jude 6-7).
   9. The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever (Revelation 14:9-11).
   10. Tormented day and night for ever and ever (Revelation 20:10).

       The same words translated eternal. everlasting, and for ever and ever used to state the eternity of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, life, etc. are also used of hell and punishment. Therefore, if these persons and things are eternal, then hell and punishment are eternal. Some teach that for ever means age-long. This may be true when used in a limited and qualified sense of temporary things, as in Exodus 21:6, but when used literally of God's plan it always means eternal. The Hebrew word olam and the Greek word aionios mean time out of mind, past or future; eternity always; for ever; everlasting; perpetual; without end. [Dake lists 65 other things that are eternal, on page 622.]

   That the wicked are to be burned up

   False cults interpret Malachi 4:1 to say this. However, it does not refer to hell at all, but to the battle of Armageddon when fire will fall from heaven devouring the bodies of the wicked and killing them (Ezekiel 38:17-2 21; Zechariah 14:1-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:11-21). Just a casual reading of Malachi 3-4 will show that it refers to the second advent of Christ and not hell. (Malachi 3:2-5, 17-18; 4:1-6). Not one word is said about hell in Malachi.

   That the wicked shall be annihilated.

   Scripture gives no doctrine teaching the annihilation of any part of creation. All passages teach the soul is immortal and the body will be immortal in the resurrection, so no body can be annihilated in hell or any other place.