The section about collapsing Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and the Lake of Fire into one flattened image was truly compelling. It emphasizes how easily language shapes fear without us realizing it. And your words on restoration is the point of the story, not fear rehearsal, resonated deeply. As a Catholic, I hold that judgment is real and serious, but I agree that the arc of Scripture moves toward God dwelling with humanity, not toward terror as the center of the gospel. I may not land in exactly the same place on every theological conclusion, but I’m grateful for the way you challenged inherited imagery and pushed readers back into the biblical text itself.
The attempted systematization of understanding as it pertains to God and scriptural text is a big part of why many parts of western Christianity is broken. IMO
Thought provoking. May I test ... when death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire, are you saying that the dead in Christ might be redeemed by believing prior to that. It seems to me that once you are judged... its over. Hope I'm wrong, but the scriptures seem straightforward about that. If you are saying the dead in Christ cease to be rather are tormented eternally, that's is quite reasonable. Total Cessation of existence rather than eternal torment do seem consistent with the revelation. The lake burns eternally but consumes those thrown into it immediately.
Question, the souls of the bodies burned up in the lake... I wonder.....? Hmmmm
Great question. I’m not arguing for post-mortem redemption (“second chance after judgment”). Hebrews is pretty blunt that judgment is final (Heb 9:27), and Revelation’s Lake of Fire scene is a terminal scene.
What I am saying is simpler: “Death and Hades” being thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:14) means death itself ends. The fear economy collapses because the last enemy is removed (1 Cor 15:26). That’s the point of the image.
On the “dead in Christ” question: the New Testament hope isn’t “souls escaping forever,” it’s resurrection—life restored by God (1 Cor 15; 1 Thess 4). And on “torment vs destruction,” I’m arguing we should let the text’s categories speak: death vs life, perish vs endure, destroy vs save. “Eternal life” is promised; “eternal life in torment” is not framed as the default category.
As for “the souls of bodies burned”… Scripture doesn’t give us a mechanical diagram. It gives us a covenant promise: God judges evil, and God raises His people.
I’m trying to stay right there—where the text is loud, and not make it loud where it’s restrained. Hope that clarifies?
various scriptures are fairly clear that the fate of the unrepentant is destruction. even in John 3:16, the word “perish” is “apollumi” in Greek, which means destroy, not eternal torment.
regarding the second resurrection & final judgment, consider that Revelation 20 never says anything about repentance being prohibited at that time, yet mainstream Christianity concludes without any shadow of doubt that repentance is prohibited at that time.
those of us who conclude that any time a “soul” (aka: mortal human being) is conscious they have the free will choice to repent commonly call this understanding the “Fair Chance” doctrine. it's not a “second chance” (as God seems to give us many chances throughout our entire lives), but a “fair chance” because many were either deceived and/or never even heard anything about Jesus Christ.
regarding your Q about souls of the bodies being burned up in God's lake of fire, consider that the widely accepted concept of the “immortal soul” is entirely false and unbiblical.
for a deep dive into the subject of Life & Death, please consider digging to these three studies i've published:
the mainstream Christian “hell” doctrine scriptural challenge...
Sergio, you’ve pulled back the heavy curtain on a topic most would rather leave in the shadows, and you did it with a clarity that is both sobering and necessary.
What really stands out to me is your point about hell being the final, tragic "Yes" from God to a soul that has spent a lifetime saying "No." It reminds me of the warning in John 3:19 that people often love the darkness more than the light because it feels safer. This reveals that the "enemy" doesn't usually show up with a pitchfork: he shows up with a mirror and a subtle distraction.
Thank you for this unique perspective: it transforms a medieval caricature into a practical call to check our own spiritual trajectories today.
Hell isn't a place God sends his enemies: it's the destination for those who insist on being their own god.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read and for your insightful, kind comment. I’ll definitely read your article. I’m always thankful to engage with thoughtful believers and thinkers.🙏
‘Revival’ as a religion is a deep root. I’ve always wondered what exactly is in need of reviving if not the original Union… reunion would be the locus of motivation??
hey Sergio, i’ve missed some of your studies as i’ve very busy lately… and honestly, also going through some extremely difficult spiritual battles — to the extent that i’ve again wanted to entirely give up. i’m extremely disgusted with legalism and heartbroken to continue witnessing it (perhaps at times along with pride) destroy relationships… marriages as well as friends in Christ. i tied a knot years ago at the end of my rope, but now it seems i might have tied a slip knot. ;-)
anyway, as you can probably tell by my posted comments here, the subject of Life & Death is very dear to me. it was my very first large study. as i mentioned, this particular subject matter was the one which got me to continue digging within the scriptures in order to test various mainstream Christian doctrines.
for when i discovered that the original Hebrew/Greek words translated as “hell” are 4 entirely unique words, having 3 entirely unique meanings (which have been “collapsed” or “conflated”)... i wondered how many other mistranslations/misunderstandings of the scriptures might there be?!?
that led me on my Biblical quest for truth.
so when i saw this study of yours, i knew i had to take a moment to read it and comment. i don’t have much to add… except for my three studies! ;-)
but seriously, as i read through it i couldn’t help but think how different we all approach our studies. while your style is not mine, i find it interesting and refreshing. my style is far more boring, which makes it difficult for me to present at Sabbath services. but it’s just the way God has led me to approach these subjects, which may be considered academic… aka: boring.
while most of the time while reading your great message on this subject i commented with repeated agreement in my mind, “yup… sure… exactly… uh huh… etc”, i got to this statement which stood out & gave me pause…
“When truth arrives, some people do not repent.
They rage.”
NO DOUBT! just consider all the various truths that have arrived refuting everything from various PLANdemic protocols, “woke-ism”, J6, “peaceful protests”, DEI, “gaslighting Israeli genocide”, massive corruption within nearly every level and segment of the STATE, etc, etc, etc… whenever truth actually hits, the response? … RAGE!!!
i also recently saw a post on either X or Substack which said “rage is their brand”… well it sure seems like it!
sadly, many bureaucrats & political hacks within the F-MSM continue to incite not only mere rage, but also violence… and unfortunately, it’s working.
we all need to continue to pray discernment for all those who are being deceived by hypocrisy and gaslighting.
I’m so sorry you’ve been in that kind of fight. I hear the weariness behind the humor, and I’m praying you don’t let disgust with legalism turn into despair about God. Legalism and pride really do torch relationships… and it’s grief-worthy.
Thank you for the encouragement. Keep digging, keep your heart soft, and don’t quit. I’m praying strength and clarity over you this week. God bless you too. Shalom 🙏🏼
I appreciate your response brother! And I realize that the reigning in hell quote is not in the Bible. It was the only quote I could think of to illustrate an attitude! Blessings!
Brother, what about those who will not be restored, whose final choice is " I would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven! " what about Hitler and his ilk?!! Yes, I value your ministry and honor what you are doing in getting us back to the word, but it does seem to me that there are scriptures stating that there is eternal torment, though I don't recall any specifics offhand. There are verses in the synoptic gospels that seem to indicate that there are levels of punishment depending on your level of guilt. I freely admit I do not know either of the biblical languages. I also believe we have to guard against trying to interpret our way out of something that horrified us, as well it should!
Susan, I love the sincerity in your comment, and believe me I do hear you. And I’m not trying to “interpret my way out” of anything horrifying. Judgment should absolutely horrify us.
Two clarifications: “I’d rather reign in hell…” isn’t a biblical category. Scripture doesn’t present “hell” as a rival kingdom where rebels reign; the devil isn’t king there—he’s judged. And I’m not soft on Hitler and his ilk. God judges evil, and some refuse repentance to the end.
Where I’m pressing is how Scripture describes that judgment. The Synoptics do warn of severe accountability, even “more tolerable” language (degrees of guilt). I also take that seriously. I’m just resisting medieval fear-maps and asking us to keep the warnings in their Jewish, covenant frame. The Bible uses both “eternal” language and “death/perish/destroy” language—so we should hold all the texts together and not let traditions of men fill in what Scripture leaves restrained.
we must also be very careful about the English words we find translated as “forever” and “eternal”, for often they are Hebrew/Greek words which could mean that, but could rather mean “an age of time”.
if you want to really dig deeply into the subject of Life & Death, i offer my three part study. this particular subject matter was the one which got me to continue digging within the scriptures in order to test various mainstream Christian doctrines.
for when i discovered that the words translated as “hell” are 4 unique words, having 3 unique meanings (which have been “collapsed” or “conflated”)... i wondered how many other mistranslations/misunderstandings of the scriptures might there be?!? 8-)
the mainstream Christian “hell” doctrine scriptural challenge...
The section about collapsing Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and the Lake of Fire into one flattened image was truly compelling. It emphasizes how easily language shapes fear without us realizing it. And your words on restoration is the point of the story, not fear rehearsal, resonated deeply. As a Catholic, I hold that judgment is real and serious, but I agree that the arc of Scripture moves toward God dwelling with humanity, not toward terror as the center of the gospel. I may not land in exactly the same place on every theological conclusion, but I’m grateful for the way you challenged inherited imagery and pushed readers back into the biblical text itself.
🙏 I really appreciate that Victoria thank you!
The attempted systematization of understanding as it pertains to God and scriptural text is a big part of why many parts of western Christianity is broken. IMO
It’s us trying to put God in a box.
I usually read, but when they are longer, I listen. And this was a good listen! Thanks!
Thought provoking. May I test ... when death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire, are you saying that the dead in Christ might be redeemed by believing prior to that. It seems to me that once you are judged... its over. Hope I'm wrong, but the scriptures seem straightforward about that. If you are saying the dead in Christ cease to be rather are tormented eternally, that's is quite reasonable. Total Cessation of existence rather than eternal torment do seem consistent with the revelation. The lake burns eternally but consumes those thrown into it immediately.
Question, the souls of the bodies burned up in the lake... I wonder.....? Hmmmm
Great question. I’m not arguing for post-mortem redemption (“second chance after judgment”). Hebrews is pretty blunt that judgment is final (Heb 9:27), and Revelation’s Lake of Fire scene is a terminal scene.
What I am saying is simpler: “Death and Hades” being thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:14) means death itself ends. The fear economy collapses because the last enemy is removed (1 Cor 15:26). That’s the point of the image.
On the “dead in Christ” question: the New Testament hope isn’t “souls escaping forever,” it’s resurrection—life restored by God (1 Cor 15; 1 Thess 4). And on “torment vs destruction,” I’m arguing we should let the text’s categories speak: death vs life, perish vs endure, destroy vs save. “Eternal life” is promised; “eternal life in torment” is not framed as the default category.
As for “the souls of bodies burned”… Scripture doesn’t give us a mechanical diagram. It gives us a covenant promise: God judges evil, and God raises His people.
I’m trying to stay right there—where the text is loud, and not make it loud where it’s restrained. Hope that clarifies?
various scriptures are fairly clear that the fate of the unrepentant is destruction. even in John 3:16, the word “perish” is “apollumi” in Greek, which means destroy, not eternal torment.
regarding the second resurrection & final judgment, consider that Revelation 20 never says anything about repentance being prohibited at that time, yet mainstream Christianity concludes without any shadow of doubt that repentance is prohibited at that time.
those of us who conclude that any time a “soul” (aka: mortal human being) is conscious they have the free will choice to repent commonly call this understanding the “Fair Chance” doctrine. it's not a “second chance” (as God seems to give us many chances throughout our entire lives), but a “fair chance” because many were either deceived and/or never even heard anything about Jesus Christ.
regarding your Q about souls of the bodies being burned up in God's lake of fire, consider that the widely accepted concept of the “immortal soul” is entirely false and unbiblical.
for a deep dive into the subject of Life & Death, please consider digging to these three studies i've published:
the mainstream Christian “hell” doctrine scriptural challenge...
*Life & Death (part 1) - The Fundamentals*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DBtMn7Hcesu1x57N9KdESmbVIkdJyRGI/view?usp=sharing
*Life & Death (part 2) - Mortality of the Soul*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y4_uvLaWnNzWqzP98LA6G5ehO2WR59S8/view?usp=sharing
*Life & Death (part 3) - Lazarus and the Rich Man*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15nD5-kbrDvGFbUia6dJdVrXjWqDZDF-6/view?usp=sharing
Godbless... 🙏🏼😎❤️♾️
Sergio, you’ve pulled back the heavy curtain on a topic most would rather leave in the shadows, and you did it with a clarity that is both sobering and necessary.
What really stands out to me is your point about hell being the final, tragic "Yes" from God to a soul that has spent a lifetime saying "No." It reminds me of the warning in John 3:19 that people often love the darkness more than the light because it feels safer. This reveals that the "enemy" doesn't usually show up with a pitchfork: he shows up with a mirror and a subtle distraction.
Thank you for this unique perspective: it transforms a medieval caricature into a practical call to check our own spiritual trajectories today.
Hell isn't a place God sends his enemies: it's the destination for those who insist on being their own god.
Here is my take on the doctrine of hell:
https://anchoredwordbibleresources.substack.com/p/biblical-hell-eternal-conscious-separation?r=26hpr5
Thank you very much for taking the time to read and for your insightful, kind comment. I’ll definitely read your article. I’m always thankful to engage with thoughtful believers and thinkers.🙏
‘Revival’ as a religion is a deep root. I’ve always wondered what exactly is in need of reviving if not the original Union… reunion would be the locus of motivation??
Men are always reinventing the wheel.
the mainstream Christian “hell” doctrine scriptural challenge...
*Life & Death (part 1) - The Fundamentals*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DBtMn7Hcesu1x57N9KdESmbVIkdJyRGI/view?usp=sharing
*Life & Death (part 2) - Mortality of the Soul*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y4_uvLaWnNzWqzP98LA6G5ehO2WR59S8/view?usp=sharing
*Life & Death (part 3) - Lazarus and the Rich Man*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15nD5-kbrDvGFbUia6dJdVrXjWqDZDF-6/view?usp=sharing
hey Sergio, i’ve missed some of your studies as i’ve very busy lately… and honestly, also going through some extremely difficult spiritual battles — to the extent that i’ve again wanted to entirely give up. i’m extremely disgusted with legalism and heartbroken to continue witnessing it (perhaps at times along with pride) destroy relationships… marriages as well as friends in Christ. i tied a knot years ago at the end of my rope, but now it seems i might have tied a slip knot. ;-)
anyway, as you can probably tell by my posted comments here, the subject of Life & Death is very dear to me. it was my very first large study. as i mentioned, this particular subject matter was the one which got me to continue digging within the scriptures in order to test various mainstream Christian doctrines.
for when i discovered that the original Hebrew/Greek words translated as “hell” are 4 entirely unique words, having 3 entirely unique meanings (which have been “collapsed” or “conflated”)... i wondered how many other mistranslations/misunderstandings of the scriptures might there be?!?
that led me on my Biblical quest for truth.
so when i saw this study of yours, i knew i had to take a moment to read it and comment. i don’t have much to add… except for my three studies! ;-)
but seriously, as i read through it i couldn’t help but think how different we all approach our studies. while your style is not mine, i find it interesting and refreshing. my style is far more boring, which makes it difficult for me to present at Sabbath services. but it’s just the way God has led me to approach these subjects, which may be considered academic… aka: boring.
while most of the time while reading your great message on this subject i commented with repeated agreement in my mind, “yup… sure… exactly… uh huh… etc”, i got to this statement which stood out & gave me pause…
“When truth arrives, some people do not repent.
They rage.”
NO DOUBT! just consider all the various truths that have arrived refuting everything from various PLANdemic protocols, “woke-ism”, J6, “peaceful protests”, DEI, “gaslighting Israeli genocide”, massive corruption within nearly every level and segment of the STATE, etc, etc, etc… whenever truth actually hits, the response? … RAGE!!!
i also recently saw a post on either X or Substack which said “rage is their brand”… well it sure seems like it!
sadly, many bureaucrats & political hacks within the F-MSM continue to incite not only mere rage, but also violence… and unfortunately, it’s working.
we all need to continue to pray discernment for all those who are being deceived by hypocrisy and gaslighting.
just wanted to drop in & say, KEEP IT UP!!!
Godbless… 🙏🏼😎❤️♾️
I’m so sorry you’ve been in that kind of fight. I hear the weariness behind the humor, and I’m praying you don’t let disgust with legalism turn into despair about God. Legalism and pride really do torch relationships… and it’s grief-worthy.
Thank you for the encouragement. Keep digging, keep your heart soft, and don’t quit. I’m praying strength and clarity over you this week. God bless you too. Shalom 🙏🏼
I appreciate your response brother! And I realize that the reigning in hell quote is not in the Bible. It was the only quote I could think of to illustrate an attitude! Blessings!
Brother, what about those who will not be restored, whose final choice is " I would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven! " what about Hitler and his ilk?!! Yes, I value your ministry and honor what you are doing in getting us back to the word, but it does seem to me that there are scriptures stating that there is eternal torment, though I don't recall any specifics offhand. There are verses in the synoptic gospels that seem to indicate that there are levels of punishment depending on your level of guilt. I freely admit I do not know either of the biblical languages. I also believe we have to guard against trying to interpret our way out of something that horrified us, as well it should!
Susan, I love the sincerity in your comment, and believe me I do hear you. And I’m not trying to “interpret my way out” of anything horrifying. Judgment should absolutely horrify us.
Two clarifications: “I’d rather reign in hell…” isn’t a biblical category. Scripture doesn’t present “hell” as a rival kingdom where rebels reign; the devil isn’t king there—he’s judged. And I’m not soft on Hitler and his ilk. God judges evil, and some refuse repentance to the end.
Where I’m pressing is how Scripture describes that judgment. The Synoptics do warn of severe accountability, even “more tolerable” language (degrees of guilt). I also take that seriously. I’m just resisting medieval fear-maps and asking us to keep the warnings in their Jewish, covenant frame. The Bible uses both “eternal” language and “death/perish/destroy” language—so we should hold all the texts together and not let traditions of men fill in what Scripture leaves restrained.
we must also be very careful about the English words we find translated as “forever” and “eternal”, for often they are Hebrew/Greek words which could mean that, but could rather mean “an age of time”.
if you want to really dig deeply into the subject of Life & Death, i offer my three part study. this particular subject matter was the one which got me to continue digging within the scriptures in order to test various mainstream Christian doctrines.
for when i discovered that the words translated as “hell” are 4 unique words, having 3 unique meanings (which have been “collapsed” or “conflated”)... i wondered how many other mistranslations/misunderstandings of the scriptures might there be?!? 8-)
the mainstream Christian “hell” doctrine scriptural challenge...
*Life & Death (part 1) - The Fundamentals*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DBtMn7Hcesu1x57N9KdESmbVIkdJyRGI/view?usp=sharing
*Life & Death (part 2) - Mortality of the Soul*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y4_uvLaWnNzWqzP98LA6G5ehO2WR59S8/view?usp=sharing
*Life & Death (part 3) - Lazarus and the Rich Man*
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15nD5-kbrDvGFbUia6dJdVrXjWqDZDF-6/view?usp=sharing
enjoy & Godbless... 🙏🏼😎❤️♾️