Response to Greg Pinkner’s Sermon “Their Worm Does Not Die.”
I previously attended a church that taught that hell was not ever burning, but the final punishment for unrepentant sinners. This continues to be a subject I don’t fully understand. The sermon Sunday was excellent (thank you so much), but I still have questions.
Could you please comment on the following scriptures that seem to indicate that hell is not eternal torment?
Malachi 4:1 …”shall be stubble … burn them UP … leave neither root nor branch.”
Malachi 4:3 wicked will be ashes under your feet
Ezekiel 18:4 “the soul that sinneth, it shall DIE.”
Romans 6:23 “the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal LIFE ….”
Revelation 21:8 “the second death”
Satan and his demons are spirit beings that cannot die — so when they are thrown into the lake of fire, they will be prisoners there eternally. Human beings, on the other hand, are not spirit beings and can be burned up. God will not reward them at the resurrection with eternal life, as He will the faithful. The wicked will be resurrected to damnation, and thrown into the lake of fire to be burned up and become ashes under the feet of the saints. The second death.
Another comment … worm that dieth not … I had always studied that this referred to maggots that were present in the Gehenna dump site for the bodies of criminals that were thrown in there to be burned up. The worms never died because they became flies and flew away.
I just wanted to let you all know how much I enjoyed the message preached Sunday.(June 28) It may seem strange to say or hear I enjoyed a sermon about Hell, but it was inspiring. It was the kind of message that I needed to make me bolder to tell others about the “Blessed Alternative”, Jesus.
I am a Southern Baptist from MS & was visiting your church with my husband & step-daughter, Mackenzie Everett. (Mackenzie lives in Knoxville.) Thanks again, & I look forward to visiting again in the future.
Sincerely,
Kathy Curley
One correction in your sermon about Hell (I just taught a class on the literary influences on our thinking about heaven and hell). Although demons administered the punishments and seemed to have some authority in Hell, Dante’s Satan (called Dis) was punished at the deepest level of hell (he was trapped in ice). Milton’s Satan proclaims “It is better to reign in Hell than server in Heaven.” It is more from Milton that we get the idea that the Devil owns Hell. Actually, Milton was being ironic and was illustrating the force of Satan’s pride to take God’s punishment (being cast into the lake of fire) and turn it into a domain where he could rule.
wow, what an awesome sermon. i have never heard this topic preached so honestly and accuratly. praise God for His word being brought forth without apology. many are fearful to preach on this topic as it can be offensive, but it is “by the fear of the Lord that men depart from sin”. realizing God’s holy hatred of sin only makes me appreciate the love demonstrated upon the cross. this is the type of preaching that makes men depart from sin…. not your best life now.
4 Comments
Response to Greg Pinkner’s Sermon “Their Worm Does Not Die.”
I previously attended a church that taught that hell was not ever burning, but the final punishment for unrepentant sinners. This continues to be a subject I don’t fully understand. The sermon Sunday was excellent (thank you so much), but I still have questions.
Could you please comment on the following scriptures that seem to indicate that hell is not eternal torment?
Malachi 4:1 …”shall be stubble … burn them UP … leave neither root nor branch.”
Malachi 4:3 wicked will be ashes under your feet
Ezekiel 18:4 “the soul that sinneth, it shall DIE.”
Romans 6:23 “the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal LIFE ….”
Revelation 21:8 “the second death”
Satan and his demons are spirit beings that cannot die — so when they are thrown into the lake of fire, they will be prisoners there eternally. Human beings, on the other hand, are not spirit beings and can be burned up. God will not reward them at the resurrection with eternal life, as He will the faithful. The wicked will be resurrected to damnation, and thrown into the lake of fire to be burned up and become ashes under the feet of the saints. The second death.
Another comment … worm that dieth not … I had always studied that this referred to maggots that were present in the Gehenna dump site for the bodies of criminals that were thrown in there to be burned up. The worms never died because they became flies and flew away.
I just wanted to let you all know how much I enjoyed the message preached Sunday.(June 28) It may seem strange to say or hear I enjoyed a sermon about Hell, but it was inspiring. It was the kind of message that I needed to make me bolder to tell others about the “Blessed Alternative”, Jesus.
I am a Southern Baptist from MS & was visiting your church with my husband & step-daughter, Mackenzie Everett. (Mackenzie lives in Knoxville.) Thanks again, & I look forward to visiting again in the future.
Sincerely,
Kathy Curley
Greg,
One correction in your sermon about Hell (I just taught a class on the literary influences on our thinking about heaven and hell). Although demons administered the punishments and seemed to have some authority in Hell, Dante’s Satan (called Dis) was punished at the deepest level of hell (he was trapped in ice). Milton’s Satan proclaims “It is better to reign in Hell than server in Heaven.” It is more from Milton that we get the idea that the Devil owns Hell. Actually, Milton was being ironic and was illustrating the force of Satan’s pride to take God’s punishment (being cast into the lake of fire) and turn it into a domain where he could rule.
Jeff
wow, what an awesome sermon. i have never heard this topic preached so honestly and accuratly. praise God for His word being brought forth without apology. many are fearful to preach on this topic as it can be offensive, but it is “by the fear of the Lord that men depart from sin”. realizing God’s holy hatred of sin only makes me appreciate the love demonstrated upon the cross. this is the type of preaching that makes men depart from sin…. not your best life now.