“The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” for “the wages of sin is death.”

Eze.18:4; Rom.6:23

         Before we begin it needs to be said at the outset that the greatest stumbling block in the Christian world is the church twisting the definition of words beyond their plain meaning that is confirmed by every dictionary (including the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries). 

This study will expose the fallacy of the church doctrines on death and hellfire.  It will be shown that the words, “perish,” “death,” “die,” “destroy,” “devour,” “consume,” and “perdition” are in no way, shape or form associated with continued life, but rather its total cessation, termination, eradication, and extinction.  For the church to reject the plain “Thus saith the LORD” in any doctrine slanders not only the dignity of salvation through Jesus Christ but also the character of His undeniable love toward life.  His assurance to “the saints” is perfectly clear on the meaning of death: that after “the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be nor more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” II Pet.3:7; Rev.22:4.

1.   Just what does the Bible teach concerning the fate of

Satan and his demon angels?

Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; ____  _______  _________  _____  _______, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

            Bruising the head of Satan is the Bible’s first prophecy of his death.  And “bruise his heel” refers to Christ’s death, but as Peter said, “it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24). 

Isaiah 14:9-15  Hell [the grave] from beneath is moved for thee [Satan] to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? [v.11] ____  _______  ___  __________  _______  ___  ____  _______, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. [v.12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! ____  ____  _____  ____  ______  ___  ____  ________, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. [v.15] Yet _____  ______  ___  _________  _______  ___  _____  [the grave], to the sides of the pit.

Ezekiel 28:16,18,19   By the multitude of thy merchandise [instruments of rebellion] they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and ___  _____  _________  _______, ___  _____________  __________, from the midst of the stones of fire… [v.18] Thou [Satan] hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and ____  ______  _________  _______  _____  _________  _______  _____  __________ in the sight of all them that behold thee. [v.19] All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and __________  ________  _______  _____  ______  ________.

Jude 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he [GOD] hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto ____  _____________  ___  ____  ________  ____.  

Revelation 20:7-10  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  [v.9] And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and _______  _______  ________  _______  ______  ______  ____  ____________, ______  ______________  ________.  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

            Note: The words “for ever,” “eternal,” and “everlasting” are used many times to describe what has and will come to an end through the fulfillment of prophecy.  The most common example is where animal sacrifice and feast days are no longer binding as the Apostles wrote to the Gentile Christians (Acts 15).  In Satan’s case the clear example of “for ever” is seen when we examine the prophecies of his destruction.  The above verse (Rev.20:10) is summarized thus: “the devil…shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”  Keep in mind: “the beast and the false prophet” are not included in this punishment assigned specifically to the creator of sin, Satan.  In other words: after all have perished in the “lake of fire,” Satan will suffer on.  “Day and night” he must suffer the retribution from his incessant violence against life: its joy and purpose.  His unceasing torrents of transgression against the Ten Commandments must be met with an equivalent punishment: no more, no less (Gal.6:7).  GOD’S Word will be fulfilled: to “destroy…devour…bring…to ashes upon the earth” the author of sin. 

After “the lake of fire” consumes every trace of sin on the Earth the fire goes out!  And then the Saviour’s words will be heard by the saints, “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev.21:5).  Jesus’ re-creation of “the new heavens and the new earth” (Isa.66:22,23) will precisely repeat the Genesis account of Creation.  For six days, as Jesus speaks the Word, and life is created anew from the Glory of His Voice, “the saints” will stand in awe and marvel as they witness the power of His Word.  Then, after life is recreated in its pristine glory, the saints will enter the first Sabbath of the New Earth: the tranquil rest GOD established “In the beginning.  Then will be fulfilled the blessed prophecy: “affliction shall not rise up the second time.” Na.1:9.

The Bible student will also notice the prophetic event for the above passages assigned to Satan.  All apply to the time of the Great Judgment, when Satan, demons and every unrepentant man and woman stand before Jesus Christ to give an account of their deeds in life (Rev.20:12,13): to reveal their sinful conduct in contrast with the holiness of Christ’s love and virtue.  This contrast will include the corrupt majority-ruled Christian church vs. the faithful and Bible obedient “remnant” church.  For over 1700 years the Roman church has usurped and continues to usurp the Bible’s authority: everything from imposing disobedience to the Ten Commandment Law to indoctrinating children to the false view of eternal suffering in the fires of hell.  The priests of Rome have led countless souls to stand ignorant to the basic boundaries of Christ’s salvation, and as a result multitudes have left the church as agnostics, or delved in witchcraft or spirutualism, etc.  GOD warned the priests of their danger with absolute clarity: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.” Hos.4:6.  Jesus and His Apostles warned of the coming apostate church cloaked in the garb of Christianity (Matt.24:24; Mk.13:23; II Thess.2:3-12; I Tim.4:1,2). 

2.  What is the fate of the multitudes of people deceived by Satan and his agents to stand condemned in their sins?

Malachi 4:1-3  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root [Satan, the leader] nor branch [his deceived followers]. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. [v.3] And ye shall tread down the wicked; for ______  _______  ____  __________ under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

2. Peter 3:7  But the heavens and ______  ____________, which are now, by the same Word are kept in store, _______________  _______  ________ against the day and judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Psalm 37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; _______  __________  ________  _______  ______________  ________.

Obadiah 1:16  For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and _______  _______  _____  _____  ___________  _______  ______  __________  _________.  

         Despite Scripture’s clarity both Christianity and Islam teach that men will suffer the torment of their searing flesh in the fires of hell for all eternity as a witness to all who dare to reject the “mercy” of GOD.  But it is the punishment of being reduced “to ashes upon the earth” in “the lake of fire” that is “for ever and ever,” not the punishing.

Jude 7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of ___________  ______.

         Please note: Sodom and Gomorrah are not burning today.  The fire went out after reducing those cities to ashes.  So, “eternal fire” has an end!  The ancient pagan doctrine of hellfire was first recorded by Plato in the 4^th century B.C.  It was adopted into Christianity by Alexandrian theologians in the 3^rd century A.D.  And when the Church of Rome united the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the idolatrous philosophy of pagan Rome this union opened the door for the Roman church to receive acceptance with the heathen rulers, beginning with the lifelong sun worshiper, Emperor Constantine.  By using these sinful means the bishop (or pope) of Rome then claimed the throne of the Christian church.  Through the decree of Emperor Justinian in the 6^th century the pope was free to use military force to impose his tyrannical religion on the nations of Asia Minor and Europe. 

The sin of tyranny has no part in Christ’s church (Lu.22:25,26).  The Bible warns that all who employ violence to lead men to worship GOD disgrace Jesus Christ, “seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb.6:4-6).  If genuine appreciation for what Jesus has done cannot draw our affection for and obedience to Him, using blackmail and coercion will avail nothing.  To make alliances between the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the “doctrines of devils” that Paul warned would enter the church (I Tim.4:1) assaults the very heart of the Gospel, literally removing the transcendent perfection of the words, “GOD is love.”  And how we define that “love” determines the general character of our relationship with GOD and with each other.  We will live out our view of the character of GOD, and that view will influence how we relate to Him and to our fellow man.

         Jesus warned to never build on the foundation of sand (Matt.7:24-27).  And yet, from the dawn of “her” ascendancy the Church of Rome has built on the foundation of sand by adopting the pagan doctrines of purgatory and other ancient sins and ceremonies from pagan idolatry.  Most Protestant churches also refuse to repent of this cruel fairytale of GOD’S eternal torture chamber.  The various churches employ it to incite fear to get men baptized. This is in total defiance of GOD’S method to convert souls to His Gospel, as “the LORD” said: “with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jer.31:3.  Slanderous views of GOD taken from traditions of pagan idolatry have been perpetuated all through time and are still promoted today as truth and acceptable service to GOD.  In fact, the most pathetic oxymoron ever conceived is associated with “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (I Cor.2:2) and is being evangelized throughout the world as the Gospel of Christ’s love.  Satan has attributed his own ruthless character to that of GOD’S benevolent character; and as a result untold billions of people throughout history have seared their conscience against the love born of heaven (I Cor.13:3; I Tim.4:2).

When the Roman church began using military and doctrinal tyranny to draw converts, the power of GOD'S drawing love disappeared from the knowledge of men.  The Holy Spirit, Who always tugs the heartstrings through love, could have no part of their message.  As a result, Christ’s prophetic warning to the unconverted among professing Christians was, and still is, being ignored: “I never knew you.” Matt.7:23.  Historically, and to this day, this doctrine has corrupted the “natural affection” of hundreds of millions of people as Paul warned in his prophecy (II Tim.3:1-7).  And through this perpetual slander of GOD’S character, the Roman church’s history is littered with the cruelest demonstrations of blasphemy against Jesus Christ ever perpetrated.  During the Dark Ages, tens of thousands of people were tortured by authority of the pope in the most obscene cruelty, accompanied with the priest’s sadistic proclamation, ‘What I do to you now is nothing compared to what God will do to you in hell if you do not recant your heresy and submit to the Mother Church!’  An estimated fifty million people were murdered by papal armies and civil authorities who meted out punishments for heresy.  And untold thousands were burned at the stake, inhumanely imprisoned, and starved to death. 

Eternal hellfire is the most threatening, sadistic religious doctrine ever conceived and believed!  Void of even the most basic compassion and definitely void of Christ’s Love this false belief explains more than any other the Bible’s many prophecies of religious tyranny masquerading as servants of Jesus Christ.  It also explains the prophecies of the final display of religious tyranny that is festering today.  We are standing on the brink of Rome’s “revival” of world domination (Rev.13:11-17).  (This will be studied in Lesson XII.)

Who were the true followers of Jesus through the Dark Ages?  Those who did the burning or those who were burned?  Who were the Righteous in GOD’S eyes, the persecutors or those persecuted?  The long bitter history of the church’s slander of the character of Jesus paved the way for the rise of atheism to rule in every secular institution today.  It also explains, more than any other, why hatred of GOD is so pronounced in our secular society, universities, and science institutions.  This hatred stems from the first momentous act of atheistic defiance against Rome’s abuse of Christ’s salvation: the French Revolution in 1794: the dawn of modern atheism.  This violent revolution with its daily entertainment of public execution by guillotine came simply because the Jesuit priests forbid the Protestant Reformation in France: its influence, its freedom, its conforming to the Gospel’s guidelines as defined by Jesus Christ.

Today, this doctrine of eternal hellfire is nearly universal among the various denominations.  And the “scholars” have had to come up with all manner of speculation as to the whereabouts of this eternally burning hell.  Some have said it is a special world within view of the saints and the LORD Jesus Christ.  While others have said it is on the outskirts of the known universe.  And many others teach that it lies within the bowels of the earth; and even after the earth is recreated, they teach that the saints will be well aware that beneath their feet are billions of men, women and children: mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and friends writhing in agony, screaming for mercy and deliverance: all because they refused “the love of Christ” (Eph.3:19). Preachers have even induced cheers and applause from their congregations over this sadistic belief with the declaration, “We’re not going to be there!”   Once the plain teachings of the Gospel were polluted with pagan philosophy and traditions the vain imaginations of men became their god.  According to the Bible, most of the leaders in the various Christian denominations only worship their own religion not “pure religion and undefiled before God” (Ja.1:27).

The church’s claim of moral supremacy over the affairs of men is made null and void when those outside of the church can claim a greater compassion than that of Jesus Christ.  GOD warned the priests of their evil of which the doctrine of eternal hellfire has been a leading contributor: “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” Eze.34:4.  At the very heart of today’s “Christian” message lies this cruel declaration: “Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ or He will torture you in the fires of hell forever!”  “Little children who stole a cookie before they died will writhe in the flames of hell through all eternity!” To this they say, “Amen!”  And this is the first doctrine that children learn in church.  Many Christians and Muslims even rejoice in this doctrine for it allows them to be ungodly and indifferent to GOD’S love while outwardly showing themselves as pious—even to showing themselves as more compassionate than GOD Himself.  Jesus addressed this same hypocrisy with the religious leaders of His day: “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”  This is why Jesus declared to His disciples, “Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt.23:28; 5:20.  

Even when most Christian and Muslim leaders are shown the plain words describing the fate of death for Satan and his followers they stand belligerent and arrogant, refusing the Bible truth on this. There are three basic reasons for this:

1. They cherish the sinful lust for all “infidels” to suffer forever.

2. It calls for humility and repentance: to acknowledge that they have slandered a Holy GOD by believing and teaching a lie. 

3. “They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.” II Thess.2:10.

This doctrine of eternal hellfire must also be included in the most famous Bible verse, John 3:16.  And its union must be read thus: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not [suffer the flesh searing fires of hell throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity] but have everlasting life.”  Those who believe in eternal hellfire must always replace the word “perish” with those words or their similar meanings. 

What is the opposite of “everlasting life?”  Everlasting death.  The church belligerently changed the plain meaning of death in Scripture that every dictionary validates.  This denies all sound reason, ethical logic, man’s aspirations for justice, mercy and love; and most importantly the moral standard established by Jesus Christ.  It insults the love demonstrated by Jesus as He suffered the punishment for the sins of every man, woman and child, and carried that punishment to the grave.  He willingly took to Himself “the wrath of GOD” against sin that the most wicked of men will have to face—to spare them that death: a fate called “the second death:” a death from which there is to be no resurrection: a death that is defined as the cessation of life and memory: a death that is eternal: never again to live, to love, to laugh—to hope.

3. What passage of Scripture is always used to convince

     people to accept the doctrine of eternal hellfire?

Luke 16:19-31  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; [v.23] ______  ____  ______  ____  __________  ____  _____  _______, _________  ____  _____________, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  [v.24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; _____  ____  _____  _________________  ____  _______  ___________.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.  

         This parable of Jesus Christ describes the rich man, “in hell,” “being in torments,” crying to “Abraham” to send the beggar, “Lazarus” who “was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom” to warn his “five brethren,” “lest they also come into this place of torment.”  And Abraham’s response (which is the whole point of the parable), “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.”      

        This was a well-known story in Christ’s day.  It was called “The Fable of Tantalum.” (See The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, by Alfred Eddersheim, single volume edition, pg. 669).  In the original story, as was taught by the rabbis, the rich man was the one in heaven, and the poverty and ill ridden Lazarus was the one in fiery torments.  In Christ’s day, the religious leaders taught that the rich were the ones blessed of GOD and therefore had a guaranteed entrance into heaven; while the poor and sickly were in their condition due to GOD’S curse resting on them and were therefore condemned to eternal damnation.  This theology made the rabbis very rich, for their flattery of wealthy men filled their coffers (Ps.12:2,3). 

         But Jesus reversed the roles in this story by placing Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom and the rich man in torments, thereby exposing the popular doctrine as false.  This is affirmed in Luke 18:24-26, when He said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?”—In other words, if the rich were most likely lost what of those without the blessings of good health and financial prosperity? 

The church today has trampled Christ’s one intended lesson in His parable (ver.26) and replaced it with a doctrine that assaults not only the love born of heaven but promotes the “doctrines of devils” that the apostle Paul warned would enter the church (I Tim.4:1).  With the exception of its moral (ver.26), every aspect of the modern Christian view of this parable contradicts Christ’s plain and simple words (Matt.10:28). 

4. What other verses of Scripture are used to support the

     Church’s claim that eternal torment in hellfire exists?

Matthew 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be _____  _____  _____.”

            This is another verse used to bolster the belief in eternal hellfire.  The Greek word for “hell” in this verse and others is the word gehenna, which was the trash heap outside of Jerusalem.  A perpetual fire was kept to maintain a limit on the buildup of garbage.  The fire burned the refuse to ashes, thereby preventing the garbage from overrunning its appointed boundaries.  And the lesson of gehenna as with other illustrations Christ used to describe the fate of “the wicked” is very simple and ethical: GOD’S use of fire in Scripture is always for purifying and cleansing, never for the use of torture or physical pain as the church ascribes. 

There are examples where fire was used to destroy people:

1. When GOD ended the lives of eternally unrepentant men and             women (Gen.19:24-29; Lev.10:1,2; Nu.11:1; II Ki.1:9-12; Ju.7).

2. When Satan caused fire to fall from the sky and burn alive             innocent men and animals (Job 1:16). 

It is important to know GOD’S use of fire vs. Satan’s because Revelation 13:13 warns us that Satan will cause fire to fall again, but this time on a more grand scale.  Thus, Satan will provoke the sin-evangelizing church to take desperate measures to ‘appease an angry god’ (as every pagan religion in history has ever done).  Therefore, the remedy our church leaders will impose to preserve mankind will be to legislate the great sin of Rome into federal law: the law of the sun-god, not the Law of the Son of GOD (Jn.8:58).  This in turn will drive GOD’S protection even further away, as “the LORD” warned long ago, “Woe also to them when I depart from them.” Hos.9:12.  And when GOD leaves, Satan is given a free hand; and his will is never for the benefit of man.

Again, to settle this issue of “hell,” the clarity of the truth, wisdom, and love of Jesus Christ should be acknowledged: “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.” “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” “But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt.13:40; 10:28; 19:17.

            To sum up: blind-to-tradition theologians have taken the words of Scripture and given them a mystical meaning beyond any dictionary’s definition, and followed Satan’s deceiving miracles to disqualify the many verses of Scripture that teach the truth on this matter (Isa.5:20).  This has always been and will always be the method of “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev.17:5).  Prophecy forewarned that the pope of Rome would be exalted to rule the world, and tyranny would be his weapon to accomplish his selfish aims to lead the whole world to stand condemned with him in his sins, just as Satan deceives the world to stand condemned with him in his sins (Dan.7:1-8,25; Matt.24:4,5; Rev.13).  But Christ will come, and every false religion will be “broken to pieces together…like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them.” Dan.2:35.

            Ministers stand naked in their ignorance of how Jesus bore the same punishment the most wicked man will face.  They stand naked in their ignorance of how Jesus conquered the dominion of death.  They stand naked in their ignorance of the Law that justifies the righteous to eternal life but condemns the unrepentant.  They stand naked in their ignorance of GOD’S ordained method to destroy Satan, and unrepentant men.  And they stand naked in their hatred of those who expose their corrupt hearts, calling them to repent and be saved for Christ’s sake.  As the priests of Christ’s day stirred up the people against Him and His Apostles, so today’s priests will do likewise and use every means to block the Light from the Cross of Calvary to those “which do hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matt.5:6). 

            The truth of GOD'S Love will soon lighten the Earth.  Soon, GOD’S desire will shine forth to every man, to lavish His forgiveness and receive the sinner’s repentance.  It is only by men’s determination to attribute their own cruelty to that of GOD that will lead to their destruction, as “the LORD” said, “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee.” Ps.50:21.