Hell: Torture or Sorrow?

[Vytautas]

Is hell a place of eternal conscience extreme pain in flaming fire? Or is hell rather a place of sorrow and shame for the people that are there and is without pain? Are the flames and fire just literary devises and symbolic of something else such as flames being the opposite of water in which the Holy Ghost is a symbol of? Is torment in hell relational to the glory that is in heaven so that the torment means mental and physical anguish result from the sorrow and shame of the judgment?

 

[turmeric]

Not something I want to find out by experience...

I believe hell will be a state of eternal judgememt - I don't think it's the absence of God, just the absence of His grace- as in, our God is a consuming fire.

 

[ServantofGod]

Not something that I like to think about at all...

 

[Scot]

Neither torture or sorrow. Justice.

I don't think they will be sorrowful. Wouldn't that mean that they would be repentant? I think that their hatred for God will increase as they "gnash their teeth" and experience the just punishment due for their sins. God's wrath will be poured out on them.

When Christ endured hell for the elect, he suffered the wrath of God, not merely sorrow but punishment.

 

[jfschultz]

Originally posted by Vytautas
Is hell a place of eternal conscience extreme pain in flaming fire? Or is hell rather a place of sorrow and shame for the people that are there and is without pain? Are the flames and fire just literary devises and symbolic of something else such as flames being the opposite of water in which the Holy Ghost is a symbol of? Is torment in hell relational to the glory that is in heaven so that the torment means mental and physical anguish result from the sorrow and shame of the judgment?

Sometimes figures are used to represent something that cannot be communicated to mere mortal men. What hell is really like may well be one such example and it is not a literal place of fire and brimstone. Consider that of all torments common to men, the burning of fire is the worst. Those who experience the reality of hell would probably find it much worse than mere fire.

[Edited on 4-15-2006 by jfschultz]

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Some folks say they look forward to hell, 'cuz all their friends'll be there.

Jonathan Edwards had a more exact insight: hell is a place of perfect malice and alienation.

I cannot even begin to imagine the horrors of eternal death (nor do I wish to). It is enough for me to heed the Bible's warning to "flee from the wrath to come." No matter the mental analogues we dream up, or find outlined in revelation, I am confident that if "no eye hath seen nor ear heard" what joys lie in store for the elect, the same sort of thing may be said in contradistinction regarding the final sending away of the reprobate.

Their bodies will be "raised to dishonor" eternally, according to 1 Cor. 15. Just magnify all the negative feelings--of both body and spirit--that you have ever experienced, and you will have only some vague notion of the pain, shame, and rage of those creatures permanently and perfectly at enmity with their Creator.

 

[puritanpilgrim]

When Christ endured hell for the elect

Did I miss something?

 

[Arch2k]

I highly recommend Ted Donnelly's four part audio series on hell. They are most excellent!

I have also recently acquired (thanks to my pastor) a copy of his book Heaven and Hell.

 

[Scott Bushey]

Originally posted by puritanpilgrim

When Christ endured hell for the elect

Did I miss something?

Aaron,
This may help:

http://www.reformed.org/documents/Christ_in_hell/index.html