The Lake of Fire

The Lake of Fire

Today the Last Great Day of the Feast comes to a close. We have once again walked through the step by step plan of salvation and restoration for humanity and for the world. It's a good plan... it's the best possible way to bring the maximum number of people into life everlasting in the family of God.

But... salvation is not universal... some will receive eternal life at Christ's return... some will receive it after the Great White Throne Judgment... but we are not told that everyone gets it sooner or later.

Some will fail because they stubbornly insist on going their own way. Even after seeing the glorious results of 1,000 years of the rule of Christ on earth some will choose a different way.

Why Would Anyone Reject God and Eternal Life?

Proverbs 14:12 ... people don't choose what they choose because they think its wrong... they honestly and truly think their way is right. The way that "seems right" is all around us even today:

• Better that I am free to choose my own path... not the path others walk
• Better that I am free to make my own rules... not the rules others follow
• Better that I decide who and what I am based on what I want... not what others want of me... or God Himself

Some will remain convinced that they must live a different way.

I think such people sincerely believe their way is more true, more authentic... but viewed from another perspective they are also extremely selfish, creating plenty of collateral damage in the lives of those around them, expecting other to bend their way.

Why Must Some Be Destroyed Permanently?

If we are to enjoy a world... an eternity... where there are no tears, no sorrow, pain, violence, envy, or hatred... that sort of thinking I just described doesn't fit in. Even if 100% sincere... even if truly believing their choice is the best for themselves, and for others... it isn't and it must stop.

So, at the end of the entire holy day sequence we are told that some are cast into a lake of fire... a picture of complete and permanent destruction Revelation 20:14-15. One last step for their own good and for the good of others:

• because they will never be happy in the reality of eternal existence... and if they were to live forever in unhappiness, frustration, resentment ... they would suffer eternally... and contrary to popular deception God does not want eternal suffering.
• because their chosen way of life would at some point negatively affect the lives of others.

Only People Who Understand the Truth & Reject It Are Destroyed

Plenty of people in the past have rejected God, and plenty of people in the present reject God. But did they really understand what they were rejecting? For most the answer is no. For some the answer is yes.

Two prerequisites to total destruction in the lake of fire are: 1) that a person knows the whole truth and 2) that a person has access to the holy spirit which grants understanding of that truth.

That gives us a few categories of human experience to consider:

1. Some are given to know the truth today and they receive the holy spirit through the laying on of hands that follows repentance and baptism... this is the Church of God.
2. Some will learn God's truth during the millennium and have open access access to the spirit of God. I don't think God forces the holy spirit upon them but I don't know.
3. Some have live their whole lives under deception and have not had access to the holy spirit. They will rise up to physical life once more at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment. At that time the knowledge found in God's word is opened up to them and they also have open access to the holy spirit of God.

This principle is true during the present age of the Church, during the millennium, and the GWTJ.

Scriptures Applying This Principle to the Church of God.

Hebrews 6:4-8 this is written to the Church of God and tells us that a person who willfully rejects the truth of God and will not repent is subject to destruction by fire.

Hebrews 10:26-29 I think it is interesting [although not definitive] that this warning about destruction for the unrepentant follows immediately after a warning about not assembling together with God's people [verse 25].

When God says "hey, we're meeting over here on Saturday"... you say "not me, I'm doing something different... in fact, who's with me, lets do something different"... Do that and you are playing with fire.

Hebrews 12:22-29

Scriptures Related to the Millennial Experience

Ezekiel 36:26-30 this refers to the restoration of Israel as a nation during the 1,000 year period  during that time they will have access to God's holy spirit which is needed to understand God's word and His law [Isaiah 44:3-5, Joel 2:28].  

Revelation 20:7-9 these are people who witness the truth of God and the way of God put into practice during the millennium ... who have full access to the holy spirit of God which provides understanding. Yet, they openly and actively reject God. They are burned up in all consuming fire.

Scriptures Applying This Principle to the "Rest of the Dead"

Ezekiel 37:13-14 people who have previously existed are risen to physical life [flesh & blood], and are give God's Holy Spirit... Israel, Assyria, Ethiopia... everyone!

Revelation 20:12 knowledge of God's truth is opened up to them.

[Read verse 14] So, after a time of testing... judgment... and the passing of a verdict this is what happens. All who can be saved are saved, all those who would not allow themselves to be saved will be destroyed. No one can claim that such people were unjustly condemned. God is fair.

This is true for the Church of God who are presently subject to testing, judgment, and the finality of God's verdict... it is true for the people of the 1,000 year period... it is true for those in the second resurrection.

What Is Destroyed in the Lake of Fire?

A human is entire being made up of body, mind, and spirit. We are made of the dust, [material stuff of the universe] just like all other creatures. To this God adds a spiritual component. In God's Church we call this the "spirit in man". It is not God's holy spirit, its your spirit. The holy spirit can work together with your spirit. That interaction between your spirit and God's holy spirit is what can move you forward to spirit born eternal life.

Everyone has their own "spirit in man", but not everyone has God's holy spirit. When we die the body returns to dust and the spirit we developed during our day in the flesh returns to God. Its not alive... rather it can be raised to life with an new incorruptible body.

So over time a lot of human spirits have returned to God and are awaiting their day of resurrection. Consider it a record of who and what you are that God can use to raise you back to life. But, some of these spirits are not suitable for the gift of eternal life. They will be destroyed. After which there is not future hope of resurrection to any type of life.

Matthew 10:28 in the fires of Gehenna, a place south of Jerusalem where garbage and refuse was taken and burned with fire. Jesus is teaching about permanent destruction by fire.

Mark 9:47 they used salt as a purifying agent... therefore, He's saying purified by fire. Everything unworthy of eternal existence is to be destroyed permanently.

Jesus taught a doctrine of permanent destruction by fire [see also, Matthew 5:22, 29; 18:9]

God Is Always Willing to Accept True Repentance

1 John 1:8...2:2  some of us know the truth, have God's holy spirit and yet we sin. Should we be afraid? Yes and no.

The good news is that God is willing to forgive any sin that is repented of—even if, through weakness, temptation or habit, the sin is repeated. As long as a person's intention, attitude and desire is to obey God, he will repent, and God will forgive him.

Jesus said "forgive 70 times seven times". God is even more willing to forgive than that!

So What is a Willful or an Unforgivable Sin?

If a person has been given spiritual understanding of God's way and has experienced the blessings of that way, but decides they no longer want it... changes their attitude... deliberately chooses a life of rebellion... despising God's laws... then their sin is unforgivable because they will not repent of it! God will not give eternal life to anyone who insists on living in opposition to Him.

Some people have been specially called by God and given His Spirit, yet at some point in time they purposely, knowingly rejected it! Perhaps through bitterness, refusal to forgive others, or neglect of prayer and Bible study, they stopped allowing God to build His character in them.

Some are experiencing that time of decision now, others during the 1,000 rule of Christ, others and the resurrection of the dead.

God does not give up on people, people give up on God!

God gives everyone all the help, encouragement and opportunity for success each and every person needs to inherit eternal life.  Each individual shows by their actions that they do, or do not, want eternal life in God's Family—and so God, in love, gives it to some, but not to others.

Malachi 4:1-4 ... these are some of the closing words of the Old Testament

Revelation 21:7-8 ... these are also some of the closing words of the New Testament

Conclusion

For those who receive eternal life there will be no sorrow, pain, crying, or grief. Even for those who are cast into the lake of fire there is no future sorrow, pain, crying or grief. For them there is nothing, there is silence, it will be over. God is merciful, fair, and just.