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P R E S E N T S THE FIRE THAT CONSUMES Edward William Fudge www.EdwardFudge.com. All glory and praise to God’s Son, our Savior, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who delivers us from the wrath to come. . Rob Bell Francis Chan Mark Galli Hell is much in the news today.
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P R E S E N T STHE FIRE THAT CONSUMESEdward William Fudgewww.EdwardFudge.com
All glory and praiseto God’s Son, our Savior,the LORD JESUS CHRIST,who delivers usfrom the wrath to come.
Rob BellFrancis ChanMark GalliHell is much in the news today.
Our measuring stick and standard (canon) will be Holy Scripture . . .
In this hour we will see … Three Views of Hell WHAT IS THE WICKED’S END? O.T. * Intertestamental * N.T. CHURCH HISTORY: traditional doctrine evolves Why it matters
Three Views of Hell Three Views of Hell The fire that torments forever (Majority/traditional view) 1
Three Views of Hell The fire that torments forever (Majority/traditional view) 1 Emphasizes ‘eternal punishment’‘fire not quenched’‘smoke goes up forever’
A troubling question:Must we conclude that God,who gave his Son for sinners, will keep billions of them alive–to torment them without end?
A troubling question:Must we conclude that God,who gave his Son for sinners, However, highly-respected, Bible-believing scholars in increasing numbers are answering NO! If that is what Scripture teaches, our answer will be YES . . . will keep billions of them alive–to torment them without end?
F.F. BRUCE Prof NT and Exegesis Manchester Univ. (U.K.) “The dean of New Testament commentators” {
JOHN STOTT Preacher, Commentator, Missioner Michael Green Philip E. Hughes John Stackhouse John Franke Homer Hailey Clark H. Pinnock Dale Moody John Wenham Richard Bauckham N. T. Wright Tom L. Robinson
MICHAEL GREEN British scholar, author EEvangelism in the New Testament
E. EARLE ELLIS “the scholars’ scholar” Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
PHILIP E. HUGHES Guest professor: Westminster Theological Seminary Reformed Theological Seminary
THOMAS H. OLBRICHT Religion Dept. Head (retired) Pepperdine University Abilene Christian University First acknowledgement In TFTC
JOHN McRAY Wheaton College Graduate School Well published in Archaeology, and Pauline studies
JOHN STACKHOUSE Regent College (Vancouver, B.C.) prolific author
DALE MOODY Taught nearly 40 years The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville
JOHN FRANKE Biblical Seminary Hatfield, Pennsylvania First Presbyterian Church Allentown, Pennsylvania
HOMER HAILEY Abilene Christian College Florida (Christian) College
THOMAS L. ROBINSON Senior Minister - Manhattan Church of Christ ______________________________________ Union Theological Sem. Princeton Theol. Seminary Harvard University Abilene Christian Univ. Pepperdine University
CLARK PINNOCK McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Regent College -- Trinity Divinity School prolific author
JOHN WENHAM Evangelical Anglican pioneer
RICHARD BAUCKHAM (University of St. Andrews) now at Cambridge
N.T. WRIGHT University of St. Andrews
Besides the traditional view, two other explanationshave been offered.
Three Views of Hell The fire that purifies (Universal restoration) The fire that torments forever 1 2
Three Views of Hell The fire that purifies (Universal restoration) The fire that torments forever 1 2 Emphasizes God is not willing that any perishSavior of all, especially believers Reconciled the world to himself
Three Views of Hell Emphasizes The fire that consumes (Most biblically consistent view) The fire that torments forever The fire that purifies 1 2 3 God is a consuming fire The wages of sin is deathGod destroys soul & body in hell
What can we learn about ... THE END OF THE WICKED? Old Testament
It is important to ask the right question . . .NOT: What does the OT say about hell? BUT: What does the OT say about the end of the wicked?
NOT: What does the OT say about hell?BUT: What does the OT say about the end of the wicked?
NOT:What does the OT say about hell?BUT: What does the OT say about the end of the wicked?
The Hebrew Bible has three parts : Law (Torah) Writings (“Psalms”) Prophets
Luke 24:44 - “all things … written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophetsand the *Psalms must be fulfilled.”(*also called the “Writings”) Law (Torah) Writings (“Psalms”) Prophets
Law (Torah) Writings (“Psalms”) Prophets Predictions Prototypes Principles
Example: Psalm 371 Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers.
2 For they will witherquicklylikethegrass, and fadelikethegreenherb.
9 For evildoers will becut off, 10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there . . . 20 But the wicked will perish. . . They vanish -- like smoke they vanish away . . .
34 . . . Wait for the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land ; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it. But what if we do not see it here? Is God’s justice then thwarted?
The wicked will:wither (Psalm 37:2)be no more (Psalm 104:36)perish (Psalm 1:6)vanish (Psalm 37:20)be destroyed (Psalm 37:38)50 Hebrew verbs (active & passive)
God will:break them in pieces (Psalm 2:9) slay them (Psalm 139:19)cut them off (Psalm 94:23)blot out of book of living (Psalm 69:28)rain fire & brimstone (Psalm 11:6)
Wicked will be like:chaff blown away (Psalm 1:4) snail that melts (Psalm 58:8)grass cut down (Psalm 37:2)wax melts (Psalm 68:2)
clay pot broken (Psalm 2:9)water that flows away (Psalm 58:7)smoke vanishes (Psalm 68:2)stubble before the wind (Psalm 83:13)70 metaphors, similes
PLEASENOTE:* Not literal descriptions* Reality will correspond to pictures* Reality will not be exactopposite of pictures* This variety of pictures creates a consistent impression . . .