Quote Originally Posted by The Beginner View Post
That is not true... It is not the only place that speaks of torment and eternity

[34] "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. [35] "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." - Mat 18:34-35 NKJV

How long does it take a unrepentant sinner to suffer in order to pay off the penalty of sin without the blood of Jesus? Answer... Forever
Scripture please

[10] "he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. [11] "And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." - Rev 14:10-11 NKJV

They have no rest day or night. The smoke of their torment rises forever...
Interesting, a prophetic verse, that in this case is metaphor, completely dispels the clear statements of Christ and Paul. Mat 10:28, Rom 6:23 and many others. (One statement from Christ should be enough.)

[43] "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- [44] "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' [45] "And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- [46] "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' [47] "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire-- [48] "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' - Mar 9:43-48 NKJV
Do you take this passage literally? Here are the problems with a literal interpretation of this passage (it actually begins in verse 36)...

Mar 9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

One does not have to receive Christ, all one has to do is receive a little child in Christ's name. Yes or No?

Mar 9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Mar 9:40 For he that is not against us is on our part.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

The False Prophet here is really a good guy? Yes or No?

Mar 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

If all I ever do is give you a cup of cold water, my reward is secure? Yes or No?

Mar 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Mar 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Have you ever sinned? Do you have all your fingers and both hands? Yes or No?

Mar 9:45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Do you have all your toes and both feet? Yes or No?

Mar 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Do you have both eyes? Yes or No?

Mar 9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Have you been salt cured and roasted? Yes or No?

Mar 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Does NaCl ever lose it's saltiness? Yes or No?

If you can answer yes to all these questions then you can truly take this passage literally. If not, then how do you pick and choose which parts to take literally? What are the guidelines? What you want it to say?

The fire is never quenched and their worm does not die... The Lord is trying to sway people to godliness with the warning that the fire is never quenched... If the wicked man is only consumed and anniahlated and does not experience the fire that continually burns (unquenched), then the details of the warning of unquenchable fire is unnecessary. It matters not to the unbeliever if the fire is eternal or temporary if his end result is annihilation because the practical application is the same.
The worms are immortal also?

The truth of the matter is that...

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is a second death from which there is no coming back...

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

And the ultimate result of the Lake of Fire is that the wicked are completely burned up to ashes...

Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

And both body and soul (spirit in man) is destroyed...

Mat 10:28 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.