The old testament is a testimony of Jesus Christ.

John 5:39 NKJV
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

The scriptures they searched is the old testament.

The following messianic prophecies in Zechariah chapter 13 were fulfilled in the early first century.

Zechariah 13:7 NKJV
“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

The Shepherd was Jesus, who, while in the days of His flesh, (the Son of man)

1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, (the Man) Christ Jesus.

The sheep were Jesus’s disciples, who scattered after His arrest.

Mark 14:27 NKJV
Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.

Jesus is confirming that the messianic prophecy written in Zechariah chapter 13 was fulfilled.

The little ones are those who have been converted through a new birth by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in Mark 9:42 the (little ones) refer to those who believe in Me.

Matthew 18:3 NKJV
and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Converted by the Holy Spirit, bringing a new birth of God’s children. Little ones are humble and dependent on their Father (In Heaven).

The following verse below is a continuing of a messianic prophecy from Zechariah 13:7 after Jesus’s resurrection and exaltation. I believe it speaks of a spiritual nature.

Zechariah 13:8 NKJV
And it shall come to pass in (all the land) Says the LORD, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one -third shall be left in it:

Come to pass refers to after Jesus’s resurrection and exaltation and in all the land includes Jews and Gentiles (the whole world)
Cut off from the Lord and will die in their sins.

Currently nearly one-third or 31.2% of the world’s population is considered to be Christian.

One third of the world currently believes in Jesus as the Son of God. These percentages may not have always equaled 33% throughout history but it sure is relevant today. Perhaps the broader meaning is that one out of three people will believe in Jesus overall.

The Apostle Paul speaks about getting cut off from the Lord in the following verses.

Romans 11:20-22 NKJV
Because of unbelief they (Jews) were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. [21] For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. [22] Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be (cut off).

Those who do not believe in Jesus are cut off from His free offer of grace. Therefore they are held guilty and will die in their sins.

No faith equals no grace. No grace equals a guilty verdict. Cut off!

John 8:24 NKJV
Therefore I (Jesus) said to you (Pharisees) that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

The dying Jesus is speaking about is not our mortal life, but eternal life.

God has promised eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

Those who do not believe in Jesus will perish for all of eternity after a natural mortal death.

Non believers are not punished forever, but are punished from God’s presence for eternity. To not live with the God of the universe for eternity is everlasting punishment. Wow, they’re missing out.

Think about it this way. Jesus told us that we need to be born again to see the kingdom of God.

To be born again is to have the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Look at one of the most famous verses in the bible.

John 3:16 NKJV
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him (should not perish) but have everlasting life.

Those who believe in Jesus will not perish. Believers of course will perish in their mortal bodies.

This verse clearly speaks about life and (perishing or death) after we die mortally.

John 11:25-26 NKJV
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. [26] And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

A couple verses from John about eternal life and eternal death.

1 John 5:16-17 NKJV
If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin (not leading to death). There is sin (leading to death). I do not say that he should pray about that. [17] All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin (not leading to death).

These verses again pertain about eternal life and eternal death.

There are hundreds more like these throughout the bible.

This brings us to the real meaning of hell.

Hell is not a destination where non believers go after they die. Hell is a designation of where people currently are in relationship with God.

What exactly is taught about hell?

I was taught about hell before I could read the Bible for myself. I was told good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell after we die.

Hell is commonly thought to represent a place where non believers of Jesus go after a mortal death to be punished for eternity.

Here is a common description of hell I found on a popular Christian website:

Hell is a scary place. Jesus described it as a place of darkness and weeping and the gnashing of teeth, a place of consuming worms and undying fire and a place of “eternal fire”.

All of these descriptions are but metaphorically terms for those who do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God. I will address each one of these mischaracterations of hell later.

It makes me wonder the scariest part of hell is the misinformation about it. Many people have turned away from religion because of the terrible characteristics of hell.

Just a quick thought here about hell. God is love. Could a God, Who is defined by love send non believers to a place where they are tortured and tormented forever and ever?

I know man could.

I believe man has misinterpreted the many verses about hell to bring fear and torment to people in a reactionary way.

Here are but just a few ways.

In the early days of Roman Catholic rule people were told by the Church that if a failure to pay tithes occurred, it would lead to their souls going to Hell after they had died.

I’m sure it’s safe to say that many people were also threatened of going to hell if they didn’t or did (fill in the blank here).

Recently in October 2016, pastor Kenneth Copeland warned Christian voters, “you’re going to be seriously, seriously held to account by God if you don’t vote … you’re going to be guilty of murder. You’re going to be guilty of an abomination of God. You’re going to be guilty for every baby that’s aborted from this election forward.”

That’s really twisted. We are not held liable for another person’s actions.

In the contemporary world, the notion of hell is used to scare or threaten people into becoming Christians.

The worst torturous devices were invented by the early church. Wow.

Christians often preach, “Repent, Believe in Jesus or burn in hell!

Is that the gospel message of good news?

I will state emphatically right now, hell is not good.

Looking at the definition of hell from the bible.

Strong’s h7585. Hell:

• Lexical: שְׁאוֹל
• Transliteration: sheol
• Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
• Phonetic Spelling: sheh-ole’
• Definition: underworld (place to which people descend at death).
• Origin: Or shol {sheh-ole’}; from sha’al; Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates.
• Usage: grave, hell, pit.

Hell is also commonly known as Hades and Sheol.

All three have the same meaning, the grave or the dead.

Now look at what Jesus called the Pharisees and Scribes (these people had rejected Him as the Son of God and were very self righteous in their own eyes)

Luke 11:44 NKJV
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are (like graves) which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

Matthew 23:27 NKJV
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are (like whitewashed tombs) which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of (dead) men’s bones and all uncleanness.

Matthew 23:15 NKJV
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte (a new convert to Judaism) and when he is won, you make him twice as much (a son of hell) as yourselves.

A son of hell like yourself.

Graves and tombs symbolize dead people.

When someone is in the hospital and is close to death, a common term doctors use to describe their serious nature is, “grave condition”

Those who don’t believe or follow Jesus are also considered in “grave condition”

Matthew 8:21-22 NKJV
Then another of Jesus’s disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” [22] But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The word “dead” is used first in a figurative, secondly, in a literal sense. In a figurative sense by the “dead” are intended those who are outside the kingdom, who are spiritually dead to the free gift of grace.

The living dead are in hell literally.

Why is hell often compared to fire and darkness?

That’s a paradox actually.

Fire produces light. How can hell be dark and also have light?

Looking at each individually will produce the answers.

First the fire. God is a consuming fire. Jesus’s eyes are likened to flames of fire. Remembering God is a jealous God because of Idolatry. He will not tolerate any who do not believe in His Son. God was often seen in fire throughout the old testament. God’s judgments were often seen by fire.

Here are a few examples of God and fire.

Exodus 24:15 – God looked like a raging fire.

Exodus 3:1 – The angel of GOD appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush.

Nahum 1:6 TLB
Who can stand before an angry God? His fury is like fire.

Catch that verse? His anger is likened to fire.

Song of Solomon 8:6 NKJV
For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.

God and fire are synonymous.

Fire speaks symbolically of God’s presence and His power.

Isaiah 33:14 NKJV
The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall
dwell with everlasting burnings?”

The next verse answers this question:

Isaiah 33:15 NKJV
He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly.

Now picture the story of Daniel’s three friends who wouldn’t worship (Idolatry) Nebuchadnezzar. All three were thrown into a blazing hot furnace of fire. All three should have died immediately right? Nope, not even their hair were singed. Who protected them from this fire?

Nebuchadnezzar himself tells us,

Daniel 3:25 NKJV
“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Daniel 3:28 NKJV
Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him.

Those who are with the Son of God, Jesus, will be saved through the fire.

With Christ we are saved by the fire (the wrath of God)

Inside Christ our sins, past, present and future, are forgiven. Those outside of Christ, their sins remain.

Zechariah 13:9 NKJV
I will bring the one -third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

God tests our faith by fire.

1 Peter 1:7 NKJV
That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Going backwards a bit. Two thirds of the world are cut off from the Lord because of unbelief and one third will be brought through the fire. This fire which is often described as the Holy Spirit and will test our faith as we go through the wilderness of life. Will we love God above all, will we love one another, will we trust God and not ourselves and in many other ways we’re tested. The point is that there are people who claim to know Jesus but will He know them in the end. Only Jesus can answer that.

The good news is that the two thirds that don’t believe in Jesus will have until their last breath to repent. There is always hope for the non believer.

Those who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God (Who takes away sins) are already in a state of condemnation as Jesus explained in John 3:18.

John 3:18 NKJV
“He who believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is (condemned already), because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus is simply stating that if we believe in Him, we are not in a state of condemnation of (hell).

Hell is not a destination but a designation of the condemnation of sin.

Condemnation is simply a guilty verdict.

Sin separates us from a Holy God.

Those who are in Christ, through belief have a mediator (Jesus) who unites us with God.

Those who do not believe in Jesus will die in their sins.

John 8:24 NKJV
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Jesus asks the Pharisees and scribes this following question:

Matthew 23:33 NKJV
Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

How can they escape the condemnation of hell?

Jesus gives that answer several verses later

Matthew 23:39 NKJV
For I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ “

Seeing Jesus is through faith, not by sight. When a non believer sees Jesus (through faith) is the answer to that burning question. (pun intended)

Romans 8:1 NKJV
There is therefore now no condemnation (of hell) to those who are in Christ Jesus.

To be in Christ Jesus is to believe in Him. Not by sight but through faith.

Condemnation and hell are inexplicably linked together.

Psalm 34:22 NKJV
The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

John 3:19 NKJV
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Jesus is the light of the world. Those who do not see Him or believe in Him are in outer darkness.

Hell is often compared to outer darkness.

Again the connection between those who do not see Jesus through faith are in outer darkness.

In a scientific sense we say, without a source of light, there is a natural darkness. Darkness is the absence of light. Since Jesus is the light of the world, those who do not see or believe in Him are in darkness.

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who (called you out of darkness) into His marvelous light.

John 12:46 NKJV
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

Darkness is the absence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

John 5:28 NKJV
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His Voice.

To hear Jesus is through the word of God.

Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 5:24 NKJV
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

If anyone hears Jesus’s words and believes in the Father will not be in a state of judgment. Has passed from death into a born again life.

John 5:25 NKJV
Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and (now is) when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

Jesus announced the hour was coming and now is.

John 5:28 NKJV
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice (Jesus)

Those who are in their graves in a spiritual sense here. No one can hear God in their real grave. That’s why Jesus likened those who had rejected Him as graves and tombs.

Zechariah 13:9 NKJV
I will bring the one -third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Jeremiah 17:10 NKJV
I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind.

1 Peter 1:6-7 NKJV
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, [7] that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The revelation (Apocalypse is a Greek word which means to uncover or reveal) of Jesus Christ and is not by sight but through faith.

1 Peter 1:8 NKJV
Whom (Jesus) having not seen you love. Though now you (do not see Him) yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

Seeing Jesus is through faith, not by sight.

John 20:29 NKJV
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

We must look at what the definition of resurrection is:

Strong’s g386. Resurrection:

• Lexical: ἀνάστασις
• Transliteration: anastasis
• Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
• Phonetic Spelling: an-as’-tas-is
• Definition: a standing up, a resurrection, a raising up, rising.
• Origin: From anistemi; a standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive case or by implication, (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth).
• Usage: raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.

Look at these descriptions of a resurrection:

A standing up, a rising up, raised to life again, a resurrection from the dead and lastly and lastly, a recovery of spiritual truth.

These descriptions all pertain to a person who sees Jesus as the Son of God.

Paul writes about a new born again experience as he uses these very descriptions of a resurrection.

Colossians 3:1 NKJV
If then you were (raised) with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

1 Thessalonians 3:8 NKJV
For now we (live) if you (stand fast) in the Lord.

Romans 5:1-2 NKJV
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which (we stand), and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Ephesians 1:13 NKJV
In Him you also trusted, after you heard (the word of truth), the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

John 14:6 NKJV
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

This resurrection is a born again experience right now in our frail and mortal bodies.

Isaiah 11:3-4 NKJV
His (Jesus) delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; [4] But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He (Jesus) shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

Isaiah 66:15-16 NKJV
For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. [16] For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many.

Jesus’s rebuke was a burning fire of jealousy and His fire is never quenched. The Pharisees, scribes, lawyers were rejecting Him as their King and savior.

How is hell associated with worms that never die?

Isaiah 66:24 NKJV
For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched.

Jesus used this verse from Isaiah in Mark chapter 9 concerning hands, feet and eyes that sin, worms that don’t die, hell and fire.

Mark 9:42 NKJV
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Mark 9:43-48 NKJV
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.’

This story is well known and is at the root of the misunderstanding of hell.

It is quite simple when you break it down.

Jesus is speaking to those who cause His believers (little ones) to stumble.

Mark 9:42 NKJV – But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble.

How can anyone stumble that believe in Jesus?

By confusing believers about earning grace through works and adherence to laws.

Romans 11:6 NKJV
And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Looking at hands, feet and eyes that cause sin.

We sin with our minds and our hearts.

My hands and feet cannot sin by themselves. My eyes by themselves cannot sin. These are symbolically used to show sin without a Savior.

We are all sinners saved by grace through faith. Period.

There is only one way to have our sins forgiven and that is through the Lamb of God. Period.

How can our hands, feet and eyes cause us to sin?

The Kingdom of God is at hand. We must be hand in hand with our Lord Jesus Christ through marriage.

Romans 7:4 NKJV
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become (dead to the law) through the body of Christ, that you may be (married to another-to Him) who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

Our feet walk united with Christ, the Savior of the body, the church.

Ephesians 5:23 NKJV
For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Romans 6:5 NKJV
For if we have been (united together) in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV – Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² (looking unto Jesus) the author and finisher of our faith.

Psalm 25:15 NKJV
My eyes are ever toward the LORD, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Jesus came into the world to take our sins away.

1 John 3:5 NKJV
And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

1 John 3:6 NKJV
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him (blind) nor known Him.

Dwells in him by faith and stands fast in him, being rooted and grounded in him, and abides by him, his truths and ordinances, takes up his rest, and places his security in him, and perseveres through him.

Luke 9:62 NKJV
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Looking back by not practicing righteousness. Righteousness can only come through faith, not by works, that no one should boast.

What boast do we have?

Psalm 34:2 NKJV
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

The Apostle Paul, whose name means, “humble”, writes about righteousness:

Galatians 6:14 NKJV
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So our hands, feet and eyes are constantly reaching out, walking with and looking towards the Lord through faith in which we abide and in which we stand.

What about worms that never die?

Jesus uses worms symbolically to describe mankind.

Worms have characteristics that are intertwined with non believers.

Worms are blind.
Worms are earthly.
Worms prefer darkness
Worms are afraid of the light.
Worms eat from the dust of the ground.
Worms will die from exposure to the sun.

They find all the nutrition they need in the ground.

Worms live in the ground.

Isaiah 41:14 NKJV
“Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the LORD And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Job 25:4-6 NKJV
How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? [5] If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, [6] How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?”

The least we can say from these passages is that one meaning the term “worm” has when applied to man is that he is unclean, unrighteous, unacceptable to God. The image is used probably because worms are dirty not only on the outside, but they are filled with dirt on the inside.

Isaiah 66:24 NKJV – For their worm does not die.

How does this apply here?

Think about the Pharisees and scribes.

Their inner (dirty) self was righteous (in their own eyes) and did not need to repent.

Baptism represents a turning away from our unclean sinful flesh.

Why would the Pharisees and scribes need a baptism?

Luke 5:31-32 NKJV
Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Luke 7:30 NKJV
But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him (John the Baptist)

The Pharisees and scribes would not die to their self righteousness (inner worm)

The wrath of God is the fire (judgment) that is never quenched.

Hell is a current state of spirituality. Those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God are not in the condemnation of hell. Those who reject Him as the Son of God are in a state of condemnation.

That’s hell.

Eternal life for believers.

Eternal separation from God for non believers.

Those who believe in Jesus are joined to Him through the Holy Spirit and are alive spirituality.

Those who do not believe in Jesus are dead spiritually. In the grave (hell)

1 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV
But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 NKJV
But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Galatians 2:17 NKJV
“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!

Galatians 2:18 NKJV
For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Those who attempt to be justified through “the works of the law” are “cursed” (3:10). If anyone attempts to reassert the “works of the law” as having any part in justification before God, the law itself convicts that person of being a transgressor.

Galatians 2:19-20 NKJV
For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. [20] I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Paul was dead to sin only by the righteousness through faith in Christ.

The just (Justified) shall (Live) by faith.

Hell is not a eternal place of torment but a current state of condemnation.

I cannot image speaking to someone about losing a loved one (non believer) and stating that their loved one will be tortured forever and ever in hell.

At least, hopefully, you can see a new perspective to what hell really is.

The antidote to the condemnation of hell is simply believing in Jesus. Now isn’t that good news.