Obey Him or THEM that have the rule? A closer look.

Heb 13:17
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this were unprofitable for you.

This is one of the most abused New Testament verses in scripture.
Let's take a closer look at what it says... I ask you to read and be patient, this more than likely has some precepts never heard of or seen by most Christians. 

"Obey THEM", "submit to THEM", "THEY watch for your souls",  "THEY shall give account", "THEY may do it with joy".....


1 . notice:  the plural, and also that it does not say "obey the pastor".
     Do you see the words "them, they, they, they"?

Why is it plural? 
Can we find ANY scripture for one man in sole authority over a church?  Well, sort of, but in a negative way. 
3John mentions "Diotrephes who loves to have the PRE-EMMINENCE" and refused the apostles. He was one who loved the position and control of an assembly.

Now see what the church in Acts established for overseers of the churches they planted

Here is what the early church established for the "local" assemblies:
(notice:  there is no "church Board" "General Board", "Arch-bishops", or other spurious and man made "offices".)


Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed for them elders in every church,
                     and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord.... 
                     Where is a Titled pastor appointed?
Titus 1:5    For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest
                   set in order the things that are wanting, and
                   ordain elders in every city,  as I had appointed thee: 
                   They ordained "elders", not titled "pastors".
 Acts 15:6   And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this
                     matter.    (where were the pastors at this "conference"?)
Acts 20:17 And from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.    (why didn't he say "pastors"???)

Church Government in Acts.

 Acts 15:2 ... Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto
                       the apostles and elders about this question.
 Acts 15:4 ... they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders,
                        and they declared all things that God had done with them.
 Acts 15:6      And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
                       (Notice: it does not say apostles and pastors..)  Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church,
                     ...chief men among the brethren:
 Acts 15:23 ... The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto
                         the brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
 Acts 16:4 ...they delivered them the decrees for to keep,
                     that were ordained of the apostles and elders  (plural) 
                     which were at Jerusalem.
 Acts 20:28  "feed the flock of God over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers"  (plural)

1Tim 5:17   Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labour in the word
                     and doctrine.   (plural-plural)
Titus 1:5  .. that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders  (PLURAL) in every city, as I had appointed you to do: 
-Paul commanded, "elders in >>every<< city",  i.e. with no mention of titled Pastors or a "Senior Pastor". You may see that this instruction is reflected in Paul and the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, and by the church epistles, because there are no specialized "Senior Pastors", Chief Rulers, Priests, Popes, Bishops, or the like even mentioned once as a Titled church official. (Except Diotrephes in 3John as a negative.

"elder Peter" , an apostle wrote in 1Peter 5:1
      The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder (Peter),
     and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory......
2   Tend the flock of God which is among you (not under you), exercising the oversight, not by force (i.e. not because it is your job obligation),
     but willingly, according to the will of God; not for filthy lucre (not as a hierling) , but of a ready mind;
3   neither as lording it over the stewardship allotted to you, but making yourselves examples to
     the flock. ("lording" means to subjugate, dominate, overcome)

The church/ pastor/ priest/ board/ elders/ bishop/ district/ denomination is not right when they are wrong, but if you have One Man, or one family "running" the local church, the door to error, sin, abuse, manipulation, and plundering of the sheep is wide open.

Having "the rule" over you does NOT give them authority to tell you where you can go, who you should marry, pay them an unscriptural tithe, what kind of clothes you can wear, or anything that "goes beyond that which is written" as Paul commanded. (1Cor 4:6), "less one become puffed up against the other". 

If the pastor was to be the head of a church, then why is the word pastor never used in the epistles to the churches?  "Pastors" and shepherd's are used once with warning in terms of those who "feed themselves" and run after a ministry for hire and reward.
11 For they (shepherds) have gone in the way of Cain and have run greedily after the error of Balaam for their reward ...
12 These are spots on your feasts of charity when they feast with you,
     feeding themselves without fear.
     

Notice in 1Corinthians 12:28
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 

And Ephesians  4:11 is the single reference to "pastors" in the New Testament. 

Have we "puffed up" the office of the pastor? Many churches turned him into either a king, or God's primary way to speak to us.

But  the church is to have only ONE Head. His name is Pastor Jesus.1Corinthians 11:3
 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ;   and the head of the woman is the man;   and the head of Christ is God.


That is God's order and if a pastor takes headship-authority over an assembly, he is in danger of usurping God's authority, and many people will make an idol of him.

Which is also a good reason for following Jesus' instruction not to take titles and the "high seats" in the synagogues (churches).
-as it is written and may now make sense to you.
Mat. 23: 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren.
              9 And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even he who is in
                  heaven.
             10  Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ.

What about "the office of a bishop"?
1st Timothy 3:1  Faithful is the saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.


The "office of a bishop" is one word in the Greek, and simply means "overseer".
   it is defined as:
investigation, inspection, visitation,
that act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds character, of men,
 in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad.
oversight.  overseership, office, charge, the office of an elder .

In Hebrews 13:17, to  "obey" from the Greek, Strongs *3982 means :
   to arrange under, to subordinate, to subject, put in subjection, to subject one's self,
   obey to submit to one's control, to yield to one's admonition or advice, be subject.

We are to obey the scripture, and if a man goes "beyond that which is written", we are under no obligation to do what he orders. And if a man or woman goes beyond what is written, he or she is in danger of being in rebellion for corrupting the Word of God.
"Obey THEM", "submit to THEM", "THEY watch for your souls", "THEY shall give account", "THEY may do it with joy"..

Is it coincidence there are 5 plural nouns in the above verse?

Who are the "they" in the church of scripture?

Some call it the five gifts of ministry oversight that God freely gave His people, in Ephesians 4:11.
And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12  for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:

NONE of those "gifts" is given superiority over the other. They together form the "overseers" and "elders" that have "the rule over you".

The reason that many suffer, have been abused, discouraged, hurt, robbed,
and mis-led is because of many that have perverted Hebrews 13:17 into a "pastor-rules" one-man-show. 

This is the "Nicolaitane error" and "deeds" that Jesus said he "hates" in Revelation chapter 2, and pray for us elders as pastors that we do not become "lords over God's heritage" as we feed the flock.

As an elder in the body of Christ, I personally do not care to be called by any title, including "Elder".  "for ye are brethren" as Jesus said. 

Loren Adkins stated:

What I find funny is the translators used the harshest wording here. -Using the word obey over other words that could have been used. I might not think to harsh about this had I not looked at other passages that use the word obey , such as “Children obey you parents”

Eph 6:1 Children, obey G5219 your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

*G5219  hupakouō: to hear (as a subordinate), to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey.

                       These are two entirely different Greek words and meanings.

To further run this thought out I cannot find any passage of scripture where God directly commands his children at any point to follow a man. He gives and calls men to lead, but he does not command those even to dictate over his children.

Having come across the the definition of the word persuade in Heb 13, I realized I could not be in rebellion if I was not persuaded of something.

Therefore the teaching that so many preachers used that if I did not obey them I was in rebellion; and God hated rebellion, so I was hell bent. It did not apply to me or any one else for that matter as one could not be in rebellion to something they did not agree with.
What really bothers me is this idea built upon this verse (from my view anyway) that we must all be accountable to someone higher, ie saints, teachers, pastors and so on.
Paul teaches us in Ephesians God's plan for his kingdom and the accountability we are to have is to him.
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
As we read this chapter nowhere does Paul teach we are to be accountable to anyone other than him.

Using Hebrews 13:17 as a rod to keep subjects in line is completely adding to the word of God.  -LA

Summary:

Again, the Greek word harshly translated into "obey" by the KJV, is:

G3982 πείθω peithō pi'-tho
A primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false);
by analogy to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty): - agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) content, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.

Again, compare that to "children obey your parents...
*G5219  hupakouō: to hear (as a subordinate), to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey.

We are not trying to offend pastors or church leaders, but those that are usurping command and control over others in the name of God do so at great harm to others (church abuse), and themselves.

This is the truth of God's Word and each of us is called to humble ourselves to it...It is not the way of the man made church organizations but it is what Jesus and His apostles taught.

Where Did Hell Go?

Where Did Hell Go?

This is a sobering compilation of scripture and is by no means complete as much more is given in the Old Testament.  There are many words used in scripture regarding the after-life. Heaven is a real place and is where the Lord wills all would end up.

But He also created a place called "hell', and it is found as the abode of the lost dead, ultimately to be cast into the lake of fire along with all of the devil and his messengers.
Some say it does not exist, is only a parable, or an allegory for a punishment in this life.

This is what the scriptures say with few comments by me, and some of the Greek terms regarding other words such as "the pit", "perdition", "eternal", "forever", "abyss" and "destruction".

---

"FOREVER":

Forever: G165 αἰών aiōn ahee-ohn'

From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), n-]ever, without end).

The devil and the lost:

Rev. 20: 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death, the lake of fire. 

15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, >> the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Jude 1:13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. 

"Forever" is used for and with God, Jesus, glory, live, blessed, kingdom, and the lake of fire.

The apostle Paul warns:

Acts 24:25 

And as he (Paul)  reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come
There are many scriptures speaking of the "judgment to come":

1Thess 1:8   rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: ⁹ who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord ..

Paul to Timothy:
2tim2:24
And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, 

25 in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance to the knowledge of the truth, 26   and they may recover themselves from the snare of the devil,
       having been taken captive by him to his will.
                           <Where does the devil go? -and his captives?  ===>
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived  them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
 where are  also the beast and the false prophet .
(the beast and false prophet are corporate bodies, not single individuals)

Paul to Thessalonians:
2Thes/1:8  rendering vengeance (retribution) to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: :9  who shall suffer punishment, [even] *eternal destruction from the face of the Lord
     

"ETERNAL DESTRUCTION":
eternal:      From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):
eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).
destruction:    ruin, that is, death, punishment: - destruction.

1Tim 6:9

But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and *perdition.  

*From ollumi : to destroy; a prolonged form); ruin, that is, death, punishment: - destruction.
G684  ἀπώλεια apōleia 
ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): - damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste.

1Cor. 3:16

Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17  If any man destroys the temple of God, him shall God destroy;
 for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.

1Cor. 11:32

 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
G2632 κατακρίνω katakrinō kat-ak-ree'-no  From G2596 and G2919;

to judge against, that is, sentence: - condemn, damn.

Spiritual death is not the cessation of the soul.  
2Cor: 1:2:15  For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 

(16 to the one a savor from death to death; to the other a savor from life to life.

<...that is the 1^st and a 2nd death friends..> 

rev.20:14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death, [even] the lake of fire.

2cor. 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that *perish:

G622 apollumiap- From G575 and the base of G3639;
  to destroy fully, *to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:
- destroy, die, lose, mar, perish. 
From a primary word (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruin, that is, death, punishment: - destruction.

Dan. 12:  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame,  and everlasting contempt.
”everlasting”
 the vanishing point; eternity; always:  continuance, eternal,  lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, without end)

“everlasting contempt”? But if they ceased to exist, they were not in an everlasting place.

Rev. 20:13
And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: 
( if they ceased to exist in death,, how can that happen?) 

14  And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, 

       [even] the lake of fire. 15   And if any was not found written in the book of life,
       he was cast into the lake of fire.

Eph. 1:1 And you [did he make alive,] when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,

4:8   Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, 

   :9  (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

=>  5:6 Let no man deceive you with empty words:

for because of these  comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.
7  Be not ye therefore partakers with them;

< John 3:36  He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” ("abides" is a continuing action>

Job 20:26 …. A fire not blown by man shall devour him

Matthew 25:30   cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: 

there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 

Note Ezekiel 31;
For they have all been given over to death, to the earth beneath, among the sons of men, with those who go down to the pit.” 
 15 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day when it went down to Sheol (not the grave)
I caused lamentations; I closed the deep over it and held back its rivers.

16 I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall when I made it go down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit; and all the well-watered trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, were comforted in the earth beneath.
(this is where Christ went to bring out those held captive by death) 

17 They also went down with it to Sheol to those who were slain by the sword..
18 “To which among the trees of Eden are you thus equal in glory and greatness?
Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath

THE “PIT”
Does it have fire, smoke, and who is said to go there?

Korah did.

Numbers 16:28-30

And Moses said, “Hereby ye shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works...

29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited according to the visitation of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

30 But if the Lord make a new thing,

and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertain unto them,

and they go down alive into the pit,

then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.”

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground cleaved asunder that was under them;

32 and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses and all the men who appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They and all that appertained to them went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them; and they perished from among the congregation.

Revelation 17:8  The beast that you saw was, and is not;
       and shall ascend out of the *bottomless pit, and go  into *perdition:
       and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder,
whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world..

*the “BOTTOMLES PIT” is defined as “infernal abyss”. 

* “Perdition” is defined:  ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): - damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition, perish,  waste.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment  ascends up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receives the mark of his name. 

"by reason of the smoke of the pit."

“ he opened the bottomless pit;
and there arose a smoke out of the pit<==>==>And the smoke of their torment <== ascends up for ever and ever”

“When I shall bring thee down *with them that descend into the pit*,
 with the people of old time,
and shall set thee in  the low parts of the earth lest,
I become like them that go down into the pit.

Psalms 28:1 Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, ===> lest I become like them that go down into the pit.<=== is not the grave.

Psalm 140:10 “May burning coals fall upon them; May they be cast into the fire, Into deep pits from which they cannot rise. ("deep" is not the grave)

===> Ezekiel 26:20 When I shall bring thee down *with them that descend into the pit*, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in ===> the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit... 

Daniel 7:11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire.  (the "beast" is a body of people)

Mat. 15:13  But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.  14  Let them alone: they are blind guides.
And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.

Proverbs 1:12
 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, And whole, as those that go down into the pit;

===>  *with them that descend into the pit*<===

Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened ===> by reason of the smoke of the pit.<==

Ezekiel 28:8
They shall bring thee down to the pit;
and thou shalt die the death of them that are slain, in the heart of the seas.

Isaiah 38:17

Behold, it was for my peace that I had great bitterness: But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it
 from the pit of corruption

Job 33:28  He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit, And my life shall behold the light.
Souls do not go to the grave. A soul is not a physical body.

Job 33:30  To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.... -A soul is not a physical body.

The beast does not cease, the pit does not cease, the smoke of their torment does not cease, the devil goes there and does not cease to exist in torment,  and the devil does not even have an earthly body.

(of satan) Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Ps   9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell.....
Ps 49:13  This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah
           14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol;  Death shall be their shepherd;

<death and hell are cast into a lake of fire. A lake is a body of water that fills a “pit”.>

Proverbs 9:18 But he knows not that the dead are there;
and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
-does the “depths of hell”  sound like a deep pit?

Isaiah 5:14    Therefore hell has enlarged herself,
Isaiah 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit.
Isaiah 24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.

2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell,
and committed them to chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep
the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment

Revelation 9:1   And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.

Ezekiel 31:16   I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with them that descend into the pit"
"… the unrighteous under punishment until     the day of judgment…"

Jesus taught:
Matthew 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. 

Mat. 23:33  "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

John 3:36  He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” 

Matt 25:30  And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.. 
(how does a cessation of existence continue to weep and wail and gnash teeth?)

=> Jude: 13 Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

Mark 9:43
And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

44 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
45  And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life lamet,
 rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell.
46  where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell;
48 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.

Luke 16:
22 ...and the <"certain"> rich man also died, and was buried.
23    And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24    And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue;
        for I am in anguish in this flame. 28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

........ "this PLACE" ??? oh right, the one that does not exist...??
“the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment”

Many deniers  also believe death is a state of "sleep" or non-conscious existence until resurrection but Jesus refuted that again in Luke 23 when he told the repentant thief:

 (42: And he said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.”
(43  And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.”

John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

Heb. 6:6 it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 
8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

The Tares Explained

Mat. 13: 36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “ ***Explain to us the parable of the tares*** of the field.” 

 *** NOT A PARABLE***:
37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the [u]end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
40 So ***just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire***

==> >> so shall it be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,
42 ===>  and will throw them into the furnace of fire;
in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Mat. 23:33 Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?
Mat. 24: 50   the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expects not, and in an hour when he knows not,
51 and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth

If they are burned up, how are they gnashing teeth and wailing?

AGAIN:
49 So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous,
50  and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
51 Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea.
Mat. 25:46
And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.

"OUTER DARKNESS"
 (Jesus spoke of thee times). Here is one of them.
Matthew 25:30
And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Jude: 7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

Mat. 3: 10  And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
“the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment”

11   I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and [in] fire:
12  whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

DAY OF WRATH:

Revelation 14:10

he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Romans 2:8
 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness,
wrath and indignation.
Ephesians 2:3
 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath,

Phil.
2:28 and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;
“the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment“

Perdition: G684 ἀπώλεια apōleia   ap-o'-li-aFrom a presumed derivative of G622;

ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): - damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste. 

"apolia" is a root for the demon destroyer from the pit: Apollyon

3:10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow,   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
3:11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.

18 For many walk, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 whose end is perdition, (apolia) whose god is the belly, and [whose] glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons..............

 
  “The SUM of thy Word is truth"

For annihilationism or reconciliation doctrines to be true, it must reconcile with scripture "line upon line, line upon line". Instead the "no hell" oposes scripture that tells us death is the final judgment, and the ultimate place of death is in a lake of fire that burns forever and ever, in a "pit", 'abyss", "lower parts of the earth".

==> Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell......
Rev 14:11 

==> And the smoke of their torment ascends up ===> for ever and ever:
  and they have no rest day nor night <===, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.
-not  they cease to exist for ever,
-not the smoke ceases from forever.
-not: they cease to exist and have no rest.
-not:  they shall be purified and saved, or as saved as wandering stars.


 SUMMARY:

If death and hell give up "the dead" how can the dead exist if they were annihilated?
Why are they resurrected BODILY? -only to be re-destroyed?
Why be judged according to their works and then all cease to exist?
Why are the "dead" raised, judged, only to be cast into the lake of fire and cease to exist?
Why are they cast into the lake of fire if they are given a second purification and saved?
Why does the smoke of their "torment" go up forever and ever if they ceased to exist or get saved?
Why is there punishment BEFORE final judgment?
Are you sure you can take away the "forever torment" from the Book of the prophecy?

Rev. 22:18
I testify to every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book,
if any man shall add to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book:

19  and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part from the tree of life,
and out of the holy city, which are written in this book

There is an interesting testimony by numerous people who have been show hell.  Several of them testified of body parts being torn off and the horror of it, but then the body part would grow out again, only to repeat again and again.

These testimonies, if true, would explain the "everlasting destruction's"  and how the lost person is destroyed forever. 

2 Thessalonians 1:9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord  

Matthew 25:46  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment

More Testimonies

Please DO NOT PLAY WITH THE FIRE OF UNBELIEF