.
SALVATION
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The Quran tells that the Islamic god created Adam and breathed into him his
spirit (al-Hijr 15: 26; as-Sajdah 32: 9). The Quran does not mention anything about
the time and process of Eves creation. Orthodox Islam believes that man has no
godlikeness. God breathing into man his spirit is interpreted to mean gods imparting
his faculties of knowledge and will into man.
The Holy Bible informs that God created Adam from clay, and thereafter, Eve
from one of Adams ribs (Genesis 1: 26-27; 2: 7, 18-23), which makes her equal to
Adam. God created man in his image indicating mans endowment of faculties,
powers, and character, which man needs to employ to become like God by
developing the moral perfection and holiness God intended for him.
Islam teaches that obedience to the Islamic gods revealed guidance is the way to
salvation. It involves both good deeds and correct beliefs in the Islamic god, his
books, his apostles and the day of judgment, including practicing the five ritualistic
pillars of Islam (al-Maidah 5: 10). The Islamic salvation is a release from the
punishment of sins in eternity. It is not a present freedom from the hold of sin upon
the mind, heart and life of the Muslim believer. It does not involve internal spiritual
regeneration.
The Islamic god is presented as both merciful and also just at the same time. But
he is incapable of reconciling his mercy with his justice, because Islam does not
provide satisfaction for the demands of the wrath of its gods judgment against sin in
order to allow his mercy and forgiveness to flow toward sinners. A just God does not
arbitrarily forgive sins without any real just basis for his forgiveness. Islam does not
provide real basis for his forgiveness and does not offer a plan for redemption and
salvation, because it rejects the atoning sacrificial payment that Christ has offered on
the cross to satisfy the justice of God. Based on this atonement, God can justly
justify the penitents who accept Christs payment on their behalf. Christ took their
punishment in their behalf.
Despite the Islamic rejection of the doctrine of substitutionary atonement (al-
Anam 6: 164), the Quran provides an example of it in Moses sacrifice of a cow (al-
Baqarah 2: 67-71), and in Abrahams sacrifice of his son on mount Moriah (as-Saffat
37: 102-107). The Holy Bible affirms that just as God redeemed the son of Abraham
with the sacrifice of a ram he provided, God redeemed the world through the blood of
Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John
1: 29). Jesus is the lamb of God sacrificed once for all to set those penitents who
believe in him free from the bondage of sin.
The Holy Bible teaches that any human sin is an infinite offense against the
infinite God and must be judged with infinite punishment. Good works (acts of
obedience to God) are earthly and limited, and required of man. They are not a favor
man offers to God. They are not good enough to pay for mans sins. They do not
satisfy the justice of God. Therefore, the concept of a judgment scale that weighs the
good deeds of the person against his evil deeds is meaningless and not valid. If
Gods judgment were based on his justice alone, no one could be saved eternally
(Romans 3: 10). Good works no more cover and compensate for bad works than an
act of kindness can take away the guilt of a murderer. Many good works mixed with
bad works is like an omelet that contains both good and bad eggs. No one could eat
this omelet. No one would accept a glass of water if a drop of ink is added to it. Good
deeds do not compensate for bad deeds. Good deeds do not erase bad deeds
neither in human laws nor in Gods laws. Man could not undo sins he did in the past.
A law determines what is right and wrong, but could not transform and purify the
person internally and make him right. It is simply the standard by which the person
shall be judged (Galatians 5: 4). The all-holy God does not accept a life stained with
sin. Good works do not earn salvation. They do not cure the person from the sin
sickness. They do not result in internal transformation and purification of the fallen
human nature. Good deeds, on their own merit, are incapable of bridging the huge
gulf that separates fallen humanity from the divine God, and therefore, they could not
establish communion between God and the human person: I do not set aside the
grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in
vain (Galatians 2: 21). We are all like an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64: 6). by the works of the law no
flesh shall be justified (Galatians 2: 16). Whoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2: 10). If the sinner
repents and accepts the atonement of Christ with genuine faith, his sin is transferred
to the account of Christ who took its just punishment on the cross.
If the human nature could be renewed by guidance alone, then why did God send
multitudes of prophets over the centuries instead of just one? Why have humans
kept disobeying and sinning? This shows that the human nature which has been
corrupted by the fall of Adam and Eve cannot be renewed by guidance alone. It
needs redemption, not merely revelation. The Orthodox Christian teaching on
atonement and salvation by penitent working faith that accepts the free gift of the
atonement Christ has offered on the cross is explained in that page. Islam does not
provide a cure for sin. It does not provide a way to transform the fallen human nature
and change the character of the person. It does not change the person from within
and give him a new character. Christ does.
Some Islamists object to the crucifixion of Christ thinking that God would not allow
his servant to suffer. This is human rationalization. We do not know the mind of God.
God said through his prophet Isaiah: For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor
are your ways My ways, says the Lord (Isaiah 55: 8). Many godly prophets
suffered persecutions. In addition, the Quran says that this objection is not valid,
because many of the prophets and apostles were killed in the past (al-Baqarah 2: 87,
91; al-Imran 3: 21, 112, 181, 183; an-Nisa 4: 155; al-Maidah 5: 70). In fact, Jesus
prevailed over his enemies when God raised him from the dead in the third day,
conquering sin, Satan and death. He (David the prophet), foreseeing this, spoke
concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades,
nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we
are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God . . . (Acts 2:
31-33). By Christs death and resurrection, . . . Death is swallowed up in victory
(1 Corinthians 15: 54). The resurrection of Christ has demonstrated that God has
accepted his sacrifice. The death and resurrection of Christ manifest Gods mercy
and justice towards fallen humanity: But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 8). Jesus
said: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his
friends (John 15: 13). The cross of Christ points to Gods love for the sinner as
well as his consistent hatred for sin. Gods greatness is demonstrated uniquely in his
suffering love shown in Christ.
Christ is uniquely qualified to be our intercessor before the throne, not merely
because he was a sinless prophet, but also because of his atoning death on the
cross. Christians no longer fear the prospect of standing before Gods throne,
because Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, has offered infinite satisfaction and
atonement by dying in their behalf on the cross absorbing the infinite wrath of the all-
holy God against sin. Christ Jesus, Gods eternal Soncrucified, risen, and reigning,
is the sole and sufficient savior for all believing persons everywhere at all times. Our
close loving fellowship with God in Christ who intercedes in our behalf before the
divine throne gives us assurance and extinguishes fear and anxiety about our eternal
destiny (Romans 8: 26, 27, 34; 1 Timothy 2: 5, 6; Hebrews 7: 25; 9: 24; 1 John: 2: 1).
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3: 36, 16;
5: 24; 14: 1-3; 1: 10-13); There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out
fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made
perfect in love (1 John 4: 18; 5: 9-12; Luke 12: 32; Hebrews 7: 25; 1
Thessalonians 5: 9-10). He is God with us and God for us for all eternity. Christ has
assured Christians of peace saying: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to
you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid (John 14: 27). Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5: 1).
The concept of sacrificial love is absent in Islam. Islam teaches that if a Muslim
person commits a grave sin (worshiping another god, denying basic beliefs of Islam,
insulting Muhammad, killing Muslims, etc.), the Islamic god may, or may not, forgive
him upon his repentance. He is arbitrary in granting forgiveness (al-Maidah 5: 18;
etc.). On judgment day, he will discover whether or not he is forgiven. On the other
hand, if he commits a small sin (missing a prayer, lying, breaking Ramadans fast,
etc.), he can earn his forgiveness by good works or going on pilgrimage (hajj).
It is hoped that the Muslim person earns his salvation by his good works (Al-
Imran 3: 31). The only hope a Muslim has is that his good deeds outweigh his bad
ones and tip the scale of judgment in his favor: On that day all shall be weighed with
justice. Those whose good deeds weigh heavy in the scales shall triumph, but those
whose deeds are light shall lose their souls, because they have denied our
revelations (al-Araf 7: 8-9; al-Baqarah 2: 277). As discussed before, good works do
not cancel out evil ones. Later in his ministry when he started to send out military
expeditions from Medina, Muhammad claimed to have received revelation about an
assured way for earning his gods forgiveness and favor by fighting and dying for the
cause of Islam in jihad (Al-Imran 3: 195, 157-158; as-Saff 61: 10-13; al-Nisa 4: 74;
Bukhari 4.52.46, 48). A Muslim person who dies in jihad, is believed to go straight to
the Islamic paradise without waiting in his grave for judgment day. The one who will
be awarded the Islamic paradise without passing through judgment is the Islamic
jihadist who kills for the cause of Islam, not the doer of good deeds.
There is no assurance of salvation in Islam for Muslims who do not
participate and die in jihad. Muhammad depended on his own works, along with
his gods hoped-for mercy to earn paradise. However, the Islamic god is exalted and
pleased to send people to hell arbitrarily (Ibrahim 14: 4), and is arbitrary in his
forgiveness (al-Baqarah 2: 284; al-Maidah 5: 18). He cannot be trusted. Therefore,
Muhammad himself was insecure about his eternal fate and expressed his doubts
and worries about his gods acceptance when he said: nor do I know what will be
done with me or with you (al-Ahqaf 46: 9; Bukhari 5.58.266; 2.23.334; 9.87.145).
In fact, Muhammad asked Muslims to pray for his salvation (al-Ahzab 33: 56). In the
five daily Islamic prayers, one of the concluding prayers is often, O god! Have mercy
on Muhammad and on his descendants, as you had mercy on Abraham and on his
descendants. If Muhammad were at peace in paradise, he would not need the
prayers of anyone?
Omar, one of the early guided caliphs, said before his death: . . . Had I the whole
East and West, gladly would I give up all to be delivered from this awful terror that is
hanging over me (Cited in Jens Christensen, The Practical Approach to Muslims,
London: North Africa Mission, 1977, p. 380). Abu Bakr went through the same
anguish on his deathbed. Amr bin al-As wept in his deathbed worrying about his
eternal destiny. In fact, except for the Islamic martyrs who die fighting for Islam in
jihad (at-Tawbah 9: 111; as-Saff 61: 4, 10-13), all Muslims will spend time in hell
(Maryam 19: 71). Hell is a horrible prospect indeed. But the fire of the hell of guilt in
this life because of a lack of assurance of forgiveness of sins in the present is not
easy to suffer either. This proves the common saying that Islam is as arid as the
deserts of its birth. The final message of Islam is not a message of salvation
and new life, but of hopelessness.
The Holy Bible does not emphasize suffering in hell. It barely mentions it.
However, the Quran, which is comparable in size to the New Testament (Injil, etc.),
mentions the word hell ninety-seven times. In addition, it describes hell without
specifically using the term hell many more times. Scholars estimate that the Quran
mentions the threat of hell, on average, every 7.9 verses (783 verses out of 6151
total verses).
Muhammads fears and insecurity about his eternal salvation makes his prophetic
claims doubtful and questionable at best. The only emphatic guarantee Muhammad
had from his god was that he was going to die (az-Zumar 39: 30-31) and pass
through hell (Maryam 19: 68-72). There is no security for Muslims. If the prophet of
Islam and the greatest Muslims Abu Bakr and Omar were uncertain and insecure
about their salvation, how much more the average Muslim would be?
There is not a single Biblical or Quranic verse which exhorts believers to pray for
the peace and salvation of any of the true prophets and apostles of the holy Bible
after their respective deaths. All the true prophets and apostles of the living God
never doubted their salvation. Dying on the cross, Jesus forgave the penitent
criminal who was crucified on his right side saying to him: Assuredly, I say to
you, today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23: 43). Jesus knew for
certainty that he was going to paradise. That is why he did not fear death. The last
words he uttered on the cross before he dismissed his spirit were: Father, into
Your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23: 46). The Holy Bible gives assurance
that all true believers, including Gods true prophets and apostles, will enter into the
heavenly presence of God in paradise right after their deaths (2 Corinthians 5: 1-10;
Philippians 1: 21, 23; 2 Timothy 4: 6-8; Hebrews 12: 22-24; Revelation 6: 9-11; 7: 9-
17; etc.). Christ assured Christians saying: "Let not your heart be troubled; you
believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Fathers house are many mansions. If
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that
where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you
know.... I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me" (John 14: 1-4, 6).
VI. ABSOLUTE PREDESTINATION
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Islam teaches that its god is the origin of both good and evil. This article
discusses the Islamic doctrine of absolute predestination, and provides the Christian
position on this pivotal issue.
The Islamic god leads aright whom he wills, and leads astray whom he wills. One
of his goals is to fill hell. This article discusses the Islamic gods attitude towards
sinners and provides the Christian position.
VII. JUDGMENT AND ETERNAL DESTINY
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A. The Islamic teaching
Islam proclaims the doctrine of the torment of the grave. The soul of a dead
Muslim person is believed to return to its corpse while it is interred. It is claimed that
the dead person experiences physical sensation. Once entombed, the soul is judged
by two angels, after which it is either granted paradise or the torment of the grave.
This torment consists of pulverizing the corpse with a massive iron hammer that
makes it crumble into dust, but the Islamic god reassembles it and has it struck
repeatedly. Then the grave tightens around the corpse, till its bones crack. Then the
tomb-snake (or 70-99 dragons) eats the flesh of the corpse, but then the flesh
returns and is eaten repeatedly. Muhammad taught that one of the greatest sins that
causes the torment of the grave is failing to properly clean oneself after urinating. A
sure way of avoiding the torment of the grave is martyrdom in jihad (Bukhari 4.52.72,
73). Muhammad was afraid of the torment of the grave and used to pray that he may
be saved from it (Bukhari 2.23.454; 2.18.164).
This Islamic teaching does not address what happens to a non-existent corpse
which has been destroyed by either the wild beasts of the land or the sea, or by fire?
Physical evidence proves that the torment of the grave is a mere fiction because
exhumed corpses are found intact. Its bones are not broken and not powdered, and
the size of the grave does not change.
Islam teaches that Christ will return to judge the living and the dead (Bukhari
4.55.657). It also teaches that every Muslim, good and wicked alike, goes first to hell
after his death (Maryam 19: 70-72). The way to the Islamic paradise is through the
gates of hell? In describing the final judgment, Islam provides two imagesthe
judgment scale and the bridge.
1. The judgment scale weighs the good deeds of the person against his evil deeds.
Those whose good works outweigh their bad works will go to paradise. The others
will go to hell. On that day all shall be weighed with justice. Those whose good
deeds weigh heavy in the judgment scales shall triumph, but those whose good
deeds are light shall lose their souls, because they have denied our revelations (al-
Araf 7: 8-9; al-Baqarah 2: 277; Hud 11: 114; al-Anbiya 21: 47; al-Qariah 101: 6-11;
Hud 11: 114; al-Muminun 23: 102-103). What if ones good works exactly balance
his bad works? Islam does not answer this question. The Islamic god never gave
clear instructions as to his scoring system for good and bad deeds? Therefore, no
one knows when he has done enough good works? The concept of the judgment
scale encourages, and leads to, more evil and corruption. A person may commit evil
and then do a good deed to outweigh his evil deed. Even career criminals and their
mothers feel their good works outweigh their evil works. Eventually, evil flows, and
good works become rare.
The concept of the judgment scale is meaningless and not valid, because good
deeds, apart from salvation, are legalistic and superficial and do not result in internal
transformation and purification of the fallen human nature. Good works no more
cover and compensate for bad works than an act of kindness can take away the guilt
of a murderer. Many good works mixed with bad works is like an omelet that
contains both good and bad eggs. No one could eat this omelet. No one would
accept a glass of water if a drop of ink is added to it. Good deeds do not compensate
for bad deeds. Good deeds do not erase bad deeds neither in human laws nor in
Gods laws. Man could not undo sins he did in the past. Good deeds, on their own
merit, are incapable of bridging the huge gulf that separates fallen humanity from the
divine God, and therefore, they could not establish communion between the human
person and God. We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64: 6a). I do not set aside the grace of God; for if
righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:
21).
The concept of the judgment scale is traceable to a heretical work called The
Testament of Abraham written about eight hundred years before Muhammads time,
and to The Book of the Dead found in the tombs of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.
2. The idea of the bridge is based on as-Saffat 37: 23-24; and Yasin 36: 66 (Bukhari
1.12.770). This is the last phase of the process of judgment. All Muslims must finally
come to a hair thin bridge across the fire of hell. The righteous will cross it quickly
and safely. But those whose deeds have fallen short of the Islamic gods standard
will lose their footing and fall into the flames of hell beneath. This concept is of
Persian Zoroastrian origin. It is called Chinavad meaning the connecting link which
joins earth and paradise.
The Holy Bible does not emphasize suffering in hell. It barely mentions it. However,
the Quran, which is comparable in size to the New Testament (Injil, etc.), mentions
the word hell ninety-seven times. In addition, it describes hell without specifically
using the term hell many more times. Scholars estimate that the Quran mentions
the threat of hell, on average, every 7.9 verses (783 verses out of 6151 total verses).
Although some spiritual rewards are briefly mentioned (e.g. peace (Yasin 36: 58;
Maryam 19: 62), bliss (al-Tawbah 9: 72)), the Islamic paradise is mainly a
materialistic carnal paradise (an-Nisa 4: 57; al-Hajj 22: 23; Maryam 19: 22; az-
Zukhruf 43: 71; ad-Dukhan 44: 51-56; ad-Dahr 76; 5, 21; al-Mutaffifin 83: 25). It
appeals to, and satisfies, the base human fleshy instincts. It legitimizes the personal
hedonistic pleasures of gluttony and polygamy. It contains the huris which the
Islamic god created as devices of lustful pleasure to gratify Muslim men who fear him
(ad-Dukhan 44: 51-54; ar-Rahman 55: 72; al-Waqiah 56: 22, 35-37; al-Baqarah 2:
25; an-Nisa 4: 57). The virgin huris are like delicate pearls (as-Saffat 37: 49; ar-
Rahman 55: 56-58). Their virginity is reestablished after they are approached. The
Islamic paradise also provides the kawaib (an-Naba78: 33), who are charming
young women (al-Waqiah 56: 23; ar-Rahman 55: 58). In addition to the female
companions, the Islamic paradise will have young boys of perpetual freshness (at-
Tur 52: 24; al-Waqiah 56: 17; al-Insan 76: 19) endowed with eternal youth. The
paradise of the Quran suggests the immoral perverted sexual behavior of pederasty,
lustful erotic sexual indulgence, excessive wine (Muhammad 47: 15), servants, etc.
It is interesting to note that the things that Islamists decry the most as satanic sins
of the West are what the Islamic paradise consists of. The Islamic paradise is a
mans world. It is only to reward men. Muslim women are ignored? Even in the
Islamic paradise, the Muslim woman is treated unfairly. She has no assurance of
having even one man. Once again, she is used perpetually for the advantage,
gratification and pleasure of the man. Virgin women are mentioned only in the
context of gratifying the sexual needs of Muslim men (al-Baqarah 2: 25; as-Saffat 37:
39-49; ad-Dukhan 44: 51-59; Muhammad 47: 15; at-Tur 52: 17-24; al-Waqiah 56:
12-39; ar-Rahman 55: 54-59, 70-77; an-Naba 78: 31-34). Muhammad claimed that
every Muslim man entering the Islamic paradise will be given 72 huris and virility
equal to that of one hundred men. There is a sex market in the Islamic paradise
which makes it sound like an Islamic brothel in the Islamic heaven. The Islamic
paradise is not a liberating experience. In it, Muslim men live in bondage to gluttony
and sexual lust. The origin of these Islamic teachings is found in Zoroastrian and
Hindu sources. In fact, the word huri is derived from a Persian source.
Christ taught saying: Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a
slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides
forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:
34-36).
B. The Christian teaching
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The Holy Bible teaches that the human soul is immortal by the grace of God
(Matthew 22: 32; Luke 20: 38). Physical death is the departure of the soul from the
body (2 Corinthians 5: 1-4; 2 Peter 1: 14; Philippians 1: 23; 2 Timothy 4: 6). The Holy
Bible distinguishes two states of the human soul after physical death: the state
immediately following death, and that after the final General Judgment. Immediately
after death, a Particular Judgment of each person takes place, after which the
disembodied human soul enters an intermediate state either of spiritual bliss in the
immediate presence of Christ with the angels and departed saints (Luke 23: 43; 16:
22-23), or of torment and darkness separated from God. At that point the destiny of
the departed person is fixed into eternity (Luke 16: 19-31). However, the person
does not receive the full eternal reward or punishment until after the General
Judgment.
The second coming of Christ, our Lord, will be in glory and power (Matthew 24:
30; Luke 21: 27). It is the greatest future event in human history. It signifies the final
triumph of justice and life over evil and death. In fact, Muslim theologians are
unanimous in believing that Christ is physically alive at present in heaven, and will
return to earth at the end of this age. Approximately, seventy hadiths support the
doctrine of the return of Christ to earth in the last days. Only God knows the time of
the second coming (Matthew 24: 36; Acts 1: 7). It will be preceded by the
appearance of a massive life giving luminous cross of Christ filling the sky (Matthew
24: 27, 30-31; Mark 13: 26-27; Luke 21: 27). At his first advent, Christ came in
simplicity and humility to redeem, save, heal, and regenerate the human spirit (John
3: 17; Matthew 20: 28). At his second advent, he will come in power and glory with
multitudes of angels and saints to judge the living and the resurrected dead,
including Muhammad the prophet of Islam, in the final General Judgment (Matthew
13: 41-43; 16: 27; 25: 31-46; John 5: 22, 28-29 Acts 10: 42; 17: 31; Revelations 19:
11-16; 22: 12). The General Judgment will occur right after the resurrection of all the
dead (John 5: 28-29), at which time the soul will be united with a resurrected body
for eternity.
There are distinguishable levels of rewards and punishments corresponding to
the moral situation of each person at the moment of his death. Those who died in
Christ and those alive in Christ at his second coming will receive incorruptible
immortal spiritual bodies that shine forth as the sun (Matthew 13: 43; 1
Corinthians 15: 35-50; Philippians 3: 20-21; 1 John 3: 1-3). They will live in an
eternal spiritual bliss in a new heaven (Revelation 21: 1-4; 2 Peter 3: 13). Eye
has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things
which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2: 9). They will
exist in a state of deification and unbroken close fellowship with God in his eternal
kingdom (Daniel 2: 44; 7: 13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4: 17). Their spiritual growth
towards the infinite God of the universe will never cease. The eternal bliss is a
spiritual bliss at a higher state of existence in the immediate presence of God.
It consists in deliverance from suffering, grief, corruption, etc.; experiencing
the beatific vision of God; and the reunion with the other righteous souls. It
will not be a materialistic carnal existence centered on gluttony, polygamy,
and sensual pleasures. The biblical God condemns and abhors these excesses,
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14: 17; Habakkuk 1: 13).
Jesus taught that there is no marriage in the biblical heaven: For in the
resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of
God in heaven (Matthew 22: 30; Luke 20: 35-36). This means that human
sexuality ceases to exist in eternity.
The eternal hell is a condition of torment for the wicked and demons. It is
represented symbolically by the fire and worms that never die (Mark 9: 43-48; 2
Thessalonians 1: 8; Revelation 21: 8), where there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth (Matthew 8: 12). It is called the lake of fire (Revelation 19: 20). The cruelest
torment is the eternal deprivation of the glory of God and his eternal kingdom, and
the eternal separation from the vision of God in the outer darkness. Only in God, its
creator, can the human soul find its eternal rest and illumination. Therefore, eternal
hell is called the second death (Revelation 20: 14).
