For years, the picture was not as clear for me... for mere mortals. I know that John was clear about what is in-store for those who take "the mark" but with that exception, I was led to believe that mortals suffer "the second death." Jesus warned about the "second death." The second death would be the destruction of the eternal spirit... For years I suspected that it is as simple as that! The spirit was destroyed... finished... no longer exists... BUT... READ ON...

WHAT IF: "What if" the destruction of the spirit continues throughout eternity? In other words; because the spirit was designed by God to be eternal, the spirit must be continually destroyed for all eternity? An ongoing, never ending process... ETERNITY. This is more in line with the message that most all doctrines teach. The more I research this issue, the more I am led to understand that it happens this way! Eternal destruction! I believe that it is the fact! If you have read my other pages, you know that I do not believe that hell is punishment from God. Hell is simply a way of destroying the spirit that is not able to make the transition into the eternal Kingdom of God. In other words, you just can't have these "lost" spirits "drifting around," therefore they are confined to eternal imprisonment and continually destroyed. A never ending process. However, after reading and rereading scripture, some of the writers declare it to be punishment! I must bow to the disciples and apostles of God and surrender! I never believed that it was truly "punishment," as you can read on my page www.john33.com/judgement.htm. BUT - Who am I to question these men? Listen to the teachings of our Lord, Jesus. As much as I guard against it, I sometimes let my emotions show through and that is not good. Jesus' teachings must not be watered down. Hell is eternal destruction!

Summation: Hell is a device for destroying the spirit. Since the spirit was designed to be eternal it would stand to reason that God uses a method, only enabled by HIM. When a failed spirit does not make it into The Kingdom, the failed spirit must be destroyed. That is the function of HELL.

 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

I AM MORE CONVINCED EVERY DAY...

Hell is a horrible place of torment for those who miss the Kingdom of God! Jesus talked about it, HE warned us about it and why I ever considered that it was anything but a horror beyond words escapes me! For many years I believed it was simply a place where the souls are consumed... burned up... destroyed... but I must have had my head in a cloud to have missed what the bible so clearly explains! I firmly believe there are some books that were destroyed or kept from being included in the canonized text we know as the Bible. Anything as horrible as this place must have had more said than we see in the bible... I believe it is real and horrible beyond comprehension!

BE CAREFUL

Be prudent and careful - Some denominations and churches are counterfeit. Do you not know that the anti-Christ and his forerunners will be very convincing?

These scriptures are from The Lord's Sermon On The Mount. Do you see how much He talks and warns about deceitful teachers who come in His name? Read carefully: 14 "But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it." Can you see what He is saying? He is VERY absolute in His warning that ONLY A FEW WILL FIND THE WAY!

21 "Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as `Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. 22 On judgment day many will tell me, Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' 23 But I will reply, `I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.

In other words - many people who SAY they are of Jesus are in fact of a false Jesus! Students who represent false doctrines. Do you think ALL DENOMINATIONS & DOCTRINES are of the TRUE JESUS? Certainly not! They can't all be right and of the TRUE JESUS. Perhaps they don't know it! Perhaps they are being taken in just as Jesus warns in the scriptures above. Even though they were fooled - tricked - they still go to hell. This must be the reason Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to instruct and lead all who are (truly) saved or born again.

How do you know the difference? Be careful of any doctrine that a preacher, teacher, parent, pastor or ANY MAN OR WOMAN preaches - Learn at least one of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) learn it well!

Study the Books of Peter and James! This James was Jesus' brother. James and Jesus had the same mother! They grew together from childhood! It makes sense to me that James knew our Lord better than any of the other writers! Study the book of James. I feel a vast difference between his resolve and the authors of the other books. His writings strike me as being very different from the others. No sugar coating here! He fires "the directions to the Kingdom" like a machine gun! Brace yourself! James will set you straight! He preached against discrimination... and he practiced what he preached!

Above all, pray for discernment and guidance from the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to you... He promised!

We all have our favorites. The book of Peter is (another) one of mine. While writing The King's 12, I came to feel that I knew Peter very well... Peter was a bit impetuous... in spite of this, Jesus had a special mission for him. Mat 16:18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

All through the gospel... I loved the way our Lord kept putting Peter back in the saddle... he would fall out and Jesus would set him upright! A beautiful, loving relationship! Shows us what a caring Shepherd Jesus is... If you belong to Him... He won't give up on you! All of the imaginations in Hollywood couldn't create a more unique relationship! Peter loved Jesus beyond words! He just couldn't stay out of trouble! What a great relationship! Peter And The Son of God... would make a great movie!

Trust James and Peter to show you the true Jesus!

You will not find a Materialistic Jesus in either of those books. The majority of the popular evangelists preach and teach a "Prosperity Jesus." Purveyors of God's word preach a "feel good" doctrine that will bring you wealth, happiness and a perfect sex life with a perfect companion... All of the things that the "Sunday Morning" Christian is looking for. True Christianity is not a "feel good" doctrine. The real question; will they help you find the pathway to heaven and away from hell? It is too important to not care. There is hell to pay.

Study and pray on your own! Invite Jesus in and accept Him when He comes to you. Let Him in! He is your savior.

Your friend,

John

P.S. A few scriptures that apply to this page:

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.

1Ti 6:9-10 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving with many sorrows.money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves

2 Peter 3:15-16 And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him — speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.