Topical Bible: Eternal Death is Called: Damnation of Hell

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Eternal death, often referred to as the "damnation of hell," is a concept deeply rooted in Christian theology, representing the ultimate consequence of sin and rejection of God's grace. This doctrine is primarily derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ and the writings of the New Testament, where it is depicted as the final and irrevocable separation from God.

Biblical Foundation

The term "damnation of hell" is explicitly mentioned in the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 23:33 , Jesus addresses the Pharisees and scribes, saying, "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?" This passage underscores the severity of eternal judgment for those who persist in hypocrisy and unbelief.

The concept of eternal death is further elaborated in the Book of Revelation, where it is described as the "second death." Revelation 20:14-15 states, "Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." This imagery conveys the finality and permanence of eternal separation from God.

The Nature of Damnation

Damnation is characterized by eternal punishment and exclusion from the presence of God. In Mark 9:43-48 , Jesus warns of the unquenchable fire of hell, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which one should go to avoid such a fate: "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire."

The Apostle Paul also speaks to the reality of eternal punishment in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 , where he writes, "They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might." This passage highlights the relational aspect of damnation, which is the eternal severance from the divine presence and glory.

The Justice of God

The doctrine of eternal death as damnation is closely tied to the justice of God. It reflects the holiness and righteousness of God, who cannot tolerate sin. Romans 6:23 succinctly states, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This verse contrasts the consequences of sin with the hope of salvation, underscoring the just nature of divine retribution.

The Role of Human Choice

While eternal death is a consequence of sin, it is also presented as a result of human choice. The New Testament frequently calls individuals to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as the means of escaping damnation. John 3:16-18 offers a message of hope and warning: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."

Conclusion

The concept of eternal death as the damnation of hell serves as a sobering reminder of the gravity of sin and the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. It is a central tenet of Christian eschatology, emphasizing both the justice of God and the profound importance of human response to the gospel message.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 23:33
You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Meditations of the Misery of a Man not Reconciled to God in Christ ...
... and that my days should thus end with eternal shame? ... of the Misery of a Man after
Death, which is ... endless wrath of Almighty God, which is called the damnation ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations of the misery of.htm

Salvation
... not salvation going to a place called heaven?' My ... death and eternal life, salvation
and damnation, hell and heaven ... us into that state of eternal death in which ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon ii salvation.htm

A Call to Backsliders
... This has no reference to eternal death. ... They called upon God with strong cries and
tears, wrestling with ... thou art that hast sinned "a sin unto death," lay this ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 86 a call to.htm

Reprobation.
... Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only ... Now, as sinners really deserve
eternal death, and as their punishment ... how can you escape the damnation of hell ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/finney/systematic theology/lecture xliv reprobation.htm

The Spirit not Striving Always.
... She being near death, I called to see her, and ... An immortal mind on the pivot of its
eternal destiny"God ... justice when the question of life and death was about ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/xvi the spirit not striving.htm

How Another in Like Manner, Being at the Point of Death, Saw the ...
... falling sick, and being brought to extremity, called the brethren ... he, "I see a place
of eternal perdition prepared ... of darkened mind and life, when death was at ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xiv how another in.htm

The Will.
... Therefore, the will is called that faculty of the soul ... way of life and the way of
death, each subject ... upon the "narrow way" that leads to eternal golden glories ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/the will.htm

Eighth Sunday after Trinity Living in the Spirit as God's Children ...
... ye need not imagine that ye shall retain eternal life; ye ... of the flesh, that must
be put to death"all manner ... They are here called the "deeds of the body." Of ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/eighth sunday after trinity living.htm

The Death of Christ
... suffering, all the woe, and all the eternal tortures of ... I may be called Antinomian
or Calvinist for preaching a ... only so far atoned for by the death of Christ ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the death of christ.htm

"But Whereunto Shall I Liken this Generation?"
... we be only in matters of salvation and damnation so irrational? ... of the gospel, may
well be called children of ... which is in it, and then to incur eternal death? ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon x but whereunto shall.htm