"Absent from the Body," Explained
This is the question many ask when wrestling with the afterlife, especially in debates between Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT), Annihilationism, Soul Sleep, and Universal Reconciliation. At first glance, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the...
Did the Thief on the Cross Go to Heaven That Day?
Few verses are used more often to support the false doctrine of instant life after death in heaven than Luke 23:43 — Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross:
Does the Bible Teach Purgatory?
When most people hear the word Purgatory, they think of the Roman Catholic teaching: a place where souls who died in God’s grace but not fully purified undergo cleansing by fire until they are ready for Heaven. But is this...
How Did Hades Become Hell?
For centuries, the Church has terrified millions with the image of a fiery “Hell” where unbelievers are burned alive for all eternity. But where did this idea come from? Is it truly biblical? Or is it a distorted fusion of...
Is Death Really Just Sleep?
When people die, where do they go? Are they instantly judged and sent to Heaven or Hell? Are they annihilated into nonexistence? Or… do they simply fall asleep?
Is Hades the Same as Hell or the Lake of Fire?
If you’ve ever heard that Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and the Lake of Fire are all just “Hell,” you’ve been handed a linguistic mash-up, not biblical theology. Scripture separates these terms and their timing. Once you sort that out, the scare-tactic...
Should We Trust the Targums to Define the Afterlife?
The rise of modern arguments for Annihilationism — the belief that the wicked will one day cease to exist — has led many to dig through ancient documents to support their view. One such tactic is quoting from the Targums,...
The Keys of Hades
Revelation 1:18 gives us one of the most definitive declarations in Scripture:“I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
The Truth About Near Death Experiences
NDEs are compelling. They’re also wildly inconsistent. They can stir curiosity, spark hope, and even nudge a skeptic toward considering God. But they are not a foundation for Christian doctrine. If we’re serious about truth, we must keep experience in...
The Truth About Sheol, Hades, and the Lie of Eternal Torment
The traditional doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) tells a horrific story: that Jesus died and descended into a burning torture chamber to pull a few souls out—and that most of humanity will later be cast into this same place...
