The Lake of Fire
The pagan concept of the lake of fire is that it is an ever-burning place of torment, where unrepentant sinners go to be tortured for eternity. Close examination in the word of God reveals that concept is foolishness. God is not giving eternal life to those who are going to hell, but rather, eternal life is only going to those who are found worthy of it (Luke 20:35). Jesus says that the soul, as well as the body, can be destroyed by God in the lake of fire (Matt. 10:28). The lake of fire, then, is the second death (Rev. 20:14; 21:8).
Isaiah 30:33 mentions a place called Topheth where the Lord sets a fire. This place Topheth is now a public park in the Jerusalem area. It is the place where the ancient Israelites sacrificed their children to the god Baal, which is just another name for Satan (Jer. 19:4-5). In Jesus Christ’s day, it was called Gehenna and it was the city dump. Those who died a dishonorable death were thrown into this dump area, where there were fires burning continually. People threw their garbage in there daily. The corpses were left to rot or be eaten by wild dogs.
Isaiah 31:9 prophesied that this lake of fire, which is referred to also as a furnace, will be in Zion. Zion is another name for Jerusalem. Jesus Christ will start this lake of fire when He returns shortly to set up His government and rule the nations of this earth with a rod of iron (Rev. 19:15). His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33; Is. 9:6-7; 1 Cor. 15:25). We who overcome our evil natures by keeping Jesus Christ’s works, and endure to the end keeping them, will rule with Him (Rev. 2:26-27). The reward of the saved is to rule on this earth, not in heaven (Rev. 5:10; 1:6).
Who goes into this lake of fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41)? The Bible is clear that the first two customers will be the beast and the false prophet (Rev. 13:14-17; 19:20). They love statues, which God abhors. God is going to destroy those who fall away after He has put them in charge over people He is calling (Matt. 24:48-51). The goats—those who knew that God’s true message of serving others and would not repent by doing so—will also be destroyed in the lake of fire. Anyone who goes on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth will be thrown into the lake of fire (Heb. 10:26-27). This is referring to anyone who has once been enlightened, known the truth, was baptized and received God’s Holy Spirit (Heb. 6:4-8). This is anyone who has known the Way of righteousness and has started to overcome, and then went back to his old way of life and was overcome by sin or evil again (2 Peter 2:20-22). These will all be written down in a book (Jer. 17:13). Because they did not overcome evil, but were overcome by evil, they will have their names erased from the book of life (Rev. 3:5; 1 Peter 3:10-11,13; Rom. 12:21; Ex. 32:32-33). They will go into the lake of fire.
Those, however, who had good works and endured to the end will come into life everlasting (John 5:29). It should be clear that practicing good works daily is important in the true gospel message of Jesus Christ. This is how we repent (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 3:26). It is how we glorify God and let our lights shine before others (Matt. 5:16). We are blessed when we repent by doing good works, and thus, return to God (Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6, 10; Rev. 22:12; Acts 3:19; 26:20). We build godly character or fruit on our spiritual trees by practicing good works (Col. 1:10; Matt. 3:8, 10). This is how we imitate God and allow God to live in us (Eph. 5:1; Gal. 4:19). It is how we keep Jesus’ words and God’s commandments in spirit (John 4:24; Gal. 5:16).
When we practice righteousness, we overcome our evil nature and have Jesus Christ’s nature formed in us (Psalm 34:14; 37:27; Dan. 4:27; 1 Peter 3:10-11; Rom. 12:21; Rev. 2:26). As we learn righteousness, our faith is perfected (James 2:22; Titus 3:14). We become constant doers of God’s word (James 1:22). We become kind and charitable people and righteousness (God’s Will) eventually comes from our hearts (Eph. 6:6). We clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ (Job 29:14; Psalm 132:9). This is the narrow Way, and it is not generally known or taught today (Matt. 7:14).