0

Satan, to my understanding, punishes souls in hell as a result of their immoral acts on earth. It also is my understanding that the concept of Satan represents pure immorality (evil).

Does that mean it is immoral to punish souls in hell or is it actually moral?

6
  • You may enjoy reading this for an alternate (Eastern Orthodox) perspective, which differs radically from Western Christianity on this issue.
    – Dan
    Sep 4, 2013 at 3:30
  • I have some confusion. Which actions are you referring to as moral/immoral? Do you mean God's action of throwing people to Hell or Satan's action of punishing people in Hell?
    – Mawia
    Sep 4, 2013 at 4:16
  • 1
    Can you back up your question with scripture? Anyway, the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. So needless to say, it'd be hell down there.
    – hookenz
    Sep 4, 2013 at 9:26
  • 7
    You are confusing Christianity with Greek mythology. Sep 4, 2013 at 9:54
  • Hi rpeg, as Dan mentioned there are various views regarding hell, this article presents one perspective that may be helpful - willfults.com/hell-burn-eternity
    – HelloWorld
    Sep 6, 2013 at 21:32

3 Answers 3

11

In Dante's Inferno, that may have been the case, however, in the Bible, that is absolutely not the case. Satan was never given dominion over hell. In fact, Revelation 19 and 20 tells us Satan will be bound and thrown into the Abyss for 1000 years. After his release, he will be cast into the Lake of Fire with Death, the Grave, the Beast and the False Prophet to burn forever. Satan receives eternal punishment for his actions according to the Bible. Aside from 14th Century literature, he never gets to take his revenge out on anyone. In other words, Satan does not ever punish any souls for immoral acts according to the Bible.

As for the morality of "punishing" someone in Hell, I would contest that as well. I would say a person who rejects God has chosen Hell over Heaven and God forcing a person who wanted nothing to do with Him in life to spend eternity with Him in a relationship they didn't want is tantamount to kidnapping. Think Jayce Dugard. That would be the truly immoral thing to do.

9
  • Okay. Thanks. Are there some Christian sects that believe Satan has dominion over hell?
    – rpeg
    Sep 4, 2013 at 3:05
  • 7
    Unfortunately, thanks to Dante, Bugs Bunny, TV commercials, biker t-shirts and other media and memorabilia, combined with a general illiteracy of the Bible among Christians, I would have to say there are many Christians who believe eternal punishment is meted out by Satan. Sep 4, 2013 at 3:08
  • Also, as an example, are you saying that someone born into the tradition of Vodou, who never learns of Christianity, has "chosen" hell?
    – rpeg
    Sep 4, 2013 at 3:09
  • 2
    If we are to understand Romans 1 as saying God reveals Himself to every person on the planet throughout history by means of natural revelation, visions, etc., and they follow something else instead, then yes, they have rejected Him. There is also a theory that has been making the rounds lately that perhaps God, in His Sovereignty, knew ahead of time which people would never accept the gospel no matter how many times they heard it and had them be born someplace they never are exposed to it. I'm not sure I'm ready to sign off on that one. Sep 4, 2013 at 3:13
  • 1
    let us continue this discussion in chat Sep 4, 2013 at 3:24
5

Satan does not punish anyone for sin. Punishment for sin is solely and exclusively claimed as a right by God. Romans 12:19 makes this abundantly clear when it says

19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, 
for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] says the Lord.
2

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus gives us a picture of the Judgement. Notice that there are ONLY 2 groups. The ones on the right, His sheep, those that followed Him, will

inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (v. 34)

; and the ones on His left, the goats, who chose not to follow in His footsteps, will go

into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (v. 41)

Notice that heaven was prepared for us, but the fire was prepared to the devil and his angels. Revelation 20 also gives us a closer look into Judgement.

It is the same, the people who have received the seal of God, whose names were written in the Book of Life, they will sit on thrones; while the devil, his angels, and those who were not found written in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire. If we follow the succession of Revelation 20, the devil and his angels are tossed in the lake of fire first and then the ones not found in the Book of Life. Then it says,

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:14, 15)

Satan is cast into the lake of fire, the second death, eternal death and separation from God, because they did not wish to follow the Truth that was revealed to them.

There are many schools of thought on the matter. Based on the parables of Jesus it seems to me that the punishment, hell, will come AFTER the Judgement. I think this is only fair because it would be unfair to condemn someone to 10 years of prison without a fair trial and judgement. In the same way it would not be fair to send people to burn in hell and then be judged. This is a VAST subject and cannot be comprehensively discussed in detail in a single post.

In short, Satan does not punish anyone in hell, because no one has been judged and condemned.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .