The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden and there He put the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the Lord made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said, ‘ You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opener, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man death, by Man also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive again. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Anyone not found in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from you fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world. The plan of God was formed before the foundation of the world – before the creation of mankind – before the fall of mankind. Before God said “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” the Christ was foreordained. The plan of salvation was laid out before the first sin. When God said “You shall surely die,” the plan for life everlasting was already in place. If the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ brought life everlasting to both the sinner and the saint, one to life in the fire and one to life in the kingdom, then it was known before the foundation of the world. Why would it be said, “You will surely die,” if it is indeed as the serpent said, “You will not surely die?” Would not the truth have been spoken? If God be the author of truth and satan, the serpent, the author of lies, would the truth not be that which was spoken by God? Could it not have been said, “On the day you eat of it you shall surely be cast in the everlasting fire?”
One debate made by professing Christians is one of, “Is there a hell?” Yes there is hell. Another debate made by professing Christians is one of, “Is there to be a lake of fire?” Yes there is to be a lake of fire and death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire. Hell is existence without God. Satan is in hell, because he rejected God. Mankind tuned away from God in the garden and Jesus came to turn the hearts of man back to God. If we do not accept the coming of Jesus from God, His death and resurrection into eternal life, we are lost from God and in hell. When hell is cast into the lake of fire, all of mankind that has not turned back to God will be cast into the fire and burn like dry grass. All flesh is as grass and all glory of man as the flowers of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Jesus Christ, the Word of God, will endure forever and so will those that dwell in the Christ and the Christ in them.