Is Hell Real?
June 8th, 2006 · Posted in Christianity, Reflections, Religion · 16 Comments
Rob posted a question on his blog yesterday:
I have to say that hell is indeed real. Hell is eternal separtation from God and is very real. Maybe not a real place — but a real situation.
Hell is real because we make it real.
God created us for relationships with Him and others — but we continually refuse to be a part of the relationships we were created for. This refusal is what we call sin. The consequences of our sin is separation from God — or hell.
The problem is that we can not correct the problem. We can not live in the relationships God has created us for — and therefore can not escape hell. Only Jesus can do that for us. But if we respond to Jesus with faith we can be forgiven for our sins — and do not have to live in separation from God, or in hell.
What do you think?
June 9th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Honestly, I don’t think about hell.
Try to think more of the positive and doing things right. Worrying more about getting to Heaven.
June 9th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
That’s probably a good way to live!
June 10th, 2006 at 9:15 am
I think hell is real, and that believing that is very unpopular. We like to think that God is here to serve us, love us and take care of us. Thinking that God might become angry at us is no longer acceptable.
A buddy of mine has been preaching a series on Revelation, and he has some interesting things to say on the subject of God’s anger and on judgment. See http://goodshepherdsermons.blogspot.com/.
Another interesting site is http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/hellreal.htm — the title of which is, “Is Hell Real.”
In my heart when I say hell is real and the wrath of God is real, I am not troubled.
But when I say this to others, or when others say it to me, I feel uncomfortable. Affirming and acknowledging hell seems to put me too close to people who have views that are not my views.
June 10th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Thanks for the comment, John Always a pleasure to hear from you. And thanks for the links — I’ll be sure to check them out.
June 11th, 2006 at 1:46 am
I don’t really understand how it would not be a place.
Besides, Jesus refers to Gehenna, at least as being a place in Mark 9 – it’s where “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
June 11th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Good point, John. It may indeed be a place — but it is also very much a situration where we separate ourselves from God and others.
June 11th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
I assume that you’ve read The Great Divorce?
June 11th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
No — that’s one I have not read.
Would you recommend it?
June 11th, 2006 at 8:32 pm
Oh, absolutely! It’s by C. S. Lewis, for a start.
The setting is a busload of people going from hell to heaven. It brings out the idea of hell being separation from others, and emphasises that people in Hell choose to be there.
And you find out that there’s a Theological Society in Hell.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
And you find out that there’s a Theological Society in Hell.
I guess the problem is they spend tpoo much time “theorizing” and too little time living!
June 12th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Actually, that’s not how Lewis portrays it.
No, the problem was that they were wrong.
June 12th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
I checked out the book from the library today — hope to take it with me when I go to the beach next week.
June 13th, 2006 at 12:04 am
Excellent!
June 13th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
C.S. Lewis was an accomplished logician and loved to develop proofs, but all proofs erode absent the assumptions on which they are based, which themselves cannot be proved. So we are left with faith. It’s so good to know that you don’t have to be brilliant to know God. He isn’t linear anyway and our puny attempts to describe or pidgeon hole Him and His ways are fruitless. Nor does He send anyone anywhere for being “wrong.” It’s just so sad that so many neo-Calvinists are so focused on mechanics and so absent the Holy Spirit. Christ said Believe IN me, not believe ABOUT me. Get it?
June 14th, 2006 at 5:11 am
Thanks for visiting — and joining the discussion. Faith is indeed not about intellectual belief — but a relationship with God and others.
June 19th, 2006 at 2:54 am
I have an interesting book called “Four Views on Hell” edited by Crockett and Gundry, published by Zondervan. Essentially, there are four views of hell being debated by theologians today: Literal (Walvoord); Metaphorical (Crockett); Purgatorial (Hayes) and Conditional (Pinnock). It’s a good informative read.
My personal view? Like the Pinnock, the venerable John Stott and others, I believe Scripture is very clear about unsaved souls being “burned up” like chaff; the annihilationist view. I see the metaphor of utter destruction repeated over and over in Scripture. (Sodom and Gomorrah is one example.) Eternal torment is reserved for Satan and his minions (Revelation), because they are fallen eternal spirits. By contrast, mortal souls are NOT eternal (that’s Greek philosophy). Only the saved are filled with the eternal Spirit of God; only the saved are immortal, and destined for eternity. So why are unsaved humans utterly destroyed? Because unbelievers have refused the loving, forgiving, outstretched hand of God.