BellaOnline Forums Family Christian Living Hell is a scary place

Lynne, your topic this week really hit home with me. For years my family attended the same church. The pastor was truly on fire for God. But then something happened. He was so into preaching the love and goodness of God that he slowly phased out his wrath and retribution. His preaching began to change, so slowly at first that it was almost impossible to catch.

Reminded me of the story that if you put a frog in cold water and slowly turn up the heat that he won't notice until it is too late. Well, the same thing applies here. Maybe we didn't notice because we were such good friends with him and his wife. Maybe we just hated to think that he could be so deceived. He was such a godly man, what if we were the ones who had missed something?

Then one Sunday his message floored us. He preached that everyone would be going to heaven - whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist - everyone. It didn't matter whether or not they had accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, they would still be going. There was no hell. His basis for this? One of the verses he used was John 3:17 "For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." Besides, God was such a loving God that he would never send anyone to a place of eternal torment.

That message was like a slap in the face and went against everything that he had taught us over the past several years. It also went against everything the Bible taught.

Our family was the majority of the praise and worship team, so we were faced with a pretty major decision. We knew for a fact that the majority of people who attended there did not believe this way, nor did we. So we didn't leave right away. We gave him 1 year. He still had not come back to his senses when the year was up, so we left. That was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do.

It is so important to double check everything that your pastor preaches with the Word. Don't be deceived - there is a Hell. God does not send anyone there, but a person who does not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior chooses to go there for eternity.

Thank you Lisa.
It is heartbreaking to see someone, especially a pastor, who knows the truth - or knew it - change their teaching in such a way.

It feels good to believe that no one will go to hell no matter what path they choose, but God has His reasons. The Bible tells the truth.

Hell - A Scary Place

Absolutely agreed. Ever seen the video clip from "23 Minutes in Hell?" If not, check it out on youtube. Or there's a book by the same name; the author is the one in the video. Makes my blood run cold....

Lynne, we're on the same page here. People forget, or can't handle that God is bigger than us, and that we understand only the mere edges of His ways. He says you must come to Him through Jesus, so that's how it is. Just because that makes us uncomfortable, or we can't completely understand how that's fair to every person on the planet, doesn't mean we should make up something different to believe!
I'm content to trust that God is good, and wise, and will explain the really tough knots to me in good time.

This is an interesting topic. I personally have a hard time understanding the concept of a loving God and hell. How can there be a hell? I think that evil is just a mental imbalance or genetic mutation in an individual. So the concept of eternal punishment for the frailty of being human seems awfully petty. I really believe in the LOVE element of Christianity.

But then, I also an naive enough to believe we all want to be good people and live compassionate lives...but that we never really learned how to handle personal disappointment. That we need to learn tolerance and respect in all things. I want to be like Jesus! I want to love everyone, accept everyone, turn the other cheek and spread compassion.

So I have a very hard time understanding hell.

I understand your view point Jilly. It is a hard thing for many people to understand.

We all should want to be like Jesus. However there is so much more to Him than we choose to focus on.
He taught about hell in Matthew 8:11. Who would think that the meek and mild Jesus would tell anyone they would be cast outside where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?

In Mark 9:42-48 He talks about hell and it doesn�t sound like a nice warm cozy place.

In Luke 16:19-26 Jesus tells a story of a man who goes to hell where he is in torment.

Yes, he taught love and forgiveness. He also taught that the only way to God is through Him.

I find it hard to understand how Christians can believe certain teachings of Jesus but discard others. It�s kind of like cafeteria style faith. That tastes good, give me that. That is a bit sour, I don�t care for any, thank you. That�s too hard to chew.

Hmmm. Thank you for your thoughtful answer, Lynne. I think i need to go for a walk and think about this. I see what you are saying and that I need to make a decision about whether I see the Bible as being wholly true - verbatim - or not.

I assume we are talking about the New Testament, or both Bibles?

I admit I do not know much about this, but have to ask myself if deep down I can believe every element writ in the text. I know I am supposed to. But I also won't lie about it if I do not.

I believe the entire Bible to be true both Old Testament and New Testament. I'm not sure anyone can truely believe the Bible until they read it thoughtfully, and study it with a good Bible teacher or at least a complete commentary. I suggest starting with the New Testament. Read it with an open and expectant mind. You will either become a believer - or not.

I agree 100% with you Lynne. The only way to be truly close to the Lord is to spend a lot of time with Him, listing to his Word, the Holy Bible. I heard a saying that stuck with me. "Good people don't go to Heaven, Believers go to Heaven"

I agree 100% with you Lynne. The only way to be truly close to the Lord is to spend a lot of time with Him, listing to his Word, the Holy Bible. I heard a saying that stuck with me. "Good people don't go to Heaven, Believers go to Heaven"