Hell

The Neglect of Hell

The Neglect of Hell

Hell is a major and fundamental doctrine of the Bible. Jesus preached a lot about hell, but it is a neglected doctrine today, and this is one of the reasons why the fear of God is not before men’s faces. Take “Christian America,” for example. Even in the age of skepticism, a large percentage of Americans are church goers, but America doesn’t fear God because the vast majority of its pulpits don’t preach the fear of God. Hell is not the sweet, positive type of religious message that Americans want to hear, because they have been nurtured on cotton candy theology rather than the pure Word of God. If you listen to funeral sermons, you would think that everyone is in heaven, and that is emphatically not the case, for Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14), and, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), and, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
2 Thess 1:9 – How Can a Loving God Send Souls to Hell?

2 Thess 1:9 – How Can a Loving God Send Souls to Hell?

Problem: The Bible’s teaching on the reality of eternal punishment for unbelievers has perhaps “made” more atheists than any other teaching of Scripture. After expressing that he did not “believe one can grant either superlative wisdom or the superlative goodness of Christ as depicted in the Gospels,” popular early-20th-century agnostic Bertrand Russell indicated that he was not concerned about what other people said about Christ, but “with Christ as He appears in the Gospels.”1 How so? In his widely distributed pamphlet “Why I Am Not a Christian,” Russell argued, “There is one very serious defect in Christ’s moral character, and that is that He believed in hell. I do not myself feel that any person who is really profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment. Christ certainly as depicted in the Gospel did believe in everlasting punishment.”2

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
Col 1:23 – To Every Creature Under Heaven?

Col 1:23 – To Every Creature Under Heaven?

Problem: Only about 30 years after the Lord’s church was established on Pentecost (Acts 2), the apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Colosse about their reconciliation in Christ. He then mentioned to them how the Gospel had been “preached to every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23). However, according to skeptics who have commented on Colossians 1:23, “Never at any time has every living person heard the gospel. Millions of people have come and gone without having had any contact whatever with Christianity or the Bible” (McKinsey, 2000, p. 569). Thus, Paul allegedly was mistaken and therefore not inspired by God to write to the Colossians or anyone else in the first century. Are we really to believe, as skeptic Tony Kuphaldt asked, “that the entire world had heard about Jesus at this time (about 60 A.D.)?!” (2002).

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
Will Most People Go to Hell?

Will Most People Go to Hell?

You will sometimes hear even quite conservative Christians saying they believe that only a minority of people will end up in hell.

Many seem to assume that the great love of God will find a way for most to gain eternal salvation. They think that the vast majority of people who say they are Christians will be saved. And they think too that large numbers who don’t even profess Christian faith will also finally be saved.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
Eph 4:8-10 – The Location of Hades

Eph 4:8-10 – The Location of Hades

This difficult passage has been understood by Bible interpreters in various ways. The best
solution is to compare Scripture with Scripture, which I have endeavored to do in this
study. May the Lord help us to understand these verses. Peter once wrote about Paul’s
writings: “Our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given unto him hath written
unto you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some
things hard to be understood” (2 Peter 3:15-16). These three verses might be included
among things which Paul wrote which are hard to be understood. May the Lord give us
understanding in all things (2 Tim. 2:7)!

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
The Truth About Hell

The Truth About Hell

The Bible’s Teaching on Hell

“And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24). “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire” (Matthew 18:8).
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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Study, Hell