hi all,
I've noticed an increase in theological discussion on this board the past few days, so I wanted to ask a question of you. Also, I've seen this question elsewhere but not posed here (as far as I could tell). The title asks the question.
P.S., I'm mainly interested in the varying liberal beliefs, not fundamentalist.
I do not "believe" in hell/hades but, I will tell you what I KNOW!
The Greek word translated as "hell" is:
gehenna and refers to a burning trash heap dump, outside and south of Jerusalem--IN THE FIRST CENTURY! And actually, even before!
The Hebrew word
Sheol means: pit as in, your here and now life is in the pits!
gehenna refers to a here, and now potential when your self-directed life completely sucks!
So go ahead, use your grandest freewill choices to compete with God! The Alpha and the Omega! The Beginning and the End! Go ahead, and PROVE to God how smart you are! YOU WILL LOSE!
Does everyone think that God is just waiting to see what they will do? And then say. "YES, NO"?
HE knows that we are moronic? He figured that out a long time ago! That is why He did something about it!
Because, "death reigned from Adam until Moses!"
Jesus is the ransom payment, not for your SINS! But, that you may have life in His fame!
Do you know that Jesus was the sacrifice that covered! That covered, not SIN(what ever that means!): but mans waywardness(
hamartia) that Adam put in motion through
parabasis--motion against a set point or standard?
Do you understand that by that death/blood you are rightified--not JUSTIFIED! Do you know what Paul said? He said that Jesus was raised the third day because of YOU? That by the death of Jesus, the ransom for your freedom from death was paid in full! And by YOUR rightification--He was raised the third day! Because He no longer had a reason TO BE DEAD! I didn't say that, Paul did in the Greek!
On the other hand,
ouranos--heaven can only be reached, right here, right now--when your life right here, right now is in followship status? And that He, Jesus, is the only way, the only truth, and the only life! Follow Him!
The after life is Scripturally referred to as "the Paradise of God" vs. "the Lake of Fire"! Sheep vs. Goats! Right now, your choice is heaven and hell: life and death! As always from the beginning! Choose life that you may live! Goats SUCK!