Perhaps. However, I find it hard that any teaching would change my mind regarding that topic. If you can refer me to something though, I will check it out.
Traditional teaching of eternal Hell is a turn off to me as well. I wrote two chapters in my book addressing the nature of Hell. I purposedly named it "Hell ... If I Know!" I am not a SDA who also do not believe in eternal Hell but a finale destruction in the Lake of Fire. They believe in soul sleep which I don't believe in. Nevertheless, they are respected as a Christian church. The soul who does not put his faith in Christ enters into Hades -- which is not Hell as many are confused about. In Rev. 20:14, death and hades and thrown into the lake of fire (hell / gehenna) with all who do not believe in Christ and are destroyed.
Destroy means to put an end to. You cannot destroy something for eternity. That would be and indestructable destruction or deathless death which are contradictions. Tradition has assigned an eternal state to these words that should not be.
All former things created will pass away. Only those in Christ, Who is eternal will live eternally. He inhabits eternity! So, it is a state of being rather than a time line measured. Time is a physical dimension and is measured by the rotation of the earth and the sun, etc.
Eternity is an English word from the word
aeon or
aeonios which means an age or ages, lifetime(s), generation(s), the world, an epoch of time, etc. When it is used to describe God, heaven or our salvation, it means eternal.
But when it describes
temporal things that will someday pass away, it does not mean eternal and should translate as age or ages. If you read Youngs Literal Translation, you will find he translates the words more correctly. Hades is temporal and so it will pass away. Death itself will pass away. Tears, pain and suffering will pass away. These are all former things. (see Rev. 21:4)
Many people are on the fense because of this concept of eternal hell. Why would God sustain billions of souls suffering in pain and torment forever? Is that something that would glorify Him? Some die young and so eternal damnation is justifiable for a sinning for a decade or so? I don't think God has shown us that kind of justice throughout scripture. We see justice and it is fair and for a time. No where in scripture do we see unfair justice. It is equally proportionate to the crimes committed ... but has and end to it. In our justice system, things aren't perfect but we do see fair justice. Back then, an eye for an eye, or even being enslaved for 400 years is understandable but eternal punishment does not stand on the pillars of justice that we've seen in the Bible or in life anywhere. Besides, Jesus came and the tone change: Forgiveness and mercy where the qualities that he wanted us to demonstrate. Love your enemies and forgive them ... and then what ... God will condemn them to hell later forever? I have a problem with that.
The point is, you don't have to believe in eternal hell to believe in Jesus who offers eternal life! It's not a required essential. If I am wrong, I'll still get in and He'll correct me. Just put your faith in Christ to save your soul from destruction -- whether it's eternal or not!
