Interesting Question.

[lulou]

I am on twitter, and someone I follow posted this. Looking forward to responses!

Which is more important to Modern Evangelicalism? Jesus or Hell?! AND can belief in one exist w/o belief in the other?

Twitter / Matthew Paul Turner: TODAY'S QUESTION: Which is ...

 

[Supernaut]

Which is more important to Modern Evangelicalism? Jesus or Hell?!

That depends on who you ask. For me, Jesus is far more important than hell. He brings hope and life! Even for someone who doesn't beleive in the deity of Christ, they cannot refute that he brought forth many radical ideas and a new wisdom to people.


Hell can be used as a good deterant if not abused only to promote fear in people. Also, people need to realize the common mistake in the "eternal lake of burning fire" concept.

When I counsel or preach, I stay far away from the condemning uses of the word "hell".

AND can belief in one exist w/o belief in the other?

I know that the Jehovahs Witnesses don't beleive in hell, but, they also don't beleive that Christ is God.

I don't believe that they are seperable. For me, both are very much real.

 

[The Nihilist]

I mean, hell plays an important theological role, so I'm not convinced Jesus makes a ton of sense without it.

 

[Infernalfist]

even when i believed in christianity, i still felt the concept of hell to be a far fetched idea deterring people from the true message of jesus. the concept of jesus is a genuinely good one even if details of his life seemed to be cut and pasted from other dieties in other religions(mostly horus). the concept of the man jesus is important because he is meant to inspire as opposed to instill fear.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Well, considering that most Christians have their views as the result of child indoctrination...I would say that the basis of their beliefs lie more with a fear of hell than a love for Jesus.

A 5 year old has a better understanding of "fire hurts" than they do of concepts like the rapture, creationism, salvation, resurrection, etc...

Whether it transitions into an admiration for Jesus later on in life, I don't know, I bailed from that thought process in the 9th grade. But, I'm fairly confident in my view that it starts with a fear of hell...I experienced that teaching in 3 different churches from the time I was 5 until the time I was 12.

 

[Inquisition]

I am on twitter, and someone I follow posted this. Looking forward to responses!

Which is more important to Modern Evangelicalism? Jesus or Hell?! AND can belief in one exist w/o belief in the other?

Twitter / Matthew Paul Turner: TODAY'S QUESTION: Which is ...

To answer the first question: Iesus. To answer the second: sure. People can believe what ever they choose, but does that make what they believe correct?

 

[LittleNipper]

I am on twitter, and someone I follow posted this. Looking forward to responses!

Which is more important to Modern Evangelicalism? Jesus or Hell?! AND can belief in one exist w/o belief in the other?

Twitter / Matthew Paul Turner: TODAY'S QUESTION: Which is ...

JESUS, because HE is the reason I'm not going to hell, and not likely. If one doesn't believe in some sort of hell, how does one believe in some sort of savior from same.

 

[jayem]

If one doesn't believe in some sort of hell, how does one believe in some sort of savior from same.

Well, one can believe in Jesus as a moral teacher. And one can admire, and try to follow his ethical guidance, apart from any soteriologic beliefs. That wouldn't fit a strict Nicene definition of a Christian, but if such a person chose to call himself a Christian, who am I to say otherwise?

 

[LittleNipper]

Well, one can believe in Jesus as a moral teacher. And one can admire, and try to follow his ethical guidance, apart from any soteriologic beliefs. That wouldn't fit a strict Nicene definition of a Christian, but if such a person chose to call himself a Christian, who am I to say otherwise?

I'll let GOD define what constitutes a "Christian." Acts 11:25 ...Disciples of CHRIST are Christian." A disciple is not simply one who admires...

 

[PreachersWife2004]

So what exactly are the moral or ethical implications here? Outside of yet another argument about whether Jesus existed or whether Christians are right or wrong about hell?

(IOW, tell me why I shouldn't consider this a GA thread)

 

[Wiccan_Child]

So what exactly are the moral or ethical implications here? Outside of yet another argument about whether Jesus existed or whether Christians are right or wrong about hell?

(IOW, tell me why I shouldn't consider this a GA thread)

Is it ethical to be a Christian solely out of fear of hell?

OR

Is it moral to promote Christianity as a 'otherwise you'll burn!' religion, when it should really be a 'God is love!' religion?

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Those are still apologetics questions.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Those are still apologetics questions.

It'd be apologetics if we were discussing which one is right (whether, say, Christianity is a religion of fear or not).

It's flimsy, I'll admit, but Devil's advocacy is so much fun .

 

[ebia]

I am on twitter, and someone I follow posted this. Looking forward to responses!

Which is more important to Modern Evangelicalism? Jesus or Hell?! AND can belief in one exist w/o belief in the other?

Twitter / Matthew Paul Turner: TODAY'S QUESTION: Which is ...

It's certainly a question needed to challenge a few people.

It strikes me that the New Testament says very little about the alternative to the Kingdom of God, and anyone who can't talk about the Christian message without talking about hell hasn't really understood the gospel at all.

 

[ebia]

JESUS, because HE is the reason I'm not going to hell, and not likely. If one doesn't believe in some sort of hell, how does one believe in some sort of savior from same.

It's not hell that we are saved from!

Salvation is about saving us and all creation from idolatory, sin and death, and the consequences thereof - all the suffering in the world; all that is wrong with the world. "Hell" is a convenient label for the alternative to being part of that salvation (whatever that alternative looks like), but it's not the thing we are saved from. It's not 'hell' that Jesus defeated on the cross, but sin and death. It's not hell we are redeemed from, but slavery to sin.

 

[ReverendDG]

JESUS, because HE is the reason I'm not going to hell, and not likely. If one doesn't believe in some sort of hell, how does one believe in some sort of savior from same.

but jesus isn't saving you from hell he's saving you from sin and god's judgment
at least thats what i got from the bible. jesus saving people from hell is a medieval concept to keep followers in line
this is why threatening nonchristians with hell doesn't work, you have believe in it first

 

[ReverendDG]

Is it ethical to be a Christian solely out of fear of hell?

OR

Is it moral to promote Christianity as a 'otherwise you'll burn!' religion, when it should really be a 'God is love!' religion?

no its really not.
i doubt yahweh would find those christians who are christian only out of fear christians anyway.
why would he want fake faith if its only out of fear?

its just like pascals wager, its all bogus and meaningless