What if I'm just scared of hell?

[faroukfarouk]

When someone is raised in a church that preaches hell, fire, and brimstone as a way to get people to receive salvation (as I was when I was a child), without being taught Grace...then it does distort a new believers understanding of salvation....I believe this person is born again, they are just struggling understanding Grace.
To say that you question if they are really born again is part of the reason so many people struggle with Christianity. More condemnation, more bondage to the lies of satan....SMH.

Gospel needs to be preached as well as the reality of hell. Although the reality of hell is unalterable.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Gospel needs to be preached as well as the reality of hell. Although the reality of hell is unalterable.

Amen! I think we should teach His Love for us and then as a new convert grows teach the consequences of sin. Or at least keep it in balance.
Romans 6:23 King James Version
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This scripture is an example...it gives the consequences and rewards in the same sentence.

 

[Johnny4ChristJesus]

When someone is raised in a church that preaches hell, fire, and brimstone as a way to get people to receive salvation (as I was when I was a child), without being taught Grace...then it does distort a new believers understanding of salvation....I believe this person is born again, they are just struggling understanding Grace.
To say that you question if they are really born again is part of the reason so many people struggle with Christianity. More condemnation, more bondage to the lies of satan....SMH.

Really? Or maybe they aren't really born again and God is trying to get them to seek Him so they can be and those who offer the false grace are actually preventing these people from knowing the truth before it is too late????

The fact that this person is concerned means this person's conscience is not clear. If you own heart questions your own motivation, why on earth do you need someone else--who doesn't know you at all--to quell that questioning in your own heart? If this person diligently seeks God, God promises to be found. If you are working for God, why would you try to assure a person instead of driving them toward seeking God, so they could get that unquestionable confirmation of their adopted sonship? Why do they need you to tell them they are born again? Shouldn't their relationship with their Savior be the thing that confirms it for them?

For instance, you can question my salvation, and it means nothing. Why? Because I know that I know that I know that God woke me up--not man--and His Spirit testifies to my spirit that I am a child of God--just like He says He will in Romans 8:16 (and other places).

 

[Heart2Soul]

The fact that this person is concerned means this person's conscience is not clear.

This is not true...I constantly feared going to Hell when I was a new Christian....in fact I was so afraid of God that I had a hard time ever even daring to pray and ask Him for anything.

 

[Andy centek]

I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my recent attitude and feelings toward my Christian walk and something very worrying occurred to me. I've found that my main motivation for doing anything that I do (praying, going to church, staying clear of temptation) is fueled by my fear of eternal damnation.

I don't know if anyone else goes through this, but it is scary. What if I am Christian mainly because I'm scared to go to hell?

 

[Andy centek]

Blessings and peace:

One of the BIG problems with Christianity is the lack of study on the work of God. This leads to much misunderstanding and using of the scriptures out of context.
As for hell. First, one must study to see what this word really means. It has been taken way out of context for many years by Denominational teachings. This then leads to the first question of; what is hell in the biblical sense? Not man's false idea of it.
Hell is the grave, the place of the dead. Hell is not the place of fire and torment what so many say it is.

You must be willing to spend years of study on the scriptures if you are desiring to come a good understanding of what they are really saying! I have been at it for about 55 years. It took me many years to start to see what was really being said in the scriptures. Once you begin to understand them you will become more and more alone! Why? Because men loves false teachings that please them.

Getting back to hell. This word used in the so-called, New Testament is a place where refuge was put and burned. It is not a place where bodies of non believers are put and tormented; that is another story. Satan was put into the abyss with His followers, not hell. He is released out if it; His prison in the last days of His reign, in Revelation 20 He is let out of there. It does not say He is let out of Hell. This term has been greatly misused by many of the Denominations of today. It is often used as a way to try and scare people into a false salvation! It is only God who can spiritually save any man, not other men.
So my brother, don't concern yourself with the false taught hell. Concern yourself with prayer to God through Jesus Christ for His help in how He desires for you to walk in this life. Jesus said this: "You have not because you ask not." Then: "Ask believing and you shall receive it."
Of course this requires one to walk in prayer and study of the word of God to obtain the knowledge needed. I highly suggest you study the apostle Paul's writings, for He was the apostle to the Gentiles. Jesus came unto the lost sheep of the house of Old Israel. He told His disciples: "I have other sheep which are not of this fold which I must also bring in the fold."
If I can be of more help let me know.

Andy Centek
centek@att.net

 

[Colter]

I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my recent attitude and feelings toward my Christian walk and something very worrying occurred to me. I've found that my main motivation for doing anything that I do (praying, going to church, staying clear of temptation) is fueled by my fear of eternal damnation.

I don't know if anyone else goes through this, but it is scary. What if I am Christian mainly because I'm scared to go to hell?

I've never believed in a God of eternal torture, and certainly not a hell place. As a child growing up in Christianity, the teaching of the monster God was a real turn off! It truly sickens and saddens me that people say this about our Heavenly Father! Man might fear a terrible God, but they will only truly love a good God. BTW, it's your sincere heart and truth perception that is telling you that God would never, ever do such things! Hence the conflict.

God ultimately honors the will of those who completely reject him; they don't awake from the sleep of death. They no longer exist, their place is not found.

I only fear separation from our Heavenly Father, not that he would torture me forever if I didn't love him! That's like a dysfunctional family that claims to love hateful dad when they are simply afraid not to!

Love is not secondary to ANYTHING in the divine nature!

 

[aiki]

Every time I encounter someone who declares that Hell does not exist because God would never be so cruel as to condemn anyone to an eternity of torment, I understand that I am hearing someone who has far too low a view of God's holiness, far too soft an attitude toward sin, and far too high a sense of their own righteousness.

Job 42:5-6
5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

 

[Johnny4ChristJesus]

As is pointed out in the The Forgotten Fear: Where Have All the God Fearers Gone? Christians should fear God with both a fear of dread and awe. Christ told the disciples in Luke 12 to fear Him who "has authority to cast into hell" and He reminded of them that "even the hairs of your head are all numbered."

Please note what Jesus actually said: "Fear HIM who can...." Not fear

This is not true...I constantly feared going to Hell when I was a new Christian....in fact I was so afraid of God that I had a hard time ever even daring to pray and ask Him for anything.

Then, maybe you weren't what you thought you were, then. Did you ever feel the Spirit testifying to your spirit that you are a child of God? I'm just finding it hard to believe that you are "so afraid of God" that you had a "hard time daring to pray" and yet had a relationship with God. It seems like your "relationship with Him" has been dependent on what man told you to believe. When man told you that you needed to fear hell, you did. Then, when man told you that God was full of grace, you went in that direction. But, it isn't about what others tell you--if you have a real relationship with God. It is about what He tells you.

 

[HereIStand]

Please note what Jesus actually said: "Fear HIM who can...." Not fear

Fear of God in the passage is connected with God's power to cast into hell. There is no reason to disconnect the two.

 

[Johnny4ChristJesus]

Blessings and peace:

One of the BIG problems with Christianity is the lack of study on the work of God. This leads to much misunderstanding and using of the scriptures out of context.
As for hell. First, one must study to see what this word really means. It has been taken way out of context for many years by Denominational teachings. This then leads to the first question of; what is hell in the biblical sense? Not man's false idea of it.
Hell is the grave, the place of the dead. Hell is not the place of fire and torment what so many say it is.

You must be willing to spend years of study on the scriptures if you are desiring to come a good understanding of what they are really saying! I have been at it for about 55 years. It took me many years to start to see what was really being said in the scriptures. Once you begin to understand them you will become more and more alone! Why? Because men loves false teachings that please them.

Getting back to hell. This word used in the so-called, New Testament is a place where refuge was put and burned. It is not a place where bodies of non believers are put and tormented; that is another story. Satan was put into the abyss with His followers, not hell. He is released out if it; His prison in the last days of His reign, in Revelation 20 He is let out of there. It does not say He is let out of Hell. This term has been greatly misused by many of the Denominations of today. It is often used as a way to try and scare people into a false salvation! It is only God who can spiritually save any man, not other men.
So my brother, don't concern yourself with the false taught hell. Concern yourself with prayer to God through Jesus Christ for His help in how He desires for you to walk in this life. Jesus said this: "You have not because you ask not." Then: "Ask believing and you shall receive it."
Of course this requires one to walk in prayer and study of the word of God to obtain the knowledge needed. I highly suggest you study the apostle Paul's writings, for He was the apostle to the Gentiles. Jesus came unto the lost sheep of the house of Old Israel. He told His disciples: "I have other sheep which are not of this fold which I must also bring in the fold."
If I can be of more help let me know.

Andy Centek
centek@att.net

You may want to go back and study more.

(1) If you studied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you wouldn't be led to denounce the words of Jesus and all the writers other than Paul. That is the deception of man. Paul's writings are not the only ones that apply to real followers of Jesus. Study some more. That idea that Paul is all we have to concern ourselves with, as gentiles, is man's wisdom. AND it is false guidance--the kind that comes from wolves in sheep's clothing.

(2) For 55 years, you didn't seem to make it too far in your studies. Just because Sheol and Hades are inappropriately translated "hell" in the KJV doesn't mean that is what "hell" is. Jesus actually only used the word Hades--which is the Greek word for Sheol, the place of the dead, once. And, even in his example in Luke 16, Hades was a place of torment. Why would Jesus use that story, if it wasn't true? That is His Luke 16 story about the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man is in Hades; Lazarus is in paradise.

(3) But, Jesus also used the word Gehenna. Gehenna and the Lake of Fire are the terms that we would consider "hell"--these, according to Scripture are permanent. And, since, unlike man, who gets confused and misled, Jesus came from eternity and went back to eternity; Jesus would know the Truth! In fact, Jesus is the Truth--so there would be no reason for him to claim something existed that wasn't. Yet, Jesus talked about Gehenna as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth and where the worm doesn't die and the fire isn't quenched. He also described a place of outer darkness.

(4) So, according to John's account of what he was shown, satan is placed in the prison of the bottomless pit for "1000 years" and then released (Rev 20:1-3). After he deceives people again, then fire comes down from heaven and devours those people as they are trying to attack God's beloved city (Rev 20:7-9). Then, "the devil that deceived them (satan) was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Rev 20:10)

(5) Interestingly, then comes the judgment (Rev 20:11-13), then death and hell are cast into the lake of fire--also called "the second death" (remember, in the new heaven, there will be no more death--Rev 21:4). "And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. So, there is no reason to believe that hell--defined as gehenna or the lake of fire--is ever destroyed, because at bare minimum the devil is being tortured night and day forever. Whether you choose to believe in eternal conscious torture for man or not, this spiritual place continues to torture at least the devil. There is certainly reason to believe that those who refused God will also suffer that same fate, though one could also make the argument that unrepentent man is just destroyed in hell, if they wanted. Personally, I would rather assume it will be more torturous, because Scripture supports that. I would hate to let someone believe they can have their cake in this world and then just be forever dead; if the opposite were true and they suffered for all eternity. For many unbelievers, they already believe they just die and are dead. For that reason, they just live for the NOW known, instead of living for eternity--like God calls men to. If God wants to have mercy on them and just annihilate them body and soul, so they don't have any consciousness anymore, God can do that. But, I wouldn't want to be the reason that people went into a place of eternal suffering when it could have been avoided.

 

[Johnny4ChristJesus]

Fear of God in the passage is connected with God's power to cast into hell. There is no reason to disconnect the two.

Except that Jesus didn't say "fear hell". He clearly said "fear Him who can..." He was contrasting that with people who just fear the one who can kill their body.

And, yet, if Jesus described a place you wouldn't want to be cast into, He probably had a good reason. Why wouldn't He just talk about your idea of grace? Why mention hell at all--unless it was real and He wanted people to know they could end up there, if they don't choose to "deny their selves, pick up their crosses, and follow Him?"

 

[HereIStand]

Except that Jesus didn't say "fear hell". He clearly said "fear Him who can..." He was contrasting that with people who just fear the one who can kill their body.

And, yet, if Jesus described a place you wouldn't want to be cast into, He probably had a good reason. Why wouldn't He just talk about your idea of grace? Why mention hell at all--unless it was real and He wanted people to know they could end up there, if they don't choose to "deny their selves, pick up their crosses, and follow Him?"

Exactly.

 

[Colter]

Every time I encounter someone who declares that Hell does not exist because God would never be so cruel as to condemn anyone to an eternity of torment, I understand that I am hearing someone who has far too low a view of God's holiness, far too soft an attitude toward sin, and far too high a sense of their own righteousness.

Job 42:5-6
5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

An eternity of torment is a human invention. It’s ironic, such a God sounds like Satan!!?? Isn’t he the one who is said to run Hell??? Maybe people have Satan and God confused??

 

[Dave-W]

I don't know if anyone else goes through this, but it is scary. What if I am Christian mainly because I'm scared to go to hell?

I would say you were taught wrong doctrines. Heaven and hell are not so much decided on whether we sin or not, but whether we have "cut the covenant" with God.

 

[Dave-W]

An eternity of torment is a human invention.

Mark 9:48
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night,

 

[Colter]

Mark 9:48
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night,

Human invention by Bronze Age apocalyptic thinkers who wrote the scripture! That's not the nature of God, it sounds more like Satan!

 

[RaymondG]

Human invention by Bronze Age apocalyptic thinkers who wrote the scripture! That's not the nature of God, it sounds more like Satan!

Some people need fear of torment to "be good," So need promises of a reward to be the same. Others need neither. I find it dangerous to take away others hopes....especially if you arent replacing it with a better hope.

 

[ToBeLoved]

This is not true...I constantly feared going to Hell when I was a new Christian....in fact I was so afraid of God that I had a hard time ever even daring to pray and ask Him for anything.

I feel for you. Glad you found out about God's love and grace to you.

 

[aiki]

An eternity of torment is a human invention. It’s ironic, such a God sounds like Satan!!?? Isn’t he the one who is said to run Hell??? Maybe people have Satan and God confused??

Clearly, you do not see God as Job did.

Job 42:5-6
5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

Eternal Hell is God's just punishment of the unrepentant wicked. It is no human invention.

God is only confused with Satan by those who don't know God.

Satan does not and will not "run Hell." This a Hollywood idea, I suspect, with no grounding in Scripture. The only thing Satan will do in Hell is suffer. He will not be in charge there.