Why do some people think Hell isn't real?

OK, I'll admit there are a TON of verses that seem to indicate that there will be an unending torturous hell.
My problem is the issue that the vast majority of humans will not become evangelical believing Christians. God knew before he created mankind that it would be so, yet he went ahead and did it. That type of a God would seem to be one who is tyrranical, a lover of pain and self absorbed.
Surely a God who IS love would not create a world where most inhabitants suffered in their life and suffered for eternity because of their lack of understanding or being born in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I have always struggled with this. Help me understand.

he-man said:

2Th 1:9 who shall pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his might,

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Let’s look at the entire passage:


Paul is writing the Thessalonian Christians and referring to those that afflict them, their persecutors, primarily the Jews at that point in time. Paul assures them that Christ will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and one those who do not obey the gospel. Notice, it is THEY who will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord. It is noted that this will take place when he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.

Now, this would appear to be a temporal judgment pronounced upon the enemies of the early church. The apocalyptic language can be tricky. Some might believe that this is indicative of Christ’s Second Coming. If so, the implication is a judgment against the Beast and his armies gathered together against Christ. However, if the apocalyptic language is seen as Preterists see it, this could be a warning of temporal judgment on the Jewish system that persecuted the early church during that time. The fulfillment would have been when the OT Jewish system was absolutely destroyed by the judgment of God in AD 70 through the Romans.

This passage isn’t even about hell.

My guess is that in addition to greek followers of such practices would have to also teach their children Hemantic writing styles to be able to comprehend what they are reading.

Stealth001 said:

Let’s look at the entire passage:

Paul is writing the Thessalonian Christians and referring to those that afflict them, Notice, it is THEY who will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord. It is noted that this will take place when he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed. This passage isn’t even about hell. ​

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Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

2Th 1:5 a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer;

6 if at least it is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to those that trouble you,

7 and to you that are troubled repose with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with the angels of his power,

8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God, and those who do not obey the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ;

9 who shall pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his might,

10 when he shall have come to be glorified in his saints, and wondered at in all that have believed, (for our testimony to you has been believed,) in that day.

11 To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power, [DARBY]

2Th 1:5 a token of the righteous judgment of God, for your being counted worthy of the reign of God, for which also ye suffer,

6 since it is a righteous thing with God to give back to those troubling you--trouble,

7 and to you who are troubled--rest with us in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with messengers of his power,

8 in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those not knowing God, and to those not obeying the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ;

9 who shall suffer justice--destruction age-during--from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength,

10 when He may come to be glorified in his saints, and to be wondered at in all those believing--because our testimony was believed among you--in that day; [YLT]

Stealth001 said:

Let’s look at the entire passage:

II Thessalonians 1:5-10 (ESV)
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
​

<snip>
Now, this would appear to be a temporal judgment pronounced upon the enemies of the early church. The apocalyptic language can be tricky. Some might believe that this is indicative of Christ’s Second Coming. If so, the implication is a judgment against the Beast and his armies gathered together against Christ. However, if the apocalyptic language is seen as Preterists see it, this could be a warning of temporal judgment on the Jewish system that persecuted the early church during that time. The fulfillment would have been when the OT Jewish system was absolutely destroyed by the judgment of God in AD 70 through the Romans.

This passage isn’t even about hell.

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Without preterism involved, or anything else -- it states what it states. "Everlasting destruction" does not mean punishment that is "without end".

When something is destroyed for good, it simply does not come back again.

There are said to be two deaths. One death is of the body. We all know what that is. We have seen it. We have seen many things be destroyed in our days.

The other is of the spirit.

Of the fire we are all passed through, we are told elsewhere, "we will all pass through the fire, as a person escaping a burning house. Some will just escape with only their spirits."

Jesus spoke of losing one's soul to try and gain the world. Do they literally lose their soul? Or do they add to their soul that which is not spiritual, polluting it? If that is burned away, what is left? Who can say? Why should anyone presume to say? If everything one said and did becomes meaningless, and just their own self is left, what of it? Life goes on. Rebuild what was taken down in God, what was taken down then was not built on the solid foundation of God.

PureDose said:

Without preterism involved, or anything else -- it states what it states. "Everlasting destruction" does not mean punishment that is "without end".

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the word for everlasting is &#945;&#953;&#969;&#957;&#953;&#959;&#957; and is used in both instances and most translators overlooked the word &#954;&#945;&#953;&#959;&#953; calcinated because that solidifies that the eternal destruction is not temporal;

&#954;&#945;&#953; &#945;&#960;&#949;&#955;&#949;&#965;&#963;&#959;&#957;&#964;&#945;&#953; &#959;&#965;&#964;&#959;&#953; &#949;&#953;&#962; &#954;&#959;&#955;&#945;&#963;&#953; &#945;&#953;&#969;&#957;&#953;&#959;&#957; &#959;&#953; &#948;&#949; &#948;&#953; &#954;&#945;&#953;&#959;&#953; &#949;&#953;&#962; &#950;&#969;&#951;&#957; &#945;&#953;&#969;&#957;&#953;&#959;&#957; Codex Sinaiticus

Mat 25:46 And these shall pass away to a penalty to be calcinated eternally and those righteous into life eternal.

2Th 1:9 who shall pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his might,

Mat 13:40As therefore the tares are gathered and calcinated in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

PureDose said:

Without preterism involved, or anything else -- it states what it states. "Everlasting destruction" does not mean punishment that is "without end".

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there is the problem , not only do the words make no sense at all alongside either Physics or scripture, but are very obviously mistranslated even without these considerations... it is simply nonsense invented to scare the ignorant into paying sinners every !Sunday for empty soothsayings and scare stories.. not unlike the controlled media and the cinema...

When something is destroyed for good, it simply does not come back again.

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Jesus was destroyed ['apoleia' in Greek] in crucifixion and he came back , so clearly your ideas are false...

There are said to be two deaths. One death is of the body. We all know what that is. We have seen it. We have seen many things be destroyed in our days.

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interestingly the many are destroyed in death [Matt 7:13] whilst few find the way in this life[Matt 7:14] , but then countless many are later saved [Rev 7:9-10] so clearly the spirit of a man is indestructible and men can be resurrected from their spirit much as in the creation story and the conception of Jesus...

The other is of the spirit.

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Nay my friend, the spirit is of God, it is not subject to anything physical, not subject to damage or destruction at all, one cannot destroy God, the spirit is endless, unchangeable, uncreated ... it is absurd to talk of God dying...

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Of the fire we are all passed through, we are told elsewhere, "we will all pass through the fire, as a person escaping a burning house. Some will just escape with only their spirits."

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the 'fire' is temptation and [unjust] tribulation which tries mankind for sake of perfection of Love :-

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

Jesus spoke of losing one's soul to try and gain the world. Do they literally lose their soul?

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why not read about what a soul is in scripture , then you would know that to lose one's soul is to die , nothing more... it is the spirit that survives in endless being, not the soul [life]

Why should anyone presume to say? If everything one said and did becomes meaningless, and just their own self is left, what of it? Life goes on. Rebuild what was taken down in God, what was taken down then was not built on the solid foundation of God.

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dunno why you are so confused, the foundation of God , FIRST baptism [of water] , first step toward salvation , is to stop sinning :-

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

that is how one becomes His then, simply stop abusing folks with your sin

then God will baptise with his Truth [John 16:13, Heb 8:10-11 the new covenant]

then, and only then, baptism of fire, trial to perfect Love of saints ...

three baptisms as stated by John the baptist [above quote] , nothing more... no church on Sundays, no bible study needed, just to Love folks, all folks...not sin against them any more , so past sins can be forgiven ...

strangertoo said:

there is the problem , not only do the words make no sense at all alongside either Physics or scripture, but are very obviously mistranslated even without these considerations... it is simply nonsense invented to scare the ignorant into paying sinners every !Sunday for empty soothsayings and scare stories.. not unlike the controlled media and the cinema... Jesus was destroyed ['apoleia' in Greek] in crucifixion and he came back , so clearly your ideas are false...

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Perhaps the word cremated would fit the description of Matthew 15:6 better?

And the word for everlasting is &#945;&#953;&#969;&#957;&#953;&#959;&#957; and the word &#954;&#945;&#953;&#959;&#953; cremated because that solidifies that the eternal destruction is not temporal;

&#954;&#945;&#953; &#945;&#960;&#949;&#955;&#949;&#965;&#963;&#959;&#957;&#964;&#945;&#953; &#959;&#965;&#964;&#959;&#953; &#949;&#953;&#962; &#954;&#959;&#955;&#945;&#963;&#953; &#945;&#953;&#969;&#957;&#953;&#959;&#957; &#959;&#953; &#948;&#949; &#948;&#953;&#954;&#945;&#953;&#959;&#953; &#949;&#953;&#962; &#950;&#969;&#951;&#957; &#945;&#953;&#969;&#957;&#953;&#959;&#957; Codex Sinaiticus

Mat 25:46 And these shall pass away to a penalty eternally and those righteous into life eternal.

2Th 1:9 who shall pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his might,

Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are cremated.

Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares [children of the wicked] are gathered and
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]to be burned down[/FONT][/FONT]in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

PureDose said:

"Everlasting destruction" does not mean punishment that is "without end".

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Everlasting doesn't mean without end. Bummer. I hoping everlasting life was truly everlasting.

dollarsbill said:

Everlasting doesn't mean without end. Bummer. I hoping everlasting life was truly everlasting.

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I'm so glad the life is based on who God is .. and not what a book says.

OP 'why do some people think hell isn't real?
Because it is what they want to think. So their reality is what they want .
Seems simple to me.

Norah63 said:

OP 'why do some people think hell isn't real?
Because it is what they want to think. So their reality is what they want .
Seems simple to me.

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You hit the nail on the head!

Some folks delude themselves into indulging in the happy thought that Hell is a myth because they are silly and/or listen to the Devil. They will eventually realize how sadly mistaken they are. Hell is very real....

Not many things angers God more than how shabbily we treat our world and meanly we treat our fellow creatures. Our follies in such regards are among the primary reasons why He will soon introduce us to His wrath. Beware of what is coming in April of 2014. That is when big troubles will begin. God will aim their brunt at America for her role in how humanity has gone out of its way to become more and more evil and wreck our world for the sake of pride, vanity, folly, convenience, and greed. She is the mother and queen of modern idolatry. God loathes her for daring to play god of the Earth. He will shove her into the Abyss--the source of her inspiration and power. For she is a daughter of Hell and a child of Satan....

he-man said:

Fascinated With God said:

How is the Pit something different from Sheol?

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It isn't they are both one and the same

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Then why did you claim that my interpretation of Isa 14:19 is invalid because Isa 14:19 does not contain the word Sheol, but instead refers to the Pit? Your claim would only make rational sense if you considered Sheol and the Pit to be somehow distinct.

he-man said:

Your Hebrew is lacking:The word for Sheol is: &#1513;&#1473;&#1488;&#1493;&#1500; nm. Sheol H7585 and is not in Isa 14:19

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That is what you said, mister. Why can&#8217;t you own up to your own words?

Here is the point again that you seem to want to use any polemic ploy to try to avoid: Isa 14:19 clearly demonstrates that a grave/tomb is not the same as the Pit/Sheol. In Isa 14:19 the king of Babylon is cast out of his tomb and into the Pit, so clearly the Pit is not a tomb or grave.

he-man said:

NOW, as you can see from the following verses, the terms hell, pit, and grave are used synonymously: Isa 14:15 none the less art thou brought down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.
They both mean the grave, burial site. 6' hole/pit in the ground.

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Isa 14:15 does not contain the word grave/tomb (keber), so how can this verse demonstrate that the word grave/tomb (keber) means the same thing as Sheol/the Pit? Especially when verse 19 proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that a grave/tomb is something entirely distinct from the Pit/Sheol.

he-man said:

Address your response to the verse quoted and NOT to the poster!

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You did not quote any verse in support of your spaced-out claim that the lack of Greek in the OT somehow proves something. You don't even seem to be able to remember what your own argument is, he-man.

he-man said:

Isn't it a little strange that the word Hades is never used in the OT? Where does God send GOG? Tartarus classic Greek mythology (c. 400 BC) and was never used in the OT.

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There is no Greek of any kind what-so-ever in the OT. So the absense of the word Hades in the OT means absolutely nothing. He-man, why is this point which any child could understand, so compeletely beyond your comprehension? If what you are saying makes any sense at all then you will be able to provide at least one example of Greek in the OT. But you can't, so your point is utterly meaningless.

he-man said:

Hmnnn.. looks like Death and the Grave/Hades are both the same, but I can see why you side stepped that verse!

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I have a hard enough time trying to get you to focus your mind on even just one rational point at a time, so I am loath to branch out onto other topics with you. Sheol is only used in the OT, so widening the topic to include the NT does not hold out much promise of getting a rational response from you.





.

Fascinated With God said:

Then why did you claim that my interpretation of Isa 14:19 is invalid because Isa 14:19 does not contain the word Sheol, but instead refers to the Pit?

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Isa 14:19
cast out of &#8212; not that he had lain in the grave and was then cast out of it, but "cast out without a grave,"
stones of ... pit &#8212; whose bodies are buried in sepulchres excavated amidst stones, whereas the king of Babylon is an unburied "carcass trodden under foot." [JFB]

Isa 14:19 But thou art cast out of thy grave [H4480] [H6913] like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit [H953]; as a carcase trodden under feet.

Eze 32:23 Whose graves [H6913] are set in the sides of the pit, [H953] and her company is round about her grave [H6900]: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.

25 They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves [H6913] are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit [H953]: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.

H7585 sheh-ole', sheh-ole' From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: - grave, hell, pit.
H953 bore From H952 (in the sense of H877); a pit hole
H6913 keh'-ber From H6912; a sepulchre: - burying place, grave, sepulchre.
H6900 keb-oo-raw' Feminine passive participle of H6912; sepulture; (concretely) a sepulchre: - burial, burying place, grave, sepulchre.

Fascinated With God said:

Isa 14:19 clearly demonstrates that a grave/tomb is not the same as the Pit/Sheol. In Isa 14:19 the king of Babylon is cast out of his tomb and into the Pit, so clearly the Pit is not a tomb or grave.

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but the sense here is not that the king of Babylon should be taken out of his grave, after he was laid in it, but that he should be hindered from being put into it; which very likely was the case of Belshazzar.
and afterwards have no other burial than that of a common soldier in a pit; and instead of having a sepulchral monument erected over him, as kings used to have, had nothing but a heap of stones thrown upon him. [GILL]

Fascinated With God said:

Isa 14:15 does not contain the word grave/tomb (keber),

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Isa 14:19 But thou art cast out of thy grave [H4480] [H6913] try reading the words that Strong points out with his numbers!!

Fascinated With God said:

Sheol is only used in the OT, so widening the topic to include the NT does not hold out much promise of getting a rational response from you.

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She'ol ( or ; Hebrew &#352;&#702;ôl), translated as "grave", "pit", or "abode of the dead", is the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible's underworld, a place of darkness to which all the dead go, both the righteous and the unrighteous, regardless of the moral choices made in life, a place of stillness and darkness cut off from God.

That Sheol is described as subterranean is but an application of the custom of hewing out of the rocks passages, leading downward, for burial purposes.
(Stade, Ueber die A. T. Vorstellungen vom Zustande nach dem Tode, Leipsic)

She·ol (shl, sh-l)The abode of the dead in the Bible.
TheFreeDictionary

he-man said:

Isa 14:19
cast out of &#8212; not that he had lain in the grave and was then cast out of it, but "cast out without a grave,"

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Name a single translation that says, "cast out without a grave"? You are just making up your own interpretation from thin air.

Isa 14:19 clearly refers to events that occur to the Babylonian king after the king's death. If you had bothered to read the very next verse you would have understood this:
Only the children of the king suffer while alive. Isa 14:19 refers to a fate that happens to Nebuchadnezzar long after his death.

he-man said:

Eze 32:23 Whose graves [H6913] are set in the sides of the pit, [H953] and her company is round about her grave [H6900]: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.

25 They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves [H6913] are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit [H953]: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.

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You are intellectually dishonest, you quoted verses 23 & 25 but skipped right over verse 24 because it clearly contradicts your assertion:

all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth
Eze 32:24
​

The "nether parts of the earth" does not refer to a shallow grave, much less an above ground tomb.

he-man said:

but the sense here is not that the king of Babylon should be taken out of his grave, after he was laid in it, but that he should be hindered from being put into it; which very likely was the case of Belshazzar.

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Belshazzar is the offspring referred to in verses 20 & 21 of Isaiah 14. Verse 19 clearly refers to Nebuchadnezzar, not Belshazzar. Verse 20 says that the "offspring" are "never to be mentioned again", which fits only with Belshazzar, for whom there was no archeological record of the existence of until very recently.

he-man said:

and afterwards have no other burial than that of a common soldier in a pit; and instead of having a sepulchral monument erected over him, as kings used to have, had nothing but a heap of stones thrown upon him. [GILL]

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You have to go back to the 1700's to find anyone that agrees with you? (John Gill 11/23/1697 &#8211; 10/14/1771) The person you quoted from here was dead before the US was even a country.

he-man said:

Isa 14:19 But thou art cast out of thy grave [H4480] [H6913] try reading the words that Strong points out with his numbers!!

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You refer to the words "out" [H4480] and "grave/tomb" [H6913], but then proceed to describe the completely different word Sheol [H7585]. You are just a cut and paste hack who has no idea what you are talking about.

Fascinated With God said:

Isa 14:19 clearly refers to events that occur to the Babylonian king after the king's death. If you had bothered to read the very next verse you would have understood this:Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again. Prepare a place to slaughter his children for the sins of their ancestors. You refer to the words "out" [H4480] and "grave/tomb" [H6913], but then proceed to describe the completely different word Sheol.

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Hell: Passing over the derivations suggested by older writers, it is now generally agreed that the word comes from the root, "to make hollow" (conip. Germ. Ilolle, "hell," with Ilohle, "a hollow "), and therefore means the vast hollow subterranean resting-place which is the common receptacle of the dead (Ges. T/ies. p. 1348; UiJttcher, lie Jnferis, c. iv. p. 137 fF.; Ewald, ad Ps. p. 42).

The notion, of the fiery rivers of Tartarus, however, is not found in Scripture, for Psa . xviii. 5 is a mere metaphor. It is clear that in many passages of the O. T. Sheol can only mean " the grave," and is so rendered in the A. V. (see, for example, Gen. xxxvii. 35, xlii. 38; 1 Sam. ii. 6; Job xiv. 13).

It is obvious, for instance, that Job xi. 8; Ps. cxxxix. 8; Am. ix. 2 (where " hell " is used as the antithesis of "heaven"), merely illustrate the Jewish notions of the locality of Sheol in the bowels of the earth.
Even Ps. ix. 17, Prov. xv. 24, v. 5, ix. 18, seem to refer rather to the danger of terrible and precipitate death than to a place of infernal anguish.

The statements of Gesenius and very many others about the gates and bars of Hades simply convert rhetoric into logic, and might with equal propriety invest the Kingdom of Heaven with " keys." The theory so prevalent, that Hades was the common province of departed spirits, divided, however, into two compartments, Paradise and Gehenna, seems to have been founded more upon the classical writers and the Rabbis &#8212; to whom it appeals so largely &#8212; than upon the Bible.

Sheol was, no doubt, the unseen world, the state of the dead generally. So in modem times we often intentionally limit our views, and speak of the other world, the invisible world, the undiscovered country, the grave, the spirit land,etc. (See Fairbaim, Hermeneut. Manual,p. 290 ff. )

Shoel, To translate this Hebrew term, the LXX. adopted the nearest Greek word. Hades, which by derivation signifies the invisible world. But the Greek word could not carry Greek notions into Hebrew theology.The unknown region into which the dying disappeared, was naturally and always invested with gloom to a sinful race. ' But the vague term was capable of becoming more or less definite according to the writer's thought. Most commonly it was simply the grave, as we use the phrase; sometimes the state of death in general; sometimes a dismal place opposed to heaven, e. g., Job xi. 8, Ps. cxxxix. 8, Am. is. 2

In many instances it is with strict propriety translated "hell." Even in Acts ii. 27, 31, quoted from the O. T., Hades is the abode of the wicked dead. Even the righteous Hezekiah trembled lest, " when his eyes closed upon the cherubim and the mercy-seat," he should no longer "see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living."
[see 2Th 1:9 Who shall pay a penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;]

In the N. T. the word Hades (like Sheol) sometimes means merely "the grave" (Rev. xx. 13; Acts ii. 31; 1 Cor. xv. 55), or in general "the unseen world." It is in this sense that the creeds say of our Lord &#922;&#945;&#964;&#951;&#955;&#952;&#949;&#957; &#949;&#957; &#945;&#948;&#951; or &#949;&#953;&#963; &#945;&#948;&#959;&#965;, descendit ad inferos, or inferna, meaning " the state of the dead in general, without any restriction of happiness or misery" (Beveridge on Art. iii.), a doctrine certainly, though only virtually, expressed in Scripture (Eph. iv. 9; Acts ii. 25-31).
DR. WILLIAM SMITH'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; Page 1038

ssammoh said:

You don't go to Hell for not believing in Hell.

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life".

John 5:24 - "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life".

Romans 10:9 - "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved".

In order to avoid perishing, you need to accept the fact that you are a sinner and can never save yourself no matter how many good deeds you do. Then you need to accept Jesus as your savior. You need to have faith that He died for your sins, and that God is so forgiving that you can get eternal life without deserving it.

You don't need to believe in Hell to avoid it. Would God really send someone to Hell for a theological mistake? Even if this person loves Jesus and wants to be with Him forever, and tries their best to do what Jesus would want them to do? I don't think so.

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I am not saying they will go to Hell for not believing in it. I, however, am implying that they will go to Hell for being self-deluded and/or listening to the Devil and beliving his lies. If they delude themselves or listen to the Devil and embrace lies about something as basic Hell, chances are huge that they delude themselves and/or believe the Devil's lies about all sorts of things....

Sure, a few theological mistakes probably won't make much difference. God judges according to a person's capability to understand. He is most interested in the qualities of the heart and soul, how we act, and what sort of attitudes that we cultivate....

Nobody can save themselves. But God and the Son will reject slackers and hypocrites....