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Hell really makes a lot of sense, understood Biblically. We all know what it's like to resist good, God, light, love, truth, evidence, life, and grace. We do it; others do it. We doubt God's promises. We covet the fruits of darkness. Romans 3:10-12. Explain how it is possible to choose such woe for even one moment, here on Earth, before you reject Biblical evidence that some harden their hearts so much that they will resist forever.
! Hell Fire is God's loving solution. The Bible says the flames which torture, in Hell, those who hate God, are the same kind of flames which purify God's beloved saints -- two different fires are never described -- just as the Light which Christians hide is the same Light from which sinners hide.The Bible treats fire and light as metaphors of correction more penetrating than mere physical fire: twice the cruelty, of word or deed, done or wished upon others; twice the world suffering that might have been eased but was flipped off; twice the kicks aimed through the door when Love and Innocence came to help; twice the ignorance earned by resisting correction; and twice the chains of wisdom, talent, and potential withered from disuse.
In other words, Justice is the "debt" of one who rejects Grace. The debt is huge, but not infinite. Matthew 18:34 offers release from Hell after it is "paid". But some will resist forever.
To be more compassionate than God would be neither wise nor safe. But Tradition contradicts Scripture, dismissing some verses as "obscure" or "difficult", and taking others less literally than does the Bible. Tradition needs a little "refiner's fire".
This is a companion book to The Prehistoric Angel Diary, Book One by Dave Leach, narrated by a fictitious angel. This book documents one of its major theological themes.
A few Scriptures favoring Potential Purification 1. When the Bible talks about a purpose for fire, it is correction, Hebrews 12, a synonym of purification, Hebrews 12:29, Malachi 3:2, 1 Peter 4:12, Acts 2:3. Fire consumes dross from gold, and chaff from wheat, Matthew 3:12, which is an aspect of purification. The Greek word for fire is even spelled "pur". Never does the Bible specify that God uses any kind of fire, anywhere or at any time, without this purpose. Certainly the doctrine, that each and every person who goes to Hell will remain there forever, implies that Hell never rehabilitates or purifies, since it would seem too unreasonable for God to keep someone in Hell who has been purified. But the assumption that Hell's purpose is pure torture, without any potential purification or rehabilitation of any kind, imposes on theology a purpose never given by God and contrary to the only purposes God ever gave. Flee Hell Fire!
2. When the purpose of God's punishment is specified, it is always rehabilitation and restoration, Deuteronomy 28, Proverbs 19:18, 13:24, 22:15 23:13-14, 29:15, 17. God compares His purpose for punishment with that of loving parents, in Hebrews 12, concluding the chapter by calling Himself "consuming fire". Flee Hell Fire!
3. The Greek word qeiou (theiou) for "brimstone" in the "lake of fire and brimstone", Revelation 14:10, 20:10, 21:8, means "divine" as well as "sulfur". The word means both because Greeks used sulfur for incense to sanctify their temples. So if the purpose of "fire" is purification, the lake is actually a "lake of divine purification". Flee Hell Fire!
4. "Fire" is the experience of saints and sinners together, Mark 9:49 and 1 Peter 4:12. Nowhere is the fire that purifies saints described as a different fire than what "torments" the damned. Mark 9:43-50 treats them as the same kind, except that in Hell it is not "quenched"; yet saints should welcome it perpetually.
Flee Hell Fire! 5. Jesus said what distinguishes fire in Hell from fire upon saints is that fire in Hell is "not quenched" (KJV) or extinguished, (meaning, before the fuel is consumed), which raises the expectation that the after the fuel is consumed, the fire will go out. Flee Hell Fire!6. God used a word for "torment" which literally means "touchstone". (A rock upon which both pure and impure gold must be rubbed -- saints and sinners -- in order to compare the color of the streak -- their reaction to the same trial -- to measure purity.)
Flee Hell Fire!7. The debtor in Matthew 18:34 will stay in Hell "till he should pay all that was due". Why didn't Jesus say "forever"? Why the analogy of a debtor's prison? The debt was huge, but not infinite.
Flee Hell Fire!8. Jesus implied the possibility of forgiveness, for some, in "the world to come". (Matthew 12:32)
Flee Hell Fire! 9. Mark 9 describes "their (plural) worm (singular)" in Hell, alluding to a parallel passage in Isaiah 66, in which God could have mentioned a simple maggot, or any other worm, but instead specified the "crimson worm" whose blood sacrifice for its young on a piece of wood is a perfect metaphor of Jesus' shed blood for us on the Cross, suggesting that Jesus' cleansing blood is available even in Hell for the redemption of those damned who will finally turn to Him. Flee Hell Fire!10. God gave no higher proportion, for how much greater Hell's torments will be than any sinner's torments of others on earth, than "double", Rev 18:6-8, Isa 40:2, 61:7, Jer 16:18, 17:18, Zec 9:12, or even less: "according to their works", Pr 24:12, Mt 16:27, 2Ti 4:14.
Flee Hell Fire!11. God used Greek tenses in Revelation 14:9-12 which are consistent with the view that some, in Hell, will be restored to God, and inconsistent with the traditional view -- which produces much tense disagreement from one modern translation to another.
Flee Hell Fire!12. 1 Timothy 2:4, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." This may not mean God will "sentence sinners to salvation" who would rather flee from God's love, but it seems a strong assurance that it will never be God shutting the door to salvation in any repentant sinner's face. Flee Hell Fire!
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Related articles:Coming:
Who will Go to Hell?
Hell in the Bible and in Religions
Hell is Eternal
Interact with me anonymously at x.saltshaker.us, or for high quality interaction, which I will post as part of my articles with equal prominence with my own writings, email music@Hell-Gates-Heaven-Bible-Fire.US, with your real name and any real contact info (phone, email, or address) which I may post!Flee Hell Fire!