What is Hell?
Today we had several people join us for dinner and theological discussions, so that as a community we might better understand our Jesus Christ.
During our conversation we came to the topic of hell.
What is hell?
The bible does tell us a lot about it. "In that place there will be weeping and nashing of teeth." (Luke 13:28)
Do we need to know any more? How about that to be in hell is to be apart from our loving, Father in Heaven, source of all life, light, joy, and good. Is that bad enough?
How much more do you need to know? It ain't good.
Conclusion:
I wish we would take two things away from the reality of hell and then move on, the two lessons are:
- It is real
- You won't want to be there
Unfortunately, we Christians often get caught up trying to know all things, and while seeking knowledge is a healthy pursuit, we need to stay focused.
Stay focused on Christ, and our positive affections for Him.
Certainly a fear of hell is warranted, but fixation is not. Focus on Christ and He will lead us home to Him.
Questions & Comments?
What do you all think? Am I down playing an important doctrine or just rightly calling for focus on what matters, Christ?
One of the first things my mother-in-law impressed upon me after joining their very Catholic family was the difference in their perception of hell from the image I was raised with.
My family are southern-Baptist. The image I was raised in was a fiery place of torment where souls are sent for punishment.
My in-laws version of hell resembles an image of Dante's Inferno where souls choose to go when faced with the magnificence of God. In her mind, and from what I get from mass, we- not St. Peter- come to see the errors from our humanity and decide that we're not worthy to enter God's kingdom. In that moment, we turn away to enter hell which is to be a place of penance until we can rise into Heaven.
According my Rev Port, hell is a locked plane with no exit, and no chance for redemption. Catholic mass paints a different picture.
Honestly, I'm not really sure which to believe or lean toward. I choose to live my life without fixated fear and focus on this particular subject.
Me too and great comment!
Hell is a biblical doctrine and so worth some study however as you rightly point out different men understand it differently. Since I dont aim to go there, I dont feel I need to know it any better than, this: "I dont want to go there".
That might be short sighted. Maybe studying hell would help me better understand the gift of grace? But for now I just say, its some place I dont want to go.
And when talking to non-believers I just say, God is good, righteous and must judge unrepentant sin, but mostly I redirect to His grace, mercy and salvation, which are more core to His gospel.
As I see it.
I come to find that to understand the gift of grace comes better after I've spent time with small children. They're so sweet and honest, and it can be a humbling experience. Especially when one points out a personal flaw in a matter of fact tone.
Amen. Or special needs people who have Gods joy in their heart, to be so full of Him despite worldly difficulty is a huge testament to His satisfying fullness.