Hell? No!

Photo by Tim Gouw

You mean you don’t believe hell is real???

You’re not alone. And, to some extent, I hardly blame you. The way people describe it sounds deplorably despicable. Furthermore, the thought of hell seems quite incompatible in the minds of many who try to harmonize such a place with a loving God.

But my intent is not to convince you that hell is real. Only the Bible accomplishes such a profound feat. Rather, my intent is to provide a more charitable perspective I hope you’ll take with the friend/co-worker/family member who does believe in hell, and who perhaps has (bravely?) taken the time to talk to you about it.

For starters, don’t assume the worst about why others believe in it or try to warn you about it. It may just be that their motives aren’t what you suppose (and for those who meant well, but may have come off less than loving, my apologies!). What if they mention hell to you, not because they’re better than you or because they’re trying to frighten you to faith, or because they’re merely trying to get you to “shape up”? Maybe your friend has talked to you about it because your friend cares more deeply about you than you know.

You may still think the concept of hell is bologna (it’s not, by the way), but don’t take that out on the person who has spoken to you about it. Instead, just appreciate that in this me-centered, self-serving, egotistical world, someone else really, truly cares about you.

Instead, just appreciate that in this me-centered, self-serving, egotistical world, someone else really, truly cares about you.

You may disagree with them on the topic, but what if, instead of resenting them, you reciprocated that same kind of care and concern toward them by reading, studying, and researching what the Bible actually says about hell? At the very least, you’ll better know where that person is coming from and be better equipped to discuss the matter. And, having a better grasp on the topic will allow you to avoid simply passing along someone else’s “clever” response that doesn’t have the credibility of your own critical thinking to back it up.

Finally, if you don’t have a real great feeling about hell or resent the thought that it’s real, you’re actually probably more on the right track than you realize. I don’t know of anyone, Christian or otherwise, who has warm fuzzy feelings about hell. Our feelings, however, don’t determine what exists and what doesn’t. They never do. No, that job is the sole responsibility of a good and gracious God, the very Savior who went to the most extreme measures to see that no one would experience hell. That assumes, of course, that he wasn’t just wasting his time saving us from something that doesn’t exist.

 

 

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