As believers, we cannot profess to believe that there is a literal "hell" and eternal separation from God (for those who don't believe in this age) and then say we believe in God's sovereignty, love, grace and will. It is a contradiction at best, in my estimation! We can't hold to both of these premises, because they are not compatible. If we truly believe in a hell and eternal damnation, then, in my opinion, we are confused in our beliefs and will ultimately fail in revealing, through our Spirit, God's love, life and truth to others. The Word tells us, "God, is not a God of confusion." For us to hold to this dualistic doctrine is, in reality, to make a liar and fraud out of God. This failure, on our part, will never impact His ultimate will, but it will keep us in bondage to religious dogma!
Man's religious motivations created hell and eternal damnation with the misuse of terms like hades, sheol and Gehenna. These terms have been purposely misinterpreted, or perhaps, misrepresented, throughout the centuries, from the original languages (Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic), and, I believe, for the sole purpose of instilling fear in people. Sheol and hades merely speaks of physical death, or "falling asleep." Gehenna, the word we derive "hell" from, refers to a valley outside the gates of Jerusalem where the trash and executed convicts were dumped and burned. This was an actual location, the valley of Hinnom, and the Hebrews feared this place and in a very superstitious way: "gnashing of teeth," "burning," "the worm that eats..." and "torment." This is why Jesus used it merely as a metaphor for man being at odds with God and the results, in this life, not the next, that would come. There are no Scriptures that state anything about a literal fire and brimstone hell in the original languages. Neither was there a word in the Greek, Aramaic or Hebrew for eternal anything, in particular, an eternal damnation and separation from God. Church doctrine will use the story (parable) that Jesus told in Luke 16: 19-31 to "prove" that there is a literal hell, yet Jesus, used the term, "Hades," or physical death, instead of the term, "Gehenna," in this story, which makes the church's claim less than convincing. If Jesus was speaking of hell, in this story, then why didn't he use the term, "Gehenna," which still would have only been a metaphor for being at odds with God?
This, again, is a question of our faith and belief in the sovereignty of God. If we truly believe that God is sovereign in all ways, then how can we possibly believe that the largest portion of His created beings will be lost to Him in the end? Are the "principalities and rulers of this dark age" more powerful than God? This is a question that anyone who believes in a literal hell and eternal separation from God should be asking themselves. You can't have it both ways! If there is a God, and there is, then He is sovereign and will "draw all men to Himself" in the end. But, if there is a hell and eternal damnation, which will ultimately devour most people, then God is anything but sovereign, loving and gracious and therefore, doesn't exist. We shouldn't treat God or His word as a man-made theory, which is ever changing as the wind and is due to the weak understanding, as well as whims, of mere men!
Test the spirits of knowledge! If this issue troubles you, then could it be that your Spirit, from God, is drawing you away from this lie and to the truth? There is no hell or eternal damnation! God's Word tells us that He "will draw all men to Himself." Not just a few, but all! God is sovereign, and He wills for "all men to be saved." He doesn't just wish, He wills for all of His creation to be saved.
Because of God's truth, I am no longer afraid for those I have known and loved, throughout my lifetime, who have "fallen asleep." I believe that, in the ages to come, they will be drawn to God, as He has promised in His word. I know that someday, when there are no more days, that we will all be together with God, when Christ gives all reign back to the Father at the consummation. This is our hope and joy in this life! I believe, this is God's truth!
DB Williams
http://www.theoutsiderview.net/
http://www.seekingyaweh.com/
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