HELL - We Are CA Church€¦ · · 2017-01-25What are some secular views of Hell that you have...
Transcript of HELL - We Are CA Church€¦ · · 2017-01-25What are some secular views of Hell that you have...
• ThereisbeyondtheskyAheavenofjoyandlove;Andholychildren,whentheydie,Gotothatworldabove.• Thereisadreadfulhell,Andeverlastingpains:TheresinnersmustwithdevilsdwellIndarkness,fire,andchains.• CansuchawretchasIEscapethiscursedend?AndmayIhope,whene’erIdie,Ishalltoheavenascend?• ThenwillIreadandpray,WhileIhavelifeandbreath,LestIshouldbecutoffto–day,Andsentt’eternaldeath.
THEREISBEYONDTHESKYIsaacWatts(1715)
Questionsfordiscussion
1. WhataresomesecularviewsofHellthatyouhaveencountered?
2. WhydomanyChristians(andChurches)notliketalkingaboutHell?
Philosophical:Luciferistobepraisedbecauseheisarejectionofimposedmoralityandadrivetoselfempowerment.“Hell”thereforeistherewardoffreedomfromconstraintsthattheselfempoweredgain.
“Satanhasbeenthebestfriend thechurchhaseverhad,ashehaskeptitinbusinessalltheseyears!”
Lucifer,wasthebeareroflight, thespiritoftheair,thepersonification ofenlightenment.
HellisaParty!Imaybegoingtohell,butatleastallmyfriendswillbethere
HighwaytoHell
Livingeasy,livingfreeSeasonticketonaone-wayrideAskingnothing, leavemebeTakingeverything inmystrideDon'tneedreason,don'tneedrhymeAin'tnothing IwouldratherdoGoingdown,partytimeMyfriendsaregonnabetheretoo
Nostopsigns, speedlimitNobody'sgonnaslowmedownLikeawheel,gonnaspinitNobody'sgonnamessmearoundHeySatan,paidmyduesPlayinginarockingbandHeymama,lookatmeI'monmywaytothepromised land,whoo!
Universalism
Onceagain,Godhasapurpose.Adesire.Agoal.AndGodneverstopspursuingit.JesustellsaseriesofparablesinLuke15aboutawomanwholosesacoin,ashepherdwholosesasheep,andafatherwholosesason.Thestoriesaren’tultimatelyaboutthingsandpeoplebeinglost;thestoriesareaboutthingsandpeoplebeingfound.TheGodthatJesusteachesusaboutdoesn’tgiveupuntileverythingthatwaslostisfound.ThisGodsimplydoesn’tgiveup.Ever.
RobBell
Annihilationism
Annihilationist’sunderstandtheterm"hell"torefertothe process ofdestruction,notapermanentlyexistingprocess.
ThereareseveraldifferentviewsofAnnhiliationism,butthemostprevalentareafterdeath:
1.OnewhohasnotacceptedChristsimplyceasestoexistafterdeath(noHell)
2.Conditionalism
Conditionalism
Usually(butnotalways)ConditionalismispairedwithAnnhiliationism.
Basically,thesoulisnotimmortal(ImmortalityisagiftfromGodaloneforthosewhobelieve)andHellisaplacewhereretributivejusticeismetedoutupontheunsaved.Whenoneisdonepayingone’sdebt,onediesasecondtimeandceasestobe.
Salvationtherefore,issolelyconditionalonone’srelationshipwithJesusChrist
ScripturesupportingAnnhiliationism/Conditionalism
Genesis3:19
Psalm37:20
Acts17:28
Luke12:46–48
Matthew10:28
Ecclesiastes9:5
EternalConsciousTorment
TheviewthatallofGod’screationsthathaveImagoDei areimmortal.Thisimmortallifethereforewillbespentinoneoftwoplaces:
1.WithGod.
2.WithoutGod.
ETChastwovaryingviewswithinitregardingthefateofthosewhorejectGod.
1. Hellislockedfromtheoutside.ThisisthepunitiveviewofHell;theideathatitisprimarilyaplaceofpunishmentfortheindividual’srejectionofgiftsandredemptionoftheTriuneGod.Therearetwoviewsonthisaswell:A) ThepersonrejectedGodofhisownfreewill,andthusGodisperfectlyjust
inconsigninghimtotheLakeofFire.Thepersondoesnotwishtobethereandpotentiallywouldrepentiftheyhadtheopportunity.
B) Godforeordainedbeforethebeginningoftheworld,whowastobesavedandwhowastobedamned,byhisownGoodMercyandduetohispositionasCreator.Noonecanchangetheireternalfate.
2.Hellislockedfromtheinside.Thisistheideathataperson’seternalplaceinHellisdeterminedbythemandnooneelse.Shouldtheytheoreticallydecidetorepent,forgivenessandaplaceatGod’ssidewouldbetheirs,buttheywon’t.
QuestionforDiscussion
1. WhichviewofHelldoyouascribeto?Why?
2. WhichviewofHellisthemostcompelling(regardlessofwhetheryoubelieveittobetrue)?Why?
IstheexistenceofHellLogicallyCompatiblewithaPerfectlyGoodGod?
1. Godisallpowerful2. Godisallgood3. Someoneallpowerfulwouldaccomplishwhateverhedesires4. Someoneallgoodwouldwisheviltobedestroyed.5. Therefore,Godwoulddestroyevilcompletelyfromtheworld.6. Asevilexists,God,ifheexists,eitherisnotallpowerfulorheisnot
allgood.
1. Godisallpowerful2. Godisallgood3. Someoneallpowerfulwouldaccomplishwhateverhedesires4. Someoneallgoodwouldnotwishanyonetosufferinsuchaplace
asHell.5. Therefore,Hell’sexistenceisincompatiblewithGodbeingbothall
goodandallpowerful.
Bothargumentsmaymakeanerrorinpremise3.
ManyChristianswouldarguethatGodcannotaccomplishalogicalcontradiction(makingarocksoheavyhecannotliftit,sinning,makingasquarecircle,etc).
Ifthisisthecase,thenit’spossiblethattocreatefreethinkingbeings(humans,angels)andyetnothavethepossibilitythatsomemayrejecthimisalogicalcontradictionoftheaforementionedkind.
ThisistheargumentthatmostChristianswouldstatetogetaroundtheGoodGod/EvilWorldproblem,anditworksjustaswellfortheGoodGodallowingHellproblem.
WhyisHellTheologicallynecessary?
1. IfoneacceptsHeavenandthat“goodpeople”gothere,whatdoyoudowiththosedefinitivelybad?(Stalin,Hitler,etc)
2. IfsomeonedefinitivelyrejectsGod(ChristopherHitchin,RichardDawkins,etc),wouldGodberespectingtheirfreewillchoicebydemandingtheyremaininrelationshipwithHim?
3. Godisinfinite,holyandjust.AnysinagainstHim,howeversmall,isinfiniteinscope.Wehaveincurredadebt,anditmustbepayed.ThatpaymentcomesfromeitherusortheredemptiveactionsofJesusChrist.Romans3:23,Matthew6:12
4. Followingthepreviouspoint,iftherewasnoHellandGodwouldforgivewillynilly,whydidJesusbotherincarnatinganddyingatall?
Questionfordiscussion
ShouldweasChristiansbediscussingHellwithnon-believers?Ifso,howshouldwebedoingthis?
Implications
1. Hellisreal.Regardlessofwhichtheologicalpositionyoutakeonit,Hellisrealanditisawfulbeyondcomprehension.
2. Wehaveamission,andbeinghonestaboutHellisapartofthatmission.
3. Ourmissionisurgent.“Somewanttolivewithinthesoundofchurchorchapelbell;Iwanttorunarescueshopwithinayardofhell.”CTStudd
4. WhetherpeopleaccepttheGospelisnotuptous,ourjobistobeobedient.