Who Really Goes to Hell?
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Thu, January 25, 2007
- Viewed 38
- (7) comments so far
Here are some excerpts… you can find the link to the entire article below:
“No man is going to be judged because they rejected a Jesus of whom they never heard.” the Rev. Todd Wagner of North Dallas
“If you live your life and don’t confess your sins to God almighty through the authority of Christ and his blood, I’m going to say this very plainly, you’re going straight to hell with a nonstop ticket,” preached pastor John Hagee.
Many people don’t believe in hell at all. Non-Christian faiths have their own take, of course. Judaism, the religion that birthed Christianity, teaches of the eternal nature of the soul, a divine judgment and a mostly undefined “World to Come.” But specifics are left up to God.
Islam is more like Christianity, with concrete traditions of paradise and hell. Who ends up where is a matter of how well the person submitted to God’s will while alive. Hindus and Buddhists believe in karma and reincarnation, so the evil done in one life is atoned for down the road — a road on earth.
Methodism has a traditional belief in what it calls “prevenient grace,” God doing good for us before we know it. That means God could be offering a ticket out of hell to anybody...”
Southern Baptists: “The Baptist Faith & Message,” the official statement of the denomination’s beliefs, says unambiguously: “There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.”
The Catholic Church has absolute doctrines. The Vatican says one who truly believes in Catholic teachings and lives a life in accord with those beliefs is guaranteed a place in heaven, said Matthew Ogilvie, assistant professor of systematic theology at the University of Dallas, a Catholic school in Irving, Texas. What about non-Catholic Christians? “Fifty years ago, if you asked your average parish priest or nun, they would have told you that non-Catholics are not going to heaven,” he said. These days, the answer is maybe.
PC(USA): The Presbyterian Church comes from the Calvinist tradition, said Warner Bailey, director of Presbyterian studies at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University. That tradition includes a belief that God created some people predestined for hell. Still, “most Presbyterians find that today to be offensive and theologically not attuned to the Gospel of God’s sovereignty and grace,” Bailey said.
The Rev. Carlton Pearson was once head of a successful Pentecostal megachurch in Oklahoma City. Then he decided the Bible teaches that everybody can escape hell — even Satan — through repentance and the love of God. His “gospel of inclusion” got him booted from his denomination. Today he leads a smaller independent congregation.
Read the complete article at the Kansas City Star...
Here is an interesting article from the Kansas City Star on the different ideas from different churches on who actually goes to hell. It seems that there are a lot of differing opinions on this one... go figure.
Comments
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Daniel on Thu, January 25, 2007
I’d be interested in hearing how many people hear have felt that NT Wright’s take on ‘apocalyptic’ literature changes their understanding of the ‘eternal fire’ talk in the New Testament. My own eschatology has evolved considerably with his observation that Jewish apocalyptic casts into cosmic terms what is assumed to be a concrete historical occurrence (e.g. the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD).
Also, I find the traditional doctrine of eternal conscious torment quite problematic. Many Christian traditions argue God is just, but I have trouble seeing how a perfectly just God could torment someone (which is in itself quite problematic) forever for a finite number of offenses. According to the traditional doctrine, sinning as many as two times in your life will damn you to hell forever and ever and ever. So much for “an eye for an eye”…
Of course, my primary urge is to argue that ‘salvation’ is not primarily about the ‘afterlife’, but rather about freedom from bondage to sin, at all levels, here and now…
Anyone else have thoughts on this topic?
Carole Turner on Fri, January 26, 2007
EVERYONE should read “The Great Divorce” by C.S. Lewis, it is about a fictional buss ride from Hell to Heaven. It really should be required reading for all students of truth.
I should get paid for how much I talk up that book!
Pastor Peter Tremblay on Mon, January 29, 2007
Your blog misrepresents the Wesleyan doctrine of “Prevenient Grace”. Wesley did not teach - nor do those in Churches such as the Free Methodist, Nazarene, or Wesleyan churches - we do not believe God will give a ticket out of hell to anyone. Prevenient Grace is somewhat akin to the doctrine of “common grace” in Calvinism. Common Grace in Calvinism is the belief (as I understand it) that those not “predestined” to salvation are given “common grace” by God so that they are not as evil as they might be without some hindering. Methodism and Calvinism agree when it comes to the doctrine of “total depravity” - because of inborn sin, no one can come to God unless drawn by the Spirit. They are blind, enslaved and lost without help - but for the grace of God. Wesley (I believe rightly) taught SCRIPTURALLY, that God draws people to himself “convicts them of sin righteousness and judgment” (John 16:7-8) and enlightens the mind to see the truth of the Gospel, and then allows them the free-will choice to accept or reject the offer. The main difference between the doctrine of “Prevenient Grace” and “Common Grace” (as taught by Calvinists) is that Wesleyan’s believe God draws and man must choose. But those who teach “Common Grace” believe that those given such grace MAY REMAIN LOST without free-will to choose because they are not part of some supposed arbitrarily chosen ELECT. You may decide to disagree with me on “free-will” and maybe we will never agree this side of Heaven, but if you decide to read the works of John Wesley, you will discover a man that preached “hell-fire and brimstone sermons”. He did not soft-soap the Christian message. He was a GREAT evangelist.
Mike Jeffery on Mon, March 05, 2007
I still believe that the “whosoever” in John 3:16 means whosoever…ie anyone.
Gregor Stopovich on Fri, March 27, 2009
This is all irrelevant in that Hell does not exist. The concept is inconsistent with a loving God. It was merely created by man in order to attempt to keep their fellow man in line.
Mike Jeffery on Sat, March 28, 2009
So…you don’t forsee any punishment from God for intentionally rejecting Him? I will make an assumption that you father (earthly) loves (d) you…Did he ever punish you when you did something wrong?
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