No Literal Hell?

[th1bill]

I have just been surfing a few Christian Forum sites and the things promoted by people naming the name of Christ amazes me. Over the years I have heard the name Rob Bell more than once and in seeking the wisdom of other Basics Grounded Teachers have avoided wasting my funds on the books he pushes as Christian. There is a post on one forum this morning that seeks? to equip other members of this particular forum for the upcoming debate that is, apparently, sure to come. I'm going to attempt to be kind here but the truth is that in his link I did not find the scriptures.By the scriptures, of course, I mean the Bible, the Word of God's personal revelation of Himself.

The book, it is reported by the poster, is concerning the lack of any real Hell. In all the copies of the Bible that I own Genesis 1:1 points out that it is Almighty God that created the Universe and all that it contains. And when we go to John 1:1-3 we learn that the Son of God, popularly known as God in the flesh and Jesus, is the Creator of all of this. As it is very popular to ignore the Bible and to read the Commentary instead, I'll limit this post, from here forward to that Commentary, the New Testament. In the Four Gospels, Jesus/God taught more on the turth and fact of Hell than He did on Heaven. If any of us then puts it forward that there is no such place as a literal Hell... we are guilty of calling God a liar!

I know that I will stand, what is popularly known as, the Bema Seat Judgment but I certainly never wish to even be near the Great White Throne Judgment and calling God a liar, directly or by inference, is one sure fire way to get there and to, experientially, find out that Hell is real and that it is never ending. Throughout the scriptures we find that God cannot tolerate sin in His presence and Jesus stated that he was 'the' way, 'the' way and 'the' life. (John 14:6) Not even that He was or might be one of the ways, He is The Way.(Emphasis mine.)

So my question is this,

[His_kt]

Dear th1bill, I've not read Bell's work, although I would like to hear what he has to say, so I will.

We hear certain things in Christendom, that unfortunately are not true. Case in point: Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven. If you reference Strong's Concordance, you will see that hell is spoken of 23x in the NT. Old and New combined is 54x. Of the 23 NT references, there are 3 different words- gehenna, 12x ; hades, 10x ; tartaroo, 1x. All are defined as the place or state of departed souls. Gehenna, as an everlasting punishment, and tataroo alone, as the deepest abyss of eternal torment. It's found in 2Peter 2: 4, and refers to the fallen angels.

By contrast : heaven, heavenly, and heavens are used far too many times to count, OT and NT combined. There are 2 full pages plus part of a column. This is nearly 6 1/2 columns with approximately 114 or 115 uses in each column.

As you can see, heaven is spoken of many,many times more than gehenna or hades. It is my understanding that in Judaism, there was no teaching of hell as it has come to us from the middle ages.

So, my dear sir, there is always more to learn, and information can be verified or dismissed as false. May the Lord who is Truth, guide us into all truth.

[Matthitjah]

Dear th1bill, I've not read Bell's work, although I would like to hear what he has to say, so I will.

We hear certain things in Christendom, that unfortunately are not true. Case in point: Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven. If you reference Strong's Concordance, you will see that hell is spoken of 23x in the NT. Old and New combined is 54x. Of the 23 NT references, there are 3 different words- gehenna, 12x ; hades, 10x ; tartaroo, 1x. All are defined as the place or state of departed souls. Gehenna, as an everlasting punishment, and tataroo alone, as the deepest abyss of eternal torment. It's found in 2Peter 2: 4, and refers to the fallen angels.

By contrast : heaven, heavenly, and heavens are used far too many times to count, OT and NT combined. There are 2 full pages plus part of a column. This is nearly 6 1/2 columns with approximately 114 or 115 uses in each column.

As you can see, heaven is spoken of many,many times more than gehenna or hades. It is my understanding that in Judaism, there was no teaching of hell as it has come to us from the middle ages.

So, my dear sir, there is always more to learn, and information can be verified or dismissed as false. May the Lord who is Truth, guide us into all truth.

Grace to you,

I see that you've taken up the battle to defend the apostasy.

Lu 9:50

And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

A House divided will not stand.

Come join the winning side;

Mt 28:6

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay

He has defeated hell, death, and the grave;

Col 2:15

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.e

Please don't be a spot in the Love feast;

Jude 1:12

These are spots in your love feasts, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about by winds; trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Jude 1:13

Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Repent! Now is the time!

Lest you hear these fatal an eternal words;

Mt 7:23

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Remember it is satan who has said;

Ge 3:1

[th1bill]

Dear th1bill, I've not read Bell's work, although I would like to hear what he has to say, so I will.

We hear certain things in Christendom, that unfortunately are not true. Case in point: Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven. If you reference Strong's Concordance, you will see that hell is spoken of 23x in the NT. Old and New combined is 54x. Of the 23 NT references, there are 3 different words- gehenna, 12x ; hades, 10x ; tartaroo, 1x. All are defined as the place or state of departed souls. Gehenna, as an everlasting punishment, and tataroo alone, as the deepest abyss of eternal torment. It's found in 2Peter 2: 4, and refers to the fallen angels.

By contrast : heaven, heavenly, and heavens are used far too many times to count, OT and NT combined. There are 2 full pages plus part of a column. This is nearly 6 1/2 columns with approximately 114 or 115 uses in each column.

As you can see, heaven is spoken of many,many times more than gehenna or hades. It is my understanding that in Judaism, there was no teaching of hell as it has come to us from the middle ages.

So, my dear sir, there is always more to learn, and information can be verified or dismissed as false. May the Lord who is Truth, guide us into all truth.

Dear Gracious sir,

You have built a straw man to kill by taking my post out of context. I did not say nor did I publish that he referenced Hell more than He said Heaven. The meer fact that you and I have both published the words Heaven and Hell does not constitute a teaching on either of the matters. You also went off like a shot-gun and have referenced the entire Bible and without rereading my OP I recall limiting this discussion to the New Testament, if I did not, I will apologize right here. But in any case do not follow the habits of the Lost Man and erect these Straw Men.

[His_kt]

Dear th1bill, Please forgive me for the excess of information. We may easily subtract the NT numbers from the whole. Nevertheless, the ratio remains similar.

I must point out that you explicitly said, "In the 4 Gospels, Jesus/God taught more on the truth and fact of Hell than He did on Heaven." The question you posed was, in essence, why should we listen to a created being rather than the Creator, in reference to Rob Bell as the created.

We are all His created, and study the same Word. It comes down to the extent and breadth of study, and interpretation.

Since neither of us has read Bell's books, we cannot presume to know his position, nor dare to accuse him of deception. It is much too easy sliding down that slippery slope. Proverbs 10: 18 warns against slander.

"Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool."

Would you agree we've all fallen in that trap at one time or another? We hear something and repeat it, without really knowing the facts? A bad habit I'm certain the adversary delights in.

Let us be diligent in seeking the truth of a matter.

Btw, libraries still carry the materials we do not wish to purchase. God bless!

[wyguy]

I was married once.....I know hell is real.

[th1bill]

Dear th1bill, Please forgive me for the excess of information. We may easily subtract the NT numbers from the whole. Nevertheless, the ratio remains similar.

I must point out that you explicitly said, "In the 4 Gospels, Jesus/God taught more on the truth and fact of Hell than He did on Heaven." The question you posed was, in essence, why should we listen to a created being rather than the Creator, in reference to Rob Bell as the created.

We are all His created, and study the same Word. It comes down to the extent and breadth of study, and interpretation.

Since neither of us has read Bell's books, we cannot presume to know his position, nor dare to accuse him of deception. It is much too easy sliding down that slippery slope. Proverbs 10: 18 warns against slander.

"Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool."

Would you agree we've all fallen in that trap at one time or another? We hear something and repeat it, without really knowing the facts? A bad habit I'm certain the adversary delights in.

Let us be diligent in seeking the truth of a matter.

Btw, libraries still carry the materials we do not wish to purchase. God bless!

No, your still not understanding the context of the OP and I'm going to stand firm and will not run off down rabbit trails trying to defend the straw man you are still building. If you wish to discuss any point that is in the context of the OP I will respond, otherwise, I wish you well.

[Matthitjah]

Dear th1bill, Please forgive me for the excess of information. We may easily subtract the NT numbers from the whole. Nevertheless, the ratio remains similar.

I must point out that you explicitly said, "In the 4 Gospels, Jesus/God taught more on the truth and fact of Hell than He did on Heaven." The question you posed was, in essence, why should we listen to a created being rather than the Creator, in reference to Rob Bell as the created.

We are all His created, and study the same Word. It comes down to the extent and breadth of study, and interpretation.

Since neither of us has read Bell's books, we cannot presume to know his position, nor dare to accuse him of deception. It is much too easy sliding down that slippery slope. Proverbs 10: 18 warns against slander.

"Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool."

Would you agree we've all fallen in that trap at one time or another? We hear something and repeat it, without really knowing the facts? A bad habit I'm certain the adversary delights in.

Let us be diligent in seeking the truth of a matter.

Btw, libraries still carry the materials we do not wish to purchase. God bless!

I will confirm for you that Rob Bell has joined the Apostasy and that's not slanderous at all. It's the Truth.

[Miss Elly]

They will know two seconds after death that hell is a literal place. Will be too late.

[th1bill]

Dear th1bill, Please forgive me for the excess of information. We may easily subtract the NT numbers from the whole. Nevertheless, the ratio remains similar.

I must point out that you explicitly said, "In the 4 Gospels, Jesus/God taught more on the truth and fact of Hell than He did on Heaven." The question you posed was, in essence, why should we listen to a created being rather than the Creator, in reference to Rob Bell as the created.

We are all His created, and study the same Word. It comes down to the extent and breadth of study, and interpretation.

Since neither of us has read Bell's books, we cannot presume to know his position, nor dare to accuse him of deception. It is much too easy sliding down that slippery slope. Proverbs 10: 18 warns against slander.

"Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool."

Would you agree we've all fallen in that trap at one time or another? We hear something and repeat it, without really knowing the facts? A bad habit I'm certain the adversary delights in.

Let us be diligent in seeking the truth of a matter.

Btw, libraries still carry the materials we do not wish to purchase. God bless!

I will confirm for you that Rob Bell has joined the Apostasy and that's not slanderous at all. It's the Truth.

I do not read his material because trusted men have reviewed his writings and I have read their reviews. Thanks for he post.