Hell just emerged as an issue in Election 2008, and the campaign now enters a zone where politics and theology collide.
The catalyst for this emergence of eternal punishment as an issue is a "Belief Watch" column in this week's edition of Newsweek magazine. In "A Religious-Right Revival," Lisa Miller suggests that the nomination of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican nominee for Vice President represents a resurgence of the so-called "Religious Right."
There is something to this argument, of course, given Gov. Palin's record and positions on key controversial issues. Her pro-life credentials, even taken alone, would be enough to encourage many evangelical Christians, as the response to her nomination now demonstrates.
But what makes Lisa Miller's article most interesting has nothing directly to do with abortion, marriage, or any social issue. The most interesting (and revealing) part of her article is a sentence that does not refer to her campaign, nor to her role as Governor, but to her church:
The senior pastor of that church, in sermons that circulated online before they were taken down last week, preaches hell for anyone who isn't saved by Jesus.
In the event a reader might miss that sentence, the magazine put the words, "The senior pastor of Palin's church preaches hellfire for anyone who isn't saved by Jesus" in large type in both print and electronic editions. In other words, these words are intended to catch a reader's eye as newsworthy - an attention grabber.
Miller went on to explain that the fact that her pastor preaches such a message "puts her squarely in the tradition of the old-school religious right."
Of course, belief in hell as the just punishment of the impenitent is part and parcel of historic biblical Christianity. Taken at face value, the belief that "anyone who isn't saved by Jesus" faces the verdict of hell is as normative as any other Christian belief.
There is no way to read the New Testament without encountering the very clear message about the reality of hell. "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul," Jesus warned. "Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" [Matthew 10:28].
True, there are those who have denied both the reality of hell and the exclusivity of the Gospel. Some attempt to deny that those who do not believe in Christ will spend eternity in hell. Nevertheless, even those who propose doctrinal theories such as universalism and inclusivism (or those who promote annihilationism with reference to hell) must admit that their position does not represent what most Christians throughout the centuries have believed - or believe now. We should be concerned that these theories may be spreading in influence, but it should hardly be surprising to find that an evangelical pastor preaches historic Christianity.
What this article in Newsweek represents is the absolute confidence that discovering people who believe that those who do not believe in Christ will go to hell is supposed to be shocking.
So we find in Sarah Palin's pastor an evangelical who believes in hell and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only means of escaping hell. In other words, he is an evangelical preaching like an evangelical. Alert the media.
See my articles "Hell Under Fire," Parts One and Two, and my chapter in the book, Hell Under Fire.
___________________________________________________
R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. For more articles and resources by Dr. Mohler, and for information on The Albert Mohler Program, a daily national radio program broadcast on the Salem Radio Network, go to www.albertmohler.com. For information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to www.sbts.edu. Send feedback to mail@albertmohler.com. Original Source: www.albertmohler.com.
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There is a reason so many people tell so many white lies. It's because they don't want to hurt someone else's feelings. While noble at times in cases of heaven or hell it could be outrightly damning. It is not good to sugarcoat the truth. Sometimes the truth can be a hard pill to swallow. I refuse to believe that God had Jesus go through what he did so we could simply have another option to choose from as far as our eternal life was concerned. I can just see the conversation between God and Jesus now. God: "Hey Jesus, I don't think people have enough ways to get in here what do you think of being spat on, nearly beaten to death, and then hung on a cross? Just you know, add to the smorgasboard." Jesus: " Wow, that sounds great you really do have amazing ideas." I'm sorry, but I don't see it. If you think about it, heaven is GOD'S HOUSE. We would never let someone stay in our house for five minutes if they refused to follow our house rules. Why should God do any differently just so someone doesn't get their feelings hurt. I wouldn't let someone stay in my house forever after they spent their whole life bad mouthing me or my family. I don't care how much money they gave away. That would be stupid. If God said the only way to get into heaven was to believe in the sacrifice He was willing to make for us, then that's what I'll do. God doesn't make it a habit to lie. That's our job.
Here's a must hear sermon on the Doctrine of Hell by Ted Donnelly!
http://www.polemos.net/Audio/Donnelly%20Hell%20pt.%203.mp3
"I could use more money, that would bring me great joy, I really dont want the eternal life thing, what would one do for an eternity? wow. that would get old..... "
An eternal party with Jesus or hell. Party or hell....
GET A CLUE!!!
scitsonga, but that's it, Christians don't have to worry about tomorrow because we know God is in control and will meet our every need and that no matter how bad life gets on this side of death we have a home in heaven with God awaiting us for the rest of eternity and it don't get no better than that. And we want as many people as possible to join us and that's what I pray for you.
scitsonga,
Why are you trying to get in the middle of a conversation that is beyond your understanding, and pretending you know anything about it? Leave the spiritual things to spiritual people. Yes, you can work for all the money you want. I won't stop you. Knock yourself out.
proph "He gave us an invitation to have eternal spiritual life. What more do people want?"
I could use more money, that would bring me great joy, I really dont want the eternal life thing, what would one do for an eternity? wow. that would get old.....
proph, heaven & hell are myths- beyond logic and reason to believe either exist. To you they apparently exist. Hope it brings you joy and happiness to "know" they exist. We all find what it takes to get thru life........I'm about the here and now. I will worry about tomorrow when it gets here......
You see, God doesn't send us to hell. All of us are on our way to hell. He just gives us an out. And we can't blame Him for us saying "No".
Doing that is about as stupid as being out in the ocean drowning, someone throws you a life line, and you say you don't want it...and then blame them because you're dying. That's just plain stupid.
Daniel,
You are so right. What does God owe us? He already gave us physical life. He already gave us the life of His own Son. He gave us an invitation to have eternal spiritual life. What more do people want?
"yet is a worthy and righteous member of society striving to become a better person would not be denied entry into the Kingdom of Heaven."
You proceed from the assumption that God owes anyone anything based on their own behavior. He does not. He could have simply destroyed the world and sent all of us to hell and it would have been fair. He owes salvation to no person nor can it be earned.
I am simply glad that He wanted to show mercy to some of us. Heaven isn't a welfare state where people deserve to be there.
tallguy, based on your assumption in regard to a person who never hears the Good News, then would it be better to stop sending out missionaries or any other type of evangelistic outreach to ensure less people hear the Good News and that way more people will go to heaven? But the only problem is that God's Great Commission compels us to go and not to stay.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Tallguy Said:
"Chicago24 is correct, or at least partly. For example, the person in some remote corner of the world who has never, through no fault of his own, heard the Good News of Jesus, yet is a worthy and righteous member of society striving to become a better person would not be denied entry into the Kingdom of Heaven."
God has shown himself to all the world, every living creature knows God is: Real, Sovereign, Creator, and is Worthy of all Praise.
Romans Chapter 1
Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
So we see here no one has an excuse to walk apart from God in there Rebellion, Unrighteousness. God has shown himself unto them.
Acts 14:16 "Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
God has been patient, but left himself a witness in all the world, for its inhabitants to know HE IS GOD.
Now, on someone who never heard the Good News and fell asleep, Jesus will Judge at the Great white Throne, this is the second death, where all will stand before him not taken in the Rapture of the Faithful, and be Judged on what they have done. All not found written in the book of Life will be thrown out of Heaven and be eternally tormented in the Lake of Fire.
The problem with the idea is that "a worthy and righteous member of society striving to become a better person would not be denied entry into the Kingdom of Heaven" is that according to Scripture, no one is righteous, which is the requirement for entrance.
Rom 3:9-10
9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
And then in verses 21-26:
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
But though no one is righteous and no one would seek Him on their own, He gives people the desire to seek Him, and He sets things up so they can Find Him if they DO seek Him. This matches what Acts 17:26-27 says,
26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
As Scripture says, one must have faith in Christ. Of course, as I've said, when people truly seek God, HE makes a way for them to have what they need. Hence the stories all over the world of men and women coming to Christ through visions and dreams.
Chicago24 is correct, or at least partly. For example, the person in some remote corner of the world who has never, through no fault of his own, heard the Good News of Jesus, yet is a worthy and righteous member of society striving to become a better person would not be denied entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The most famous scripture in the Bible. John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whoever would believe on Him would not die, but have everlasting life."
If those who believe in Him have everlasting life, what happens to those who don't?
Chicago, I will wait for your answers to my last two questions.
Christ IS exclusive. HE said it. If you don't believe HIM, take it up with Him.
As Proph quoted,
John 10:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
But Christ said the same thing in John 3:16-18 as well,
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
Notice, who ever does NOT believe stands condemned because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
John the Baptist said the same thing in John 3:36
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said the same thing:
Acts 4:10-12
10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is "the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone." 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Notice, he said MUST be saved. It is only through belief in Christ that we are saved.
well, it seems to me by the quote that proph gave, that christianity is indeed exclusive. Jesus himself said it was exclusive. i heard a wise man say one time that salvation was sufficient and effecient. salvation is sufficient for everyone. but it is only effecient for those who accept it. God is not condemning anyone to hell. people are buy their own ticket to hell. dont blame God for peoples stupid decisions.
"But can you honestly believe that your God will send all Muslims, Jews, and Hindus to an eternal hell?"
Uh, yes. They rejected Jesus. Ergo, they want nothing to do with God. So if they want nothing to do with God, He's willing enough to give them want they want.
Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."
How do you reconcile that quote from the same man you claim to follow?
People who are seeking God will find Him - I have read second hand accounts and heard first hand accounts of God speaking to men and women in dreams and visions and them coming to Christ - and there are more cases world wide every year.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/554407/posts
http://www.morethandreams.tv/
hmmm.. I am on a railroad track, walking. Someone runs past me yelling, "a train is coming!" I see a train coming, the engineer hits the brakes and blows the horn, and I yell at others who are also on the track to jump off, as I jump off, trying to drag some with me. Others also see the train and yell for people to jump, trying to drag some with them. Some will see the train and jump. Some will refuse to look, but will feel the train and jump. Some will refuse to think about what they hear and feel and will refuse to look. Some even fight to not be dragged off the tracks. Who is responsible for the deaths of those who did not believe? They are.
You can quote scriptures and platitudes all you want. But can you honestly believe that your God will send all Muslims, Jews, and Hindus to an eternal hell? How on earth do you reconcile that with a loving and benevolent god? If that's what you believe your religion says, then no one with an ethical bone in their body should have anything to do with it.
That is elitist, exclusive, and SADISTIC.
The God I worship is not like that.
Thank God!
Is Hell real?
Does God punish people who do not believe in Christ?
Jesus used the term translated as hell. He seemed to think it existed and that it is a place of torment for people who are not reconciled to God.
Read what Jesus said,
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.
This is what Jesus said about not coming to Him,
John 6:40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
This is what Jesus said about hell:
Luke 12:4-5
4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
All of us sin. We each earn our payment.. good or bad....
Romans 3:23 or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In fact, God also said about belief,
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
About people who have not heard - God wants them to seek Him, but it must be as He said,
Acts 17:26-31
26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' 29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-an image made by man's design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
If someone does not believe in an afterlife, then that person does not believe God. God has said we have eternal life with Him if we believe, and hell if we do not. In fact, Jesus said (about people who believe in Him),
John 10:28_I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
Jesus said about people who do not believe,
Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
So people are free to believe or not believe. But there are consequences.
chicago, Jesus and his Father are a God of Justice. The Scriptures make it clear that Mercy Triumps over Judgment!
This is perfectly clear, all who accept Jesus as there Lord , repent and turn from sin unto Righteousness will be Saved. Forgiven.
There is punishment for those who reject God's love offering of his only begotten Son on the cross. What Love God has for us to send Jesus to reconcile the whole world unto him. You dont understand, God cannot deny himself, his very nature, he must punish sin, and do so fairly. All things are recorded down, at the Great White Throne, Jesus will Judge, and all those not found in the book of life will perish eternally in the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death.
You can't play games with Faith, and say you want this or that. You have got to get down on your knees and Pray and accept God's will on ALL THINGS.
Father in the name of Jesus please help chicago and many others who do not accept your whole plan of Salvation and Justice, to keep Praying and Reading your Holy Word, till they submit completely to the Truth. Amen.
chicago you dont know who/what you worship.
As Jesus told the Samarian woman:
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
chicago serves a god he created in his own image. He can claim all he wants that he serves the Christian/Judeo God, but those of us who are real Christains see his fruit. There is no repentance in him. He doesn't believe in Romans 6:23, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:29, Matthew 10 28 which says "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." That kind of blows chicago's claim of being a Christian right out of the water. And Matthew 18:9.
With the exception of the verse from Romans, all those were quotes from Jesus Himself (whom Chicago claims to follow) about hell.
chicago24......Hell is for the devil and the fallen angels and for all those who have chosen not to believe in the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. God is absolutely just and we can trust him with the fate of those who have never heard the gospel. Most non-Christians have made their choice about whom they will worship, they too will be judged by a just God. There is no malevolence involved, simply justice.
Our prisons were built for those who break the law and we put convicts in prison because of that and not because of any feeling of malevolence on the part of lawmakers. Prison is where they belong because of the choices they have made. The purpose of hell is somewhat similar. Love you.
Blacksho: How does it feel to be up there on that pedestal?
I still worship the Christian God. I just don't believe He is malevolent enough to send non-believers to hell.
chicago24:
That's fine, you don't have to worship Jesus in this life.
And you won't have the opportunity to worship Him in the next.
We were made with free will, and you will be granted your wish.
For me personally, I would not worship a god that sends anyone to eternal damnation for not believing in Jesus. That seems awfully malevolent. What about the people who never heard of Jesus? What about the majority of people on this earth who are not Christians?
I think a lot of Christians cling to the belief in the afterlife simply out of fear. Or rather, they believe in the Jesus in order to comfort themselves that they will have an existence when they die - - a "quid-pro-quo" type of religion.
Both St. Therese and St. Teresa of Calcutta did not believe in an afterlife, yet they still performed acts of faith. To me, that is a REAL Christian.
My word! Somebody says that if you don't believe in Jesus you're going to hell, and everyone throws a gasket. Why? If you don't believe in God, then you don't believe in hell. Just let us "foolish, misled, fantasizing" Christians continue to rant and rave about heaven and hell. It's a free country. Or is it? Why do the atheists get so upset when we talk about God, heaven and hell? They don't believe in it. They don't think they're going to hell. It's not changing their life one bit.
Then that thought crosses my mind. That in every atheist is a still small voice saying "You know they're right...." And it really pisses them off.
Psalms 2
1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
"how interesting that my post disappeared without a trace but there is a response. "
Don't ask me how...it's happened to me before. It's got to be a glitch. However, believer is right that all anyone else can do is flag. Still, I think some of our posts have ended up in some remote part of Russia with them going "...what is this?"
Thank you, CP. I got a good laugh when I read the title of the column in the headlines section.
From the article: "Miller went on to explain that the fact that her pastor preaches such a message "puts her squarely in the tradition of the old-school religious right." ........... and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Apostles, and the Church Fathers, and the Catholic Church, and Martin Luther, and the Protestant Churches, and etc.,etc.,etc. For me personally, I think that is some pretty darn good tradition to be put squarely in the middle of.
Maybe we should all donate 25 cents and give the money to Ms. Miller so that she can go shopping and buy a clue.
PAX
dongard, are you sure you didn't perhaps by accident delete your own post, because if another poster flagged your post it would still be indicated that you left a post.
how interesting that my post disappeared without a trace but there is a response. seems to me that Stalin did the same with a picture of Lenin.
Wishful thinking dongard. It seems to me that some people desperately hope there is no after-life, so they will not have to face the prospect of facing themselves for an eternity.
I don't think I could help others without believing in God. I don't even think I knew what love meant ( or caring about anyone outside my immediate family ) until I was saved by grace. The joy of salvation provides a caring and concern I never imagined. In fact I believe all love comes from god. (1 John 4:16).
Furthermore it seems to me that mankind might still be in the dark ages had it not been for religious wisdom and values.
Watching the election here from the UK on Fox, Sky News, reading the papers (American and English) etc..I have not noticed hell as an election issue, does R A exergerate?
Praise God, If one will only read the Bible they will find " hell " right along the words of Christ where He said, " except you repent " .
It tears the unbelievers, and the so called educated, to think that they in all their goodness might go to hell.