Speaking of heresy, I’ve come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I don’t believe in Hell. Before you call the doctrine police on me, I will point out that you probably don’t either. (sorry I shouldn’t say that I don’t know who you are) I don’t believe in Hell. Well…of course I am saying that for effect and I am overstating it, I don’t believe in Hell enough. I just can’t seem to get my mind around it entirely.
Can You?
I mean if I had to write a paper describing what the Bible says about Hell, I would say that it’s fire and brimstone and blackness of darkness, where the souls of men burn for all eternity. I would say it’s a place where the fire is not quenched and the worm dieth not. I’d say Hell is a place of unfulfilled desires, extreme thirst, and unimaginable pain. I’d say it’s weeping and gnashing of teeth, and if a person does not repent of their sins and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ they will spend eternity in such a place…but if I examine that in light of how urgent I am for souls, I must not believe it… and with what I see from most of us that name the name of Christ, you don’t either. (again, sorry I’m just speculating)
Leonard Ravenhill tells a story of a British criminal named Charlie Peace. As Charlie Peace was being led away to be executed, the chaplain read to him out of “The Consolations of Religion.” Charlie Peace asked the chaplain to re-read part of the description of Hell, and when he heard the apathetic tone with which the chaplain used to casually describe Hell’s agony he made the following statement:
“Sir,” addressing the preacher, “if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!” Wow! And that’s a criminal’s response.
I am reading George Whitefield and as I see his brokenness, and his weeping over the lost he was preaching to it concerns me. It’s not like I don’t practice evangelism. I go street preaching, I pass out tracts, I witness to friends at work and strangers out on the street, but I am growing more and more aware than there is something lacking.
I’m not sure but I think the reason something is lacking in the Church’s approach to soul-winning…(I’m sorry I don’t want to put this on you too) I think the reason something is lacking in my approach to soul-winning is that I just don’t believe in Hell. Let me say that more accurately…I don’t believe Hell enough. Do you?
I guess we need to ask ourselves this…(sorry, I keep bringing you into this don’t I?), I guess I need to ask myself this… Supposing that beliefs dictate behavior, what by my actions do I do that prove my belief in Hell? Not to bring you into this again, but it probably wouldn’t hurt for all of us to ask ourselves that question, even if it’s just me that doesn’t believe in Hell…enough.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Speaking of heresy…
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2 comments:
Great post Shannon! I was not planning on coming on any blog's today, but I am glad I did. I reluctantly agree. What a sad state of Christianity indeed. We'll preach prosperity, but we won't preach Hell. I think we as Christians need to remember, were not only saved from sins, but also from damnation of hellfire.
amen brother! this kinda goes good with my new post. but i agree, it's so easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget that everyone who is lost is going to a real hell. i once heard a man ask what would you do if you saw a bus heading towards a stranger who was totally unknowing. you would scream and yell right?and if need be, you would run and tackle that man knowing once he saw the bus he would thank you....well, how much worse is hell then just getting killed by a bus? ugh!! it's just so hard to see it that way
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