Hell is NOT Our Birthright.

Humans are not born with a concept of deserving hell. It's something that is taught to some of us by well intended but misguided religious fundamentalists. Jesus often talked about hell, but it was always in context of horrific action. However.... The idea of inheriting hell - simply because we are human - is a disgusting doctrine, and one that Jesus never taught.

Of course, I'm sure you can possibly interpret some verses in the Bible which suggest that all humans inherit hell as our birthright. But I tend to prefer Jesus' message over such heresies. Jesus never promoted cruel and unusual punishment for those who disagreed with him. Rather, hell was always reserved for those who were unusually and consistently cruel to the least of these. Don't believe me? Check out my other post here. And yes, God's grace extends to even the most evil of sinners, such as the criminal who repented on the cross next to Jesus.

Yes, we can lovingly disagree, and you are free to cling to a harsh perception of God if you so choose. But for me personally, I choose to believe that "God Is Love - Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God"  (1 John 4:7). No matter what you may have been taught, be encouraged that God is Love, the Gospel is actually Good News... and hell is NOT your birthright. Rather, let's listen to how Jesus spoke of hell. "Those who have done good will rise to eternal life and those who have continued in evil will rise to judgment" (John 5:28-29, NLT).

Heaven's Entrance Examination

I think a lot of religious people think that getting to heaven involves getting the correct answers on a quiz that looks something like this:

1) Question: "Who is your Savior?" Answer: "Jesus".
2) Question: "Is Jesus God's Son?" Answer: "Yes."
3) Question: "Do you believe in the Trinity?" Answer: "Yes."
4) Question: "Who died for your sins?": Answer: "Jesus."

If you answer the questions on this quiz correctly, congratulations - you won't burn in hell for eternity! Nothing else really matters apart from scoring 100% on this entrance examination. Those who don't are hopeless. Those who do are rewarded with eternal health, peace and joy.

There's one problem. We may be impressed with our A+ scores, but apparently God isn't. As James 2:19 says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder." '

In your opinion, what does God care most about?

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

In the New Testament, Jesus condemns the "eye for an eye" principle, saying:

 "You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you" (Matthew 5:38-48).

Yet I find it ironic that many Christians would argue that God would send people to eternal torment for not having a Christian faith. To me, this view of eternal torment as a punishment for disbelief is far more harsh than "an eye for an eye." For this reason, I personally think it's nonsense, and I actually believe that Jesus didn't ever preach this doctrine. Of course, Jesus talked about hell, but it was always in regards to action (Link).

Sending a person to eternal torment for living a life of skepticism is definitely cruel and unusual punishment to me. It's also far more harsh than the "eye for an eye" principle. Ultimately, I will never accept the notion that a just God would promote "cruel and unusual punishment."

Escape Your Comfort Zones. Challenge Your Beliefs.

One benefit of living abroad is being exposed to different beliefs (imagine that!). Constantly being surrounded by loving families of different beliefs can help shed some light on dangerous and depressing absurdities - such as the notion that they are heathens deserving of eternal punishment.

Offensive Bumper Sticker

If you saw the following bumper sticker, how offended would you be?
"Dear all non-believers, GO TO HELL!" - Love, God

Thoughts on Heaven

Some people believe that in heaven, we will all be given personal harps and clouds, that it will be a dull, boring, and very white place...

But I think that the Bible paints a very different picture of heaven.  As Revelation 5:9 says, "With your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'"  Heaven will be a place of great variety.

In our world, there are so many wars and natural disasters that it is easy to become disillusioned.  We have all experienced tragedy to some extent.  In many ways, we long for peace.  I believe that there will be peace in heaven.  As Matthew 5:9 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."  Heaven will be filled with those who wage peace.

Heaven will also be filled with people who forgive.  As Matthew 6:14 says, "For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."  Grudges are not encouraged in heaven.

But can we experience heaven on earth?

Some people are convinced that we have to die in order to experience heaven.  However, in the 'Our Father' prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, "on earth as it is in heaven."  So as we learn to grow in truth, peace, and forgiveness, I believe we can experience glimpses of heaven  here on earth, even if we can't play the harp. 

Thoughts on HELL

At some point in our lives, we have all seen the Bible tracts saying, "embrace Jesus or suffer in torment for eternity."  But the question remains, can a one-page Bible tract capture the heart of the Gospel? Many of us still have questions lingering in the back of our minds about such cut and dry statements. For example, what if a child dies before accepting Christ?  Does God send that child straight to everlasting torment? Personally, I would hope not. And so I'm encouraged when I read in Matthew 19:14, "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"'.

Another example would be Jews who were burnt to death in the holocaust - Does God send them straight from earthly fire to eternal fire because they did not accept Christ as their personal Savior? Many of us find that idea extremely troubling and lacking in any sort of justice. And so we are comforted by Jesus' words in Matthew 5:3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". I have yet to see this verse on a Bible tract, probably because "poor in spirit" has been changed to mean "those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior". Yet I believe that Jesus intended "poor in spirit" to be taken as literal.

The Bible obviously talks about hell. So who is hell reserved for? To answer this question, Jesus once told a parable about a poor beggar named Lazarus. Day after day, year after year, Lazarus would sit outside a rich man’s gate and beg for food.  But the rich man could not suspend his luxury for one moment to offer Lazarus even the crumbs from his table (Luke 16:21). After they died, Lazarus went to heaven while the rich man went to hell. According to the Bible, this rich man may have even called Jesus Lord! Yet ultimately it didn't matter: "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.  Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.'" (Matthew 7:22-24).  

Little did the rich man know that, every time he ignored Lazarus, he ignored Jesus. Jesus warned that when we do not accept the "poor in spirit", we do not accept Christ. "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45). However, the reverse is also true - the Bible says that some people can invite Christ into their homes and lives without even knowing it! "Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’" (Matthew 25:37-40).

As Jesus once said, "Don't be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to eternal life and those who have continued in evil will rise to judgment" (John 5:28-29, NLT). The rich man could have "done good" and risen to "eternal life" had he offered Lazarus at least some sort of help. As James 2:24 says, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."

A similar story with a more positive ending tells about a man who took care of somebody when even a Priest would not. Unlike the Priest, this "Good Samaritan"was probably not well versed in theology, Scripture or converting lost souls. Yet Jesus still used this Samaritan's actions of "loving your neighbor" (Luke 10:27) and "showing mercy" (Luke 10:37) as a prime example of how to live and follow the "greatest commandment" (Luke 10:27).

Some people insist that the Good Samaritan doesn't actually know God, even though Jesus used him as a prime example. Jesus never talked about this Good Samaritan's religious doctrines, for example. However, as 1 John 4:7 states, "Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God"  (1 John 4:7).

All of us have failed in these areas in some way. And there is forgiveness when we fail (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet we are still called to attempt to "Be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48), learning to find God in the least of these around us, such as in a wounded person with a different faith and ethnicity (as the Good Samaritan did).

I am thankful that Scripture affirms God's justice - God will show mercy to the merciful, and withhold blessings from the greedy. For this reason, someday I hope to be handed a Bible tract that says, "If you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Matthew 6:14). 

In conclusion, I believe that God's grace extends further than our minds can grasp - to children (John 19:14), to the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3), to "those who have done good" (John 5:28-29), to "Good Samaritans" (Luke 10:25-37), to those who inadvertently welcome Christ, God's Son, by welcoming "the least of these" (Matthew 25:37-40), to those who do not hold grudges (Matthew 6:14) and to those who accept God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The only other option is to believe two things:

1) The eternal torment of hell is reserved for children, babies, the poor in spirit, those who do good, good Samaritans, those who welcome the least of these, those who freely offer forgiveness, and those who accept God's forgiveness.
2) When Jesus suggested otherwise, he was mistaken..

And that, I cannot accept.