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His book is now published. He is causing a firestorm among Evangelicals. What would be the purpose of hell? Punishment? What happens to the slave who died on the slaveboat who was transported and owned by "Christians"?

aussieguy55 wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-lose/rob-bell-hell-and-john-31_b_833627.html

His book is now published. He is causing a firestorm among Evangelicals. What would be the purpose of hell? Punishment? What happens to the slave who died on the slaveboat who was transported and owned by "Christians"?

The LDS doctrines are not universalist in nature, but they also diverge from main stream Christianity in that they do not teach that hell is eternal in the sense that once consigned to hell, that is the place of no return.

This concept has some support in one of David's psalms where he declares that " great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell."

This does not prove scripturally that hell is not forever, but in makes sense in the light of LDS teachings that those who die unrepentant will have to pay for those sins themselves having unavailed themselves of the atonement of Christ.

This also makes sense in the light of the LDS teachings on the three degrees of glory where those who die unrepentant will be delivered from hell after due course and placed in whatever degree they have earned, but will not attain the celestial kingdom.

Glenn

GlennThigpen wrote:The LDS doctrines are not universalist in nature, but they also diverge from main stream Christianity in that they do not teach that hell is eternal in the sense that once consigned to hell, that is the place of no return.

That depends on the where of hell. If hell = Outer Darkness, then you're pretty much toast forever.

What would be the purpose of hell? Punishment?

Yes.

What happens to the slave who died on the slaveboat who was transported and owned by "Christians"?

In the afterlife, he gets to give his captors 80 lashes each as they come in.....

But seriously, he is taught the gospel so he can accept or reject it. Simply not knowing the gospel does not put one in danger of going to hell. Willfully not knowing the gospel might.

The trouble is, when that's spelled out in plain English -- "God loves you very much, but if you don't believe the right way you're going to suffer eternal torment" -- there's an inescapable contradiction.

What contradiction is that? Parents can love their children very much and still punish them.

bcspace wrote:What contradiction is that? Parents can love their children very much and still punish them.

This is a bad analogy. An eternity in Hell serves no corrective purpose.

emilysmith wrote:This is a bad analogy. An eternity in Hell serves no corrective purpose.

True, but as they are endlessly sinning they are endlessly punished by being denied any of the presence of God. They will not repent, they will not seek happiness in God (the only place it is) so God created a place separate from him and the torment they would endure if he tried to forcibly integrate them to a kingdom of glory and exiled them there to do what they will with it. A final mercy for those who will let Him do nothing else for them.

What else do you want God to do for them?

What contradiction is that? Parents can love their children very much and still punish them.

This is a bad analogy. An eternity in Hell serves no corrective purpose.

The threat of such does and in addition, hell does not last forever for most people. For the rest, there is no more available energy to lift them. Entropy has set in and no more work can be done.

aussieguy55 wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-lose/rob-bell-hell-and-john-31_b_833627.html

His book is now published. He is causing a firestorm among Evangelicals. What would be the purpose of hell? Punishment? What happens to the slave who died on the slaveboat who was transported and owned by "Christians"?

The purpose of hell is to glorify God. From James M. Hamilton, Jr, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary--

In sum, hell glorifies God because

--it shows that he keeps his word;
--it shows his infinite worth, lasting forever;
--it demonstrates his power to subdue all who rebel against him;
--it shows how unspeakably merciful he is to those who trust him;
--it upholds the reality of love by visiting justice against those who reject God, who is love;
--it vindicates all who suffered to hear or proclaim the truth of God’s word;
--and it shows the enormity of what Jesus accomplished when he died to save all who would trust him from the hell they deserved. If there were no hell, there would be no need for the cross.

Hell is being forced to live with religious people for eternity.

Hades wrote:Hell is being forced to live with religious people for eternity.

If the biblical account of Jesus's encounters with the Pharisees is any indication, Hell won't be short on "religious people"...

Appreciate the perspective, Hades

--Erik