While some preachers and teachers within Christianity have taught and continue to teach that fear of hell’s fires should be at least one motivating factor for becoming Christian, the modern “seeker-sensitive” movements have caused Christian leaders to put forward this notion in more subtle ways. In fact, some Christians today have actually convinced themselves that the fear of hell is not a part of the gospel at all. Gospel is supposed to be “good news” after all, and hell just doesn’t fit for some folks…right? Better to lure people in with warm-fuzzy feelings of purpose and friendship, then let them find out about the ugly bits of Christianity later on. But why join a Christian church instead of the Country Club? Well, eternal issues are in play here. Christianity promises eternal membership in the glorious Kingdom of Heaven for its faithful followers. And what does it promise for those of us who refuse to follow? Well, Seeker-Sensitive Sally may prefer to talk about the temporal, earthly lack of purpose and lack of moral code and lack of “true” happiness, but the Bible on the other hand, indicates eternal torment, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Jesus himself is reckoned in the Bible to have spoken of hell multiple times in the "gospel" accounts, even saying "fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" and "those who commit lawlessness will be cast into the furnace of fire" and "these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
It seems like one more unhealthy aspect of the Christian conditioning, that the fear of burning in the fires of hell for all eternity should motivate the believer to refrain from sin and disbelief.
(Hat-tip to Beth, the recent commenter, for bringing up this topic.)
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8 comments:
Of course hell is a real place. But the reason we come to God is not to espace hell. It's to be who we are created to be. It's to have life. It's to live more fully. The things I say are not to be more palapable to unbelievers, but to speak the truth from my heart. Jesus said that He didn't come into the world to condem the world, but to bring us eternal life. We are already in death and dieing more everyday with Jesus. Jesus came not to condemn us to that death, but to free us to real life that is only found in Him. I don't skirt around hell to be more seeker sensitive. I do it because that's not what it's about. God is a compasionate God, but He is a just and Holy God. But when we come in the door through Christ His justice justifies us instead of condemns us.
You seem very distrustful of me and Christians in general, like we are trying to get one over on people. This really isn't so. I have no interest in tactics or manipulation. I'm just trying to share Jesus in a plain and real way.
Karla,
1) You implied in a recent comment that fear of hell should not be part of the proclamation of the good news, yet your Jesus incorporated the fear of a fiery hell in his own presentation of the "good news."
2) I am distrustful of people who claim certainty regarding matters about which certainty cannot be had. I am distrustful of people who believe that they have a tangible relationship with an imaginary friend, and who desire others to develop a relationship with this same imaginary friend.
1) John 3:16-19 Jesus proclaims that mankind is already condemned. He did not come to condemn mankind. This was the state we were already in. He came to provide freedom from that condemnation. So while He saves us from eternal condemnation which results in hell, salvation is merely the first step in the big picture of our place in God's story. It's not the end, it's merely the beginning.
2) You assume certainty is not possible in these matters and so are appalled people have the audacity to claim certainty. When God has revealed himself to you you know He is, you do not simply believe something you can't see exist. You have experienced what is unseen in many ways some more dramatic then others and you know it to be true. Once you know nothing can shake that knowledge.
It may be impossible to see God with your eyes, but you have more ways of knowing something than visibility. You can't see the wind, but you feel it and you see it's effects on the earth.
I so wish I could help you see and understand. I desire that others know God too, because it is too great a thing to keep to myself. I don't share because I think I get brownie points with God. I share because my heart swells with Him and I must share. He's too glorious not to share Him. The truth is too wonderful.
1) Fear of hell is used as a motivating factor to get people to see a need for faith in Jesus.
2) I have still not been given, not even by you, one reason to think that certainty is possible with regard to knowledge of the Christian God's existence and knowledge of what he desires/requires of his followers.
1) Yes it has been used in that way, it doesn't make it right.
2) Until you come to know for yourself, I don't know how to help with that. I can help give you reasonable answers (or try to) of why Christianity is true, but until those answers lead you to the truth, I don't know how to convince you that it is possible to be certain.
I know that Jesus is truth and knowing Him brings knowledge and experience of Truth. I am struggling for the words to share the truth that's burning in my mind and heart.
Karla,
1) I don't know what you are doing while you are typing comments here, but it must be very distracting because you really don't seem to be even trying to follow along. You say on the one hand that using fear of hell as a motivating factor is "not right" and even "fowl", but I have pointed out that your Bible quite clearly indicates that Jesus himself used fear of hell as a motivating factor. Hello?
2) I appreciate your honesty in confessing your struggle with communication. I believe you have just about exhausted your capabilities in recent days in my comment boxes.
You know I haven't once resorted to insulting you or attempted to demean your intelligence, knowledge, or experiences. I am not sure why you keep using that as an argument against me. I am not offended by it, and if you wish to continue in that manner you are free to do so. If you do think I am not worth discussing these things with based on your estimation of my lack of understanding then I can stop. I do not want to begin to annoy you or become bothersome. This is your blog site and if you want me to cease commenting at any point I will do so willingly.
I hoped we could learn about what we each believe and why. I dislike learning from Christian sources what agnostics and atheist believe. I want to know from the horses mouth so to speak.
Karla,
I have not "resorted to insulting you or attempted to demean your intelligence, knowledge, or experiences." I have made objective observations about your ignorance and inability to follow our conversations. The facts are here on this blog for your review if you think I have been harsh. I have already stated (though you may have overlooked it) that I do not refer to stupidity when I point out your ignorance, I am only stating that you do not know things which you should know. When I point out your inability to follow a conversation, I am not referring to stupidity, I am only stating that your contributions to our exchanges usually appear to be negatively influenced by either distractions or simple failure to take previous statements into consideration and make logical conclusions.
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