HELL FIRE TORTURE AS A DOCTRINE IS A DISASTER FOR BILLIONS
Most churches believe that those in other religions are in hell fire, suffering eternally as soon as they pass away. This is obviously cruel. We all would have to admit, regardless of whatever faith, that the majority of mankind is deceived and headed toward eternal torture according to this doctrine. No religion has a majority in this age, and all religions would agree that Satan has deceived the people of other religions.
Revelation 12:9, “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (NKJV)
Since the whole world is deceived by the father of lies, Satan, then if an ever burning hell really existed, billions of people are in the torture chambers right now. God's truth will completely dominate the world at the second coming, but what about the many living now and the past in this age of deception?
Isaiah 11:9, “They shall not hurt nor destroy...For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”
Truth is going to win out in the end, but what about those who passed away in this age? God is fair, therefore this cannot be the only day of salvation, and the current doctrine of hell is so unfair. It is unbelievable!
GOD IS ALWAYS FAIR - NEVER DOUBT IT
What happens to those we have loved and passed away? Are they lost? Are they suffering eternal torture? Will we see them again even if they died outside of God's will? The answer is, “Yes we will!” And this life is not the only opportunity for salvation. God is imminently fair, period!
Jonah 4:2, “So he prayed to the LORD, and said, 'Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.'”
God is kind and eager to forgive sinners. God would not torture people forever - this premise makes God out to be a sadist. Even allowing the Devil to do it rewards him for all his evil undermining of mankind. Why would God allow that? The Apostle Paul wondered about these issues for the many of his people not being saved.
Romans 9:1-3, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,”
Paul is grieving that the vast majority of his fellow Jews have not been given a heart to accept the gospel truths.
Romans 9:14, “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!”
Paul is asking the question, “Is God unfair?” He realizes that this is impossible. God has the prerogative of who He calls in the first wave of salvation.
Romans 9:15-18, “For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy...says to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power... mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.”
Paul realizes that God makes the decision on opening ones HEART to the TRUTH or hardening it. God would never send all those who were not called now in the present age of lies, to spend eternity in hell fire torture.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE BLOCKED FROM TRUTH?
Jesus Himself camouflaged truth from those that were not being called at that time. He spoke in parables and only gave the key to understanding his parables to his disciples.
Matthew 13:10-11, “And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ 11 He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.’”
They were prevented from understanding, so would it have been fair for God to send them to an ever-burning torture chamber? Of course not. They will have to do some repenting in a future period when the truth will be revealed to all. Most of them will repent and be saved. They will have to do some harder repentance than others who never even had the chance to hear Jesus. See Matt. 11:24. Paul, in his search for answers to who God calls, said:
Romans 10:1-3, “...my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”
Paul discovers that good intentions are not enough - one might be self-righteous. They relied on self more than God.
Romans 11:5-7, “Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were BLINDED.”
IT DOES NOT SAY THEY WERE BLIND, BUT BLINDED. God could not
possibly consign those whom He blocked from the full truth to be tortured forever; therefore, the present hell fire concept has to be false. Did you ever ask yourself why there is so much EVIL AND CHAOS IN HISTORY? This is the age of Satan. God will correct all these problems in future resurrections and at the second coming of the Messiah.
ISSUES
DO MOST UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS KIND AND GRACIOUS ?
