Then why are not people living in fear of it?
My reason is because it is a false doctrine and not spiritually built in to people.
I know athiests will chime "there is no hell"
2007-07-04 04:58:07 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You're right, it isn't scriptural. The church used it to keep people in fear, but all it has done is turn people away from God.
2007-07-04 08:35:10 · answer #1 · answered by Iron Serpent 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There is no fear of Hell because the modern day church is not preaching anything except God's love and what He wants to do for us. The fact is that God has done more than enough for us, and we need to be asking what we can do for Him and the world full of unsaved people we live in. To always be seeking a blessing and not being concerned about others is a very selfish Christianity and not true Christianity at all.
If you persist in saying Hell is a false doctrine you should provide proof. I have done a study on Hell and have examined evidence of the Hebrew and Greek translations of the word including studying the words everlasting, eternal and other words concerning the duration of this punishment and what awaits people in Hell where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched and there is no rest day or night for those who go there.
You need to do more study on this subject. Hell is a very real and eternal place and not a myth. If you keep telling others it doesn't exist you will be denying God and you will go there yourself. God will not tolerate your open denial of His word on any subject.
Consider this: you are accountable for your words - Matthew 12:36 and 37 and your words could condemn you some day.
Before you speak on biblical subjects you had better be able to back up what you say with scriptural proof.
2007-07-04 12:47:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
People are not and should not live in fear of hell because the price for eternal torment has been paid. The problem comes when people don't accept the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. I also add that is has been the false teaching of self-righteous, pious, and indifferent people in the church that has led many to reject religion and even worse God all together. God's word does not teach that we should live in fear of eternal torment. His word teaches that we should live in total peace and joy in the revelation that the power of sin, death, and hell has been totally annihilated through the sacrifice, payment, and work of Jesus Christ. A true Christ follower does not fear hell at all. It is people who misunderstand the bible, who have been told lies, or made to believe false doctrine by judgmental hypocrites that fear the possibility of ending up in hell.
2007-07-04 12:08:21 · answer #3 · answered by drivn2excelchery 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hell is real. However, people don't fear hell because they don't believe it is real.
Hell itself is not built into people, as you say. And in fact, people who are sinful should fear the wrath of God as well, but they don't. We only fear God when we want to love Him. When a person sincerely wants to love God and seek His ways, then fear comes in. They realize, "Hey, I haven't been obedient." They then fear the wrath of God.
However, if a person doesn't care at all about God, has no desire for Him and does not seek to love Him in anyway, then why would they fear Him? They don't really care anyway. This is seen best in people who will boldly say any bad thing they want about God. They have no fear.
The bible says, "Fear is the beginning of wisdom." This makes sense. True wisdom comes from God. We cannot gain any wisdom from God unless we are fearful of Him. If we do not fear God, then God will give us wisdom and we will disagree with Him. We won't accept it. So, for anyone to learn anything from God, first they need a healthy fear of displeasing Him. They must sincerely accept God as being Almighty.
2007-07-04 12:41:30 · answer #4 · answered by beenblake 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is a possibility that ancient humans had figured out that this planet is moving closer to the sun, and that eventually it will be engulfed into an unbearable and unlivable 'hellfire'... maybe they thought that by the time this had happened we may just have figured out which cultures and ways of living is the most resourceful and efficient, and the technology to escape from this 'doomed' planet will someday be achievable.... that could explain the theory of 'Heaven & Hell', and infact, religion.. because after all religion is is a way of life.... Who decides whos way is most efficient however is still an enigma... BUT HEY!
Just thought I'd throw that in there .....
2007-07-04 12:09:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The concept of hell is often misrepresented. "Hell" is really the place of outer darkness where there is "wailing and gnashing of teeth" as described by Jesus. It's dark because it is a place separated from God who is the light for our spirits. There is "wailing and gnashing of teeth" because those who are there, are there by their own choice, not because they where thrown there by a vengeful God. The torment comes from the point in time when they stood before God and their choice to reject Him was honored. They will know at that point exactly what it was they rejected in life. People do not live in fear because they choose not to understand who God is and what God desires. They make the choice to reject God and feel comfortable in their choice. But God will spend their whole lives trying to get their attention and offering them another choice.
2007-07-04 12:07:40 · answer #6 · answered by kaehya2003 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think some people deny there is a "Hell" for the fear of it, also they may not yet want to realize that to avoid hell you must come and ask Jesus into your heart and life, I pray they will accept him though, because he is "The Way, The Truth, and the Life" and no one can enter the kingdom of God except thru him. Hope this helps.
2007-07-04 12:03:57 · answer #7 · answered by patricia f 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Jesus said id your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you, because it would be better to enter into life having only one hand than for you to be cast into the fire of gehenna (figurative for the lake of fire - the eternal punishment plainly taught in the Bible).
"Then he (Jesus) will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Matthew 25:41
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
Revelation 20:10,14-15; 21:8
2007-07-04 12:09:06 · answer #8 · answered by William F 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
People are frightened of the idea, but they drive it from their minds so that they don't have to dwell on the subject. Keep telling yourself it doesn't exist, and after a while you start believing it.
Josef Goebbels, Propaganda Minister for the Nazi Party understood this, when he said, "Tell a lie often enough, and you begin to believe it".
Hell is a horrifying place, originally created for Satan and his angels as punishment for their rebellion against God. Satan then got Man to do the same thing, and God, being just, had to sentence Man to the same punishment.
But the difference is that God, knowing that Man had been deceived by Satan, created a way for us to avoid that terrible place in that He took His own punishment for sin upon Himself, suffering savage beating, crucifixion and death for our sins.
He then went to Hell for 3 days to pay for those sins, and having satisfied God's righteous judgment for sin, was resurrected and has been made the Judge of all men by God the Father.
Just as at the beginning, God has given us a free will to choose whom we will follow. However there are only 2 choices, either God or Satan, and if you choose one, you become the enemy of the other. You can blame Satan for that one, as he corrupted Man in the first place.
Jesus paid the price for our sins, and all we have to do is accept that, believe in Him, and follow His commandments. Do this, and you need have no fear of Hell or the Lake of Fire which Hell will be thrown into at the end of all things.
So, Hell is a holding place, in which you have been accused of crimes and are awaiting your trial before the throne of Jesus Christ. You will appear before Him to have your life examined, and to make your defense before Him.
Rememnber, Hell was created for Satan and if you reject God, you automatically choose Satan. God will not allow anything less than perfection into His Kingdom, and if you die in your sins, you will be less than perfect.
If you die believing in Jesus Christ, having followed His commandments, you are made perfect after death by His righteousness and will be granted entry in to Heaven.
2007-07-04 12:41:00 · answer #9 · answered by Foxfire 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
you should be afraid if you didnt repent and you died only God knows what will happen. i believe that there is hell and a paradise, when u die the first step is the grave, i believe that if the walls close in on you tighter and tighter untill it squashes all ur bones then you are about to go to hell, but if there is plenty of room then u know your going to a good place. repent and all is forgiven..... hell is a fire, God says when you burn yourself by accident, it is a taste of hell. BEWARE
2007-07-04 12:07:54 · answer #10 · answered by missclare69 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋