Question:  Hello again, Greg,

            Just wanted to say thanks for this ministry.  I’ve appreciated your advice a great deal.  Your answers are well thought out and above all, gracious.

            My question is about the final fate of the wicked.  I’ve been doing a lot of study on this lately and I’d love to have your input.  I have read most of “Four Views of Hell” and am currently reading “Two Views of Hell”.

            I must honestly admit that I’ve always had problems with the traditional view, but I’m willing to accept whatever the scripture teaches.  The question is just what is that?

            With people like John Stott and Clark Pinnock now advocating conditional immortality, is it time for Protestants to take another look at what we believe about the nature of hell?  By the way, this debate made the cover of Christianity Today.  Any plans for PT to do an article?

            Grace,

            Steve

Answer:  Hello Steve,

            Thanks for your kind words, and above all, for letting those of us at PTM know that what we are doing is helping.  Such encouragement goes a long way!  I will share it with the staff.

            Given what you have said, your interest and study into this topic (reading the “4 Views” and the “2 Views”) it sounds like you are deeply involved in weighing the biblical pros and cons of the fate of the wicked/the judgment/hell.

            First, I think it would help Christian dialogue if all Christians would realize that we all have denominational baggage on this (and other!) topics, and that all of our theological pinball machines are on tilt due to too much human influence, and not enough biblical influence.  A willingness to admit our presuppositions must be at the beginning of any rational and logical study – whether secular or biblical.

            One of the major concerns I have about the ever-burning torment of hell ideal is the historical background – as well as evangelistic motive – over against the biblical evidence of the nature of God.  For example, every year we read of Halloween hell houses that Christians build, inviting the unsaved to tour such exhibits, hoping that some who see what is depicted as the horrors of hell would “come to Christ”.  I am just wondering – is that the way God wants us to come to Him?  Because of fear?  Is that the way He wants us to depict Him, to reflect Him?

            On the other hand, it is imperative, I believe, to view God as both Holy, perfect, just and righteous – as well as loving, merciful, forgiving on the other hand.  Any view of God that does not take into account both ends of this spectrum, any view that fails to see both attributes in some divine tension, some divine balance (as we seek to understand and express it as sinful humans) is inadequate in my opinion, and subject to a possible misrepresentation of God.

            I do absolutely believe in a judgement – that God is holy, that it is a fearful thing to fall into his hands.  I believe that sin should be taken seriously.  I believe that good and evil cannot forever co-exist, and that good wins in the end (the message of the book of Revelation).

            However, I do not see the Bible proclaiming some kind of Dante’s Inferno-like hell – but rather such views have been and are the invention of the mind of imperfect and sinful humans, sincere attempts to persuade others to shun sin and evil  Such attempts have given us a flawed view.

We are giving some thought to tackling the subject in the PT – thanks for your interest.

May God bless and be with you Steve,

Greg Albrecht