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Just a note for some of the silent readers...Here is the point I'm getting across:
Jesus + "hell" (either eternal torture or annihilation) = destroyed incentive to serve God.
Why do I say this? Here is why.
The SERIOUSLY HELD belief that the Lord (Unfailing Holy Love Personified?) trashes and burns people forever renders impossible serving Him from the motivation of trust and love. And I will add here in passing that you do NOT seriously believe either of these "hell" doctrines if they never keep you awake at night. Nope. You only "believe" in "hell" as a doctrine to be given nodding assent to on occasions --while in your daily life-- you trust and love a God who is FAR BETTER AND BIGGER than the theological notions about Him that have been programmed into your gray matter.
But REAL AND SERIOUS belief that God plans to trash and burn billions of people DOES keep a person awake at night--and it destroys love and trust toward Him. That is because to believe in a god that gets rid of people forever requires that you must also bear in mind that:
* Your Creator requires that you love and trust Him unconditionally while believing that His commitment/meaningful and active love toward you is conditional either on your performance in this lifetime--or--conditional on your "special election" to be among a chosen few who supposedly will escape this grim fate. In other words, you must bear in mind that God will prove to be reliable to help only a few people in this world: either those who perform correctly, or those whom he has arbitrarily chosen to favor. And you must be CONVINCED that YOU are among that fortunate few.
* In the end, God will prove to be only as trustworthy as you are. If you prove trustworthy to die in a state of faith and obedience, he will prove to be reliable to save you. If you prove to be unreliable in this respect, He (more than likely) will prove to be unreliable to save you. Even Calvinists assert that those who DIE in unbelief/ disobedience QUITE POSSIBLY were never truly saved, don't forget. (Or are you prepared to view yourself and your loved ones as exceptions to this Calvinistic principle and that you and they have been "truly saved" and therefore will be saved NO MATTER WHAT you or they do?
* God requires that you love and worship Him wholeheartedly while also seriously believing that he has "forever" trashed and burned your departed loved ones who have not shown themselves to be as diligent and astute as you have been to make wise and timely choices. Or--he has trashed and burned them because he hates them (Essau, the nonelect) and happens to love you, (Jacob) the elect.
* God requires that you ALWAYS give thanks (for this is His will in Christ Jesus concerning you) and be joyful and celebrate that YOU are elected for salvation to the everlasting exclusion of billions of people--probably including some of your loved ones. Or, if you are an Arminian Christian, you must give thanks and rejoice that YOU will prove to be more reliable than other people, your departed nonchristian loved included. "Lord, I thank you that I am not as other men" is a good "New Testament" way to approach this form of praise and celebration, as I recall.
* You must be joyful and at peace to be able to say (as a Calvinist) "God loves ME and hates most other people."
* You must be joyful and at peace to say (as an Arminian) "I know God (probably) can ALWAYS count on ME to make wise and timely choices, since unlike most stupid people already in hell and others now bound for hell, *I* have already chosen Him in this lifetime."
* You must be happy and deeply contented to worship a hypocritcal god who requires that you be kind to your enemies and love your neighbor as your very self while He trashes and burns his "enemies" and considers NO ONE as his neighbor. This god is no better than the publicans and sinners who love only those who love them.
In conclusion--
Can you love, trust and worship your heavenly Father wholeheartedly while bearing all the above in mind? If you have to put these (commonly taught) hell-related thoughts OUT of your mind in order to worship God, then that is good evidence that at least a PART OF YOU cannot love, trust or hope in Him while considering --seriously-- ALL you say that you believe about Him.
If you're sick and tired of all the abusive, religious double-speak about God that calls itself "good news", then perhaps you're ready for REALLY good news. For starters you might go to--
where you will find my testimony of how the revelation of our Heavenly Father's committed, unconditional love for all mankind set me free to love Him.
Yours with love and prayers,
CharlieSpirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff