Allow this post to be clear and concise.
Here is my opinion.
Let's flesh this out together.
Hell is not real.
Or…
Hell is not where you go if you don’t believe in Jesus.
There I said it, please don't castigate me for my unpopular opinion.
The idea of hell is the single biggest threat to our humanity.
Hell is a concept that has been developed over the years to strike fear, and it's not a concept that the Biblical authors lived by.
Three words represent hell:
Sheol: The grave.
Hades: A Greek word that's a place known for the afterlife.
Gehenna: A valley in Jerusalem, also known as the Valley of Hinnom.
According to the Google AI:
The word "hell" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word hellia, derived from the Old English word hel.
Hel is part of a Germanic word family that means "to conceal" or "to cover.”
My argument is, why does an all-loving God create hell for his creation?
It doesn't make too much sense.
I believe we rest beyond the grave.
Sure.
Both righteous and unrighteous go to the same place.
I have to follow the same logic for heaven.
Just because you believe in Jesus, do you go to heaven?
Is that why we should believe in Jesus?
So you don’t go to hell?
That's a relationship based on fear, and I have to disagree.
Fear is not the reason Jesus wants us in a relationship.
Two-thirds of the world's population is not Christian.
Does that mean all those people are not going to heaven?
Are all those people destined for hell?
Heaven is where good actions in the previous life are rewarded for eternity.
Heaven is where the righteous dwell and all those who believe in Jesus.
That's how the narrative goes.
Why?
Sin is the problem.
Why do I “sin”?
I sin because it’s my nature.
As we know, sin leads to death and hell.
Jesus came to atone for our sinful nature.
Good.
The genuine inquiry I am asking is why I follow Jesus.
What’s so great about Jesus?
What does Jesus offer me?
I no doubt believe he exists and is who he claims to be.
It seems unfathomable that most of the world's population is punished for not believing in Him.
1 John 4:18 says this:
And “there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
I use this text because I believe we are born of love.
Our nature is love; however, the influences of darkness shape it.
Hitler, Pharaohs, the child rapist, and any other depraved being once bore light and love.
Yet darkness came over them.
I don't think they went to hell, though.
My opinion is they're resting on the ground.
Darkness exists to glorify God, and light exists to glorify God.
God made both to give him the most glory.
I don't know why the holocaust happened or if there's child trafficking.
Definitely, darkness dwells there.
Yet God is working in those dark areas.
Is it possible for a person to change without the Holy Spirit's help?
The alcoholic.
The pornographers.
The gambler.
The sex addict.
The nicotine and cannabis smoker.
The workaholic.
The list can go on, but you get what I mean.
Can all these behaviors be modified without the power of the Holy Spirit?
I say no because we are spiritual beings.
People are extraordinary.
The brain is plastic and can redirect and change behaviors.
So, does changing behaviors bring us closer to the light?
Or, back to the light?
I want to think so.
You can tell a lot about a person based on their action.
You also can tell a lot about a person by what they say.
Words are a reflection of the heart.
How should I live if hell is not absolute?
Well, for starters, it's a life without fear.
I don’t fear hell.
I don’t fear hell for others.
Jesus is love, and we should follow him because of that.
What do you think?
If hell is real, shouldn't we be telling everyone how to escape it?
If you believe in hell, then do you tell your neighbor about their eternal destination?