Rethinking Hell
Rethinking Hell

Author: Christopher M. Date

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2014-04-15

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 1630871605

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Most evangelical Christians believe that those people who are not saved before they die will be punished in hell forever. But is this what the Bible truly teaches? Do Christians need to rethink their understanding of hell? In the late twentieth century, a growing number of evangelical theologians, biblical scholars, and philosophers began to reject the traditional doctrine of eternal conscious torment in hell in favor of a minority theological perspective called conditional immortality. This view contends that the unsaved are resurrected to face divine judgment, just as Christians have always believed, but due to the fact that immortality is only given to those who are in Christ, the unsaved do not exist forever in hell. Instead, they face the punishment of the "second death"--an end to their conscious existence. This volume brings together excerpts from a variety of well-respected evangelical thinkers, including John Stott, John Wenham, and E. Earl Ellis, as they articulate the biblical, theological, and philosophical arguments for conditionalism. These readings will give thoughtful Christians strong evidence that there are indeed compelling reasons for rethinking hell.

Christ's Object Lessons—Illustrated
Christ's Object Lessons—Illustrated

Author: Ellen G. White

Publisher: Digital Inspiration

Published: 1941

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13: 1427614326

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Heritage Edition—Over 100 illustrations of a century ago. Unabridged, original text consisting of inspiring and profound lessons from the stories and parables which Jesus told. Christ the Great Teacher gave much of His instruction as He walked with His disciples through the hills and valleys of Palestine or rested by the lake or river. In His parable teaching He linked divine truth with common things and incidents, as may be found in the experiences of the shepherd, the builder, the tiller of the soil, the traveler, and the homemaker. Familiar objects were associated with thoughts true and beautiful—thoughts of God’s loving interest in us, of the grateful homage that is His due, and of the care we should have one for another. Thus lessons of divine wisdom and practical truth were made forcible and impressive. The Scripture says, “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; . . . that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 13:34, 35. Natural things were the medium for the spiritual; the things of nature and the life-experience of His hearers were connected with the truths of the written word. Leading thus from the natural to the spiritual kingdom, Christ’s parables are links in the chain of truth that unites man with God, and earth with heaven. In this volume the parables are grouped according to their subjects, and their lessons are developed and illustrated. The book is full of gems of truth, and to many readers it will give a richer meaning to the common surroundings of everyday life.

Her Gates Will Never Be Shut
Her Gates Will Never Be Shut

Author: Brad Jersak

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 187

ISBN-13: 1630871281

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Everlasting hell and divine judgment, a lake of fire and brimstone--these mainstays of evangelical tradition have come under fire once again in recent decades. Would the God of love revealed by Jesus really consign the vast majority of humankind to a destiny of eternal, conscious torment? Is divine mercy bound by the demands of justice? How can anyone presume to know who is saved from the flames and who is not? Reacting to presumptions in like manner, others write off the fiery images of final judgment altogether. If there is a God who loves us, then surely all are welcome into the heavenly kingdom, regardless of their beliefs or behaviors in this life. Yet, given the sheer volume of threat rhetoric in the Scriptures and the wickedness manifest in human history, the pop-universalism of our day sounds more like denial than hope. Mercy triumphs over judgment; it does not skirt it. Her Gates Will Never Be Shut endeavors to reconsider what the Bible and the Church have actually said about hell and hope, noting a breadth of real possibilities that undermines every presumption. The polyphony of perspectives on hell and hope offered by the prophets, apostles, and Jesus humble our obsessive need to harmonize every text into a neat theological system. But they open the door to the eternal hope found in Revelation 21-22: the City whose gates will never be shut; where the Spirit and Bride perpetually invite the thirsty who are outside the city to "Come, drink of the waters of life."

The Rich Man and Lazarus
The Rich Man and Lazarus

Author: E. W. Bullinger

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2017-04-22

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 9781545520482

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E. W. Bullinger's superb explanation of the processes of death and resurrection hold eternal value, making this book of supreme use to Christians. The famous parable of the Book of Luke, which this book is named after, is explained in full. In this story, the rich man suffers in flame after death for ignoring Lazarus a beggar at his gates. The beggar - who also dies - instead has a place in heaven. The rich man, repentant for ignoring the impoverished and sore-covered man, begs to be free of the agonizing hellfire. This famous depiction of the afterlife has been a topic of fascination for Christians. Eager to explain what the parable means, E. W. Bullinger analyzes both the words and elsewhere in the Biblical scriptures. He keenly differentiates between the afterlife and the resurrection, providing insight to believers who might otherwise have been mystified by these words. Additionally, this book represents an excellent examination of the New Testament; Bullinger, with a spiritual deftness only a lifelong commitment to preaching can infer, cites the poignant passages of scripture in support of his own words. Thus this text is a fine introduction to Bullinger's other written works which encompass many other Biblical topics. This edition contains the original text of the Bible, and is in large print for ease of comprehension by readers of all ages.