I was on my way to work and listening to the radio.  I like to spin the dial, give each station a few minutes, regardless of whether it’s music, news or talk radio.  Or preaching.  If something in my variety show keeps my attention, I’ll stay with it until a station break, or until my attention dwindles.  Today it was preaching.

I don’t remember the speaker’s name, but he was one of the more popular ones, like Swindoll or Stanley.  I also noted that he was one of the more educated ones, a proven Biblical scholar, it seemed.  He was outlining the afterlife, heaven or hell, based upon one’s decision for Christ.  From my church background I know this means accepting God’s son as your personal savior, realizing that he died for our sins, and has gone before us to heaven to prepare a place for us.  Non-believers are destined for an eternity in hell.

That’s when it hit me.  How could intelligent men accept such statements, let alone teach them! The questions began to pour forth from my mind, and, yes, I was still driving safely.  Could any of us name just one person, past or present, who deserves to be tortured FOREVER for deeds done in a lifespan of less than 100 years?

I thought of three examples of life and tried to determine if any of them warranted the doom of damnation for all of the ages.  The first would be one who had led a miserable life, giving and receiving hurt and hatred.  Was that person not created by God?  Was he or she viciously evil from birth?  And what could they possibly do throughout their adult life that would cause them to deserve suffering in searing flames — for 10 BILLION YEARS – for starters?

Another person might have led a fairly decent life, with all of life’s ups and downs.  Perhaps they made mistakes, like all of us do at various times, but they felt bad for their shortcomings and were willing to feel sorry and to do better.  But for whatever reason they don’t pray the sinner’s prayer, lay their burdens at the foot of the cross or ask Jesus into their heart.  The fundamentalist Christian evangelist would emphatically predict a judgement of damnation for such a person, because they ignored or rejected the Gospel.  Shouldn’t they only get 5 BILLION YEARS since they weren’t as bad as the miserable person?  Nope.  If you’re not FOR Christ, say the preachers, you’re AGAINST him, so down you go.  To Hell with you.

Person three leads a blessed life.  Has very little conflict.  Is recognized as a peacemaker, cares for those around him, shows love and trys to see the good in everyone.  But because he believes in God, but can’t quite buy into the salvation thing, he too must suffer FOREVER because he didn’t go forward and pick up his Get-Out-Of-Hell-Free card.

All of these folks came into existence by the will of God.  They were all given various views of God by well-meaning people who, more than likely, didn’t quite get it right.  Our presence in this marvelous creation sets the stage for many questions about what’s out there, why are we here and where are we going?  Our regular reminders of death stir us to consider our own mortality, causing us to fear the unknown, despair for the end of our days, or hope for immortality.

And what about this word “eternity”?  Even the religious folks teach that God exists outside of time and space as we know it.  Eternity is what happens after life is done happening.  It has nothing to do with time.  They teach that God so loved the world.  But a god’s gotta do what he’s gotta do.  Reject my Son, reject me.  No more love.  Nothing but pain.

They also teach that God is not willing that any should perish.  So if any DO perish, then God’s will is thwarted, right?  Come on!  If God wills anything, it’s a done deal.  If God is not willing, it can’t happen.  Either he’s God or he’s not.  So would most of us limp into heaven with broken wings?  Maybe so.  Because wouldn’t it make more sense for a loving and just Father to discipline his children and make them into obedient, loving offspring?  Wouln’t any level or duration of hell or outer darkness be worth it if it caused us to realize our own emptiness, shortcomings and need for fellowship and affection from our heavenly Father and his family?

This is the message that I believe God has laid on my heart.  It’s a message of tremendous hope and encouragement.  Reconciliation is his plan for making things right.  Life is what happens on the journey.  Love is the ultimate destination.