From Straight BOS....
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If people don't like the Gospel, stop reading the Bible. If someone don't like the concept of hell, then perhaps one may like to try a religion that does not have this concept.
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Very interesting statement, that would presume that pronouncing that someone was going to hell is the Gospel. The last time I checked, Jesus never told his disciples that anybody that he came into contact with was going to hell. Not the woman at the well, not the woman caught in adultry, not the man possessed with the legion Demon, not even Judas Iscariot himself. Jesus taught that there was consequences for sin that the people committed, but he pronounced that he came into the world not to condemn it, but to save it. That is what the gospel is about, the idea that people in their fallen state from God, can yet be redeemed through God's grace. That is not to say that people did not go to Hell during Jesus time or our time today. This only states that we do not know who is going to Heaven or hell, because it is not our job to proclaim this (in fact, Jesus taught that the Father would be the only one to proclaim this judgement on people, not even Jesus himself would do this. Mat. 25:31-46). We are only to proclaim that Jesus saves, and his grace is open to everyone. Sure we believe in hell as being a place for those who sin, but haven't we all sinned and fallen short? It is only by God's grace that we can turn from our own sin and follow him, so why become "holier than thou" at a person who caught in sin and pronounce this condemnation (to hell) of him?
The Bible does teach us to judge the fruit of people (i.e. their actions and deeds) and test them against the universal laws of righteousness. But the Bible never tells us to condemn people to hell. We do not have that power, nor should we have it.
Blackwatch!!!!!!