1. Just Looking How could a loving God send people to hell ?

2. Just Looking Literal truth Interpretation How could a loving God send people to hell ?

3. Just Looking  Different Christians have understood the Bible teaching in different ways  Some have painted a dreadful picture of hell, encouraging people to “repent”  We need to know what the Bible teaches – and how to understand it! How could a loving God send people to hell ?

4. Just Looking  In the Old Testament (before Jesus), there is no idea of a future hell of punishment.  God’s punishment is here and now (or for our descendants).  There will one day be a Day of Judgement, when evil will be destroyed and the righteous vindicated.  The afterlife is a rather shadowy place called “Sheol” (31 references, e.g. Psalm 139 8 ). How could a loving God send people to hell ?

5. Just Looking How could a loving God send people to hell ? MarkMatthewLukeJohn Refs3x in one passage re causing to stumble 3x in 2 passages re causing to stumble 0 1x re fearing God 3x in one passage re murder & adultery 1x Pharisees children of hell/ escape hell 1x Peter: keys 1x destination of city1x city destination

6. Just Looking How could a loving God send people to hell ? JamesSource of dangers of tongue 2 PeterDestination of disobedient angels Revelation4 refs re end time judgement

7. Just Looking  Jesus uses two words that are sometimes translated as “hell”.  The first, “hades”, is the Greek word used to translate “sheol”. Jesus uses this word on three occasions (a city sent to “the depths”, the gates of hades will never overcome the church, and the location for the story about the rich man and Lazarus).  The other word that Jesus uses is Gehenna – which refers to the valley which was Jerusalem’s rubbish tip How could a loving God send people to hell ?

8. Just Looking How could a loving God send people to hell ?

9. Just Looking  Jesus refers to Gehenna (on five occasions) as a place where you might be “thrown” – a sort of dire warning (e.g. better to pluck out an eye that does wrong than to be thrown into Gehenna, fear Him who has the power to throw you into Gehenna).  Jesus uses other pictures of a coming Day of Judgement (a feast from which some are excluded; an outer darkness, with “weeping and gnashing of teeth”; weeds burned)  In the parable of the sheep and the goats, wrongdoers are sent into a fire prepared for the devil How could a loving God send people to hell ?

10. Just Looking How should we understand this teaching of Jesus ? How could a loving God send people to hell ?

11. Just Looking  Jesus often uses metaphors and pictures which are not literally true  Like the people of his time, he sometimes uses exaggeration to make a point  The small number of times that Jesus talks about the rubbish tip, or coming judgement, need to be seen against the background of very many references to God’s Kingdom and God’s unfailing love.  Jesus does not preach with a threat of unending hell for those who do not repent. How could a loving God send people to hell ?

12. Just Looking  It is not logically possible for all the metaphors to be literally true at the same time  We are sometimes forced to choose which theme or picture will be dominant, and which needs to come “under” another How could a loving God send people to hell ?

13. Just Looking  Some Christians believe that the need to affirm that God is righteous and just will put punishment “above” unending love  Others believe that the “love” dimension is so strong that everlasting punishment could not be part of the picture How could a loving God send people to hell ?

14. Just Looking  Our actions have consequences - we need to make good choices.  There are many pictures in the Bible of punishment - but no clear picture of unending punishment  Punishment may be the intrinsic result of realising after death the enormity of our failing  Perhaps it will still be possible for people in that place to “repent” (1 Peter 3 19 says that after his death, Jesus preached to the souls “in prison” – presumably hell) How could a loving God send people to hell ?

15. Just Looking  Jesus came to save us from separation from God  God is a Father who loves us more than we can comprehend  Jesus teaches that we should always forgive those who wrong us - won’t God do the same ?  A final destruction could still be the destiny of those who – even when confronted with the reality of God – still choose to turn away How could a loving God send people to hell ?