by Carol Jo Campbell

Created on: December 26, 2009

 “Going To Heaven or Hell Only Depends on You.”

 This is not a true statement mostly because the statement lacks clarity and is based on false premises. It completely ignores the teachings of the Bible and leaves God all together out of the picture. Following is a brief explanation of why this above statement lacks substance.

Hell

What is hell? Where did the hellfire doctrine come from and is it a Bible based belief?  According to the Bible two words are used to describe “hell”. They both have the same meaning. “Sheol” from the Hebrew and “Hades” from the Greek do not refer to a place of eternal burning torment. They refer to mankind’s common eventuality, death and the grave. Gehenna is a word used by Jesus as a symbol of eternal death.  (Matthew 23:33) “Gehenna” itself was a valley area outside the walls of Jerusalem where a perpetual fire burned to destroy rubbish and the carcasses of dead animals. From this misunderstanding of ‘Gehenna’ the churches found a great fear factor and lucrative scare tactic.

Therefore hell is not an option for humans to so to speak ‘choose.’  The choice is not one of an afterlife of eternal punishment but no afterlife and complete eternal destruction.

Heaven

When I hear people talk about going to heaven I ask them what they will be doing for eternity in heaven. Most people give a glib Hollywood answer but many have pause and think. The answer is usually “I don’t know. I just want to go home and be with my Lord.” There are a few things wrong with this statement.

I don’t know. The Bible clearly tells us what those who are in heaven will be doing. Unfortunately, most people have decided to take heaven by force rather than adhere to the teachings of the Bible. Revelation 20:6 talks of two classes of people. Those who are ruling and those who are being ruled over during Christ Millennial reign: Rev 20:6 “Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.”  How many of us really believe that we have the ability to do this work, never mind to choose this position for ourselves when it is God who chooses those who are to rule with Christ. To think or believe otherwise is to be presumptuous and overstep God's right to rule..

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