November 5
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SALVATION OF ALL MEN #2
According to Thomas B. Thayer:
Question:
"Don’t we need hell to keep people moral?
Answer:
The belief of future endless torments does not restrain nor prevent men from the indulgence of their criminal
passions. Those believing are no better, in character or conduct, because they believe it. The hell of the Burmans
is as horrible as imagination or invention can make it; and yet they are notoriously corrupt, licentious, bloody-minded -
the greatest thieves, liars and cheats in the world. The disbelief of endless torments does not make man immoral or wicked."
( The Origin And History Of The Doctrine Of Endless Punishment, Thomas B. Thayer )
-There will always be those who insist that … Without dangling people over the flames of an eternal hell,
that those people will not turn to God for salvation. Such has been the belief of Evangelical Christianity for many centuries
now. While it is true that many experience their conversion after hearing a preacher scare them to death about being tortured
forever, the person has come to the Lord for the wrong reason, and is being motivated to serve God out of a fear of eternal
hell, rather than the true motivation for serving the Lord, which is LOVE. FEAR OF ETERNAL TORTURE IS NEVER A PROPER MOTIVE
FOR ONE TO BEGIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD!!! 1st John 4:18,19 states, … There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because
He first loved us …
-There are many that would make the statements … We need the threat of eternal torture to bring us to
God … & … We need the threat of eternal torture to keep us right with God. This would be the same as saying
that a bride needs the threat of never-ending torture to marry and to stay married to her husband. While it is possible that
a marriage could be started and sustained based off of this premise, the marriage would be based on fear ( not on love ),
WHICH IS A WRONG MOTIVE!
-The large majority of those in Christianity are serving God because they are afraid of what will happen to
them if they don’t. This way of thinking does not keep people moral in the eyes of God, for it is not true morality.
IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS MOTIVATED BY FEAR OF ETERNAL TORTURE! As well, let us look down through history.
The “so-called” gospel of eternal torture has not caused the masses and the nations of the world to turn to God.
THEY KNOW WHAT CHRISTIANITY PREACHES, BUT YET THE NATIONS ARE NOT COMPELLED TO TURN TO GOD AFTER HEARING THE MESSAGE OF ETERNAL
TORTURE IN HELL. The good news is … THE TEACHING OF ETERNAL TORTURE IS A LIE! While it may momentarily scare some into
serving God, it can never, never, never produce the fruit of the Spirit, which is … -LOVE!-
