I wasn't going to comment on this but since I was over here looking at the post on creationism I thought I'd just chime in that there's lots in the Bible that might turn people away. The incarnation, the crucifixion and the resurrection all by themselves are an "offense" to people, scripture says. There are many doctrines in scripture that are stumblingblocks to belief. Yet many have come to Christ and a loving God in spite of them all, even believing in a terrible eternal punishment, so if anyone is turned away, they simply don't have a heart for the truth. We can pray for them but we mustn't apologize for God's truth. It's not right or safe for any of us to try to make God's word fit our preconceived notions.
It would be one thing if you arrived at your conclusion simply from studying the Bible, from a neutral beginning position, but when it's so clear you start from an objection to the idea of Hell I think you need to be very wary of your desire to make God into your own image.
Faith
I wasn't going to comment on this but since I was over here looking at the post on creationism I thought I'd just chime in that there's lots in the Bible that might turn people away. The incarnation, the crucifixion and the resurrection all by themselves are an "offense" to people, scripture says. There are many doctrines in scripture that are stumblingblocks to belief. Yet many have come to Christ and a loving God in spite of them all, even believing in a terrible eternal punishment, so if anyone is turned away, they simply don't have a heart for the truth. We can pray for them but we mustn't apologize for God's truth. It's not right or safe for any of us to try to make God's word fit our preconceived notions.
It would be one thing if you arrived at your conclusion simply from studying the Bible, from a neutral beginning position, but when it's so clear you start from an objection to the idea of Hell I think you need to be very wary of your desire to make God into your own image.
Faith