I watched a video sermon online today about hell. It was supposed to be about hell, that is, but turned out to be about how the Pastor didn't believe hell was meant in the literal sense. He wanted to believe that all the references to eternal fire in the Bible were meant in the metaphoric sense, since he couldn't "wrap his mind around" the thought that God could be so judgmental. He decided that the fire was metaphoric for God's burning love.
Well, that's all well and good if you are planning on going to heaven, or is it? I had to wonder if he believed that heaven was a literal place he had his mind wrapped around. He seemed to look at it as if Jesus changed that mentality with love and grace, but I don't see how he could overlook Jesus Himself saying that hell was a place of worms and fire in Mark 9:44, Mark 9:46, and Mark 9:48 "Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched." Even if he was using the NIV Bible, which admittedly leaves out verses 44 and 46, because of the repetition, it still says it in 48. Maybe he was applying the 5 second rule here, where if it wasn't repeated long enough it couldn't hurt you. :)
No harm done, and my evening wasn't wasted, because I was already in the middle of an Audible version of the book The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. I read the book years ago and still have it, but I don't read as much anymore, preferring audio version. This story is a classic, and is a collection of witty letters that are supposed to be from Uncle Screwtape, a Senior Demon in Hell, to his nephew Wormwood, a Junior Demon in training. The book is a comedy in a way, based on the idea that people have demons assigned to them to bring them down to "Our Father Below" just like they have guardian angels. Screwtape is giving Wormwood advice to help him tear his man down in each letter. The thoughts you gather from listening in on these private letters are very original and thought-provoking. It is well worth buying in any format. I am sharing links below for this as well as another favorite audio cd of mine.
Well, that's all well and good if you are planning on going to heaven, or is it? I had to wonder if he believed that heaven was a literal place he had his mind wrapped around. He seemed to look at it as if Jesus changed that mentality with love and grace, but I don't see how he could overlook Jesus Himself saying that hell was a place of worms and fire in Mark 9:44, Mark 9:46, and Mark 9:48 "Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched." Even if he was using the NIV Bible, which admittedly leaves out verses 44 and 46, because of the repetition, it still says it in 48. Maybe he was applying the 5 second rule here, where if it wasn't repeated long enough it couldn't hurt you. :)
No harm done, and my evening wasn't wasted, because I was already in the middle of an Audible version of the book The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. I read the book years ago and still have it, but I don't read as much anymore, preferring audio version. This story is a classic, and is a collection of witty letters that are supposed to be from Uncle Screwtape, a Senior Demon in Hell, to his nephew Wormwood, a Junior Demon in training. The book is a comedy in a way, based on the idea that people have demons assigned to them to bring them down to "Our Father Below" just like they have guardian angels. Screwtape is giving Wormwood advice to help him tear his man down in each letter. The thoughts you gather from listening in on these private letters are very original and thought-provoking. It is well worth buying in any format. I am sharing links below for this as well as another favorite audio cd of mine.
“Talk to him about ‘moderation in all things.’ If you can once get him to the point of thinking that ‘religion is all very well up to a point,’ you can feel quite happy about his soul.” — P.43 from the book by C. S. Lewis
You can find out about the Focus on the Family Dramatization of the book on their website.
You can find out about the Focus on the Family Dramatization of the book on their website.
 
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The Essential Word on the Street, by Rob Lacey is a retelling of the Bible Gospel "story" in a one hour version. Rob uses everyday common street vernacular, such as referring to the Psalms as "tracks." I put together a recorded sampler of parts of four of the tracks from this cd here below, as a medley of sorts. It includes Creation, David's "Track 23," Good Sam Aratin, and Heaven on Earth. Simply put, I believe Heaven and Earth are real places of existence in eternity. I believe that the Gospel is for us and our children, and as many as the Lord our God will call. Acts 2:39 So, I believe the Gospel is essential. Do you believe?
Essential Word Medley: |  |
