Saved from Hell, or Sin? (by Ed Smith)

When Hell (as opposed to sin) is presented as the thing to be avoided --this attitude, above all else, is an attitude that we should speak against (regardless of how open we are about our universalism.) I don't want to be a person who is primarily concerned about the doctrine of universalism as many Calvinists are primarily concerned with Calvinism. "Love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith" is the goal of our instruction. However, it is important to know from what we are being saved and to desire salvation from it. I think a good question for us to ask is "if you had a choice between eternal bondage to sin and eternal torment by fire with a pure heart and without sin, what would you choose?" People need to be able to make the right choice, but I don't think many of those who consider themselves fine Christians have the heart to make the right choice.

How many share Paul's heart?

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Rom. 9:1-5.)

Not many think of God being in Hell, forever supervising the torment as He exacts His vengeance. This would not even occur to most people, but they should be asked to think it through. Most are carelessly thinking of Hell as such a separation from God, that God is not experiencing the torments of 90% of the human race. However, they fail to notice that would imply that God someday ceases to be omniscient. That is surely further from orthodoxy than a temporary Hell, thus they must reject it. It is a disturbing idea to think of God for all eternity experiencing the bliss of less than 10% of his human beings, while experiencing the torments of the rest of them. How could a God who loves goodness and joy so much more than sin and pain get Himself into this situation? It would seem, in that case, that Satan did achieve a certain victory of hate by subjecting God to such a final eternal state.

But the truth is much better than some imagine..

In the end, God wins (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Phil. 2:9-10; Col. 1:20.).

--Ed.