Points of agreement on Hell

Edinburgh, 1995: Colourized (More like it actually was)

Points of agreement on Hell 

August 17, 2017 article, edited September 30, 2023 for an entry on academia.edu

Points of agreement on Hell (a)

I admit that I am not in the spiritual and academic position to verify any person's Heaven or Hell account for absolute truthfulness. As it is not a canonized story from the New Testament, reasoned to be the inspired, inherent, word of God, an account could be non-fiction reality, fiction or a dream. An account can be a very tricky proposition. I therefore, do not endorse this video or the ministry. I do not know this man and I have only listened to two presentations. I do not have an exhaustive knowledge of the theology of his ministry.

Heaven and Hell stories often contradict the New Testament and biblical theology and would have me doubt them as authentic. However, this presentation, whether non-fiction reality, fiction or dream, based on bible and theology has some significant concepts in common with my own 'Hell theory' and Hell theology. To be clear, I do reason a person with significant theological knowledge could arrive with reasonably biblical conclusions without a 'Hell' visit.

As stated, I viewed two presentations from this speaker:

Points of agreement on Hell (b)

The Trinity

The Biblical God is demonstrated as triune. The Trinity. 

Matthew 28-19-20, a classic key, New Testament of the triune God.

English Standard Version (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” 

Millard Erickson in 'Christian Theology' expresses a Biblical, orthodox (not meaning Orthodox Church here) position on the Trinity via the Council of Constantinople (381). Erickson (1994: 335). A formula ὑποστάσεις was expressed, which expressed three separate persons that exist simultaneously in three modes of being or hypostases. Erickson (1994: 335). The idea being the Godhead is undivided in essential nature, in divided persons. Erickson (1994: 335).

Greek scholar Walter Bauer defines 'Hupostasis' the original word: ὑπόστασις, εως, ἡit from the Greek as substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality. In the context of Hebrews 1: 3 the Son of God is the exact representation of God’s real being. (847).

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, as three distinctions within the Godhead, with one essential nature, are in sovereign control of Hades. According to the New Testament, the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, applied to those in Jesus Christ, is the only means of human salvation. Notably, John 1, and John 14, as key examples.

Degrees of literalness

The Scripture and the book of Revelation, describes Hades and Hell with degrees of literalness, that could often be described as figurative literal language. Mounce notes is his Revelation commentary that the eschatological presentation in the Revelation, text, offers degrees of literalness. Mounce reasons that most scholars allow for varying levels of literal interpretation in regard to the new creation. (369). Mounce further demonstrates the rather figurative literal (not mythological, non-fictional, my add) nature of this eschatological language in Revelation. The reference to 'no longer any sea' (New American Standard Bible, my add) is likely a reference to a dread of the sea by many ancient cultures. The sea was viewed as an evil. To state that through the metaphorical use of 'sea' that evil will no longer exist in the new order, seems far more intellectually palatable than attempting to explain the lack of major water bodies in a new creation within an everlastingly liveable (livable) universe for human beings. 

Sinful human nature

The sinful human nature (via the fall) is abundantly exposed. (Romans, Revelation, as examples).

People in Hades might become progressively more evil, being further past the time of common grace when he/she was alive on earth and experienced much of God's goodness. I opine, not dogmatically, that all citizens in hell may become increasingly more insane. Hades seems to be about continually experiencing one's own embraced sinful nature and sinful thoughts, acts and actions. This serves as punishment. (The Gospels, Luke 16, Revelation as examples).

There is an aspect of these citizens of earth knowing there is a God (Romans 1), without embracing knowledge of God by grace through personal, trusting faith; instead embracing a rejection of God. There is a rejection of the triune God. There is a rejection of Jesus Christ and the gospel. As one of my previous pastors stated: There is a God, and it is not you. God in a sense, is demonstrating love to humanity that rejects him, by allowing citizens of Hades to live forever opposed to him.

The problem of the physical, post-mortem

However, the speaker (in the two long videos I viewed) does not deal with the issue of how physicality is granted to disembodied spirits. I have speculated that perhaps both Hades and Paradise have a simulated physicality, from a human perspective, for a sense of continuity with this present realm and the future permanent realms where humanity exists.

Those in Hades (Hell1) ultimately are resurrected  according to many scholars, and placed into the lake of fire (Hell2) (Revelation 20). Those in Jesus Christ (Revelation 20-22), are physically resurrected (1 Corinthians 15, 1-2 Thessalonians) and move from Paradise (Heaven1) to residing in the culminated Kingdom of God (Heaven2). If a person is alive at resurrection, the believer in Christ becomes resurrected.

Prior to the resurrection of human beings, the very significant problem of supposed physicality for disembodied spirits, exists. This should be dealt with philosophically and theologically by those that claim they have been to Heaven or Hell. If not, the issue remains intellectually problematic...

For more on Near Death Experiences see

Gary Habermas.com

BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring The New Testament, Wheaton, Crossway Books.

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD J. (1996) ‘Second Coming of Christ’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

FEE, GORDON D. (1987) The First Epistle To The Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

FINKBEINER, DOUGLASE (2004) Interpreting Luke 16: Abraham, Lazarus, and the Rich Man-Parable or History?, Lansdale, PA , Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary.

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MARSH, PAUL, W. (1986) ‘1 Corinthians’, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.

PORTER, LAURENCE.E. (1986) ‘Luke’, in F.F. Bruce (gen.ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/ Zondervan.

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company. 

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.