How Much Can We Know about Hell?

I’ve heard a lot of sermons on heaven and hell. Too many I think. I have noticed something interesting in the last few years: the detailed accuracy with which people describe both eternal places. Preachers seem to know everything about heaven and hell. Particularly hell. And that strikes me as strange for a couple of reasons.

First, the New Testament language about heaven is pretty vague. Certainly not up to our Western standards of rational detailed analysis. Most heavenly images are taken from Revelation which is clearly a book of symbols and Jewish apocalyptic imagery. Plus we have various experts describing heaven in detail for us, even down to what kind of house we get and what types of jobs will be waiting for us. Honestly, despite the popularity of Randy Alcorn’s book, most of that is conjecture. Peacefulness, joy, and comfort certainly describe it, but most people understand that golden streets and crystal seas are illustrations for something truly indescribable. People are okay with a preacher saying, “I don’t know everything about heaven, but I know it’s gonna be good!”

What’s more fascinating is the painstaking detail in which hell is described. Eternal torment involving fire, pain, and torture. According to most evangelial views of hell, people have the rest of eternity to sit around on fire and think about the bad things they did. Okay, that’s a little sarcastic there, but honestly hell is used more often in altar calls than heaven is. Some people, just in my questioning of the standard image of hell are getting nervous reading this right now. But what’s so strange about that is just how ambiguous the Bible is about the afterlife. People are satisfied to know that God has prepared somewhere for them in heaven and that puts their lack of detail at ease. But hell is a different story. In fact the more detailed you can be, the better chance of scaring someone into salvation.

But really, hell is even more ambiguous than heaven. The Old Testament uses the word sheol to describe the afterlife - a word that means “grave” and little more. The Jews were relatively unconcerned about the afterlife, fully content to focus on what they could do in the present life to honor God. The New Testament seems to be more exact. But a closer look shows that there’s still a lot up for debate. Jesus describes some ideas about it, but never really gives us details. He compares it to a local garbage dump (Gehenna) and talks about worms. And there’s more. The Greek word (aiōnios) generally used to describe the fire of hell is translated in quantitative terms as “eternal.” But in other places the same word is used to describe qualitative measurement as the permanence of destruction. So, traditionalists say that it means eternal fire while conditionalists say it means permanent destruction (death) of the wicked. But the truth is that aiōnios and its Hebrew counterpart (olam) speak of things that all come to an end: the Passover, Caleb’s inheritance, Solomon’s Temple, and Gehazi’s leprosy. It’s just not that simple - the word means both. Similarly, traditionalists say that “gnashing of teeth” describes the torment of sinners in hell. But the ancient use found in the Old Testament assigned “gnashing of teeth” to someone about to destroy another - in the conditionalist’s case: God. So what does that mean to us today?  Honestly, it doesn’t tell us much.  And that’s the point I’m making. The same verses are used by people who believe different things about hell. And, surprisingly, I’m okay with that.

Why can we leave the details of heaven alone yet be compelled to extract every detail about hell? Because hell helps preachers out. Descriptions of hell illicit responses from people and, if used just right, can increase altar call numbers. But in doing that, I think we miss the point. When I told some youth I was preaching to the other night that the gospel is not about them not going to hell, they looked at me strangely. They simply had never thought that there might be something beyond “fire insurance” ans a list of do’s and don’ts to the gospel. The Bible shrouds the afterlife in ambiguity for a very important reason: so we won’t be tempted to bribe people into the Kingdom of God using either heaven or hell. If that’s what made you decide to be a Christian, then great. But intimacy with God lies beyond such ”survival of the fittest” techniques of evangelism. The gospel is about falling in love with a God who has already declared his unconquerable love for you.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention…

Two things: what I’ve been reading and what music I’ve been into lately.

I finished all the Patrick Lencioni books I bought a few weeks ago. They are about business management, employee relations, teamwork, etc. Excellent books. Read them for yourself and specifically for anyone in your employ. Along those same lines, I also read Matthew Kelly’s The Dream Manager. Once again, if you manage people please read this book!

I’ve decided to head back into Old Testament study for a while. I read Ellen Davis’s Wondrous Depth: Preaching the Old Testament and am currently working through Robert Alter’s translation of 1 and 2 Samuel: The David Story. Really interesting stuff there.

Musically, I’ve been exploring electronica and dance/trance music. I know - that sounds very unlike me. But I’m really enjoying myself. For all you Christians out there, Andy Hunter’s new album Colours is great. I’m not into the monotony of Paul Van Dyk and company - it’s all just too repetitive. But I have really enjoyed Robert Miles’s “dream trance” albums. Everybody mentions “Dreamland” but I really like “23 am” and “Organik” better. Ambient albums are what really have captured my attention - stuff like The Orb’s “Adventures…” I’ve also discovered The Thievery Corporation. Good music.

Life Update and Random Thoughts

Thought I’d update you on life a little bit. My dissertation defense has been pushed back a week or two - nothing to worry about, just logistical issues. I should be done by end of May. On that same note, there’s a possibilityof a local job that has opened up here, something we certainly weren’t expecting. I’ll let you know if nothing turns into something. Beth and I decided a while back that we would consider local jobs before entertaining anything else regionally or nationally.

I preached at a Baptist regional youth association meeting last night. It was fun - I haven’t preached to youth in a long time. Hopefully it didn’t show too much. It was the longest I’ve spoken in public in about two years. Two years! I think I did well - the youth came up afterwards and told me they enjoyed it and I caught several of the adults crossing their arms and scowling. That, my friends, is a sign of success at a youth function…

Beth and I have been car shopping. We don’t buy cars too often - we wait until they roll over 200k before even considering it. Our Honda Accord just did that. We’ve looked at all types of cars, concentrating on MPG (like everyone else). We’ve settled on buying a MINI Cooper. Strange choice huh? Yeah but the gas mileage is great and we’re a little unconventional anyway. I can tell you this: they are super fun to drive! More on that later.

I did notice something interesting while we were out car shopping the other day. We were the only people on the entire lot. Every dealership we went to was completely abandoned. The car salesmen did a good job of not acting desperate, but you could tell they were hurtin’ a little. It got me to thinking about America and our present state of affairs. All these beautiful over-sized, ostentatious cars glistening in the sun were just sitting there being driven by no one. It really represented much about the American mentality that intrigues me. The juxtaposition of “bigger is better” versus the reality of our relatively cash poor society. I chuckled at first, but then I felt a little depressed by it all. It just showed the emptiness of what society has placed emphasis upon. More than ever before, we now know that there’s more the life than cars…

On another note, I am watching the NBA playoffs fairly consistently. I was a Celtics fan back when it was old school - Bird, McHale, Ainge, Johnson, Parrish, etc.  So I’ve watched the Celtics with great interest. But what caught my attention the other night was Lebron James. And it had nothing to do with his stats. I was watching him - as he played, did interviews, interacted with others on the bench. Few people are more aware of themselves than that guy. Of course, we’ve created that scenario, but still the guy is unhealthily aware that he is on camera all the time. It was weird to watch him - everything he did reflected a cognitive awareness of his personal celebrity. Maybe that’s not what everybody else sees; he does a great job of looking nonchalant and humble. But I think there’s something more there - like with every drive to the basket, he’s thinking, “Hey, watch this America.” Maybe I’m wrong; I hope so. But maybe I’m not…

The Other Side of Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare - what a topic. Rarely in my life have I ever seen something minimized and exagerated all at the same time. I’ve been in meetings where people were calling foul spirits forth to manifest themselves. For some reason, it’s imperative to know a demon’s name before you can cast it out - possibly for recounting the tale later to your friends? You might also want to make sure you yell very loudly since demons can’t hear very well. Oh yeah, and then there’s the new trend: spiritual mapping and prayer walking. I’ve been on a prayer walk in an inner city where the people were interested in what we had to say…but we were too busy - you guessed it - WALKING! That’s kind of like praise and worship songs that “call the nations” - there’s little actual evangelism occuring, just people singing about it. I’ve even recited warfare prayers and read Peretti’s This Present Darkness.

Though I seem like I’m making light of spiritual warfare, make no mistake: demons are real and a belief in them and their ability to affect this world order is absolutely biblical. There are plenty of earthy maladies that have the demonic at their root. People who dismiss demonic activity as part of a supersitious culture of days gone by do not take the Bible seriously. And I do - I have a high view of scripture. But I also think there is something to be said for giving the demonic too much authority. You can see this everywhere. On a popular level, we see it in anointing all the doorposts of a newly purchased home to ward off spirits or in attributing all mental illness to demonic possession. I see it most often when people come to me concerned about whether or not a Christian can be possessed by a demon. Invariably the next question is, “Do you think I have one?” Academically, “warfare theodicy” adherents answer an inordinate amount of questions about the existence of evil with the demonic - so much so that they occasionally will choose demonic activity when another explanation is just as feasible. There’s a whole lot I like about that theological viewpoint, but that’s not one of them.

Do I believe in the efficacy of spiritual warfare and intercessory prayer? You better believe it. But I think people miss the most important point when discussing the demonic. And that is the Christian’s present state of authority over demons. I heard Bible teacher Malcolm Smith put it this way one time and the illustration stuck with me. Once he came upon a group of elephants stampeding in the African bush. He dropped to the ground and hid under something praying that he would not be stepped on and crushed. He said it was one of the scariest moments of his life. He was visiting a zoo several months later and passed by the elephant exhibit, not the least bit intimidated by the elephants a few feet away from him. What was the difference? The authority of the elephant.

Most Christians I know treat demons like they have some unstoppable power that can render the best Christian helpless. I don’t think that’s an appropriate view. Check out Colossians 2. Demons aren’t runnning free destroying all in their way. They are like the animals at the zoo - confined and caged. Now, if you go stick your head in the lion’s cage, something’s bound to happen. But for the most part, demonic activity should not be the first explanation you think of. It’s always a good idea to look at the ministry of Jesus in determining how to deal with demons. He encountered demonic activity, but he didn’t go looking for it. Demonic manifestations usually occured while he was preaching or when he inadvertently came upon a demonized person. Then, and only then, did he rebuke the demons. And honestly, there wasn’t much fuss involved. Just a firm authoritative word and immediate results. In fact, he even told the demons to be quiet - not recite their past history. People who have authority over the demons don’t have to yell at them. That’s actually a sign of insecurity. Our attention and focus whould center upon Jesus Christ. People aware of the triumph of Christ over the demonic are more concerned with creating a deeper more intimate love walk with the Father. For those deeply invested in the “divine dance,” wrapped in the presence of the Holy Spirit, demonic activity is the last thing on their mind. When it is encountered it should be dealt with quickly and seen for what it is: merely a momentary obstacle to the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Aggressively Pursuing a Life of Peace

We have some life mottos around our house that guide our life decisions. Often times, these mottos aren’t always obvious to everyone. They hold a higher value on spiritual things than material things. They place more importance in relational harmony than personal gain. It also keeps us from bowing to the peer pressure that young couples face, like trying to “keep up with the Joneses.”

The first and probably most important motto comes from the verse “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14, 1 Peter 3:11). Romans 12:18 relays a similar idea: “Do all that you can to live at peace with all men.” We call it aggressive peace. Beth and I make decisions around the idea that in every situation, there is a peaceful and overall beneficial decision that keeps balance among our family members. If at all possible, we choose that “peaceful” solution. That’s how we make vacation plans, buy new appliances, choose schools, choose television shows or movies, etc. You get the idea. If there is a choice that leads to unrest, strife, anger, impatience, and irritation, we usually opt for something else.

Now that may sound obvious to you. But there’s a subtle difference. We don’t wait for peaceful decisions to come to us. We make peace happen for our children and for each other. We’re aggressive about pursuing peace. We fight for it. We plan for it. We do whatever it takes to maintain it. A lot of people have financial goals or material goals - and we do as well. But all of that comes from our overall peace goal. What lies behind “peace” for us? Questions like, “Which choice promotes the most security for our children?” “Which choice creates ease of life and rest for our retirment?” “How can we peacefully discipline our children?” And most importantly, “Which choice honors God and draws us to him, not away from him?”

But not only do we not wait for these options for peace to come our way. We take it a step further: we “agressively pursue” them. Beth and I discuss questions like, “What makes for a peaceful marriage?” or “What brings peace to our children?” or “What does financial peace look like?” Then we take agressive measures to implement those details into our lives. For example, with finances, we list a second round of details. Financial peace means ultimately means no financial stress: little debt, no collections calls, solid retirement plans, college saving for children now rather than later, choosing economical and sensible cars and houses, and not living paycheck to paycheck if possible. Then we aggressively make those our goals.

I guess pursuing peace as a lifestyle can only be done by someone who believes they have the ability to make their life what they want. I believe all of us can do that. But it takes a lot of thought and premeditation. And often times our decisions are not the most conventional choice. We’re not experts at this and sometimes lose our focus. And plans can certainly change. But the key is to at least have some plan in place and be willing to adjust it accordingly when life throws a curve ball. Personally, living a life of peace is a way to honor God with what he’s given us - a way to proactively reflect his image in us. Taking the initiative to make good in your life is not anti-Christian at all. It actually reflects the productive nature of God and his willingness to be involved in every aspect of our life. In the end, life truly is what you make of it. Our goal is to make a life of peace for each other and for our children.

Jesus Teaches Unlimited Atonement in the Parable of the Marriage Feast

I’ve always struggled with the end of Matthew 22:1-14: the Parable of the Marriage Feast. I think it’s great that when the master’s acquaintances dishonor him by refusing the invitation to the feast, the master invites anyone else who might be willing to attend so that the wedding hall could be filled with guests. To me, that’s very much a view of unlimited atonement. However, at the end of the parable, the master throws some guy out for not having on the proper wedding garment, something I had always been taught that each guest personally brings with them. I’ve heard some preachers imply that the garment represents faith or good works or divine election, depending which one of those vices appeals to you the most. But I came across something a while back that changed how I read the last part of this parable.

This ”wedding garment” (sometimes called a Kuftan) is an outer robe that was worn at formal functions. Everyone wore this garment, whether they owned one or not. It was a symbol of equality: once everyone had theirs on, status and prestige disappeared and all respect was paid to the bridegroom alone. But the most important thing about this wedding garment was that it was provided by the host family to everyone who attended. Wealthy families (the kind that would’ve staged this feast) had a closet of them solely for the purpose of giving them out to their guests.

Now, that should change things for you. The master in the story sees a man in the main room (not in the foyer where the garmets were given out) without his wedding garment on. He says, “Friend, how did you come in here (the main hall) without your wedding garment?” In other words, you were offered a Kuftan when you entered…and the only reason you wouldn’t have it on now is if you purposefully chose to reject it. And that obstinance is what caused the master to throw the guest out of the party.

See, according to the context of first century Judaism, everyone would have received a wedding garment. There was no need to earn it, nor was it given to only a select or arbitrary few. Anyone and everyone received the garment regardless of socio-economic background or cultural status. And once everyone was together wearing their robes egalitarianism reigned under the watch of the master. And that’s exactly what Jesus was trying to say. Everyone gets a robe…unless they refuse to wear it. And even then, the master in this story offered the guest a second chance to reconsider before he threw him out - but the guest did not respond.

God’s not looking to throw anyone out of the party. In fact you have to want to get thrown out. And in this way, the marriage feast parable is fairly explicit in teaching unlimited atonement. To read beyond or dismiss this contextual clue is irresponsible. Personally, I’m thankful it’s in there. I’ve been stubborn enough at times to resist the wedding garment only to be drawn back to the king when he entreats me to return to the Kuftan closet and put it on. The wedding garment is not a sign of judgment. It’s availablitiy to all guests is a sign of God’s mercy and grace to anyone and everyone who wants to attend the feast.

Can You Follow God and Fail?

Here’s a little something I’ve been thinking about lately. Can you follow God and fail miserably? I’ve come across several examples where Christians have had to make difficult choices - some led to success and others to failure. Yet, both groups felt they were “following” God’s desire in those decisions. On top of that, there are a lot of Christians today who will tell you that your ability to follow God’s will determines your worldly success and material blessing. In some ways, I certainly believe that’s legitimate (a post for another day, mind you). But there are also times I see people following the scriptures the best they know how and fail miserably. Unfortunately, these people often get a martyr’s complex and talk about their cross to bear or their mansion in heaven. And honestly, that just turns everyone off. There’s got to be more to it than that. Often these folks will chide other Christians for believing in some sort of “prosperity gospel.” But who’s letting their circumstances dictate their view of God more? Sorry, I think it’s the martyrs. Hmmm…

Pastors are always put in this dilemma. If you choose to follow the Bible by admonishing your congregation to live a lifestyle devoted to God, you’re gonna alienate some people. If you are discipling someone and express concern over gross misbehavior in their lives (even after they have given you authority to do so) they are gonna be angry about it. Trust me. They will. But the question for anyone involved in ministry is this: “Is it worth the risk?” I’m not making blanket generalizations here. Some churches who hold a high standards of living for their congregation are megachurch size. But there are a whole lot that aren’t - and that seems to be the norm.  Pastors are continually confronted with the fact that following God by promoting authentic holiness in a church environment actually will cause their ministry to fail…or at least shrink.

So, can you follow God and fail miserably? Absolutely. That’s part of counting the cost, whether you get your paycheck from a church or not. I see a couple of reasons fo this - both natural and spiritual. For one, following God with reckless abandon often comes across as countercultural. You can expect people to think you’re weird or extreme or “holier than thou.” The problem here is that people who believe God has called them to a holy lifestyle make the mistake of thinking everyone else is as well. But if God spoke to you, then you’re the only one responsible for answering that call. So maybe their gripes about self-righteousness are legitimate. I know in my life they have been in every instance.

Secondly, God never said following him would be easy. Making hard choices is part of the deal. That’s why there’s all those nice verses about “enduring hardship as a good soldier.” I heard a missionary say one time that “Christianity is supposed to be hard!” Well, maybe, but that’s not some sort of sick badge of honor. Sometimes life just gets difficult whether you choose to spiritualize it or not. Finally, material blessing is not always related to following God - in fact, following God will sometimes make you dirt poor! At the same time there are plenty of people who are successful who don’t even know God exists. The point is: follow God regardless of the material prosperity or failure it brings. If you say you’re gonna trust him, then do what you say.

So, chances are good that if you follow God, it will inevitably lead to failure by worldly standards. Other times it will lead to ridiculous blessing and success. If you walk with God long enough, you can expect to experience both. And that tells you something: none of us should follow God because we want a particular outcome. We should follow God because he’s God - regardless of present circumstances.

Being a “Yes” Parent

I’m determined to be a “yes” parent. I don’t know if that’s what you call it, but that’s the term I use. See, I tend to want to say “no” before I’m willing to say “yes.” Slowly, I’m breaking myself of that habit. One of the best ways to do this is with your children.

I am firm with my two kids - I get after them about saying “please” and “thank you.” I’ve got them trained at ages three and four to take their paper plates to the trash and put their forks in the sink. We have lots of structure at our house. But when they ask to do something, I always try to say “yes.” Not about simple things like, “Can we play with Play Dough?” but with more unusual requests like, “Can we play in the rain?” or “Can we have a picnic at that empty house they are building down the street?” or “Can we drive to the pet store and look at the puppies?” I used to think, that’s silly and wasteful. Why would they want to do that?  But lately, I find myself thinking, why shouldn’t they be able to do that?  I want to be able to say yes.

What’s so different about that idea? Well, I watch parents tell their kids “no” all the time about insignificant things. Though there may be good reasons for telling them no, when I begin to think about it, I really can’t think of any. The larger issue is that many parents find it easier to control their kids inside a house or feel like an unusual request involves too much work for them. But since when should my convenience limit my children’s ability to interact with the world around them? I hear responses like, “you’ll spoil them if you grant their every wish” or “then they’ll expect it everytime.”

But I’m finding that’s not the case. Children are more willing to quickly obey when they feel that they have had a say in their lives. They’re more willing to help clean up if they just got back from doing something fun that was their idea. They are also more willing to respond favorably when you say, “I just don’t feel like it right now.” It teaches give and take. Cooperation and time sharing. But more importantly, you’re teaching your kids that what they desire is important to you. You’re treating them like you would want to be treated: as someone worthy of respect. Though they may be children, they are human beings with ideas, opinions, and preferences. You are taking them seriously…and that’s all any kid wants. To ignore those desires conveys a subtle message: “I don’t care about your wants and needs.” Does that mean they should get everything they want? Of course not. But chances are better that your children will respect your wishes if they see you going out of your way to respect theirs.

Life Planning 101

Beth and I have gone through a lot of change during the last eight years of marriage. Job changes (6), house changes (3), children (2), cars (4), educational degrees (2), beta fish for our four year old (3). Things rarely stay the same. And that’s just some of the bigger changes - not counting all the little things. Everyone has heard that old saying “the only thing constant in life is change.” And while that’s true, as I sit around and ponder the mysteries of life, that statement needs some qualification.

What I have begun to see is that life actually changes in stages or “chunks” of time. Particular areas of life don’t change constantly. But each one does change between every two and five years. Think about it. The government says you have to live in a house for two years before your aren’t taxed on your net selling gain. High school takes four years. So does undergrad. A new CD by your favorite artist takes one to two years to release. Children’s life stages occur in two to three year periods. If you’re a agressive business person, job opportunities for advancement come along about every two to four years.

Everything happens in stages. So though changes is constant, change only occurs in any one area about every two to five years. The constant adjustment to these stages is what makes us feel like things never stay the same. Beth and I are attempting to navigate a new series of stages in our life. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way. With each change you have approximately two to five years to get the most out of that stage of life. For example, with children, what you teach a toddler is different from what you teach a seventh grader. Yet, the chance to use that period of time well rests on your ability to adapt quickly to that new stage. Or jobs, for example. Learn the most at your job knowing that within two to five years you will be confronted with the opportunity to learn another job. So, learn everything you can at your present one. If you have a good paying job now, stuff as much money away as you can knowing that in two to five years, things might change.

In the end, good life planning begins with being able to step outside of yourself and your personal desires and make quality decisions that best fit within your present stage of life. From what I can tell, there are only a few really important eseentials to emphasize in each stage. Find out what those are and harp on them mercilessly until change brings a new set of values and goals your way. Each stage has its particular lessons of life. Don’t miss them looking forward to change ahead. Embrace your “stages” of living now, knowing that your present attention will pay off down the road.

For me it’s kind of like a sporting event where the coach tells you to “leave everything out on the field.” Each game only last 60 minutes - but you have to play the whole time. And when the next game begins, even though the rules are different, you still play all 60 minutes. Stages in life are like that. Two to five years moves quickly if you don’t actively participate in it. Play each of the stages in your life like they are only 60 minutes long. And in each area - marriage, family, job, church, etc., make sure you “leave everything out on the field.” And that means planning your life in periods of two to five years.

Stay at Home Parenting Is a Great Gig

I haven’t talked about stay at home life in a little while. As much as I have attempted to convey the difficulties associated with the stay at home life, it really is a good gig. The problems are certainly there and unique to that lifestyle, but plenty of problems still remain for the working parent as well. What’s interesting about that is, as someone who has done both, the problems are equal in intensity in many ways but also very different. My working wife had to begin rearranging her work calendar days in advance in order to grab just one hour in the afternoon to keep a doctor’s appointment. That’s not a problem I have. Of course, some stay at homers are more busy than others, but I don’t think that’s the norm, particularly as children get older and attend school for several hours a day.

What does become an issue is boredom. Sure, there are plenty of things to do. But most of them are tedious, thankless, maintenance jobs - things that do little to enrich our personal lives. For some stay at home parents, this boredom makes their life unfulfilling. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, boredom for me is an opportunity to do something I might not normally get to do. Some people take this to the extreme and compensate for this boredom in non-constructive ways (shopping all the time certainly qualifies ). But that’s missing the point. Unlike the working parent, being a stay at home parent at least allows you the opportunity to try some things you might not normally get to do - the create your own adventure. Trust me, your working spouse is not doing that at their desk at work. And chances are good they are bored too but can’t do anything about it.

So, as a stay at homer, I am telling all of you other stay at homers out there: you have a good life.  It may not be perfect, but it’s good and many parents, particularly single parents, never get the opportunity to do what you are doing. Don’t wish away the time you have with your children - enjoy it. Actively participate in life and in the shaping of your children’s attitudes and worldview. That’s what makes staying at home worth while. Anyone can put their kid in front of a television. Take the opportunity to do more - simply because the chance to do more actually is a possibility for you and your children. You actually have the ability to determine the outcome of your day. And that makes you a very fortunate person.