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Quenching The Fire By Terry Sanders I am reminded of a statement in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church. It is in their section on Our Doctrinal Standards, Article IX, on page 68 in the 1988 edition. "We are accounted righteous before God only for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort." I am unaware if the sentiment expressed in this doctrinal statement has changed since it was written in the copy I have. If so, then I stand corrected. Let me hasten to say that I have no doubt that it has not changed at all. I want you to focus your attention on the second sentence in that statement. I am sure that salvation by faith only is as they put it-a doctrine very full of comfort. While I strongly disagree that this is something taught in the Scripture, I do agree that salvation by faith only offers comfort to an overwhelming number of folks. I will go so far as to affirm that there are many doctrines that offer comfort to an overwhelming number of folks. However, the fact that they offer comfort does not necessarily make them true, does it? No, it may make them readily acceptable and extremely popular. I was recently directed to a weblog on the Internet where the blog owner was reviewing an upcoming book by a "well-known evangelical pastor." I must confess that I was completely ignorant of who Rob Bell was before that moment. Obviously, he wasn't well known to me, but I don't get around much in evangelical circles, wherever they might be. Rob Bell is a relatively young man who is the founder and pastor of the Mars Hill Church, a mega-church in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. This particular church claims an excess of ten thousand attendees on any given Sunday. Bell has written a book that has caused apoplectic seizures in evangelical circles. It seems that other evangelical pastors are alleging that Bell's book has virtually eliminated Hell altogether. I haven't read Bell's book and probably won't. I simply do not have the time. I will acquiesce to the notion that he probably has presented a theory that hell is either for just a few (Hitler, Charles Manson, Pol Pot, and such like) or that it isn't quite so bad (possibly different levels of punishment) or that souls of the wicked are annihilated at death. At any rate, he has done what all pastors of mega-churches have always done-he has created a doctrine of comfort and the people will love it, other evangelical pastors notwithstanding. I am wondering why all the fuss. I wonder, with all of this gnashing of teeth over Rob Bell's book, how much attention is paid to The Book that has reveals the truth about Hell in the first place. That's right, how about that Bible? I see where Jesus (that's the Son of God-His spokesman, Heb. 1:2) says that Hell is a real place and that it will be the eternal destination of some folks. Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 about a parting of the sheep and goats. The destination of which is either "everlasting punishment" or eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). Both "everlasting" and "eternal" come from same Greek word-aionios. There is no difference in either of them as it is a word that means without beginning and without ending. Sounds like everlasting or eternal to me. Whatever is true about one is true about the other. Now surely the idea of eternal reward is one that resonates with folks. However, the idea of eternal punishment probably doesn't. So, if we come up with a concept that eliminates or diminishes the eternal aspect of that punishment-well, that would surely be a comfort. Then I remember how Jesus, on another occasion, seemed to think that the fire of Hell would not be quenched (Matt. 9:43-48). It appears that He mentioned this several times in just a few verses. If Jesus was a preacher, I would think he was really laying into a point. Wait-Jesus was a preacher! He is laying into a point! Jesus says that the fire will not be quenched. What does that mean? Strong says the fire will not be extinguished. I guess that means it doesn't go out and the level of the fire doesn't diminish. Hmmmmm, doesn't sound like too much comfort there, does it? Oh, but there are those that can present some theory where the fire actually goes out and others who have a theory that the fire gets turned down at some point and still others that have pretty much fire-proofed the whole place! Yes, you probably have guessed it right. Jesus says the fire is not quenched, but there are a whole lot of folks who are busy quenching the fire. Then there comes the Judgment Day. What a surprise that will be to some. I really think that are some (including some in the Lord's church) who get so wrapped up in presenting positive sermons and expounding on the love of God that they either overlook or forget what the Bible says about Hell. I think that some find it uncomfortable to preach about Hell and try to say little about it. (I once knew a man in Ohio who wanted you to preach or sin, Hell and damnation all the time and was disappointed if you didn't. I have always hoped he was an exception). Nevertheless, hell is in the Bible and should not be left out. Neither should it be altered and adjusted until it becomes some kind of a comfort! I am not surprised when some evangelical pastor comes up with some theory about something totally foreign to the Bible. They have about as much use for the Bible as I do for last year's calendar. I am not deceived into thinking that they have attracted thousands of people by preaching the whole counsel of God. No, they likely preach a "most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort." And if that means quenching the fire, then they will do it. All of the apoplectic seizures by other evangelicals is just so much window dressing.
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