A few weeks ago I wrote about Heaven and the wonderful book I read of the same name by Randy Alcorn. While I was reading that book, I naturally started thinking about the other eternal destination. Somehow I got the idea to text a few of my close friends a simple question: Do you think there will be more people in Heaven or in Hell?
It gave me pause, and I examined my own beliefs- or lack thereof. The doctrine of Hell has troubled me in the past, and I tended to push the uncomfortable questions aside to think about the more pleasant aspects of my faith (such as Heaven!). I had never really settled the issue in my mind- not the existence of Hell (to my mind Jesus and the scriptures are very clear on that point), but the nature of Hell. Is punishment really eternal? Are there levels of punishment in Hell as there are levels of reward in Heaven? Is the Lake of Fire a literal place? I don't mind that lake so much for Satan and his angels, but for people? And are most people going to end up there?
A friend and my pastor recommended that I read Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle, and I promptly went to the library, checked it out, and read it in one afternoon. Chan combines scripture with extensive cultural research in a way that is wonderfully simple yet insightful. The book merely confirmed my longstanding belief that Hell is real, but it also impacted me in two other ways.
What Erasing Hell showed me is that I often try to fit God into my human reasoning. When I think to myself, "How could God...I wouldn't do that...God can't really be that way...." I am revealing the ugly belief that my way is better. I am treading dangerous ground by trying to remake Him in my own image. Chan reminded me to go back to the God of scripture who is good,
holy, merciful, and just. His ways are not my ways, His thoughts are not my
thoughts. They are higher, perfect, beyond what I can fully comprehend.
He is the Potter, I am the clay; He is my Father and Creator. Even if the answers to my questions about Hell are not the answers I would like, I believe that God is who He
says He is and is therefore worthy of my trust.
Not that we shouldn't ask those questions... we should talk to God, tell him how we think and feel, ask for wisdom and understanding. Rather than having inner conversations with ourselves about how we would do things differently (or better), we should go to God and ask Him about the things that trouble us, whether it be Hell, suffering, or social injustice. Our intimacy with Him is built as we pour out our hearts and He reveals more and more of Himself to us.
Chan addresses many of my questions about the nature of Hell in his book, but few if any have definite answers. What the book did do for me is reset my focus on God's sovereignty and goodness. Instead of thinking, "God can't really be that way, that doesn't make sense," I am praying (at least more than I used to), "God, you are God, so what you do is right. Help me to understand you more. Give me insight into your character."
As for my initial question: I could be wrong, but I believe there will be more people in Heaven than in Hell. I believe God's grace extends farther and His mercy goes deeper than we know. "God can save whomever He wants, however He wants, but He always does so through the one avenue He Himself paved: His Son Jesus Christ" (Chan 160). That quotation leads to the second impact of the book for me... but it will have to wait for the next post!
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