What if Everybody and Nobody goes to Hell?
Posted on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 11:25 AM by Duncan Bouwer
I am much more comfortable with the idea that God doesn't send 90% of
humanity to Hell for something they had no control over (Adam's sin). I
am also much more comfortable with the idea that Jesus' sacrifice is not
somehow weaker in efficacy than Adam's sin. Think about this: Adam sins.
The whole Human Race is affected. Jesus sacrifices himself. Only those
that accept the sacrifice are saved.
That somehow seems out of balance, doesn't it? There is plenty of scripture that will lead us to believe that Christ died for all and that those who didn't hear about it in life or those whose eyes were darkened to the Truth will one day bow to Him. Consider this:
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw [drag] all peoples to Myself (Jn. 12:31-32). "When judgment comes, the enemy is cast out, and all peoples are dragged to Christ. Is this not judgment with a grand and glorious purpose?" (Hope Beyond Hell p75)
This has implications for Homosexuals. In the last while I have been reluctant to say Gays are going to hell. I have been open about the fact that I can't find it in myself to send them to (eternal) hell, even though I have personally chosen a road of change and embraced a heterosexual lifestyle. There is no sin greater in any case than any other and if homosexuality is a sin then it will have consequences for every man and woman who chooses to embrace it as a lifestyle, as much as every individual and lifestyle sin will have for every other person. (1 Cor 3.12-15: If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.-- This is talking about believers!)
So what remains is to decide what to say about homosexuality and once again I say: I am not there to tell anybody that it is wrong. They have the same Bible as I have and they can read it and ask the Holy Spirit to interpret for themselves what it says about Homosexuality. I believe that it was never God's plan that we should be Gay. Read the Blue bar on the right on this page on my site and take into consideration the fact that nobody, not even Jesus, talks about our relationship with him in anything but pictures of Heterosexuality. It is not our place to preach to people about their lives. It our place to show people Jesus by demonstrating acceptance and love and winning them for the Kingdom. Jesus hung out with people who were considered sinners and I bet he never once told them "I love you but I hate your sin". The conviction of his love for them turned them. But it was his love that did it. We can't expect him to have the opportunity convict people of sin if they have not been fully convicted of love. Let's get the love part right before we worry about the sin. People will not buy the love if they can constantly see the hate and prejudice behind out eyes, waiting to come and do the switch the moment they are hooked.