God the Father, Mentor's Guide, MG06

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G O D T H E F A T H E R

There Is No Hell?

A number of key evangelicals are reviewing the historical doctrine of eternal punishment and redefining it in terms of “annihilation” rather than “unending, conscious torment outside of the presence of God forever.” Deeply moved and affected by the Bible’s teaching on the love and goodness of God the Father Almighty, they are looking closely again at the texts which have been made to argue for a place where those who defy God are consciously in agony forever. They are asserting, in place of this view, the idea that God will destroy or obliterate his enemies, but will not keep them conscious and alive forever for the purpose of tormenting them. Discuss the case study of the doctrine of hell as an example of the need for the Church to rediscover and re-articulate the biblical teaching on the wrath of God the Father Almighty. What do you make of these attempts to rethink the classic doctrine of hell? Do you agree, disagree? A noted Catholic theologian (Karl Rahner) is today making the case for understanding the death of Christ as a universal salvation . In this view, the death of Christ is applied generically to all nations and peoples, and therefore all families and individuals, whether they are aware of Jesus’ work on the cross or not. As a matter of fact, these who are covered by the grace of God on the cross are referred to as “anonymous Christians,” those who are included in the saving work of Messiah Jesus on the cross, whether they are aware of it or not. Surely, there are texts in the Bible which seem to suggest that God’s salvation is for all people everywhere (cf. 1 John 2.1-2; 4.14; 5.19; John 1.29; 4.42; 11.51-52; 2 Cor. 5.18-21; Rev. 12.9, etc.). Can one make a legitimate case from Scripture that the entire world is included in God’s display of his goodness in Jesus Christ–will all be saved as a result of Jesus’ death, or only a select number? What is the problem (if any exists) with the idea of universal salvation? God expresses his goodness through his moral attributes of perfect moral purity, absolute integrity, and unbounded love. He demonstrates his perfect moral purity through his holiness, righteousness, and justice. He expresses his absolute integrity through his attributes of genuineness, truth, and faithfulness. Finally, God expresses his unbounded love through his attributes of his benevolence, grace, mercy, and persistence. An understanding of the wrath of God , is critical for a biblically accurate Universal Salvation for All

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Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis