Evangelical conditionalism

[evangelist6589]

I am on a FB group that is into this doctrine. I like reading books on Hell that stir me up for evangelism as any good book should. The other day I challenged the people in this FB group and boy oh boy they responded like a pack of hornets!

So does anyone here hold to this false view of Hell? If so what are your arguments?

 

[StefanM]

Way to poison the well!

 

[evangelist6589]

Way to poison the well!

These guys are way off. They argue against speaking on Hell in evangelism efforts. They say Jesus did not preach more on Hell than on heaven.

 

[Grasshopper]

I am on a FB group that is into this doctrine. I like reading books on Hell that stir me up for evangelism as any good book should. The other day I challenged the people in this FB group and boy oh boy they responded like a pack of hornets!

So does anyone here hold to this false view of Hell? If so what are your arguments?

The arguments here would probably be the same ones from the Facebook page.

Here is a good place to start: http://www.emmanuelenid.org/archive/component/k2/itemlist/category/60-eternal-reward-and-judgments

 

[JonC]

These guys are way off. They argue against speaking on Hell in evangelism efforts. They say Jesus did not preach more on Hell than on heaven.

It depends on what you mean. If you mean a literal Hell, then Jesus preached little on the topic. If you mean judgment, then he preached a lot. We are called to preach the gospel to the lost (not Heaven, not Hell, but Christ). The gospel, as a whole, includes judgment. But not Hell as the topic itself.

 

[evangelist6589]

It depends on what you mean. If you mean a literal Hell, then Jesus preached little on the topic. If you mean judgment, then he preached a lot. We are called to preach the gospel to the lost (not Heaven, not Hell, but Christ). The gospel, as a whole, includes judgment. But not Hell as the topic itself.

We are called to address Hell in the gospel.

 

[JonC]

We are called to address Hell in the gospel.

Verse please. Thanks.

 

[Revmitchell]

It depends on what you mean. If you mean a literal Hell, then Jesus preached little on the topic. If you mean judgment, then he preached a lot. We are called to preach the gospel to the lost (not Heaven, not Hell, but Christ). The gospel, as a whole, includes judgment. But not Hell as the topic itself.

I'm sorry but this is just wrong. We are called to preach all of it. Heaven, hell, grace, judgment, wrath, the cross, the resurrection, sin, all of it. Your view is a very small minority and quite frankly I am glad.

 

[JonC]

I'm sorry but this is just wrong. We are called to preach all of it. Heaven, hell, grace, judgment, wrath, the cross, the resurrection, sin, all of it. Your view is a very small minority and quite frankly I am glad.

My comment was that the statement Jesus preached more on Hell than Heaven depends on the context. It is not wrong at all - look at Scripture if you doubt this is true. How many times did Jesus preach Hell (the "second death" as Hades and death is cast into Hell)? How many times did He preach Heaven (the Kingdom of God)?

Evangelism is witnessing of the gospel. We preach the gospel of Jesus Christ which includes (as I stated) judgment (and Hell, as this is the "second death"). But if you are trying to say that we witness by "preaching Hell", then I have to say you are advocating another gospel. Hell is presupposed (and in need of explanation), NOT the substance of the gospel.

 

[Revmitchell]

My comment was that the statement Jesus preached more on Hell than Heaven depends on the context. It is not wrong at all - look at Scripture if you doubt this is true. How many times did Jesus preach Hell (the "second death" as Hades and death is cast into Hell)? How many times did He preach Heaven (the Kingdom of God)?

Evangelism is witnessing of the gospel. We preach the gospel of Jesus Christ which includes (as I stated) judgment (and Hell, as this is the "second death"). But if you are trying to say that we witness by "preaching Hell", then I have to say you are advocating another gospel. Hell is presupposed (and in need of explanation), NOT the substance of the gospel.

It is a vital part of the gospel. I have never preached another gospel never will. Jesus did preach more on hell than He did on heaven, sometimes that idea gets misused, but never the less it is true all the same.Often you focus so heavily on the minutia and then use that to redefine things. Relax, there is not some deep dark secret to unlock.

 

[JonC]

It is a vital part of the gospel. I have never preached another gospel never will. Jesus did preach more on hell than He did on heaven, sometimes that idea gets misused, but never the less it is true all the same.Often you focus so heavily on the minutia and then use that to redefine things. Relax, there is not some deep dark secret to unlock.

I think the difference is I am thinking of street preaching (and of "preaching on Hell" I've heard in that context). I wasn't accusing you of preaching another gospel (just want to be clear).

 

[evangelist6589]

Verse please. Thanks.

You minimize the cross when you only preach the good news and forget the bad. In effect you preach a "God has a wonderful plan for your life" message. No you need to be balanced and preach on sin, the effects of sin (Hell) and preach the good news next.

 

[evangelist6589]

It depends on what you mean. If you mean a literal Hell, then Jesus preached little on the topic. If you mean judgment, then he preached a lot. We are called to preach the gospel to the lost (not Heaven, not Hell, but Christ). The gospel, as a whole, includes judgment. But not Hell as the topic itself.

I have not memorized all the passages but the book "Hell on Trial" does a good job at bringing these passages to light. Jesus and the Apostles preached on Hell. While the actual word "hell" may not be there in many cases, they did preach on the topic.

 

[JonC]

You minimize the cross when you only preach the good news and forget the bad. In effect you preach a "God has a wonderful plan for your life" message. No you need to be balanced and preach on sin, the effects of sin (Hell) and preach the good news next.

You are confusing what I actually wrote as saying we don't need to explain sin or Hell. This is not what I said and it is not what I mean.

 

[JonC]

I have not memorized all the passages but the book "Hell on Trial" does a good job at bringing these passages to light. Jesus and the Apostles preached on Hell. While the actual word "hell" may not be there in many cases, they did preach on the topic.

Yes, they preached the cross - the need for redemption and that redemption has come.

 

[evangelist6589]

You are confusing what I actually wrote as saying we don't need to explain sin or Hell. This is not what I said and it is not what I mean.

Then explain what you mean since its a mystery to everyone.

 

[JonC]

Then explain what you mean since its a mystery to everyone.

You can feed a man a fish or teach him to fish. If you are right and no one on this forum understands the elementary difference I stated between one evangelist standing on the street preaching Hell and another proclaiming the gospel (to include the consequences of sin) then they need to learn critical reading skills, not be coddled in their ignorance.

 

[TCassidy]

Then explain what you mean since its a mystery to everyone.

Not to me. It seems patently obvious to me.

 

[Don]

Then explain what you mean since its a mystery to everyone.

Please don't presume to speak for the rest of us. The key to Jon's post was his final sentence: "But not Hell as the topic itself."

 

[evangelist6589]

Based on the replies here I will assume everyone here agrees that conditionalism is false doctrine.