Everlasting Hell!

The current temperature in Little Rock is 103, which got my strange mind thinking about Hell!

I have often wondered about how a loving God could condemn even the greatest sinner to an eternal damnation. Years ago, I started being much more of a Universalist in my approach to heaven and hell. In the last few years however, I began to question if God would actually let EVERYONE into heaven, as some people seem so incredibly evil. Also, why would there be the references to hell of Gehenna in the scriptures.

Now as a Methodist I haven't heard very many sermons on hell since I last visited a Baptist church. You might be a Methodist if you haven't heard many sermons on Hell and you like it that way. However, Hell is a regular theme in some churches, and I don't think that we should ignore the concept.

I think that as Christians, we should look to Judaism when we try to understand certain biblical teachings, not just for the Hebrew scriptures, but also when studying the New testament. I have been "googling" Hell, Gehenna, and Judaism, and have come across some interesting information.

FROM http://www.elevated.fsnet.co.uk/index-page13.html

"The Jewish idea of Gehenna (Gehinnom) is not hell, but rather a purgatory where the soul is purged from all defilement that has accumulated on it during its life on earth.

FROM http://http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/06-Jewish-Thought/section-9.html

"However, for Jews, gehenna--while certainly a terribly unpleasant place--is not hell. The majority of rabbinic thought maintains that people are not tortured in hell forever; the longest that one can be there is said to be 12 months. It is a spiritual forge where the soul is purified for its eventual ascent to Gan Eden [Heaven], and where all imperfections are purged.

These concepts of hell seem to be much more fitting to my concept of a loving God.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
Many of us may actually need some purifying time before entering the kingdom, but the concept of Hell being temporary is definitely preferable to its being permanent.

I wonder why hell is always preached as being eternal. The bible was written by Jews, thus would not the Biblical concept of hell be temporary and not permanent. I know that there are many scriptural references to "eternal fire", but I have been through some very unpleasant circumstance which at the time sure seemed to be eternal. I know that 12 months of fire would seem eternal to me. Just being out in this current heat wave is miserable enough!

Peace, Conrad