Thoughts on the Bible and Life
I have recently completed the second edition of my book Surprised by Hell. In the five years since its original publication, I have continued reading and reflecting on this challenging topic. One book that has been incorporated into this new version is That All Shall Be Saved: Heaven, Hell and Universal Salvation by David Bentley … Read more
“People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Heb. 9:27). That statement has often been used to support the idea that there are no second chances after death. Death closes the door on the possibility of repentance. But Hebrews 9:27 is a general statement. It doesn’t state that judgment begins immediately after death. … Read more
Here are the three major views of hell held by Christians throughout the past 2,000 years. Universal salvation – All will eventually be saved by Christ. In order for all to be saved, some must go through a painful purification process after death. This view was held by two early church fathers—Clement of Alexandria (AD … Read more
Is “hell” in the Bible? In this post, I will seek to answer that question by doing a keyword search for the word hell. I know word searches have their limitations because concepts can be conveyed with more than one word. But word searches still have value, especially as a starting point for further research. … Read more
Do all roads lead to the same place? In the end, will everyone be saved? I’ve written one blog post on the view known as annihilationism or conditionalism, which asserts that after being justly punished, some will cease to exist. In this post I will explain the view called universalism, and in particular Christian universalism. … Read more