“You Asked” is a blog series that answers questions people have submitted to Karen via e-mail or asked in person that relates to the faith life or Scripture.
Question: “I wonder if you could provide some of your thoughts on how one should interpret eternal punishment in the Bible? . . . Like many others, I cannot imagine how a loving God would like to see those who have failed to repent to end up burning in the lake of fire eternally. . . The reason I have been thinking about this question especially recently is partly due to the fact that my grandfather is going to die very soon due to lung cancer.”
Thoughts to Ponder: This is a difficult question, and one I have pondered myself. While it would take more space than I have here to thoroughly answer this question (and I don’t claim to have all the answers!), I do want to offer some food for thought. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. The Old Testament does not have a concept of hell. Instead all people are thought to go to Sheol, a gray, neutral place of sleep. In fact, the Old Testament says little about the Afterlife. Moving into the Greco-Roman period, we see a change in Jewish writing exhibiting a strong duality of heaven and hell. This movement seems to be based in part on concerns about justice for those suffering.
In ancient Near Eastern belief, including Israelite, God rewards good people with good things in this life and punishes bad people with a miserable life (e.g. Deut 28). But we see a couple Old Testament writers question this perspective, including in Ecclesiastes and Job. For example, Qohelet (the writer of Ecclesiastes), wrestles with the fact that rewards and punishments are clearly not fairly meted out in the present life (e.g. 8:14). Bad things do happen to good people, while evil people prosper. The circa 1st century BCE Jewish text Wisdom of Solomon (included in the Catholic Bible), provides an explanation for the conundrum: fair reward and punishment will surely be given in the Afterlife instead.
So originally, the concept of hell did not develop out of a belief that God is easily angered and ready to smite humanity. Rather, it stemmed from the existential crisis of Jews living under foreign rule who wanted assurance that somehow, someday the wrongs inflicted by cruel people would be made right. If justice for the suffering was not evident in the here and now, surely God would bring justice in the Afterlife.
2. The second thing to keep in mind when reading hell texts in the Bible is literary genre, including the ancient Jewish form called Apocalyptic Literature. Just as we would not read poetry the same way as we read a newspaper article, so also we have to attend to literary features in the Bible to read it correctly. Notably, the book of Revelation, which contains key hell texts, is an example of the apocalyptic genre. As a genre it contains highly symbolic language. So we have to ask ourselves whether a particular text might be conveying an important figurative meaning.
3. Thirdly, some prominent Christian theologians dating back to the early church have believed through Christ universal salvation is possible. Origen (c. 185-254 CE) was one of the most prolific and respected Christian thinkers of his time and believed in universal salvation. For an excellent article on Origen, see “Saint Origen,” by David Bentley Hart. For more recent commentary from an evangelical, see this brief video (How Do You Reconcile Universalism with Hell Texts) by Dr. Robin Parry. And also check out this intriguing post on what the Bible says and doesn’t say about hell.
Evangelist Billy Graham was once asked about the salvation of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and secular people. He replied: “Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the whole world, and I think he loves everybody regardless of what label they have” (Newsweek interview, 2006).
Regardless of where one falls on this question, we know that God loves us while we are sinners (Rom 5:8), and we are not saved because we do right things, but because of mercy (Titus 3:3-7). This marvelous grace woos us such that we follow Christ out of love and not fear. Perfect love casts out fear.
PS: What about Heaven? Have you ever wondered what that is like? Read this great article by New Testament scholar N.T. Wright on what the Bible teaches.