TRADITION (Listen or Read)
You invalidate the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
(Mt. 15:6 NAS; Mt. 15:3,9)
If religious leaders of Christ’s time could invalidate the word of God for the sake of tradition, is it not possible today? Is the Church somehow immune? Only in 1995 did the Southern Baptist Convention finally submit an official apology regarding their stand on slavery.2 Yes, slavery used to be accepted in Christendom. Many debates took place for and against slavery with each side quoting the Bible. However, when one considers that the letter kills and the Spirit gives life, and our beliefs must harmonize with the spirit and tenor of the Bible as a whole, the argument against slavery takes on new force. The same applies with the case against an “eternal” hell.
Traditions endure for generations, are highly revered, and are extremely difficult to change. There are no harder forms of error to confront and correct. When Paul and Steven declared to their fellow Israelites that God’s mercy extended to the Gentiles, they were stoned! Do we hold to any traditions for which Christ might rebuke us for? If we refuse to acknowledge any inconsistencies in our beliefs, how will we ever know?
This book examines the Augustinian tradition of everlasting punishment, so-called because it stems principally from the theology of Augustine, who is said to be the father of the western Church.3 This tradition assumes that the vast majority of the human race will never be saved. This is based on passages such as, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (See #9 Appendix V). However is this what Christ meant by these words? This book presents abundant Scriptural evidence why this could not be what Christ and the Apostles taught.
Most Christians have not fully thought through the serious implications of this tradition. In essence, it teaches that an all-powerful and all loving God has created a world knowing full well the majority of His creation would spend eternity in suffering. How can this be?
Although this is what tradition assumes, most Christians, in their heart of hearts, do not embrace it. In Hell Under Fire, Daniel Block, professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, wrote, “The traditional doctrine of hell now bears the marks of odium theologium—Its defenders are seemingly few.”4 Though its defenders may be few, the doctrine itself continues to terrorize millions.
The tradition that an all-knowing, all-loving, and all-powerful God would create a world where the majority of His human creatures are destined to spend eternity in suffering is incomprehensible. What greater horror has the world ever known?
Implications
These people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.
(Is. 29:13)
What is this passage saying? It is warning us about a fear toward God taught by the commandment of men. Could Augustine’s teaching on hell be just such a commandment? Certainly, it removes our hearts far from God! Can we honestly say our affection toward God has not been influenced by this horrid doctrine? Has the thought that God might punish you or your loved ones forever in hell ever hindered your love toward Him?
This tradition seriously affects our understanding of God, including our whole outlook on life and how we relate to people. Do we not reflect, at least to a degree, the character of the God we worship? If we think seriously about the implications of this teaching, it will lead to certain undeniable conclusions as mentioned on page 15.
Confronting Our Tradition
A tradition begins when someone’s interpretation (in this case Augustine’s) is accepted by others and passed down through the generations. How many Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians hold to beliefs solely because they have been passed down to them? Should we not critically evaluate for ourselves our traditions? “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (Th. 5:21). “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right” (Lu. 12:57)? Christ strongly warns us about our traditions (Mt. 15:3, 6, 9). Perhaps you have struggled with hell as I have. Maybe you have longed that somehow, in this case, tradition is wrong. If so, read on. But before starting, let us consider one important point.
References: See Bibliography page
