Synopses & Reviews
Hell is under fire as never before. Although the historic doctrine of hell has been contested ever since the Enlightenment, the past fifty years have witnessed a new and unsettling development--attacks upon the doctrine of hell that used to come from outside the church are now coming from within. This is true especially with regard to two aberrations: universalism and annihilationism. Universalism is the view that in the end all persons will be saved and none will be lost. Annihilationism--or as it is commonly called today, conditionalism--is the view that the wicked will ultimately be exterminated and cease to exist. The contributors to this volume unite in affirming the historic Christian doctrine regarding the final destiny of the unsaved: They will suffer everlasting conscious punishment away from the joyous presence of God. The contributors defend the traditional teaching because they believe that it is the teaching of Scripture. In the first chapter, Albert Mohler laments the departure of many, including evangelicals, from the orthodox doctrine of hell. The following four chapters are penned by experts in biblical studies on the witness to hell of various sections of Scripture: Daniel Block (the Old Testament), Robert Yarbrough (the Gospels), Douglas Moo (Paul), and Gregory Beale (Revelation). Constructive theological chapters are written by the co-editors of the book. Christopher Morgan surveys each New Testament author's teaching on hell and explores the implications of three key pictures: hell as punishment, destruction, and banishment. Robert Peterson examines three neglected systematic themes pertaining to hell: the Trinity, divine sovereignty and human freedom, as well asthe "already" and the "not yet" aspects. The next two chapters address the above mentioned aberrations from the traditional doctrine of hell. J. I. Packer opposes universalism and Chris Morgan opposes annihilationism, or conditionalism, and both in the process present a strong biblical case for eternal punishment. The final chapter by Sinclair Ferguson offers a powerful essay on the ways hell impacts the ministry of preaching. This book is dedicated to God's glory and goes forth with the prayer that it may be used of him to build up in the faith many who are confused by the discordant voices of the church's teachers today.
Synopsis
Of all the teachings of Christianity, the doctrine of hell is easily the most troubling, so much so that in recent years the church has been quietly tucking it away. Rarely mentioned anymore in the pulpit, it has faded through disuse among evangelicals and been attacked by liberal theologians. Hell is no longer only the target of those outside the church. Today, a disturbing number of professing Christians question it as well. Perhaps more than at any other time in history, hell is under fire. The implications of the historic view of hell make the popular alternatives, annihilationism and universalism, seem extremely appealing. But the bottom line is still God's Word. What does the Old Testament reveal about hell? What does Paul the apostle have to say, or the book of Revelation? Most important, what does Jesus, the ultimate expression of God's love, teach us about God's wrath?Upholding the authority of Scripture, the different authors in Hell Under Fire explore a complex topic from various angles. R. Albert Mohler Jr. provides a historical, theological, and cultural overview of 'The Disappearance of Hell.' Christopher Morgan draws on the New Testament to offer three pictures of hell as punishment, destruction, and banishment. J. I. Packer compares universalism with the traditional understanding of hell, Morgan does the same with annihilationism, and Sinclair Ferguson considers how the reality of hell ought to influence preaching. These examples offer some idea of this volume's scope and thoroughness.Hell may be under fire, but its own flames cannot be quenched by popular opinion. This book helps us gain a biblical perspective on what hell is and why we cannot afford to ignore it. And it offers us a better understanding of the One who longs for all people to escape judgment and obtain eternal life through Jesus Christ.