I’ve been in hell a lot recently.

Not the figurative one, the literal one. And to be technically correct, I haven’t been physically there; I’ve been immersed in the concept of it.

I’ve been reading many authors, including those in the Bible, and am beginning to realize that I don’t know much about hell. I guess you could say I don’t know a hell of a lot about it. I find that strange because I thought I knew everything about it.

I must thank the detractors of Rob Bell and his book on Hell (Love Wins) for generating this interest.

Like so many of the tenets of belief in the Nazarene, what you may initially perceive may not necessarily be the reality. We are far too quick to shoot first and sort it all out later. This is true not just on this topic but on so many of those things we call doctrines and theology.

This has created many walking wounded. It has sent many running in the opposite direction, disgusted, abused and angry. It has guaranteed that countless others will refuse to hear the offer.

Some will not hear what I’m saying and will put words in my mouth that I’ve not spoken nor implied. That is sad.

Hell is very real. Do we even comprehend what that means? Is it necessary to make it the reason for accepting heaven? I fear that such a stance is a doctrinal faux pas.