Heaven and Hell

Yesterday I watched as Rob Bell was interviewed by Lisa Miller. The interview was Rob’s opportunity to share with over 6,000 web viewers and an audience in New York his thoughts and ideas of Heaven and hell. Unfortunately Rob did not answer the questions directly, but the questions were great. I do believe that God is love and that Jesus came to give us that message of love. Jesus' message of love demonstrates Heaven on earth, then and now. It is this message that I feel that we as humans, and primarily as Christians or followers of Jesus, must demonstrate to others.

The interview can be watched here, go to @10 minutes into the video to watch the interview.

Hell in particular is a tough and unsettling concept/reality to wrap my mind around. there is a mystery to it. It is hard for me to consider a place of eternal torment.

I love CS Lewis' imagery of Heaven and Hell in The Great Divorce. We chose heaven or we chose hell. I like to think that we will decide where we go. In the day when there is a separation of sheep and goats, the sheep will naturally go to heaven and the goats will chose hell and a total separation from God and others, total self induced isolation.

Bottom line, I must read Rob's book “Love Wins”. What becomes of this conversation/debate, I pray, is a deeper desire to understand God and His message of love, grace and mercy that He offers through His Son.

There is so much disagreement between so many great thinkers, John Piper, Bell, NT Wright, Robert Gonzalez and others, I am not sure if we can really answer these ideas this side of Heaven, wherever that is.