The Only Way to Escape Hell

[Ben Masada]

THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE HELL

That's from one of Jesus' parables. The one about the Richman and Lazarus. There was a certain rich man, who, somehow, due to his opulence and pride, as well as his uncharitable life, he ended up with his being thrown in Hell as his afterlife punishment. Lazarus, on the other hand, due to his patience in spite of his ordeal, got to go to Heaven, which in Jesus' words, meant the bosom of Abraham.

And in Hell, the Richman lifted up his eyes, being in torments, look at Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and asked for mercy, if not for him, for his family. If Abraham could send Lazarus to his family to testify to them, so that they could escape the torments of Hell. Then, Jesus, through Abraham's mouth said: "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them."

The Richman insisted that if one went to them from the dead, they would repent. Then, Jesus, through Abraham, said, "If they don't listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31)

This prophectic parable has been fulfilled every day for about 2000 years. Christians believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead, but it seems to me, there is no way to persuade them to listen to Moses and the Prophets.

The expression "Moses and the Prophets" means the Law in one word. Christians prefer to listen to Paul and not to Moses. They either do not believe Jesus' words or that Hell does not exist. It was just a parable anyway, what the heck? At least, they should believe the Prophets for a change. The only way to set things right with God, so that our sins become as white as snow is to repent from our transgressions to the Law and return to obey it. (Isa. 1:18,19) Jesus couldn't have been more clear, that to listen to Moses is the only way to escape Hell.

Ben

[Toadie]

Best way to escape hell is not to believe in it

[Almighty Krogan]

Like a black woman in hinesight....

Edited August 10, 2012 by Almighty Krogan

[stevemagegod]

Best way to escape hell is not to believe in it

Or Dont go to it

[lozaleibou]

The only way to escape hell is to believe that Jesus took that punishment for you when he died on the cross. Ben, why would Jesus say 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.' John 14:6? No mention of Moses there. Jesus came to fulfil the law - to be the once-and-for-all atonement for all sins so that we can spend eternity with Him. The law as given to show just how inadequate we are - there is no one, except for Jesus, that is capable of meeting every letter on the law. This is why Jesus was the only acceptable atonement for man - because he was perfect in thought, word and deed. He was a willing sacrifice for all of humanity - you just have to believe in you heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus rose from the dead and IS God - Romans 10:9. That's how you escape hell.

BTW Toadie, that attitude is going to get you a front row seat in the lake of fire. You can sinceely believe that gravity doen't exist - you can't see it, smell it, taste it, hear it or touch it - but when you jump off a cliff, you'll know it exists - but by then it's too late. Don't make the same foolish mistake here. Eternity is going to be a long time. Seek the truth, the absolute truth - not the worlds version of the truth, and I pray that you will believe Jesus when He lifts the blinders off your eyes.

[Rlyeh]

Simple find the portal out, I've done it before.

[Time Traveler]

I was once a bible scholar. I studied my way out.

[Kryso]

I believe there is a guide book on the subject, by someone who went there and back: Dante's Inferno. A book - just like the Bible. Written by man - just like the Bible.

[Lilly]

Every religion purports to have the one true way to salvation...believe in the religion and escape punishment and/or hell. However, none of these religions ever offers up any proof for this notion. Kind of interesting when one thinks about it.

[buckskin scout]

THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE HELL

That's from one of Jesus' parables. The one about the Richman and Lazarus. There was a certain rich man, who, somehow, due to his opulence and pride, as well as his uncharitable life, he ended up with his being thrown in Hell as his afterlife punishment. Lazarus, on the other hand, due to his patience in spite of his ordeal, got to go to Heaven, which in Jesus' words, meant the bosom of Abraham.

And in Hell, the Richman lifted up his eyes, being in torments, look at Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and asked for mercy, if not for him, for his family. If Abraham could send Lazarus to his family to testify to them, so that they could escape the torments of Hell. Then, Jesus, through Abraham's mouth said: "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them."

The Richman insisted that if one went to them from the dead, they would repent. Then, Jesus, through Abraham, said, "If they don't listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31)

This prophectic parable has been fulfilled every day for about 2000 years. Christians believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead, but it seems to me, there is no way to persuade them to listen to Moses and the Prophets.

The expression "Moses and the Prophets" means the Law in one word. Christians prefer to listen to Paul and not to Moses. They either do not believe Jesus' words or that Hell does not exist. It was just a parable anyway, what the heck? At least, they should believe the Prophets for a change. The only way to set things right with God, so that our sins become as white as snow is to repent from our transgressions to the Law and return to obey it. (Isa. 1:18,19) Jesus couldn't have been more clear, that to listen to Moses is the only way to escape Hell.

Ben

"It is not I who will accuse you of this before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, on whom you set your hopes. But if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me because he wrote about me. And since you don't believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?" John. 5:45-47

[notoverrated]

interesting

[Beany]

Toadie, at least you'll be sitting down through all eternity! Has anyone considered the idea that hell is a metaphor? My idea of Spirit is a kind, loving, benign, compassionate, forgiving entity who knows humanity will always make mistakes and hopes we learn from them, not punish us for making them and condemn us to eternal misery with no way out. Those qualities truly are divine, the other stuff sounds more like human behavior.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

one of the books ruled apopyrhical by the Council of Nicea had either Peter or Paul getting a guided tour of Heaven, and seeing the uffering in Hell said "Oi! What about them then?" and being told by his guide (iirc the Prophet Daniel) that the suffering would end when a truely devout soul in Heaven asked God to forgive them. Oddly enough, the idea that Hell wasn't a permenent place of suffering wasn't well liked at Nicea so as quietly consigned to the dust bin.

[Beany]

It strikes me as odd that God would forgive only upon request.

Edited August 11, 2012 by Beany

[White Crane Feather]

I'll bring the marshmallows.

Hell is not a place it is a state of mind. Just ask those ruined by meth or heroin.

I never ubderstood why Jesus was such a sacrifice. It dosnt seem like anything was sacrificed if indeed he was god and was ressurected. Where is the sacrifice in that?

[libstaK]

one of the books ruled apopyrhical by the Council of Nicea had either Peter or Paul getting a guided tour of Heaven, and seeing the uffering in Hell said "Oi! What about them then?" and being told by his guide (iirc the Prophet Daniel) that the suffering would end when a truely devout soul in Heaven asked God to forgive them. Oddly enough, the idea that Hell wasn't a permenent place of suffering wasn't well liked at Nicea so as quietly consigned to the dust bin.

How interesting because I have always maintained this was already done. Jesus Christ's next to last words on the cross were "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".

I guess Nicea "missed a bit" in their endeavours to cull ... don't have much nice to say about the Canon according to Nicea btw, just saying.

[Beany]

I'll bring the marshmallows.

Hell is not a place it is a state of mind. Just ask those ruined by meth or heroin.

I never ubderstood why Jesus was such a sacrifice. It dosnt seem like anything was sacrificed if indeed he was god and was ressurected. Where is the sacrifice in that?

You're right, hell is not only a metaphor, it can also be a condition. And it's all here on our planet: pogroms, ethnic cleansing, gulags, extermination camps, all one needs to do is look on a globe or a map to find hell, created not by satan, but by our own brothers & sisters. If there is an epic battle between good & evil, God & Satan, it is being fought here, out in the open, with millions of witnesses and millions of victims, with each of us choosing sides by our own inaction or action. It's not a war of words or ideas, either, it's being fought with guns and swords, RPGs, missiles, chemicals, for power and wealth.

Edited August 12, 2012 by Beany

[lozaleibou]

I believe there is a guide book on the subject, by someone who went there and back: Dante's Inferno. A book - just like the Bible. Written by man - just like the Bible.

Kryso, you believe that Dante went to hell and came back? Yet you won't believe that Jesus, died and rose again to tell us the way to be free.....Yes, the bible was penned by man, but it is the Inspired, Infallible word of God....how else can you possibly explain 66 volumes, written in the time frame of 2,000 year by 40 different people and the central theme, the constant message does not change - our Creator gave us the greatest gift of free will - the freedom to chose His way or our own way. But that gift came at a price and God chose to pay the price for that gift - Jesus was the way He paid it, and in the Bible - the very words of God - from beginning to end, that story of redemption doesn't change. How do you explain that? I am praying that the blinders that the enemy has firmly on you will be lifted, and you will see the truth - the truth that has not changed since the beginning of time, the truth that will never change for all of eternity. We are created, eternal beings. Your final address - where you will be spending eternity is up to you - you have free will, given at a cost that we could never pay on our own. What are you going to do with that gift? What are you going to do with this knowledge of Jesus Christ? Who is Jesus Christ to you?

[Rlyeh]

how else can you possibly explain 66 volumes, written in the time frame of 2,000 year by 40 different people and the central theme, the constant message does not change

You must be reading a different book then.

I am praying that the blinders that the enemy has firmly on you will be lifted, and you will see the truth - the truth that has not changed since the beginning of time, the truth that will never change for all of eternity.

Thinking is much more effective.

It's also rather odd your "truth" begins with a fictional story.

Who is Jesus Christ to you?

A dead man. Edited August 12, 2012 by Rlyeh

[Beany]

Dante didn't literally travel to hell & back. The story is an allegory or parable. They are ways of bringing abstract ideas into the physical world with the aim of increasing understanding of these ideas. Unfortunately, many people have come to believe in the allegories are real and true stories, instead of a representation of an idea. i.e. depictions of imps & demons in religious art. Those figures are a representation of an idea, not a representation of something the artist actually saw or omething that actually lived, but a way of introducing the concept of sin on to the canvas. Here's the definition of allegory: a. The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.

b.

A story, picture, or play employing such representation. John Bunyan's

Pilgrim's Progress

and Herman Melville's

Moby Dick

are allegories.

2.

A symbolic representation:

The blindfolded figure with scales is an allegory of justice.

It

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

How interesting because I have always maintained this was already done. Jesus Christ's next to last words on the cross were "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".

I thought that was Jesus saying "don't be p***ed off at these idiots, they're actually following "the plan" even though they're doing it more gleefully then I'd have liked".

I guess Nicea "missed a bit" in their endeavours to cull ... don't have much nice to say about the Canon according to Nicea btw, just saying.

The whole point of Nicea was an exercise in control, cherry picking the bits of the NT and Epistles that promote their view of Christianity and suppressing the rest.

[ZaraKitty]

Seen this nice little quote before.

No loving God will torture someone for eternity because they were misguided and jaded in life. I cannot fathom this kind of mentality.

[SunGod]

To decrypt mystical teaching of sufis , cabballahs , budhist etc. And the word of god written on books and big stones in each country almost around the world.

[Jackofalltrades]

Best way to escape hell is not to believe in it

Does that also mean that if a criminal commits a crime and DOES NOT believe a prison exists they wont go to it ?

[Beany]

Does that also mean that if a criminal commits a crime and DOES NOT believe a prison exists they wont go to it ?

Poor analogy. Prisons exist is this time/space continuum, are composed of matter, we can see them, touch them, experience them with our sense, whereas heaven and hell are concepts, with no physical existence that has been found.