Something important I think the board needs to hear to help keep this war in perspective:
T total depravity: we are inherently sinful
U unconditional atonement: we need to pay nothing for forgiveness (indeed we cannot)
L limited atonement: not all are saved
I irresistible grace: once called, your eyes will be open, you won’t be able to shut them anymore
P perseverance of the saints: we will face difficulties in this world, since our enemies consist of our own selves, other sinners and the devil himself.
I say this because fixing our government (even permanently) does not solve the God sized hole in our hearts, and there’s no good within ourselves apart from God. This is important to remember as we continue the battle, to know none of us earned salvation or righteousness so we ought to show grace for those not yet awake.
And that, my friends, is true strength.
Hell is the absence of God. That is the biggest defining feature of it.
You didn’t provide a clear explanation as it had a qualifier that lent itself to more than one explanation. Understanding the Bible requires that we look at the whole of the scriptures with an understanding of context as well. Jesus clearly said that the path to heaven is narrow and difficult, whereas the path to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth is wide and open. Meaning that most people will go to hell and less will go to heaven.
Matthew 7:13-14
[13] “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Luke 13:24
[24] “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Matthew 19:24-26
[24] Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [25] When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” [26] But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 24:9-14
[9] “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. [10] And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. [11] And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. [12] And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. [13] But the one who endures to the end will be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Acts 2:21
[21] And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 9:27-29
[27] And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, [28] for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” [29] And as Isaiah predicted,
If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.
So I could go on. But I think this is MORE than enough evidence to show that heaven is not for all mankind, but hell is sadly for most people. We should then be more motivated to preach the gospel to unbelievers knowing what their end is.
“Hell is the absence of God.”
Psalm 139:8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
Rev 14:10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb
God is “All in all”; there is no absence of God anywhere. How can you even preach the gospel to people if you don’t believe Jesus actually atoned for them? Do you add a maybe Jesus died for you, but maybe not?
Sheol is not hell. Because Samuel a prophet of God is in Sheol when Saul calls him forth from the dead. So not misinterpreting the Bible is key. Sheol is the place of the dead. After death and prior to Jesus’ second coming.
We don’t know for whom Jesus Christ died for, I have no assurance that you are saved, but I also don’t know you’re condemned. I’m left with preaching and teaching in hopes that you are saved. Each person knows their own heart though. So this has to do with people cannot read minds, whereas God can. I’m not constrained in presenting the gospel to only those I deem to be saved. The gospel is for anyone and should be freely offered to all. To withhold the gospel is to violate it. You then teach them to trust that Jesus died for them, you wouldn’t teach them insecurity in hopes that they learn security, but you teach them security in God in hopes that they hold fast to it. You equip them with knowledge and faith, not one or the other.
Now I may have taken the same liberty I argued against earlier but I’m not too big to admit when I’m wrong. As iron sharpens iron…
Ephesians 2:12
[12] remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
This may appear at the forefront to be saying God is not present in hell, but appears to be saying more along the lines of saying that there’s no common grace of God to those in hell. So on earth, the feeble lives we live are far more blessed than we deserve because of God’s common grace (it rains on both the righteous and the unrighteous). Whereas those in heaven enjoy not only common grace, but what I would call specific grace, as God specifically had called them out of darkness and into his marvelous light.
Edit: I don’t mean that first paragraph as an attack, I hope you don’t take it that way. It’s very easy to misquote or mistake the meaning of scriptures and when we are wrong we admit it and ask God for forgiveness. I’m not saying you are of the ones who change the scriptures spoken of in Revelations by any means. I’m 100% sure I know not all of the truths of the Bible and there are places I could be corrected. And you sir found one of them, thank you for that.