Peter J. Shepherd

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CHRISTIANS:

WE HAVE A PROBLEM

WITH OUR

"GOOD" NEWS.

Today you prepare to explore another portion of God's Word with him, but something terrible has happened. You cannot believe what you are hearing and seeing on the news. The Joola, a Senegalese ferry, has capsized killing almost 2,000 people. You remember Abdou's wife, Astou, and his 14 year old daughter, Fatou, are on that ship. You are in shock and cannot believe what you are seeing a ship's underside sticking up out of the sea with helicopters hovering overhead. You hurry next door. As you knock on the door, you hear deep groans and wailing. You slowly enter. Abdou is prostrate on the floor. He pleads before Yalla (Wolof for Allah), Why? Why? How could you let this happen? He goes into spasms of weeping, beating his hands against the floor.

Feeling utterly helpless, you pray, God help me comfort my friend.

Abdou lifts his eyes, hardly able to recognize you for the tears. My wife and daughter have died a terrible death! Tell me I will see them again. Tell me they are safe in God's arms! Has your Jesus taken them to His heaven? You are lost for words. The silence is deafening.

Answer me, Christian, will I see them again? Are they in a better place? Tell me!

You remain speechless. What can you say? Where is the Good News when you need it most?

Are you at peace regarding the eternal destiny of your children, parents, brothers, sisters, grandfather, grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends? Are you experiencing abundant joy in your personal salvation while unsure if some of your loved ones might suffer throughout all eternity? How is that possible? You see, we Christians have a problem, a very serious problem. The problem is in our belief that hell is eternal and that most of humanity will go there. Deep inside we know something is not right, but we suppress our questions and doubts because we think the Bible teaches it. What inner conflict rages within! It is futile to find satisfying answers to the problems it raises. For example:

How can an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God create billions of people knowing most will be tormented in hell forever? Why must our free will to damn ourselves be absolute, to the point it is greater than God's free will to save us His property? How can Adam's power to condemn us be greater than Christ's power to save us?

Please do not accept pat answers to these critical questions. Jesus commands us to judge for ourselves what is right (Luke 12:57). What is right about a punishment that never ends?

How has this teaching affected the spread of the Good News the Gospel? Think about it, an eternal hell:

Mars God's character before the world. Contradicts His unending and unfailing love for all people. Makes our worship stem from fear instead of true affection. Denies His unlimited power to accomplish His will. Makes man's will greater than God's will. Infinitely minimizes Christ's triumph over Satan. Denies Christ fully accomplished His mission on earth. Violates the divine witness revealed in the conscience of all people. Negates the most glorious promises in the Bible. Ignores the testimony of the early Church. Robs us of peace and joy. Affects what we become; like father like son. Hinders world evangelism. (Remember Abdou?)

Test all things (1Th. 5:21). Have you tested the teaching of an eternal hell?

For most my life the fear of hell stalked me, ever waiting for an opportune moment to raise its ugly head. Just the idea was like a sword slicing through me. It has been the greatest stumbling block to my faith. In fact, I almost gave up on Christianity because of it.

Hell is a horrifying thought. Millions have been terrorized by it. Some have even killed their children to spare them such a fate. If we would truly grasp the horror of it, we would go insane. Our every waking moment would have to be spent snatching whoever we can out of the fire or nothing but constant guilt would torment us. Can you imagine the horror of suffering forever? What is a billion years? It is but a second in eternity. Who could possibly imagine such horror? What if you or your loved should go there? Does this thought affect how you feel about God?

This theme has gripped my heart as it afflicts millions of people and dishonors God before the world. After years wrestling with this topic, studying the Bible, and reading the works of others, I have found that hell is a judgment given from the disciplinal hand of a loving Father. Though severe, it serves a good and remedial purpose.

One of our greatest presidents agreed. In Abraham Lincoln the Christian, William Johnson, stated:

Abraham Lincoln did not nor could not believe in the endless punishment of anyone of the human race. He understood punishment for sin to be a Bible doctrine; that the punishment was parental in its object, aim, and design, and intended for the good of the offender; hence it must cease when justice is satisfied. All that was lost by the transgression of Adam was made good by the atonement.

That is the message of this book. It is indeed good news for those tormented over the destiny of lost loved ones! Millions in our land can relate. Though the subject is hell, the book is really about God. What is He like? Have you heard the clich: God is good all the time? Well you will find solid support for it here. God is good even in His judgments. They are not infinite and horrendously cruel, but just, righteous, and remedial.

If you find I am manipulating the Scriptures in this book, then please leave it. But if not, be ready to fall in love with an amazing and wonderful God!

ENDORSEMENTS

Charles Slagle

As I read Gerry Bauchemin's "Hope Beyond Hell", I cried for joy. This disarmingly simple yet full-bodied presentation of the whole gospel of the total restoration of all mankind through Christ's cross was a direct answer to prayers I have prayed for many years! I have longed to see a book on this subject that is clear, easy to read, yet scholarly--and a book that deeply impacts the heart as well as the intellect. And I'm convinced that this book you are now holding in your hands is it!

Have you experienced the sad passing of a friend or a loved one and grieved in uncertainty over his or her eternal destiny? Have you ever had trouble sleeping because you were tortured with fear of dying and going to a never-ending hell yourself? How about the common religious notion that a loving (?) God has ordained from eternity past that many of His own creatures will suffer fiery agony forever in a place called hell? Does this concept make it difficult for you to love him? Or worship Him? Or admire and desire to become like Him? Multitudes of sincere people, including many Christians have experienced your struggles. You are not alone. But our Heavenly Father has WONDERFUL NEWS for you!

There IS hope beyond hell. We have a far better God with a far better heart and far grander purpose for His creation than many of the current Christian creeds advertise. As you read these pages I pray that our Heavenly Father will ravish your heart with His love as you have never dreamed He might. I sincerely believe God will anoint this book to bring His healing love to many hearts for many years to come. I also sense deeply that it will be a major tool of the Holy Spirit to remove the blinders from the spiritual eyes of many Christians and awaken them to their true High Priesthood calling as co-world-liberators with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The church has not been "called out" to go to heaven to the everlasting exclusion of the rest of the human race. It has been called out to SPREAD heaven and empty hell--to co-labor with Christ until God becomes everything -- in everyone, everywhere in all creation. This is why the Bible says that the church is "the fullness of Him who fills all in all." This called out company has not been given the mission to be the fullness of a god who could be all in merely a few people known as "the Church."

I urge you to read these pages more than once. Read this entire work at least three times, and have your Bible on hand to look up the Scriptural references given and ponder them. I promise you will be glad you did!

I believe there is the STRONG possibility that you will be purchasing many other copies of this volume to pass around! "Hope Beyond Hell" assures us of a Love that is greater than our worst vices and goes deeper than our most entrenched hatreds, fears and addictions. This book boldly beams forth the Healing Light of a Love that never gives up on us and never fails no matter how miserably we may fail. THIS is the Love that empties hell. THIS is the good news of original Christianity. THIS is the good news of our Wonderful Savior God that the world is longing to hear. And THIS is what the Bible proclaims as, "glad tidings of GREAT joy which shall be to ALL people." (Luke 2:13)

All people... Wow! This includes the very scruffiest ones, and this brings great hope to--

Yours truly,

Charles Slagle
http://sigler.org/slagle/

Unedited. Author of “From the Heart of God.” Prophetic psalmist, evangelist, and worship leader.

Robert Rutherford

Friends and family listen to two preachers at the old man's funeral. One of them describes the man as a saint who never did any wrong. The other speaks of an eternal torture chamber and suggests that, most likely, that is the current residence of the deceased. Which is right? after all... both preachers are professionals.... they both went to seminary. The family of the deceased needs peace and comfort... How will these "professional" opinions help them? How will each of them wade through this quagmire of emotions and doctrinal contradictions? How will they get past the monster of religion that threatens to steal their peace... and hope? Is there a book you could place in their hands that could, step by step... present the truth to them that could set them free?... give them peace?... offer them hope?... There is, now! "Hope Beyond Hell" is the single best book in print that explains the facts of God's limitless grace and boundless love. If you're interested in learning the truth.... here it is! Gerard Beauchemin has, painstakingly, put together a book that truly offers hope beyond hell to every man. Buy this book in bulk and carry a case to all funerals!! This is the book I've been waiting for!

Unedited from Robert W. Rutherford, Pastor, Teacher Singer/songwriter, author and recent cast member on TLC's "The Messenger" www.robertrutherford.org

Thomas Talbott

“With great spiritual discernment and a heart attuned to the transforming love of God, Gerry Beauchemin has written a book that will, if you permit it, inspire love, peace, joy, and hope--all the fruit of the Spirit in your own heart. A strength of the book, in my opinion, is that Beauchemin writes as a thoughtful layperson rather than as a professional theologian. He consistently addresses, therefore, the concerns of ordinary people in search of consolation and hope, and he records for all of us scholarly opinions that too many Christians, steeped in their own tradition, have never heard. He also illustrates why the standard theological credentials, typically earned in a context requiring that one conform to tradition, are no substitute for spiritual imagination and for a willingness to accept truly good news.”