Not a Cult, Sect, or even a Denominational teaching
My journey toward a non-traditional view of hell and immortality began, in some ways, many years ago. The idea that God would keep the unsaved in existence for all eternity, for no other purpose than their torment and suffering just never sat well with me. But being a "good Christian", I knew that it didn't matter whether or not it made sense to me, or if I liked it. God's ways are higher than our ways. So I just believed what I was told by those who should know, and if I witnessed about Christ to someone, and if the subject of final judgment came up, I would regretfully repeat what I had been told - that if you reject God's offer of salvation, you will suffer in Hell for all eternity. And if I was questioned on how a loving and merciful God could do such a thing, I answered with the common answers. I either told people that He is sovereign and can do as He likes, or I told them that His mercy was shown in the sacrifice of Christ, but that His mercy does not extend beyond that. But overall, I can honestly say that the doctrine of eternal suffering stifled my willingness to share Christ very much at all. I've never been ashamed of the gospel, but I was ashamed to tell people that the same Person who would pray to the Father for those who were spitting on Him and pulling His beard out of His face would also cause, or at least allow, the eternal torment of the same people He was praying for (and billions of others). I was ashamed to tell people that the One who put the stars in place, yet humbled Himself and washed our dirty feet and then humbled Himself to the point of death, also created a place where those who never found God's grace will burn eternally. This is a horrendous teaching, and thankfully, it cannot be supported Biblically, as I will give more than ample evidence for in Biblical Judgment.
Late in 2005, during one of my many periods of mentally wrestling with doctrinal questions, I stumbled onto a website that presented a view of hell that I had never heard. They were teaching that verses such as "The wages of sin is death" and "that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" actually mean what they say. This was fascinating and refreshing to me. God putting an end to those who reject His mercy (rather than tormenting them forever) not only seems right and just, it is actually what the Bible says in multiple places. It is one of the clearest themes in Scripture. And while I wholeheartedly stand behind those verses and countless others that teach the same thing, later research showed that some of the non-traditional ideas I read on that website, like many traditionalist ideas, could not be substantiated in Scripture, but it had started the ball rolling for me, and I'm thankful for that. But I want to assure the reader that I am not promoting the Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, Church of God, or Universalist views of final judgment. I am promoting what I have personally found as I have, in much pleading for God's wisdom, delved into the study of little else other than final judgment for over two years. I do not belong to a cult, sect, or even a denomination. I currently attend a non-denominational church, but constitutionally, they actually hold a traditional view of Hell and immortality, very contrary to mine. The pastor has read some of my research and said to me, "I have no problem with your conclusions", yet he continues to hold and teach the traditional view for his own personal reasons. I hope that he will take another look at my research when it is complete, and reconsider. I gave the same abbreviated research to two of the elders at the church I attend and neither of them has come to me to give me any correction or confirmation of my research. One never responded. It is as if I never gave it to him. Either he has not read it (even though it has been months) or it legitimately challenged his traditional viewpoint and he does not know how to react, or he found me to be in total error and doesn't know how to break the bad news to me gently. The fact is however, no one to whom I've shown my research has challenged it with Scripture, although some have certainly disagreed with it, including the other elder to whom I showed the research. Another pastor I presented it to, one who also previously held a traditional view, believes that I have found Biblical truth on the matter, and has been a great encouragement to me, telling me I've opened a door to something that he had never seen before, something he believes will help many people. I do not say any of this to personally boast. I prayed my way through this entire process, and have accomplished nothing without the help of the Lord. But even with the Lord's leading, it has been the challenge of my life, digging this truth out against what I can only interpret as satanic opposition (I'm not referring to those who disagree with my viewpoint, by the way, but to the mental wrestling and the numerous seemingly unrelated problems that constantly interrupted my research). I wanted to give up many times. Upsetting the applecart is not pleasant. And the enemy does not want the truth to come out, especially when it reveals a more merciful and loving God than what has been portrayed for centuries.
The view of Hell and immortality that I advance in Biblical Judgment happens to fall in the middle ground, where I believe the truth probably is on many issues. I'm in the uncomfortable position of being at odds with both traditionalists and with many non-traditionalists. I'm at odds with traditionalists in that I completely disagree that the Bible teaches the eternal existence and suffering of the lost. I'm at odds with most non-traditionalists (also called conditionalists) because I do not believe in soul sleep (at least not for the entire time from death until final judgment), but rather believe there is a strong Biblical case to be made that Hades is a real place of suffering for the lost(temporary though it is). So because I'm not promoting an idea that has any traditional or denominational support or even support from sects or cults, and because I have no theological degrees, the reader may be wondering just exactly what my credentials are, and why they should read a book written by someone in this position. The answer is: I have no formal credentials, and if I claimed any, it would only weaken my plea that you consider my research. I am relying completely on God's Word for truth. It alone is sufficient, although I have found it necessary to look beyond the English to the original Greek and Hebrew languages at times to get to the orignal meaning of a number of passages.
I hope you enjoy the book, and I pray that it will be a blessing as it points you to the Biblical truth on a number of matters that have been taught and understood in error for far too long.
Thank You,
Scott McAliley
