Join C. Michael Patton, Tim Kimberley and Sam Storms as they start a new Theology Unplugged series: Reasons not to be a Christian. Should someone become a Christian solely for the purpose of avoiding Hell?
[display_podcast]
Join C. Michael Patton, Tim Kimberley and Sam Storms as they start a new Theology Unplugged series: Reasons not to be a Christian. Should someone become a Christian solely for the purpose of avoiding Hell?
[display_podcast]
4 replies to "Theology Unplugged: Reasons Not to Be a Christian – Series Wrap Up"
Should someone become a Christian solely for the purpose of avoiding Hell?
This question is, of course, Pascal Wager-esque.
Let’s consider that this counts as being a “true” christian, for this person who became christian of the sole purpose of avoiding hell. Presuming
If people are going to say that if your sole reason for becoming a christian is to avoid Hell, then you are not a ‘true” christian, and you’re going to hell anyways, then the question becomes moot. So, I believe, for purposes of discussion, that being a christian for the sole purpose of avoiding hell, “works”. [Otherwise, the intro clause of your sentence (become a christian) makes no sense.]
If this person is a christian for the sole purpose of avoiding hell, then an artifact of her actions is that she in the long run will end up glorifying god in the hereafter, and therefore fulfill one of god’s ultimate desires (again presuming that this person is a christian, as the question presupposes)…
Overall there were some good insights here, but I was a bit confused by the fact that you guys kept equivocating between reasons for believing in God in the sense of trusting God (or as the title says, reasons for being a Christian) and reasons for believing in God in the sense of believing that he exists.
Yes, we should believe things ultimately because they are true. That being said, fleeing God’s wrath (“avoiding hell”) is a perfectly legitimate and biblical reason for becoming a Christian. Yes, we grow from there, but for many, possibly most, that’s the starting point. I can think of nobody who originally decided to become a Christian primarily so he could glorify God.
There is certainly a great deal of discussion around the topic of heaven and hell today. I think the dialogue has been good and forces us to really examine our beliefs. I personally think it is ok to want to avoid hell, but that can’t be our only motivation. Too often, I suspect, we forget that God is also inviting us a Christ-followers to help Him redeem this world, not just avoid hell. When avoiding hell becomes our main reason for “becoming a Christian,” that is when we begin to have some problems with our theology.
Hello,
Great series, it is always good to think how I would answer that question.
There is one thing I need to object to, mainly the claim that you are the longest running podcast. I think James White may have you on this one over at AOMIN. He has had podcast for as long as I can remember and he is playing. Not sure when he went just to the internet, but it has been more than ten years I would guess.
This is tounge in cheek of course!
D. Kyle Chrisnter
SDG