Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We Made Up

by Francis Chan; Preston Sprinkle

Publisher:

David C. Cook

, 2011

Overview

How could a loving God send people to hell? Will people have a chance after they die to believe in Jesus and go to heaven? In this groundbreaking new book, Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle take on the topic of hell and our eternal destiny, with a sense of humility and a deep respect for the inspired Word of God. They will address questions such as “Will everyone be saved?” and “Does God get what he wants in the end?” as well as reviewing in depth, everything Jesus said about hell.

However, the authors warn that we have to guard ourselves against “a heartlessness” when we talk about this theology and this doctrine, because ultimately this is about people. Chan and Sprinkle lay all the evidence on the table and present all the facts from Scripture, so that people can decide what to believe for themselves.

The Logos Bible Software edition of this volume is designed to encourage and stimulate your study and understanding of key biblical topics. Scripture passages link directly to your English translations and to the original language texts, and important theological concepts link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. In addition, you can perform powerful searches by topic and find what other authors, scholars, and theologians have to say about hell.

Key Features

• Focuses on the concept of hell, and what happens after death
• Discusses what the Bible and Jesus actually said about hell
• Features a sound, biblical, humbling, and encouraging approach to difficult topics

Contents

• Does Everyone Go to Heaven?
• Has Hell Changed? Or Have We?
• What Jesus Actually Said about Hell
• What Jesus’ Followers Said about Hell
• What Does This Have to Do with Me?
• “What If God . . .?”
• Don’t Be Overwhelmed

Praise for the Print Edition

Erasing Hell is an extraordinarily important book. Francis Chan speaks with trembling and compassion. He recognizes this debate is about God, his nature, and his authority. At stake is whether or not we will trust him. Francis lays his heart on the table; I was not only informed, but moved. It’s rare that a book mixes straight-from-the-heart talk with diligent citation of Scripture. Erasing Hell is highly readable yet goes deep and into detail exactly when it needs to. Preston Sprinkle’s research and Francis Chan’s presentation are a dynamic combination. This remarkable book embraces not what, in pride, we want to believe, but what, in humility, we must believe. My heartfelt thanks to Francis Chan for taking us to God’s Word in a Christlike spirit of grace and truth. And for calling on us not to apologize for God, but to apologize to God for presuming to be wiser and more loving than our Savior.

—Randy Alcorn, director, Eternal Perspective Ministries

It’s time for the H word. A lot of people go through hell on earth, but what if there is also a hell after earth? Hell’s stock has fallen off lately from lack of public confidence, but how can thousands, perhaps millions, reject hell as a myth and yet still believe in heaven and cherish fond hopes of going there? Surely if we hate suffering, God must hate it worse and could never have founded an institution as horrible as described in Dante’s Inferno. But the same Jesus who gave heaven a five-star rating also described an otherworldly chamber of horrors. Who goes there and why? And for how long? In Erasing Hell, my good friend Francis Chan takes a close look at some tough, frightening questions . . . and his answers may honestly surprise you!

—Joni Eareckson Tada, author, radio host, founder, Joni and Friends

Everyone needs to read Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle. Chan and Sprinkle accurately and clearly reflect the biblical teaching on heaven, hell, and eternal destiny. They provide a timely reminder that we don’t define God, but he reveals himself to us in the pages of Scripture.

—Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College

Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle raise the questions we all have about this very critical topic and respond with biblical integrity and a commitment to truth, as well as incredible compassion for people. Erasing Hell is an extremely important and much-needed book.

—Dan Kimball, author and founding pastor, Vintage Faith Church, Santa Cruz, CA

Francis holds the fine line between committed biblical faithfulness and a deep compassion for people and refuses to create a false dichotomy between the two. He feels the weight and horror of the reality of hell and yet avoids the error of lapsing into mere humanism, all the while providing a well-reasoned defense for the view of Scripture on the subject. I am so thankful for this book, as will you be.

—Britt Merrick, pastor for preaching and vision, Reality, Santa Barbara, CA

Recent works by evangelicals on the postmortem future(s) of humanity have raised important questions and brought some sobering and uncomfortable issues to the fore. Chan and Sprinkle provide a remarkable service to the church by engaging these issues with courage, clarity, and grace. This book is a model of careful biblical scholarship, providing fresh light from the Jewish context of the New Testament. They also write as pastors seeking to provide wisdom for ministry, enabling the people of God to embody the love of God for the world.

—Timothy Gombis, associate professor of New Testament, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We Made Up
• Authors: Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle
• Publisher: David C. Cook
• Publication Date: 2011
• Pages: 197

About Francis Chan

Francis Chan is a best-selling author and the host of the BASIC series. He has also written the children’s books Halfway Herbert, The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village, and Ronnie Wilson’s Gift. Francis is the founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, and is the founder of Eternity Bible College. He also sits on the board of directors of Children’s Hunger Fund and World Impact.

About Preston Sprinkle

Preston Sprinkle is an associate professor of biblical studies at Eternity Bible College.

Contents

Top Highlights

“Christian Universalists (hopeful and dogmatic) believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and Christ alone. There’s nothing untraditional about this. The difference is that they believe people will have another chance (or many chances) after death to believe in Jesus and be saved.” (Page 25)

“Fire, darkness, lamenting. These are the typical images used by first-century Jews to describe hell, and, as we’ll see, they are the same images used by Jesus and other New Testament writers.” (Page 54)

“Expect then, that Scripture will say things that don’t agree with your natural way of thinking.” (Page 17)

“No passage in the Bible says that there will be a second chance after death to turn to Jesus” (Page 35)

“For instance, there are non-Christian Universalists. Sometimes called Pluralists, these people believe that Jesus is one of many ways to salvation. Pluralists believe that all religions present equally valid ways of salvation—Christianity is simply one among many.” (Page 24)

Product Details

• Title: Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We Made Up
• Authors: Francis Chan, Preston Sprinkle
• Publisher: David C. Cook
• Print Publication Date: 2011
• Logos Release Date: 2013
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Hell › Christianity; Hell › Biblical teaching; Future life; Christian life
• Resource ID: LLS:RSNGHLLWHTGDSDT
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2023-06-13T19:17:01Z