Re: So many people... quote

I can't really comment on what you are saying about the immortal soul, issue, I could say what I believe but it would be irrelevant because I don't know what the scriptures say about that.

I can agree that eventually everyone is going to have to make a choice to either accept or reject Christ into their lives. My point is that the scriptures do not support the view that people who die in a state in which they are not saved will automatically go to hell (although it could be the case, and probably is the case for many). As I said to refreshed, there are some scriptures that could be interpreted to say that people will have a chance to hear the gospel after they have died, but I could hardly say I know this as a fact. The scripture that you quoted, Thessalonians 1:8-9, it does support your view, but as I mentioned in the other reply, it states that it refers to those that don't obey the gospel of Christ. I would think that they would have had a chance to hear the gospel before they would be condemned for not obeying it, but you can interpret it how you would like. I can't force my views on you. This scripture is also talking about the second coming and we don't know what people will go through before the second coming, maybe by that time everyone will have had a chance to hear the gospel will have had to make the choice to either accept or deny it. I know I'm just speculating there.

For me personally, it is far from clear from the scriptures that people who die in this mortal life without having accepted (or possibly even heard) the gospel of Jesus will automatically go to hell. It seems to me that the belief that all non-Christians go to hell is more about mob-belief and dogma more than anything that is supported by the scriptures. It's just kind of such an accepted matter-of-fact belief that it seems no one cares much that scriptural support for this belief is sketchy at best.

What is very clear from the scriptures is that no man can enter the kingdom of Heaven except those that are born of Christ. What is very clear from the scriptures is that hell does exist and everyone is in danger of going there, except those who remain in Christ. Shouldn't we focus and teach these vital aspects of the gospel that is very clear, as opposed to adding in additional concepts that we may very well be incorrect about? If we are teaching incorrect doctrine by stating all people who die in an unsaved state go to hell, couldn't we be needlessly driving away people who might have otherwise accepted the gospel?