so what is really up witht his guy what do u guys think he is really up to
;D ;D ;D What I find ironic and funny is it was Ray who introduced me to Bill Wiese and his teachings.
I religiously avoid all churches and screwball writers like Bill Wiese and his ilk. For me to read a book by Wiese is as likely as me reading a book about gardening or vegetarians.
Also what I find funny, and one proof that there is no free will, is that I ever would click on a website called Bible-Truths.com. Totally out of character for someone like me. 8)
Don't take this the wrong way, Wigglytug, but you sound to me like you're no older than nine or ten years old, tops, and if so, you're too young for this forum.
Schools out and Summer's here. Surely, you have one or two friends you can play with? :)
In the grand scheme of things, Bill Weisse wrote his book so Ray Smith could write his rebuttal. That's what I think, anyway.
The 'wise' in Christendom could (and some did) criticize the book without touching the underlying message. That's not what Ray did. In the course of exposing those who contradict, he preached sound doctrine. What the others did was mostly criticize the book for making their beloved 'Hell' seem so foolish.
Bill's book was a best-seller, despite it's flaws. It sold a boat-load. MANY are called, few are chosen. It was as perfect a spring-board and back-drop for the Gospel as the letters to Hagee and Kennedy, though both of those men are a bit 'smarter' than Bill. Could be Bill will have an easier time of it repenting.
Okay, Cheryl, I will try to answer your question which was: QUESTION IF HELL ISN'T REAL THEN WHY DID GOD SEND HIS SON TO SAVE US FROM DEATH AND OUR SINS?
First, your question is incoherent. That is, it doesn't make sense, and it contradicts itself. What if we turn your question around and ask: "If hell IS real, then why did God send His Son to save us from death and our sins?" You see, whether there is or is not a hell has absolutely NOTHING to do with why Jesus died for our sins. Jesus Christ "died for our sins," we are told in Scripture.
We are NOWHERE told that Jesus died for our sins to SAVE US FROM HELL. Where is there such a Scripture? There is none. When will we stop parroting pagan Christian doctrines and start believing the Bible? The world of Christendom would have us believe that "The wages of sin is LIFE in an eternal HELL OF FIRE."
Where do the Scriptures teach such nonsense? Now then, will you believe the Scriptures? If I show you what the Scriptures really say about the wages of sin, will you believe it?
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin IS DEATH ; but the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord. There it is. What is the "WAGES" of sin? There is no "gift" for sin, there is only "WAGES" for sin. So what IS the "wages" of sin, is it "eternal LIFE?" or "DEATH?" Well we just read it, the "wages of sin is DEATH"--not eternal LIFE in hell. Where does one get "eternal LIFE?" Why it is "THE GIFT OF God...through Jesus Christ our Lord."
There it is, but will you believe it? Yes, Christ died for our sins, but not to save us from eternal "LIFE" (in some Egyptian pagan terrorist hellhole of eternal pain and suffering in fire). "Eternal LIFE" is a gift, not a punishment for sin.
So there is one great and Biblical answer to your question. There are many many more, but I don't have to time to go through them, and if one will not believe one absolute Biblical proof that there is no eternal hell of torture, then that person will not believe a dozen Biblical proofs. Study my paper. There are dozens and dozens of Scriptural answers as to why there is no such thing as a eternal torture chamber for most of the human race of God's children. May God grant to you the wisdom to see these simple and profound truths of the Bible.
God be with you,
Ray