YOUR SERMON ON HELL

In your sermon THE SEVEN WONDERS OF HELL, you made the following statements:

Since you claim to believe that "The Greek language is the most exact language on the face of the earth," it is astonishing to me to think that you made all of these inexact statements on national television.

Mr. Hagee, every single statement above, quoted from your sermon on Hell, is untrue and unscriptural, with one exception. The only true and scriptural statement made out of these thirty quotes is the one, ironically, attributed to "Demon # 3."

You shout out these statements with such authority, as though you really know what you are talking about. These phrases are totally foreign to the Word of God. Where, pray tell, does one find these phrases in the Word of God: "Hell is Heaven's junkyard", "soul winning," "eternity in hell," "Jesus was a fanatic," "The city of the dead," "The Rich man died and went to hell." "Lazarus died and he went to Heaven," "Hell is a place of consciousness," The bottomless pit of eternity." This is unscriptural nonsense, Mr. Hagee. None of these phrases are used in the Scriptures. Let's examine a few of your unscriptural statements:

You started you sermon by saying: "This is God's message, not mine." Oh, really? God said none of this.

If the soul dies, then it is dead, and a dead soul doesn't spend anything with anybody. Dead souls are in hades [the UNSEEN or imperceptible]. Besides, these same dead souls can be redeemed from sheol or hades (Psa. 49:15). And when one is "redeemed," one will spend eternity with God.

The fact, Mr. Hagee, is that the word "hell" is used in the Authorized Version of the Gospels fourteen (14) times, while the word "heaven" is used in the Gospels one hundred and fifty (150) some times. Maybe you meant to say it the other way around. You owe your listeners a correction.

Tell me, do you men ever listen to each other on T.B.N.? Dr. Kennedy says the Scriptures speak of eternity in Heaven some 300 times and eternity in Hell only 60 times.

Both of your figures are in gross error, and they grossly contradict each other.

What are the facts? "Hell" is not a proper translation for one single word in the whole of Scripture. Spending an eternity in pain and suffering is mentioned nowhere in the Scriptures. The fire in the Valley of Hinnom, South of Jerusalem, is the city garbage dump during Christ's millennial reign only; it is not a place of eternal torture. The Lake of Fire is clearly stated to be: "The second death," not a place of eternal torture (which would be "life").

Dr. Kennedy was not correct in stating that "eternity in Heaven" is mentioned some 300 times in Scripture. "Heaven" by itself is mentioned hundreds of times. However, verses suggesting anyone "going to Heaven" or "spending eternity in Heaven" or "being rewarded in Heaven" are very few indeed.

That King David said he would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of God has no reference to actually "going to Heaven". Christ said: "In My Father's House are many abodes ... I am going to make ready a place for you" (Jn. 14:2). Now where does it say that the apostles "go to Heaven" to receive this "place?" Notice Verse 3: "And if I should be going and making ready a place for you, I AM COMING AGAIN ... that where I am, you also may be." When Christ returns a second time to this earth, does He then immediately depart again to Heaven with His saints? Show me a Scripture. He reigns for a thousand years, ON THE EARTH. That's where He will be, and that's were His apostles will also be.

Read Rev. 19:16: " ... He has a name written: 'King of kings and Lord of lords.'" Rev. 20:4: "And I perceived thrones ... and judgment was granted to them. And the souls of those executed because of the testimony of Jesus ... THEY ALSO live and reign with Christ a thousand years." Does this "reigning" take place in Heaven? No. Rev. 5:9-10: "For thou wast slain and dost buy us for God by Thy blood. Out of every tribe and language and people and nation. Thou dost also make them a kingdom and a priesthood for our God, And they shall be reigning ON THE EARTH." Where will the place of authority be for Christ's faithful apostles? "Yet Jesus said to them [His apostles], 'Verily, I am saying to you ... whenever the Son of Mankind should be seated on the throne of His glory, YOU ALSO shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Mat. 19:28).

There are any number of things that are held in store in Heaven for God's saints (treasures, name in book of life, etc.), but all of these things are brought back by Christ to this earth.

It is the bride of Christ (those called under Christ and His apostles' ministry-Israel and a few gentile proselytes), who lives and reigns with Him on the earth. " ... for the wedding of the Lambkin [Christ] came, and Its bride makes herself ready ... Happy are those [Israel] invited to the wedding dinner of the Lambkin" ( Rev. 19:8-9). Notice Rev. 5:9: " ... which are the prayers of the saints." What was one of the most important things that the saints of Israel were to pray for? Mat. 6:10: "Thy kingdom COME [to the earth]. Thy will be done, AS in heaven, ON EARTH ALSO."

It is the body of Christ (those called through Paul's gospel and ministry-the Gentile nations and a few remnant Jews), that has a celestial or heavenly calling: Eph. 1:3: " ... our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us [the body of Christ] with every spiritual blessing among the CELESTIALS ... " Ver. 23: " ... the ecclesia [church] which is His BODY ... " And Eph. 2:6: " ... and rouses us [the body of Christ] together and seats us together among the CELESTIALS, in Christ Jesus ... "

From Genesis to Acts, there is no mention of Christ reigning in the Heavens. That was a secret that Paul only reveals in his writings, when he tells us that God is, " ... making known to us [the body of Christ, not the bride of Christ] the SECRET of His will ... to have an administration of the complement [Gk. pleroma, that which fills up] of the eras, to head up ALL in Christ-both that in the HEAVENS and that on the earth ... " (Eph. 1:9-10). It is the Gentiles, not the Jews who are being called for this complement. The body of Christ is this complement: " ... to the ecclesia which is His body, the COMPLEMENT of the One [Christ] completing the all in all" (Eph. 1:23).

The twelve apostles never taught this secret. Notice Eph. 3:3, " ... by revelation the SECRET is made known to ME [Paul] ... " Its knowledge was committed to Paul only, Ver 9: "To ME [Paul], less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the NATIONS, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the SECRET, which has been concealed from the eons in God ... " And what does this secret entail? Ver. 10: " ... God, Who creates all, that now may be made known to the sovereignties, and authorities among the CELESTIALS, through THE ECCLESIA, the multifarious wisdom of God."

Wow. I'll bet you never heard that in Sunday School. Just as the knowledge of God is going to cover the earth (Hab. 2:14), the knowledge of God is going to permeate the entirety of the universe. And it is those who are called through Paul's evangel (Christ knows those who are His), that will reign and judge and make known the multifarious wisdom of God, to the sovereignties and authorities among the celestials in the heavens. This great calling has zero similarities with the fabled ideas that we will have wings, floating on clouds, playing harps, singing rock'n'roll and rap gospel music till we all go nuts. (If one could sit on clouds, one wouldn't need wings. Besides, I don't think it rains in Heaven. Most people don't like harp music, and I, personally, hate rap.)

I know of only seven Scriptures that actually do promise a reward and/or abiding place in Heaven or more frequently [Gk: epouranion = ON-SEE-UP-ed] celestial or among the celestials. They are: II Cor. 5:1-3, Phil. 3:20, Col. 1:5, Eph. 1:3, Eph. 2:6, Eph. 3:10, and II Tim. 4:18. Possibly there is another one or two times such a phrase is used, but not 20 or 30 and certainly not 293 more times as Dr. Kennedy has suggested.

You said: "Hell is heaven's junkyard!" Where does Scripture say such a thing? I think a little discretion is needed when referring to God and His habitation.

"Hell" is not in the Greek Scriptural Vocabulary. "Hades," on the other hand, is not an eternal abiding place, nor is it ever referred to as a "home." Nowhere do the Scriptures speak of souls remaining in hades permanently.

This statement is true and Scriptural. Too bad it had to come from the mouth of a demon.

True, many of God's judgments, chastisements, and punishments are severe by our standards, but, truly, as "demon # 3" reportedly stated: "God would never send anyone to a place this horrible." And how do we know that for sure? Because God's punishments are temporary and serve a purpose. When this purpose is completed, punishments will be discarded:

These verses are not difficult to understand. The problem is that men don't want to believe them. It is faith that you lack, Pastor Hagee, faith to believe these marvelous scriptures regarding the salvation of all. And God does more than "just" save His children. He will have a relationship so close to us that He says He will be "All in All."

God Almighty says that He will save all! Yet you teach that God will torture most for all eternity. The first statement is derived from many verses of Scriptures. The second statement (yours) is derived from the vile hearts men.

I can't understand how you could say such a thing. The pulpits of the Churches of America say no such thing. I'm certainly not defending these churches, but to attribute that statement to them is in gross error. Most churches in American teach and preach a strict adherence to the Old Testament Laws (though this is contrary to the teachings of the Apostle Paul).

On the other hand, you teach a plethora of sins, that are not sins according to the Scriptures. You teach that it is a sin not to tithe. Tithing was for the nation of Israel. Only certain commodities were tithed. Only Levites could receive tithes. It was used for administering their office in the Temple. There is no temple today. There is no Levitical priesthood today. I don't think that I am a Jew. And Paul NEVER taught the Gentiles to tithe. Don't deceive yourself, Paul never said, "God loves a cheerful tithe-payer."

If one sins by not tithing, then it is also a sin for you, Mr. Hagee, if you don't adhere to all of the following laws contained in the same scroll of the law as tithing is found.

Do you do and observe all these laws, Mr. Hagee? Since you teach that it is SIN to not pay tithes (which was just one of many precepts contained in "the law"), how is it not a sin if you fail to keep all of these other points of the same law? "Accursed is everyone who is not remaining in ALL things written in the scroll of the law to do them" (Gal. 3:10).

If you don't keep all of the laws contained in the scroll of the law, Mr. Hagee, I would be interested in knowing just where and when God Almighty gave you authority to pick and choose which laws you will keep and which laws you will break.

Speaking of the Old Testament law, the Apostle Paul (apostle to the Nations), never taught the Gentiles to "tithe." Don't deceive yourselves, Paul never said, "God loves a cheerful tithe-payer ... " Did he? We are to give from a cheerful heart, not to fulfill a law. We are no longer under the law, but grace.

Mr. Hagee, read Paul's epistles and notice that those under Grace are held to a much higher standard of conduct and morality than those who put themselves under law. Paul instructs Titus to set standards of morality for elders in the church that are far higher than what was expected of law-keeping Israelites. How many law-keeping clergymen do you think would qualify according to Titus 1:9: " ... able to entreat with sound teaching as well as to expose those who contradict." Much of today's Christian teachings are so unsound and unscriptural that they do nothing but contradict.

Of course, your teaching on grace and how we receive grace makes the very meaning of the word void. It reminds me of the man who wrote a book entitled: HUMILITY And How I Achieved It. You could write a book entitled: GRACE And How We Must Qualify For It. Grace is only given to those who deserve just the opposite. That's why it is called grace rather than wages, rewards, or compensation.

I am 59 years old, Mr. Hagee, and I have never heard a minister say that the grace of God gives one a blank check to sin. I have never heard it on radio, I have never heard it on television, I have never heard it in person, I have never read it on a printed page. Never once. I think you exaggerate, Mr. Hagee.

But you are not talking about "punishment for sin." You are talking about "eternal torture." If they would forget the idea of eternal punishment for sin, that would be a good thing.

Let's talk about "punishment." Do you have any idea what it is and how God uses it?

PUNISHED/PUNISHMENT
All occurrences in Authorized New Testament:

Comment: The word "punished" does not appear in the original Greek in this verse. The correct translation is:

Comment: The word "punished" in this verse should be "chastening." The correct translation is:

Comment: The word "punishment" in this verse should be "chastening." The correct translation is:

Comment: The word "punishment" does not appear in the Greek text in this verse. The correct translation is:

Comment: "Punishment" is the proper translation in this verse.

Comment: The word "punishment" is not found in the Greek text of this verse. The correct translation is:

Comment: "Punished" is the correct word in this verse.

Comment: "Punished" or "often punishing them" is correct.

"Punished," "punishing," or "punishment" is found only three times in the Greek text. And two of those occurrences have to do with Paul punishing the saints. Therefore, there is only ONE time that the word "Punishment" is used with reference to evil doers in the entire Greek Scriptures. I hope this doesn't disappoint you.

"Punishment" is translated from the Greek word timoria = VALUE-LIFT. "Punishment" has to do with satisfying the one doing the inflicting. Whereas, "chastening" has in view the amendment of the one being disciplined. Both can be severe or mild. They can be for a short time or for an extended period of time. The words themselves do not set parameters.

In Heb. 10 we have three words in view regarding deeds of evildoers: Punishment, Vengeance, and Judging. Where God uses "chasten," we must not translate it "punish." These are two different words in Greek, and must be rendered such in translating them.

When we look at Paul's persecution of the Church (Acts 22:5, 26:11), Paul was not "chastening" the Church, but "punishing" them. It was not a "disciplinary" action on his part, but rather causing pain, suffering, and loss to the Church for crimes Paul imagined they had committed.

"Punishment" inflicts pain, loss, and suffering, which are humbling to the human spirit.

"Vengeance" has to do with evening the score, while "punishment" is retribution for harm done. Only God can do this in righteousness. This is not too far removed from the administration of an "eye for an eye." However, Christ said we are not to follow that law any longer. We are not to exact from someone in like manner as they have exacted from us. This is now God's prerogative. God says "Vengeance is mine." And for those who are not now called in Grace, this certainly demonstrates to the sinner the abundance of those sins for which he is being punished. And in these verses we are certainly talking about the grossest of sins - "Trampling on the Son of God," "deeming the blood of the covenant contaminating," and "outraging the spirit of grace."

"Judging" has to do with setting things right.

We can learn the meaning of this word "Judge" by looking at Gen. 18:25. The Authorized Version has: " ... Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" This verse is not really translated properly, however, its meaning is "right on." That is, both "judge" and "right" in this verse are from the same Hebrew word shaphat. The proper translation is: "The Judge of the entire earth, will He not execute Judgment?" But the Authorized Version does bring out the true meaning nicely. To "judge" is to "do right." But oh, how the simple meanings of words have been corrupted by theologians!

We have been told that "Judgment Day" will be the most feared event to ever overtake Earth. In reality, "Judgment Day" will inaugurate one of the most marvelous works of God since creation.

In this connection, notice an amazing verse. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." (Mat. 23:23). Oh how Christ berated the Pharisees for their many evils. They kept what they thought was the law so strictly that it became an overwhelming burden.

Notice the company judgment keeps: "mercy and faith." Judgment is not bad, it is good. The Pharisees lacked mercy, faith, and judgment. They didn't do right. They didn't set things right. And they didn't just neglect it at times, they left it and "omitted" it altogether!

After the wicked are "punished" and "avenged," then God sets them right. In fact, He sets all things right. Read it again: "The Judge of the entire earth, will He not do right?" Christ's sacrifice paid the penalty for our sins. We are more than pardoned or forgiven, we are "justified." However, that does not "set right" all the evil that has been done. This God does at judgment.

Seeing that Satan is the "god" of this world [eon], most of Satan's works involve mankind. And all of these acts are going to be annulled. Annulled! Do you have any comprehension of what that means? These are the grand topics of Scripture you should be preaching and teaching. It sure beats the unscriptural topic of eternal torment.

Why don't you preach a sermon next week on "annulling the acts of the Adversary" or "The repudiation of sin?" How can you possibly explain these two verses using the doctrines you teach? You teach that sin and evil are permanent fixtures in God's creation, and that they will go on eternally in your fabled Hell. According to you God can never abolish sin and evil.

Do you know what "repudiation" means? It means to UN-PLACE. The name "God" means "placer." The Great Almighty PLACER is going to UN-PLACE sin. Repudiation means DIS- ANNULING. Disannuling means "To annul COMPLETELY; to render ABSOLUTELY VOID" Webster's Twentith-Century Dictionary p. 480. Yet you tell us that men, women, demons and devils will continue to "sin" in the fire of Hell for all eternity. You tell us that Christ will not "repudiate" their sins, that is, He will not annul them and render them void.

As I study God's Word I keep asking myself: "How can anyone not see these simple truths? The answer is: "The blind cannot see."

What about "chastisement?" Simply by understanding the meaning of this word all notions of "eternal" chastening are nullified. "Chasten" is used with a view to amendment, in contrast to punishment, which is penal. Webster's first definition is: "to punish in order to make better." Since chastisement has to do with a view to the future (of making one better or corrected), how, pray, could it ever be eternal? Since "chastisement" is used in connection with the eons, the translators should have deduced that since "chastening" is temporary, therefore "eons" cannot be eternal! No Scripture shows chastisement to last beyond the eons. And usually it is used with destruction and death that last for the eons. There is no pain, suffering, or torture while one is dead. (Psa. 146:3-4 & Ecc. 9:10)

Let's just look at one Scripture used by orthodox Christianity to try to prove eternal punishment. Mat. 25:31-46 is used to represent Judgment Day, when God separates all peoples into either sheep or goats. The sheep supposedly receive eternal life, while the goats are put into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Who is being judged here? The dead? No. The Jews? No. Individual people? No. Read the context. Verse 32, " ... before Him shall be gathered all nations ... " And " ... He shall separate them one from another ... " Separate who? The NATIONS. Christ then judges the nations according to how they treated the Jewish nation. It has nothing to do with individual sins of individual people. These are "nations" that are being judged. If these are individuals being judged for their treatment of Jewish people, then anyone who doesn't visit Jewish people in jail will suffer this consequence. Ridiculous. This judgment is on the nations and how they treated the Jewish people during their greatest trial and tribulation in history. That is, just prior to the Second Coming of Christ.

Notice that the Jews are not judged at all. Only the nations.

Verse 46 should be translated: "And these shall be coming away into chastening eonian, yet the just into life eonian." "Everlasting punishment" is not a proper translation. This chastening of the nations is to be "eonian," not "everlasting."

"Jesus said fear not those who can kill the body, but fear those who can kill both the body and put the soul in hell."

Mr. Hagee, Jesus never said any such thing. Not even the King James Version defends you here. This verse says:

Jesus said: " ... fear him," not " ... fear those." And where does it say to " ... fear those who can kill both the body and put the soul in hell?" " ... put the soul in hell?" That false expression is unscriptural. You made it up. God's Word has something to say about "false expressions:"

"Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, in the hypocrisy of FALSE EXPRESSIONS ... " (I Tim. 4:2) Concordant Literal N.T.

You have used dozens of "false expressions" in just one sermon. God says that it would be a sign of our time (subsequent eras) that men would use "false expressions." Anyone who does such things is grouped with those who: (1) Withdraw from the faith, (2) Give heed to deceiving spirits, (3) the teachings of demons, and (4) are hypocrites!

That sounds like a pretty serious indictment to me, Mr. Hagee.

Look carefully at what Jesus really said in Matt. 10:28:

Jesus said not to fear those who can "kill," but rather fear Him [Jesus Christ] who is able to destroy the soul as well as the body in Gehenna. The first part of the verse is man's operation, but the second part of the verse is God's. Men have no jurisdiction over the soul. All they can do is kill the body. But God can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

This verse isn't even talking about what happens to the body and soul at death (there are dozens other Scriptures that tell us that), but rather, who has the jurisdiction over it. A man can throw another man into Gehenna fire and he will burn up in exactly the same manner as if God threw him there. Man can "kill," but has no jurisdiction over the dead once he has killed. God, on the other hand, can kill in like manner as a murderer, but only He has the power to bring back to life. The body in which a man dies is not the body that is resurrected. In this case of Gehenna fire, there would not even be a body left. But what of the soul? God can easily restore it in resurrection.

Man consists of a body which, when God imparts His spirit to it, becomes a living soul. The soul is the result of the combination of body and spirit. There is "soul" only as long as God's spirit unites with the body. At death, God takes back His spirit and the "soul" goes to the unseen (or imperceptible). Hades in Greek or Sheol in Hebrew are not geographical locations, but rather a condition.

Those who teach annihilation rather than eternal punishment use this verse to show that when God destroys, the soul is irretrievable. This, however, is not true. "Destroy" comes from the Greek word Apollumi = FROM-WHOLE-LOOSE, that is, to "lose." The disciples were afraid that they would perish [apollumi] by drowning (Mk. 4:38). The sheep was lost [apollumi] by straying (Lk 15:4). We may destroy [apollumi] a weak saint by our knowledge (I Cor. 8:11). And Christ destroys [apollumi] both body and soul in Gehenna. Never does the Greek word apollumi mean annihilation! Besides destruction is the prelude to SALVATION! All we like sheep have gone astray. To be "lost" is the same Greek word used for "destroy." So it is axiomatic that if an apollumi [LOST] sheep can be SAVED, then certainly an apollumi [DESTROYED] soul can be saved also. Believe God's Word, not man's doctrines.

Why does anyone believe that since Jesus will have a few evil men thrown into the fires of Gehenna at the start of His millennial reign, that He will not save them later?

Have we forgotten Sodom? "And thou, Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to the unseen [hades]; for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day." And, therefore, it shall be " ... more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee" (Matt. 11:23-24). All it takes is a few miracles from God and He can save anyone-everyone It is so sad that most Christian Clergy don't believe this. I'll give you all the Scriptural proof you need at the end of this letter to show that God Almighty is going to save all His creatures-under the earth, on the earth, and throughout the entirety of the universe-mortals and messengers, sinners and saints, demons and angels-all (Phil. 2:10)!

What? You have got to be kidding. I don't even know of a religious group that openly acknowledges Satan as their god. I have heard of an occasional small group from time to time that makes the news for one day. They are usually small groups of five to ten, and consist mostly of teenagers. And usually, these groups fall apart just about as fast as they get started. But to say that Satanism (those who openly and admittedly worship Satan) is the fastest growing religion in America is absurd. The fastest growing religion in America is undoubtedly T.B.N.!

Now if you had said, "The fastest growing religion in America is those who worship Satan under the guise of God and the Bible," maybe I could agree with you. Satan is called: " ... the god of this world [Gk. eon]." Jesus said that Satan would deceive many: "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" (Mat. 24:11). These false prophets are not rising from unorganized scattered teenage cults claiming to worship Satan. If those small groups really deceived anyone, then their numbers would be growing. But show me where they are the fastest growing religion in America. They're not. Let's look very carefully at three Scriptures:

Comment: Satan worshippers are not "false apostles of Christ," and certainly are not "dispensers of righteousness."

Comment: To locate these "fraudulent workers" we must first look for a large [many] group of people who "prophesy in Christ's name. Cast out demons in Christ's name, And do "many wonderful works" in Christ's name.

Nearly every year, I hear of some troubled individual who actually claims to be Jesus Christ. Their ministry usually lasts a few hours or a few days. They deceive no one. Christ said the ones who will really deceive many are the ones who will be saying: "I [Jesus] am the Christ." The real deceivers are those teaching that Christ is the Christ, not that Satan is the Christ.

We must find (1) many who pretend to be apostles of Christ, who (2) Prophesy in Christ's name, and (3) cast out demons in Christ's name, and (4) do many wonderful works in Christ's name, and (5) teach that Jesus is the Christ.

The real key to understanding who these end-time deceivers are is to realize that they will do all that they do, in the name of the Lord (in the name of Jesus, the Christ). I can just hear all those Catholics out there saying: "Right on, brother Smith, all those Protestants are all screwed up ever since they rebelled against the Catholic Faith." And I can hear just as loudly from the Protestants saying: "Right on, brother Smith, tt's those Catholics out there with all their statue worship, isn't it?" The truth is there isn't a nickel's work of difference between Catholicism and Protestantism. Both theologies teach that Christ's sacrifice for all will utterly fail, sending the majority of humankind into the tortures of Hell for eternity.

So when you locate this large group who do and teach what Christ said in these verses, these are the ones then to whom Christ said He would declare: "I never knew you! Depart from Me, workers of lawlessness!" (Mat. 7:23).

Back to your sermon:

Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Hagee. This sermon of yours on Hell can hardly be called a "gospel sermon." You didn't preach a whiff of the gospel. The gospel is "good news." Your sermon was the worst of "bad news."

Why assume that the fruit of the true gospel (which a few people do preach) will culminate in "standing before the judgment bar of God - guilty as charged?"

"What is the result of the gospel without the place called hell?"

What is the result of a gospel with this teaching of yours on Hell? You are driving millions from God and God's Word-that is the result. There is no gospel (or good news) in this teaching.

One doesn't have to believe in a fabled Hell of eternal torture to realize that there is plenty to be saved from! How about saved from sin and evil? What about being saved from ourselves? What about being saved from weakness, stupidity, ignorance, foolishness and vanity? What about being saved from corruption, immorality, mortality and death? (What about being saved from any more of Pastor Hagee's sermons on Hell?) You don't think these are things to be saved from?

Jesus never even said the word "hell" so how could He believe in it? Mark 9:46-- " ... to be cast into Gehenna, into the unextinguished fire, where their worm is not deceasing and the fire is not going out." This is not "hell." This is "Gehenna." So why call it "hell?" The exact Greek word is Ge'enna (in Hebrew it is: RAVINE-of-HINNOM). It is a ravine just below Jerusalem where the city waste was incinerated.

What justification is there in translating this ravine into the English word "hell?" You're not " ... distinguishing the things that differ" (Phil. 1:10). You are not " ... having a pattern of sound words" (II Tim. 1:13-14). You are "adding to" the Word of God (Rev. 22:18-19). You are following the "traditions of men" (Col. 2:8).

The "ravine of hinnom" (Gehenna) was the city garbage dump in Jerusalem where the garbage was burned. And just like all garbage dumps, there were worms. The reason they didn't die out was because there was a constant supply of refuge being fed them. This is not a parable. Gehenna is a real place. This place existed at the time Jesus spoke these very words. It was burning with fire, with a daily supply of garbage, and a daily supply of worms to eat it. But if you go there today, it is not burning and there are no worms. This Gehenna is not eternal. It will be reinstituted during Christ's millennial reign, then be eliminated after His reign.

How is it that learned men can so pervert and corrupt God's Word? There is not one word in either the Greek or Hebrew languages that means "a place where evil dead people suffer in fire for all eternity." What "exact" Greek or Hebrew word has such a meaning? I can say that the Greek word pro'baton [sheep] should be translated into the English word "snakes," but that doesn't make it so. That's nonsense.

I'll quote John 3:16: "For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian." I'll quote it from the King James: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I'm sorry, Mr. Hagee, but I don't see where John 3:16 says that: "You perish in the place called Hell?"

You quoted II Thes. 1:8-9. Let me quote it from a proper translation: " ... in flaming fire, dealing out vengeance to those who are not acquainted with God and those who are not obeying the evangel of our Lord Jesus Christ-who shall incur the justice of eonian extermination from the face of the Lord ... " (Concordant Literal New Testament).

Notice please. These people are not "tortured" in fire. They are "exterminated." The Greek word here is ol'ethros = WHOLE-RUIN. It means to "kill or destroy completely." Notice that the firstborn of Egypt, which included little children and even babies, were "exterminated." (Heb. 11:28). It's the same Greek word. So let me assure you, Mr. Hagee, that those little Egyptian babies are not being tortured in any fires of your fabled hell!

And how long is this "extermination" to last? For all eternity? Get a concordance and read it. The Greek word translated in the Authorized Version "everlasting" is aionion. And I proved conclusively in the beginning of this letter that aionion means "age lasting" or "eonian," not eternally or everlasting. So how does this verse show that Paul believed in Hell?

You quoted Rev. 14:10 and Rev. 20:15. Those who worship the wild beast and its image are to be "tormented in fire and sulphur." It is those "worshipping" the wild beast and its image who are having "no rest day and night." It doesn't say they that "worshipped" the beast are in Hell Fire suffering. And who are these people? "Babylon the great" and "all nations" who drink of the wine of her prostitution (Ver. 8). You lump this verse in with Rev. 20:15, but these don't "lump." Rev. 20:15 is a totally different subject. Babylon the Great and her followers are not thrown into the "lake of fire."

"The fumes of their torment are ascending for the eons of the eons" is a figure of speech similar to Jude 7, "a specimen ... the justice of fire eonian." Notice Gen. 19:28, "And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace." There fiery destruction has been remembered to this very day. In the same way, the "fumes of their torment" will ascend and be remembered for the last two eons [the eons of the eons].

These worshippers of the beast will be "tormented" and have "no rest" until they DIE! Notice Rev. 16:2, "And an evil and malignant ulcer came on those of mankind who have the emblem of

the wild beast, and worship its image." Verse 9, "And mankind is scorched with great heat, and they blaspheme the name of God ... " And what is their final state after being tormented with these plagues? Rev. 18:8--"Therefore in one day shall her calamities be arriving: death and mourning and famine. And she shall be burned up with fire ... " They are burned up and die. It's that simple.

Who is thrown into the lake of fire? And who is tormented "day and night for the eons of the eons?"

The Adversary, the wild beast, and the false prophet are tormented day and night in the lake of fire. These three and no one else! These are "spiritual" powers, not humans. The humans who are resurrected are judged and thrown into the lake of fire, where they do die. "This is the second death! Death. Not, "life in fire." Humans can't live in fire. God Himself inspired Revelation to read: "This is the second death-the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15). How can you turn around and teach people that what God calls "death," is really "life?" What justification do you have for doing such a thing?

The lake of fire is not a place of "life." It is the second death. Now, we shall all stand before the Dais of Christ one day. Are you going to say: "Lord I thought when You said death that what You really meant was an eternal life of torture." If Christ should then ask you: "Why do you think that I would mean such a stupid and contradictory thing?" What would you answer Him?

You say, in effect, that when a living person dies, he is immediately alive in either Heaven or Hell. So, to use your line of logic, when Christ resurrects a person, he would be immediately dead!

According to your teaching, Mr. Hagee, there really is no such thing as death or the dead! According to you, the second one dies he is alive, just at a different geographical location. Abraham died back in Gen. 25:8-9 and in John 8:52 it plainly says, not one second later, but centuries later, that "Abraham is dead!" It would have been just as correct for them to say: "Abraham is still dead." Do you have any idea how many Scriptures your teaching contradicts on this one word alone? Do you know how many times the Scriptures talk of "dying," "death," or the "dead?" Over one thousand, two hundred times.

Paul said "Concerning the expectation and resurrection of the dead am I being judged" (Acts 23:6). "Concerning the resurrection of the dead am I being judged today by you" (Acts 24:21). How can you believe the Scriptures and not believe in the resurrection of the dead? People who are alive in your fabled hell cannot possibly be resurrected from the dead, because according to you they aren't dead. Read your Bible. Dead people are resurrected out of their graves not out of Heaven or Hell. Christ resurrected Lazarus out of a tomb, not out of Heaven or Hell.

I hear so much anymore about "life after death." Even more so in the secular world than on T.B.N. There are so many TV specials, videos, and books on near death experiences and "life after death." What you and theologians need to seriously consider is that, according to the Scriptures, there really is "death after life!"

The Scriptures say no such thing, and Christ said no such thing! What Bible are you quoting? Let's read it: "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat" (Mat. 7:13). Where does this verse say that the broad way leads to hell? It leads to "destruction"! It is "God" Who makes these vessels "adapted for destruction" (Rom. 9:22). This has nothing to do with eternal torture in fire. Of course, the majority of mankind does not know God and therefore is in this class headed for destruction. But don't throw away all those Scriptures I already gave you concerning their ultimate salvation when God removes their blindness and saves them.

Webster's p. 257: "fanatic, a person who carries his interest or belief in something to a point that is no longer reasonable." I think, Mr. Hagee, that maybe you are too eager to leap where Angels fear to tread. It is your teachings that are "no longer reasonable," not Christ's teachings! Christ was not and is not a "fanatic!"

Mr. Hagee, read the section of this letter directed to Dr. Kennedy. Most of the population of the entirety of the world, through the entire history of the world, have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. And you say they are going to hell because they rejected a gospel they never heard?

The Bible says no such thing. The rich man died and was entombed. And in "Hades" he figuratively lifts up his eyes-not in a fabled hell. Lazarus died and was figuratively carried away into Abraham's bosom-not Heaven.

Where is the "city of the dead?" And how can someone "walk out of it" if they are dead?

I am so glad that my salvation is not a thing of chance. Sounds more like something you would find in Las Vegas than the Scriptures. Salvation through Christ's Sacrifice is sure! "Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us ALL?" (Rom. 8:32)! By the way, I did hear some months back that TBN was offering a tape titled "To Hell and Back" where many people claimed to have died, went to Hell, and came back, to a second chance. I believe this was immediately followed by a trip to Caesar's Palace, but I'm not sure.

And, of course, again we have to ask: "What about all those millions and billions of people who never even got a first chance? Mr. Hagee, did you accept Christ at the very first "chance" you had opportunity to do so?

You made a statement regarding someone who didn't believe in Hell. You said: "You say, 'Preacher, I don't believe in Hell.' That's too bad, it's still there and you're going ... " I noticed how you often build to a crescendo with your voice when soliciting an applause, as you did in this statement. The congregation then began to snicker, laugh, and then broke out into an enthusiastic applause. That's really sick! Laughing and applauding at the fancied notion that someone is going to burn in a place called hell for all eternity is sick. If you think that's funny, you'll answer for it to God.

Your statement on women in hell brings up an interesting point. I have never heard this discussed. What about pregnant women, Mr. Hagee? I would speculate that possibly 1000 women die each day, somewhere around the world, who do not know Jesus Christ, and are pregnant. That would equal approximately one million such women every three years, or since our Lord's resurrection approximately six hundred million (600,000,000) pregnant women suffering in the fires of Hell.

Now we know that an undelivered fetus cannot live or survive in a dead woman's womb. We also know from your teachings that God hates abortions. So obviously, God is not going to abort these millions of babies. As the unsaved woman has a one-way ticket to Hell, it is apparent that her unborn baby is also going to Hell with her. Now, (1) Will the unborn fetus suffer in the flames of Hell, albeit in its mother's womb, for all eternity? (2) Will the baby be born and then suffer in the flames of Hell as an infant for all eternity? (3) Will the baby merely die? (No, forget #3. According to you there is not such thing-everyone is always alive somewhere, even if they die.) (4) Will the baby remain in its mother's womb until maturation, then be born into the flames of fire, but then very quickly (assuming some evil demon doesn't eat it first) be transported to Heaven? (5) Will the baby be born "a little red devil," and then suffer in the flames of Hell for all eternity?

Continuing with your sermon:

That statement is so sick, who can comment on it?

No, the lake of fire is called the lake of fire. It is never called "hell." "Hell" is a word not found in the Greek language. And the lake of fire is not hades either. "Hades" is thrown into the lake of fire. Since it is thrown into the lake of fire, how could it be the lake of fire? Only three are tormented in the lake of fire: Satan, the False Prophet, and the Beast. They are not human. They do not die in the lake of fire. Satan is loosed again at the end of the Millennium (apparently unharmed) and deceives the nations again (Rev. 20:8).

No, "outer darkness" is not in a place called Hell. Those who are not allowed to sit down with Abraham in the Kingdom are cast into the darkness outside. Besides, how could Hell "fire" be so dark that one cannot see one's own hand in front of his face? Did you ever see a large fire on a dark night? It throws off a lot of light and it's easy to see your hand in front of your face.

No, this verse is not talking about Hell, hades, Gehenna, or the lake of fire, but those cast out of the Kingdom. Besides only the "sons of the Kingdom" are weeping and gnashing their teeth-the Jews. They rightfully should have been in the Kingdom, but were disqualified. This condition is not, however, eternal.

No, Gehenna is a place of fire. Those thrown into Gehenna are burned up. Those thrown into the lake of fire are burned up-it's called the second death.

No, the lake of fire is a place of no rest, but only for three individuals, Satan, the False Prophet, and the Beast.

No, Gehenna is where the fire is not quenched and the worms don't die. It's a burning, city garbage dump. No one quenches the fire. If someone quenched it, it would loose its useful purpose, namely to burn up the garbage, offal, and any criminals that are thrown there. The worms don't die, because there is plenty to eat and keep them breeding. When nothing more is thrown into the fire, it will go out. It won't need to be quenched. When the food supply runs out the worms will die. How do I know that? Because the Valley of Hinnom (south of Jerusalem) was burning in Christ's day with many worms and now the fire is gone and the worms are gone.. It is no longer used for that purpose. But it will again be used during the Millennium.

No, there is no consciousness in Hell, and there is no consciousness in hades which is translated into the English word "hell." Ecc. 9:10 says, " ... in the grave." "Grave" in this verse is translated from the Hebrew word sheol (which means the unseen or imperceptible). When an Old Testament Scripture is quoted in the New Testament, they translate sheol into hades. So is there "consciousness" in the place sheol in the O.T.? Absolutely not. " ... there is NO WORK, nor DEVICE, nor KNOWLEDGE, nor WISDOM, in the grave [the Hebrew translated "grave" in this verse is sheol, which is synonymous with the Gk. hades] where you go" (Ecc. 9:10). According to God's Word, not your word, Mr. Hagee, when a person dies and returns to his earth, does he still have conscious thoughts? GOD'S answer: "His spirit goes forth, he returns to his earth, in that very day his thoughts PERISH" (Psalm 146: 3-4).

Seriously, Mr. Hagee, which part of the word "NO" in these verses don't you understand? There is "No " work, "No" device [Heb. "No" contrivance, "No" intelligence, "No" reason], "No" knowledge, "No" wisdom ... in the grave ... " [Heb. sheol] (Ecc. 9:10). One's very " ... thoughts PERISH!"

Okay, let's have a Scriptural verse on that. Well?

The bottomless pit of eternity. That sounds like something out of Star Wars. Mr. Hagee, it was you who made the statement that "Greek is the most exact language on the face of the earth." This statement is what prompted this letter in the first place. You talk about exactness and correctness, and truthfulness, etc., etc., and then you turn around and use the most ridiculous unscriptural phrases imaginable.

First of all, "bottomless pit" is an absurd translation. There is no such thing, and could never be. It's like cold fire and square circles. It doesn't equate. It's an impossibility. Secondly, you take the ridiculous phrase "bottomless pit" and turn it into "The bottomless pit of eternity." Why do you do things like this? Do you just like the way these things roll off your tongue?

A proper translation of Rev. 9:2 is: "And to him was given the key of the well of the submerged chaos." There is nothing bottomless about it. This place is not called "hell." There are no people there. There are locusts and demons here.

Mr. Hagee, it does no good to talk about the exactness of words and then give sermons that are filled with unscriptural, impossible words and phrases. They can only lead to heresy:

"Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras [latter times] some will be withdrawing from the faith [apostasy], giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, in the hypocrisy of FALSE EXPRESSIONS ... " (I Tim. 4:1) Concordant Literal N.T.

You said in your sermon that the Jews did not kill Christ, but that the Romans did. Are you trying to avoid being branded "anti-Semitic?" Here are the Scriptural facts:

"The 'JEWS' didn't kill Jesus!" I'll bet you're a real popular guy at Rabbinical Tea Parties. If your logic is this twisted, why don't you get on national television and tell everyone that Hitler never killed a single Jew?

What makes your teaching so harmful, is that you are teaching millions of people disgraceful, false things about God. Maybe you think everyone out here is Biblically illiterate. Let me assure you that there are carpenters, plumbers, postal workers, and the like out here who would shame most theologians when it comes to Biblical knowledge. But it's not just "technical" knowledge that I'm talking about.

It's teachings like this sermon on Hell of yours that does so much harm. The people who accept your teaching out of fear are not benefited, and those who reject it because of its stupidity, end up blaspheming God because of your unscriptural teachings. Most people's rejection of God is directly related to the false information they have been fed by self-appointed teachers.

The truth is, Mr. Hagee, there is very little in many of your sermons that is Scriptural. Even then, any truth loses its impact because of all your unscriptural teachings. I believe that if you had to discard all your unscriptural, unhistorical, untrue, physiologically impossible slogans, your preaching would practically disappear. Try it sometime. Preach a whole sermon without using one unscriptural word or slogan. The result might just amaze you and your congregation!

I can not summarize your sermon any better than to parrot your own words describing most sermons found in the media today: "WE HAVE SHOUT WITHOUT SUBSTANCE!" Amen!

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I don't know of, nor have I ever heard of a teaching or doctrine of any pagan, heathen, barbaric religion on the face of the earth or in the history of the world that approaches the insanity of the Christian doctrine of eternal torture in hell fire! Unlike most people and most theologians and clergymen, I have meditated at length on the absurdity of a loving God creating billions of creatures with complex emotional and nervous systems that are extremely sensitive to not only pleasure, but especially pain, knowing in advance that He would end up torturing most of them in the fires of a hell for all eternity, without mercy.

What pagan religion has a god this evil? I know of none. If the Scriptures taught such a thing, surely we would have to accept it. But thank God that the Scriptures teach no such thing as eternal torture. Pain and evil for a season, yes, but not for eternity.

Mr. Hagee, it isn't that you just add a "little" or take away a "little" from the Word of God; you turn an age into eternity, you reduce the salvation of all to just a few, and you diminish God's very WILL, to nothing more than a weak wish!

So now what Scriptural proof do you have left to substantiate an eternal hell of torture? You are left with The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich man. Mr. Hagee, let's now take a very close look at the common teaching regarding this parable. I will then follow with the prophetic portence of this parable.

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