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It’s been a while since the Lost series finale – I’ve been busy with a new job and helping to start a new church service. But, since that time I’ve been ruminating on the subjects of inclusivism, universalism, heaven and hell. During the finale many of the Lost meet together in a building that looks very much like a Roman Catholic church building. Inside we catch a glimpse of a stained glass window, which features Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Taoist, and Muslim religious symbols. The message – all religions are pretty much the same; it doesn’t matter what you believe, or what you worship, all paths lead to heaven. This is a common belief in our culture today. Most Americans tend to think that all good people go to heaven – which we also tend to think is pretty much everyone.

As much as I’d like to believe that, I don’t. I believe that there are some people, some who I think are pretty good, who are headed towards hell. How can I believe such an offensive and primitive thought? I believe in freedom – I believe in choice. I would gladly believe that everyone ends up in heaven – I do believe that that is a real possibility. It is my hope. But, because freedom of choice means it must also be possible for people to reject God, there must be a hell. I’d like everyone to be included. God says he does not want “anyone to perish” (2 Pet 3:9) – but some people choose to exclude themselves, they choose death.

Hell is separation from God. I don’t believe that hell is literally a lake of fire. The Bible describes hell in many and various ways – the point is it’s not a place you want to go. It’s a place of isolation, darkness, death, destruction, because it is a place outside of fellowship with God. Jesus tells us that eternal life is to “know [the Father], the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [he has] sent” (John 17:3).

I don’t want anyone, and I really do mean anyone to spend an eternity in hell. Sure, if I’m honest there’re some people I’d like to see get a good beat down, but not an eternity of everlasting torment. But hell has to be a real possibility, because God is love. Love demands justice. Justice isn’t just punishing those who do bad things; it’s fixing the damage that’s done. If there is no justice – no redemption of the Earth and Humanity – there can be no Kingdom of God that’s worth calling heaven. This Earth is broken, we are broken, and someone has to pay for the brokenness to be fixed. If God is going to forgive us for what we’ve done, if he’s going to write it off, then he has to pay for it. He did through the death of Jesus.

The Bible says Jesus took all the death and destruction in this world caused by human sin onto himself so that humans could be redeemed. All we have to do is put our trust in Jesus and follow him, because he is the way to the Father. He is the way to life. If we say, no thanks and reject God’s way, how can he forgive us? Rejection of Jesus is making the choice to pay the price for one’s own sins.

Well maybe the Bible really doesn’t tell us God’s way. Maybe Jesus was wrong. It’s a possibility. If he was wrong he was psychotic and Christianity would not only be worthless, it would be reprehensible. If Jesus did not rise from the dead our “faith is futile; [we] are still in [our] sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). If Christianity is wrong it’s wrong, it’s not just what might work for some people.

Many people would like to think that all religions are really just about following the same basic moral code. But the core teaching of Christianity is not a moral code. It’s not about being a good person so God will like you and you’ll get into heaven. Christianity’s core teaching is I’m not good enough, but God still loves me, so he, in the form of Jesus, died for my sins, and he rose from the dead to conquer death and give me life. The only way to enter into the Kingdom of God is through Jesus.

Some people believe that we can’t know anything about God; dogma doesn’t matter, just be a good person. It is terribly conceited to think this is the neutral position. This is a position which rejects the truth claims of others. Though most religions have a similar moral code, they cannot simply be reduced to their moral code. Religions differ greatly on their ideas about who God is, where we come from, where we are going, what heaven is, and how we get there. To tell the practitioners of the varying world religions that it doesn’t really matter who or how they worship, is to tell them they are wrong.

We can’t all be right; I’m perfectly willing to accept that I might be wrong. I do believe that the teachings of Jesus and his apostles are true and that they really do matter. The teachings of Jesus are offensive to our modern/postmodern sentiments. But, if they are true, we need to change, not Jesus. We also need to stop being so sensitive. I’m not bothered by people who disagree with me. I don’t think they’re evil. I won’t hate, or persecute anyone for believing differently than I do. I’m not offended by people thinking I’m wrong, or even people thinking I might be headed for hell. If a person is honest and has integrity I will respect them. But, I can’t change my beliefs just because some people, or even I, don’t like them.

A quote from Terry Pratchett's Going Postal: "I believe in freedom, Mr. Lipwig. Not many people do, although they will of course protest otherwise. And no practical definition of freedom would be complete without the freedom to take the consequences. Indeed, it is the freedom upon which all the others are based.