God of Love or God of Wrath?

[This topic was written and posted in response to a request made by a reader. Thanks, Vince! To ask a question or suggest a topic of your own, click here.]

Why do we so often think of the God of the New Testament as a God of LOVE and the God of the Old Testament as a God of WRATH, and yet insist they are one and the same? Going even further, doesn't the Bible claim that God never changes? ("I the LORD do not change." Malachi 3:6, and see also James 1:17.) So, why does a changeless God appear wrathful and angry in the Old Testament, but loving and patient in the New Testament? Is this the same God?

I think the answers to these questions lie in developing a better understanding of God's nature--not an easy or simple thing, but a very worthy pursuit, all the same. I don't have time to delineate ALL of God's characteristics--indeed, no one even knows all of them!--but for the purpose of answering this question, I think we can focus on five major ones: God's Holiness, God's Love, God's Justice, God's Mercy and God's Jealousy. (This post also assumes that God is also all-knowing, all-present and all-powerful, as well as the Creator of the universe and the Triune God--God the Father, God the Son [Jesus] and God the Holy Spirit.) 

I will first briefly describe each characteristic individually and then I will compare the Old Testament with the New Testament to see if all three of these characteristics appear within them. Finally, I will address some of the major biblical examples for why God seems to have "gone soft" in the New Testament as compared to the Old and explain the real change that has taken place within how we now relate to God.

God's Holiness

Though some may disagree, I believe Holiness, not love is God's primary characteristic (if one could be chosen above the others). As defined by the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, Holiness is: "Chief attribute of God and a quality to be developed in his people. 'Holiness' and the adjective 'holy' occur more than 900 times in the Bible. The primary OT word for 'holiness' means 'to cut' or 'to separate'. Fundamentally, holiness is a cutting off or separation from what is unclean, and consecration to what is pure." 

God's Love

Though God is primarily holy, it was His characteristic of love that motivated Him to create man and woman, to initiate an intimate relationship with them (and us) and then, even after they (and we) turned their backs on Him in favor of becoming enslaved to sin and forfeit to Satan, to offer a means by which they might be rescued and returned into a harmonious & pure relationship with Him--by coming as Jesus Christ to give His life as a ransom for them and bridge the gap between a holy God and a sinful people. Godly love is perhaps best described in I Corinthians 13, but there are many, many passages in both the Old and New Testaments that praise God's loving nature.

God's Justice

Webster says that "Just" means: 1. adhering to what is fair, honest and moral, 2. rational and informed, 3. in accordance with correct principles, 4. agreeable to truth or fact, 5. given or awarded rightly, and 6. proper or right. The Bible describes God's justice as the quality that causes Him to be a righteous judge--rewarding righteousness and never allowing evil to go unpunished. To understand, then, how we--who are evil--can ever be forgiven instead of simply receiving his just punishment, we need to understand God's mercy:

God's Mercy

Webster says of mercy: "1. compassion shown toward an offender or an enemy, 2. a disposition to forgive or forbear..." Though God's characteristics of holiness and justice require that all sin be punished, His love and His mercy caused Him to provide a way for us to escape destruction and be reunited with Him, while still dealing with the issue of our sinfulness. In the Old Testament this was done through the sacrifice of an animal or through a scapegoat. In the New Testament this was done once and for all by Jesus Christ--God in the flesh--who willingly allowed Himself to be crucified in our place and then rose from the grave, evidencing God's power over both sin and the death penalty sin demands.

God's Jealousy

Though we often think of jealousy as an unfavorable quality, God exhibits a righteous jealousy--and a very active one, at that. Webster says that jealous means: 1. resentful and envious, as of someone's attainments, 2. fearful of losing another's affection, 3. troubled by suspicions of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., and 4. vigilant in guarding something. My favorite is the last definition, though the others could apply as well. God, like a man desperately in love with his wife, becomes very jealous when our affection--due rightfully to Him--strays onto other things, people or gods. He responds by being "vigilant in guarding" us from those things that would draw our love from Him--through warnings, punishments and great displays of His love and power. Eventually, though, we must choose: God's salvation or our own lusts?

Characteristic	Old Testament Example*	New Testament Example*
Holiness	"...'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Lev. 19:2)	"...'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'" (Rev. 4:8)
Love	"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (Jer. 31:3)	"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (I John 4:8)
Justice	"Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free." (Prov. 11:21)	"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well." (2 Thes. 1:6-7a)
Mercy	"Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from old." (Psalm 25:6)	"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." (Eph. 2:4-5)
Jealousy	"You shall not bow down to them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God...." (Exodus 20:5)	"You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the demons too: you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are you trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy?" (I Cor. 10:21-22a)

* There are many more references in both the Old and New Testaments for these characteristics. I am providing only one example of each, though some of these verses mention more than one of these characteristics.

Has the God of the Old Testament Gone Soft?

As you can see from the above comparisons of God's primary characteristics, both the Old and the New Testaments describe God in very similar terms. Obviously, this is the same God--so why does He seem to act differently in the Old Testament than He does in the New? It kind-of reminds me of parenting--with the first kid, you're on top of everything, but by the time you have the fourth or fifth, you tend to not care so much whether they eat a cookie before dinner or not. Is this what happened with God? Has He gotten tired and resigned Himself to "picking His battles"? Has God gone soft?

Here are some prime examples of God's wrath as displayed in the Old Testament:

The Flood:        

In Genesis 6-8, God got so fed up with mankind that He decided to wipe them all out and start over, sparing only one family. Everyone died--men, women, children and all the animals of the land or air. (If that's not wrath, I don't know what is!)

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed:

In Genesis 19, God got so sick of the stench of the sinfulness in these two cities that He rained down burning sulfur on them. (FYI: Burning sulfur will easily burn through metal. Yep! That would do it!)

The 10 Plagues on Egypt:

Exodus 7-11 describes some pretty horrible plagues God sent on the Egyptians to persuade them to free the Israelites from bondage, culminating in the deaths of all the firstborn sons of any family that didn't mark their door frames with the blood of a sacrificed lamb. But, wait... is this an example of His wrath toward the Egyptians or His great love and deliverance of the Hebrew people? Hmmm....

Destruction of the Canaanites:

Much of the Old Testament describes various ways the Canaanites and the other people groups of that region were attacked by the Hebrew people. In fact, God told them to wipe these people out completely—down to the last child and to even kill all their animals, though the Hebrews didn't completely obey this command.

After reading through all of that, anyone might tremble at the thought of this God who often seems content to heartlessly order the destruction of many. But, if one is willing to read further, he comes to the New Testament and it's like a breath of fresh air. 

Here are some contrasting examples of how God appears loving in the New Testament:

Jesus' Miracles:

Jesus healed the sick, lame and the blind, fed hungry multitudes, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. (Ex.: man with leprosy: Matt. 8:1-4; sick and demon-possessed: Matt. 8:14-17 & 28-34; paralytic man: Matt. 9:1-8; a dead girl and a sick woman: Matt. 9:18-26; a two blind men and a mute/demon-possessed man: Matt. 9:27-33; fed 5,000: Matt. 14:13-21, etc.)

Jesus with the Children:

Jesus allowed the children to come to Him when the disciples were trying to shoo them away. (Matt. 19:14) 

Jesus facing his enemies in the Garden of Gethsemane:

When Peter cut off a soldier's ear with his sword, Jesus told Peter to knock it off and healed the man. (Luke 22:49-51)

Jesus on the cross:

Not only did Jesus show mercy to one of the thieves being crucified along with him (despite His own enormous agony), He also asked God to forgive those who were crucifying Him. (Luke 23:26-43)

When recalling such stories to mind, the God of the Old Testament certainly seems much harsher than how God acted in the Person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. However, I think we are forgetting two very important things. 1. There are some very fine, but often overlooked, examples of God's love in the Old Testament as well as His wrath in the New Testament (some of these are outlined below.) AND, 2. The way God interacted with those before Christ's death and resurrection was in accordance with the Old Covenant, while the way He interacted with them after Christ's resurrection was in accordance with the New Covenant--which we are currently enjoying. (Comparison to follow.)

God's Love in the Old Testament

Contrary to how we normally think of the Old Testament God, the most harmonious relationship God has ever had with man is described not in the New Testament, but in the Old. This was the relationship God had with man and woman (Adam and Eve) before they sinned. In that relationship, they actually walked in the Garden with God, spoke to Him face to face, conversed freely with Him and were naked before Him without feeling ashamed. (Genesis 2 & 3) Never again has man had such a free and open relationship with God. Not only does this picture show us something about humanity, but it shows us about God's original design--that of an intimate, open and free relationship between Himself and us--and of His inclination toward open revelation and communication, not the image of separation between God and man as shown through the rest of the Old Testament. In other words, God's natural inclination and desire is for an intimate, loving relationship with us--not a relationship of disunity, anger and wrath. Yet because of the Fall--the event in which dominion of this earth, first given to us by God, was handed over to Satan when in our free will we chose to disobey God--a chasm opened up between God and man. This chasm was not closed until Jesus came to pay the cost of our disobedience through His death and resurrection.

God's Wrath in the New Testament

Though Jesus has ushered in a new era of openness between God and man, we often make the mistake of thinking He has lightened up when it comes to the issue of sin. I can assure you that in this regard God has not changed! God is still holy! God is still just! Sin will still be punished! If you take a good look at Jesus and His teachings throughout the Gospels, you will find that never does He gloss over the issue of sin. In fact, He goes even deeper, requires even more and demands higher standards than even the religious zealots and legalists of the day. No, He does not require legalistic ritual, but rather purity of heart--something the Law cannot govern--something that is between God and man alone. For example, the Law said "Do not commit adultery", but Jesus said, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matt. 5:28) The Law requires action, but God requires a loving heart, for God knows that if you love Him, you will obey Him. (John 14:23-24) Another good example of God's wrath in the New Testament is in the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11 who were struck dead by God when they lied to God. So, no! God has certainly NOT gone soft!

NOTE: God's wrath, when shown in either New or Old Testaments, is always in response to at least one of the following: a form of idolatry (putting self or something else above God), willful sin or hypocrisy. His wrath is triggered when His desire for a love relationship with a pure people is thwarted by sin, thus igniting His righteous jealousy.      

Below is a very basic outline of the differences between the Old and New Covenants. (Hebrews 8-11 describes it better.)

	Old Covenant	New Covenant
Given Through	Abraham	Jesus Christ
When	Abraham to the Messiah	For all time.
What	The Law given to the Jews by God that told them how to set themselves apart in obedience to Him.	Grace given to men through the death and resurrection of Jesus through which they might be reconciled to God.
Ramifications	Was only for the Jews.	Was for all men.
	Had to make animal sacrifices.	Jesus was the ultimate, once and for all sacrifice for yesterday, today and forever.
	Life under the Law. (Cleanliness rituals, circumcision, etc.)	Live under grace. (Jesus didn't revoke the law; He fulfilled the Law.)
	Were separated from God while awaiting the Messiah to bridge the gap between them and God's presence.	Jesus, the Messiah, had come! He bridged the gap; the curtain was torn in two (symbolizing that man and God no longer had to remain separated. Mark 15:38)
	External influence only of the Holy Spirit.	The Holy Spirit actually indwells the believer, allowing Christ to live through him or her and granting them access to Christ's righteousness and power.

 

 

As you can see, the relationship between man and God seems much more strained in the Old Testament because they were still covered in their sin. God and man were still separated by the sinfulness--the uncovered impurity of their hearts. They were under the Old Covenant--under the Law, not under grace. Remember, God is holy--"separated" or "cut off" from anything impure. It is His nature--His primary characteristic and thus He cannot go against His own holiness or He wouldn't be God! But, because of His great love--described first and best in the Old Testament--He decided to make a way for us to again be reconciled to Him--through Jesus Christ.

The God of the Old Testament--complete with vengeful wrath and fists full of destruction--is the SAME God as the God of the New Testament, who laid His life down as a ransom for many. His holiness, love, justice, mercy and jealousy are fully intact today.

Perhaps the best picture of both God's holy wrath and His love is this one, which appears in the Old Testament:

"For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me--the breath of man that I have created. I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him..." (Isaiah 57:15-18)

Is Belief in Hell Damaging to Our Children’s Psyches?

Hell is not a popular topic today—not even among Christians. Nobody likes to consider this unsavory—even terrifying—prospect. Death is scary enough in its inevitability. Do we really have to add to it the fear of an eternity of burning damnation—to be the object of torture by demons without any possibility of release? In fact, such beliefs are not only unpopular, they are coming under serious attack. Some believe that religious freedom should be limited to only those beliefs which meet with a general, national consensus as to what is considered psychologically benign and beneficial (which, of course, is no religious freedom at all). In fact, some religious beliefs are considered psychological abuse and are being compared to some of the worst crimes against humanity ever committed. For example, Richard Dawkins, a well-known atheist, speaker and author said:

"Who will say with confidence that sexual abuse is more permanently damaging to children than threatening them with the eternal and unquenchable fires of hell?"

Let me respond with a true story:

Ken, a friend of mine, once told me that although he had grown up as a confirmed atheist and refused to even consider if Christ's life and death had any impact on today's reality, as a child he would often go to bed at night in absolute terror that he might die and go to hell. "What if?" he would ask himself in the dark recesses of his mind. "What if there is something horrible awaiting me after this life?" Ken said he often cried himself to sleep because of this terror that he simply couldn't avoid. When I heard that story (and although this man had long since become a Christian and was secure in his eternity with Christ) I felt such sorrow for that little boy. My heart ached for what he had experienced and my eyes were opened to the pain that so many people—young and old—face on a regular basis. What a horrible way to go to sleep at night! What a horrible thing it is to live in such fear!

Interestingly, though I was raised in a Christian home where the idea of hell was quite prevalent, I never experienced what Ken did. I never worried about going to hell. I never cried myself to sleep over it. I never really gave it much thought. Furthermore, my own children (ages 11, 8 & 5) have not once seemed the least bit concerned about hell. We've talked about it from time to time and they've heard about it at church and the older ones have even encountered it in the Bible, but I've never once been awakened in the night to deal with a nightmare about hell. I've dealt with nightmares about enemies, monsters and hurt feelings, but never have I heard, "Mom, I can't sleep because I'm scared I might die and go to hell." It's simply not something I've dealt with—and here's why: when you know you have been fully forgiven and are completely loved by Jesus Christ, hell has absolutely no power over you. The only people who fear hell are those who aren't secure in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, I'm not saying that this lack of security is only found in non-Christian homes or among non-Christians. There are many Christians who simply haven't come to the place in their faiths where they understand what Christ's mercy and grace really is. There may also exist some psychotic parents out there (though I've not personally come across any) who might tell their children horrible lies like, "if you don't obey me, God won't like you anymore and He'll send you to hell." This, in my opinion, would be very akin to child abuse, and Mr. Dawkins would undoubtedly agree. However, I've never heard of such things happening in a Christian home and I've spent my entire life around Christians.

The fact is, the kind of fear we're talking about is not, primarily, a problem Christians struggle with. What the atheists might, therefore, accuse us of, then, is spreading it to their children. Now, I certainly can't blame them for having a problem with this—I would if I were in their shoes; however, due to the nature of our basic disagreement (whether or not God exists and has a beneficial interest in our lives) we may not be able to find much more common ground. Still, let me provide an approximate example:

Let's say my child came home one day in near hysterics over something she had heard at school. "Teacher says that there is a meteorite heading for earth and if we don't get into a bomb shelter quick, we're all going to die!"

"Nonsense!" I tell her, trying to calm her fears—absolutely livid with that monster of a teacher for causing such trauma. "There is no meteorite heading for earth! That's just silly! Look up into the sky. Do you see a meteorite? No? Then, you don't have to worry about it. Run along and play."

Now… that would be fine, except for one small detail. What if there really was a meteorite heading for earth? What if I'd actually already heard about it on news reports and from friends, but had refused to listen? What if I had been offered a secure place in a bomb shelter with some friends, but had vehemently turned them down? Who is the monster now? Obviously, diagnosing "psychological damage" is dependent upon the reasons for its appearance. Some psychological stress is merited; some is not. What we need to determine, then, is this: "Is Hell real?" (See: Is There a Hell?)

Do I Have to Believe in the Bible to Accept Jesus?

A common misconception among Christians and non-Christians alike, is that one must accept the entire Bible as true and reliable before one is able to accept Jesus Christ as Savior. And, since I personally uphold the Bible as fully reliable, I would like to start there to find the answer to this question. What are the "requirements" for salvation?

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

AND

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ. The Bible also makes it perfectly clear that acts of service or works cannot be used as tickets into Heaven or as payment for God's love or favor.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The process of "being saved" is not nearly so complicated as we try to make it. It is a recognition of who Jesus is and what He has done on my behalf. It is meeting Him as a Person--a Being--not merely a belief. It is a falling in love with Him. It is a commitment to a love relationship with Jesus. That is salvation, because all of the "work" was already done by Jesus on our behalf. The rest that we do--obedience, Scripture study and belief, acts of service--comes later. For though these things are pleasing to God if offered to Him from a loving heart, none of them can get you into Heaven. Only Jesus Christ can do that. (See: How Do I Accept Jesus?)

Once you have begun on that journey of getting to know Jesus, then take a look at how He used and relied on Scripture. As you allow Him to be your guide in life, allow Him to be your guide in your attitudes toward Scripture. It may be a long process. The key is to keep moving forward with Christ as your Guide.

The Battleground of the Mind

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Ps. 19:14)


I love this verse. I love it because it is a prayer. It is a request of God to guard those things which are sometimes the most difficult for us to control--our tongue and our thoughts. What's the difference between a sincere follower of Christ and a hypocrite? Often there is nothing outwardly visible that one can point out to expose a hypocrite. Often, the difference is in our heart and in our thoughts. The only one who can know these things, other than ourselves, is God.


“…for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts...” (1 Chron. 28:9)


We might be able to fool other people--even people who are close to us--but we cannot fool God. He knows the motives of our heart. He sees the mental battles we wage against hatred and bitterness and envy. He hears the unspoken curses we hurl at those around us. God knows that faith and love and obedience begin in the heart and in the mind... deep within those secret, hidden places, where only we and God can reside. Satan knows this, too, and he is desperate to conquer your mind. He will wage war against you in every way in order to gain control of that vital piece of territory--your thought life.


When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)


But we do not have to relinquish ground to the enemy. The Bible tells us: If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) and "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (I John 4:4)

It is so important for us to preserve our thoughts for things that are worthy of God. It is our first act of worship each day and our first line of defense against temptation. When we are tempted to let our thoughts linger on impure ideas or on unkind thoughts, we should instead say, "I refuse to let my mind go there. Instead, I will think of a way to offer God praise at this moment." And then, let the praises flow. Your thoughts are your own. You must learn to take them captive if you ever want to develop self-control in other areas of your life. God offers His help.

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Would God Forgive a Sinner Like Me?

Have you struggled with the fear that you are already too far down the wrong road to ever turn back? Have you doubted that God would be willing to save you after all the wrong you have done?

Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament, wrote:
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." (I Timothy 1:15-16)

And Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17)

As He said, Jesus did not come for perfect people, but for flawed people. He does not expect us to clean ourselves up first, because that would be impossible. For how can we be made clean unless we have the Cleaner? Jesus is the Cleaner and His forgiveness is available to anyone who will believe in Him and accept that forgiveness. Jesus will take us just as we are, but He will not leave us that way. God takes a very dim view of sin. (See this post.) Accepting Christ's forgiveness is not simply a claim to fire insurance, it is entering into a relationship with God--a relationship that will change and grow over time.

So, no matter who you are or what you've done, forgiveness is yours for the taking and the Bible promises, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

Need a little help with that first step? Go to this post: How Do I Accept Jesus?

Then, the next time such things worry you, consider this passage:

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (I John 3:19-20)

Is There a Hell?

Do people still really believe in Hell?
Is there really a place where damned souls will go? Is life really some ambiguous test to see who’s good and who’s bad? People throughout history have disagreed about the nature of hell, its existence and its purpose. However, in this post, I will deal with the biblical explanation and illuminate some of the misconceptions, both within secular society and Christian tradition.

What is the biblical origination of hell?
The first time Hell is mentioned in the (KJV) Bible is in Deuteronomy 32:22. The Hebrew word is “lwaX” and its English equivalent is “sheol”, meaning, “sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit, Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead: place of no return, without praise of God, wicked sent there for punishment, righteous not abandoned to it, of the place of exile, of extreme degradation in sin” (Strong’s).

In the New Testament, Jesus used the Greek word, “gevenna” when speaking of spiritual hell; however, the word also referred to an actual place on earth. Gehenna is the English transliteration of the Greek form of an Aramaic word, which, in turn, is derived from the Hebrew phrase “the Valley of [the son(s) of] Hinnom”. (Baker Ency. Of the Bible, v.1) Strong’s tells us: “Hell is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.” Additionally, the Valley of Hinnom was used for ritual infant sacrifice to the pagan god, Molech. Later, after King Josiah rid the region of such practices, the valley was used, as Strong’s tells us, for burning of refuse and dead animals. Interestingly, it was also used as a place to burn the dead bodies of criminals.

Unfortunately, both terms—sheol and gehenna—have been mistakenly considered to be synonymous with “hell” and are translated the same in some English versions of the Bible—hence, the confusion among Christians as to their real meaning. It is important to note that “sheol” in the Old Testament refers to a temporary abode of the lost between death and their final resurrection unto judgment. “Gehenna” is the place of ultimate and everlasting punishment where Satan, his demons and the wicked will be cast (Matthew 10:28). Additionally, “Tartarus” (used only once in 2 Peter 2:4) designates the place where the angels who fell during the original satanic revolt are imprisoned.

What is Hell like?
Hell (Gehenna) is described by Jesus as “a fire that shall never be quenched” in Mark 9:43 & 45, which seems to be a reference to Isaiah 66:24. Other terms associated with Hell include “eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46), “torments” (Luke 16:23), “…kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelations 6:8), “Lake of Fire” & “second death” (Revelations 20:14), “burning brimstone” (Revelations 19:20), “…tormented day and night forever” (Revelations 20:10), and “outer darkness” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, 22:13 & 25:30). Pretty much, this isn’t somewhere you want to go, and if you believe that going to hell is inevitable for you, you are believing a lie.

Did God create Hell?
I don’t think the Bible is especially clear on this subject. We know that it was “prepared” (Matthew 25:41), but it does not specifically state who created it or how Hell was created. It is certainly possible that it was prepared by God; however, one idea is that Hell is not so much a place as it is a state of being (which would make sense given the fact that souls exist in a spiritual rather than physical form). This state of being is eternal separation from God, which by its very definition could be a place of torment. In other words, it is possible that Hell is not so much a created place as it is a place/state from which God has removed His presence, His protection and His glory (all things which both the lost and the saved alike enjoy here on earth). Could it be that when God leaves, hell is simply the natural result? This concept, I believe, is more in line with the nature of God as I see it described in the Bible. God desires that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9) and neither does He delight even in the destruction of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23), but instead desires that all would live (John 3:16,17).

Who is Hell for?
Matthew 25:41 specifically states that hell was “prepared for the devil and his angels”. God has absolutely no desire that any man or woman go to Hell. He did not prepare Hell for us, but for Satan and his followers. In fact the Bible says, 1Thessalonians 5:9 - "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." God has only ever wanted us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. God has chosen us for paradise; however, He is not going to force us to choose Him. To be with God means to be reconciled to God, made pure and brought into a love relationship with Him. He offers this freely, but He will not force it on us. We must love Him back—and love demanded is no love at all.

Does God send people to Hell?
Matthew 25:31-46 seems to be the best description of the way in which people end up in Hell. When Christ “sends” people to Hell in this passage, it’s not so much “sending” as it is directing souls toward the only available alternative for those who can not enter into Heaven. It’s either-or, not both, and there’s no middle ground or third option. Either you get into Heaven through Christ’s payment or you don’t because you have rejected His sacrifice on your behalf. The choice, then, is entirely ours. In that sense, Christ does not “send” anyone to Hell. However, we might choose to send ourselves. This passage shows how the decision had been made long before these people stood before Christ—a decision made only by them.

Who will go to Hell?
Revelations 20:15 Though God desires that no human man or woman go to Hell, the Bible is clear that some will end up there. This verse shows that only those whose name is not found in the Book of Life, will go to Hell. The Book of Life is a record of all those who have accepted Christ’s substitutional payment for sin. If your name is written in this book, then you have nothing to worry about.

How can I escape Hell?
I’m not big on selling Christ as a form of fire insurance; however, neither can I deny that escaping Hell is a big bonus to getting to know the only One who holds the keys to Heaven. The fact is Jesus Christ—fully God, fully man, a member of the Triune God—came to earth in human form so that He might live a perfect life and die in our place. Only a perfect sacrifice can negate the hold Satan has on our souls. By rights, we belong to Satan, thanks to our long legacy of being in sin; however, if a payment is made on our behalf—the blood of a perfect sacrifice—we have the right to accept that payment and enter into God’s presence in Heaven. Through that payment our sin is covered, our guilt is released and our righteousness in God’s eyes secured. We are made “perfect” as Christ is perfect. (That is not to say that we will never again sin, but that our souls have been purchased by God through Jesus Christ and we now belong to Him and are freed from our bondage to Satan.)

Now, that’s the math, so to speak, but here’s the heart of the issue: Jesus longs for us to be present in Heaven with Him one day, yes—but more importantly, He longs for our love. He wants to enter into a harmonious, intimate love relationship with Him. He wants to be present in our lives from this moment until we draw our dying breath. He wants to be our strength and our joy and our confidence in times of trouble. And, when hard times come we know that we have nothing to fear, for God is true to His promises and once we are in His loving hands, nothing can snatch us out of His grasp. Psalm 49:15, 16 & John 10:28 See also How Do I Accept Jesus?

Should Feelings be a Basis for Faith?

Perhaps you have come across religions who say something like this: "If you have a question about our faith and aren't sure it's really true or not, just pray and ask God to give you assurance. If you experience a burning in your chest through His Holy Spirit, then you know that these things can be trusted."

Or, perhaps, you have had some kind of heightened emotional experience connected with a religious belief and, though certain aspects of that belief seem to be contradictory, you are hesitant to question them because you do not want to dismiss the validity of that experience or admit that you could have been emotionally misled in some way.

Let me offer you these words of encouragement from the Bible: Test everything. Hold on to the good. I Thessalonians 5:21

God is a mysterious Being, to be sure, and our interactions with Him will undoubtedly be quite emotional from time to time; however, He wants us to have a faith based on knowledge, wisdom and committed love, not simply emotion. Psalms 119:66 tells says, Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands. And, Proverbs 2:6 says, For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (See also: Proverbs 8:10, Proverbs 11:9, Proverbs 20:15, Proverbs 23:12, Proverbs 24:3-4, Isaiah 33:6, Phillipians 1:9-11, Colossians 1:9, 2 Peter 1:5-11)

It's important to note that, while emotion itself is not a bad thing (it was given to us by God, after all), it was never intended as a means by which to determine truth. Why? Because emotions are deceptive and can be easily swayed and manipulated by various outside forces, not the least of which is Satan himself. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

So, if our own hearts (i.e. our emotions) can be deceptive, how do we know if what the man behind the pulpit is saying is true or not? How do we know if someone is trying to deceive us? How do we know if our past emotional experiences were based on truth or on lies? We do some digging! We study and pray and then study some more. Then, once we determine that the Bible can be trusted, we use it as a lens through which we test everything else. The Bible itself actually tells us to do so through the example of the Bereans: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

You may have also noticed that these same religions that encourage a reliance on emotion, rarely encourage deep, personal study of the Bible--even if they claim that the Bible is one of their accepted religious texts. Much more emphasis is given to other, extra-biblical writings, which invariably contradict the Bible (and, hence, lead to this need for emotional validation, since intellectual validation is unobtainable.) However, the Bible welcomes deep study and is fully capable of standing up under scrutiny. God also warns us in I John 4:1-3 to be wary of those who would seek to mislead us:

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ [as defined in the Bible--added by author] has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Remember, don't trust in your emotions or in reason apart from study, but search out these things in God's Word. Proverbs 28:26 reminds us, He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be kept safe. And Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Also, II Corinthians 13:5 gives us some good advice: Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?

Let me also share one more short passage with you, which is one of my personal favorites:

James 1:5-6

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.


Remember, God desires to speak to us--to our hearts, yes, but also to our minds. God, who created us, including every aspect of our beings--our emotions, our intellect, our sexuality, our spirits, our bodies, etc.--can, therefore, speak to every part of us, fill every part of us and fully sustain every part of us. We don't have to close off our minds in order to experience God--quite the opposite! And, when things don't make sense, He wants us to ask for wisdom--which He promises to give to us in abundance without finding any fault in us for needing it. What a wonderful promise!

Why Doesn't God Just Come Down and Speak to Me Himself?

"If God wants me to believe in Him, believe in Jesus and believe in the Bible as His Word, why doesn't He just come down and speak to me face to face and tell me so?"

A friend of mine has just such a complaint. He insists that, although, belief in Jesus seems to be the least flawed system around, he just can't accept Jesus and God's Son/God Incarnate or the Bible as God's Word unless God Himself comes down in bodily form, stands in his livingroom and tells him to. Basically, what my friend wants is direct, miraculous proof. Apparently, he saw this happen to a guy in a movie once, and now will have it no other way. His wife, a Christian, has tried talking to him, I've tried talking to him, a myriad of pastors and Christian friends have tried, but he won't budge. If God won't come down and do things his way, he's not playing.

Jesus faced the exact kind of demands while He was here on the earth. Everyone loves to see the miracles, but faith is much less forthcoming once the flair is over than we might think. Apparently the large, one-for-all miracles aren't enough. Now we want something special, just for us. But the fact is, Jesus has already shown us a myriad of miracles--creation, the fulfillment of prophesy, Jesus' life, death and resurrection, the inerrancy of Scripture--all of which can be studied and tested and tried and found to be accurate; however, so many of us still don't beleive. Why? Because it takes more than miracles for most people to develop faith in Christ Jesus. Faith is not simply belief in a set of theological principles; faith is falling in love with a BEING--with Jesus. (See: The Nature of Faith.)

For example, consider this passage:

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (John 10:22-33)

Jesus' disciples, too, asked for a special message or sign from God just for them as evidence of Christ's identity and divine authority:

Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father , and that the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." (John 14: 6-11)

His own brothers needled Him to show off His miracles, but their hearts were not right, either. "But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, 'You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.' For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, 'The right time for me has not yet come; for you anytime is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.'"

In another instance, of Jesus visiting his hometown, we see this statement: "And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." (Matthew 13:58) Faith was a prerequisite for the performance of miracles, not the result.

Perhaps the most convicting passage on this issue are these words of Jesus as He spoke to His disciples:

"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'" (John 15:22-25)

In other words, Jesus is saying here that if He hadn't come to us, revealed God to us in bodily form and in fulfillement of prophesy and performed miracles among us that were recorded for posterity in Scripture, we could not be held by God to be guilty of our sin because we would not have received any kind of recourse. Now, through Jesus Christ, we have. Salvation has been made abundantly available to us. Our Savior has come. He has died on the cross in our place. He has given us the Truth that will set us free from the bondage of impurity so that we can again become sons of God and enter into His presence as righteous in His sight. However, if we reject belief in Christ and along with it, His offer, we have no excuse for our sinful, impure, lost state. Futhermore, if we hate Jesus--and with Him, God, the Father--it will be purely without reason. The Bible also tells us, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20) (See context.)

According to the biblical stories of miraculous events, the only people who benefited from these miracles--either physically or spiritually--had already welcomed Jesus into their midst through open minds and humble spirits. When miracles were performed, those who had not originally welcomed Christ still did not believe. Miracles alone are simply not enough evidence to convince a skeptic of Christ's divinity and power. (For examples of this, see: Acts 4:15-22, Matthew 11:16-24, Mark 6:1-6, Luke 19:36-40, Luke 10:2-16)

The question, "God, why can't you just come down and show me who you are, yourself?" is a very arrogant one. It is not a question of welcome, but of exclusion. It is not an offer of faith, but a demand for a show. It is not a request from a humble heart, but a demand for control over God. Basically, what is really being said is this: "God, I reject all the ways you have tried to show yourself to mankind and I demand a particular kind of theatrics that is just for me. If you humble yourself to me and do things my way, I might consider believing in you." However, God knows that such a pitiful excuse for faith is no faith at all. For one thing, God has already come down (as Jesus) and shown us Who He is (through His life, His miracles, His death and His resurrection), but many of us continue to reject Him. God knows that one more "show" isn't going to work. What we need is a humble heart and a willingness to ask instead of demand. Here is an example of just such a prayer:

"Dear God, I am having trouble believing in You, in Jesus and in the truth of the Bible. If You and Jesus are one, as the Bible says, please give me the faith to believe. Lead me to the place where I will see Your Truth for myself--in whatever way will speak most swiftly and tenderly to my heart. I don't want to waste any more of my life not knowing the Truth. Unite my heart and my mind as I seek to know You, and protect me from those who would seek to lead me into the bondage of lies. Open my eyes to see what You have already done to show me Who You are and open my heart to understand that it is You Who are leading me toward You. Please don't let my desire for You slip away, but continue to draw me toward closer. Amen."

Do you see the difference of the above prayer to the demand for a performance? The difference is humility. God is not a trained dog who will jump through a firey ring on demand; He is a God of power and love Who has already given us everything--even His life--and now has nothing more to prove. (See: Why Humility is Absolutely Essential.) Ask from your heart, don't demand. And, then, search the Scriptures to see what He has already said. If you're not sure if the Sciptures can be trusted, do a little research into their validity. Some of your questions might even be answered on this site. Leave a comment and ask. I'd be happy to help you find the answers you're looking for. If you are hurt or angry about some issue concerning the Bible or Christianity, please share that with me and we'll deal with it together. But, whatever you do, try to consider your spiritual needs and questions in light of a powerful, all-knowing, holy God and give Him the honor of recognizing these traits when you appraoch Him. He longs to hear from you, but you need to speak to Him and listen to Him with humility or your heart will simply not be capable of understanding His reply.

Will I Feel Differently When I Accept Jesus?

When some people accept Christ's forgiveness for their sin and enter into a relationship with Him for the first time, they experience a rush of emotion. Some weep for joy at what God has done for them. But what if there is no rush of emotion? What if you feel pretty much the same afterwards? Does that mean your conversion "didn't take"?

No. God's promises remain true regardless of any emotion we may or may not feel. God's truth is not reliant on any feelings we may experience and our salvation is not reliant upon an emotional response. Think of it like this: some people meet, fall in love and get married. At the time of their wedding they are often consumed with emotion--love, excitement and joy. Other people enter into arranged marriages. They may experience very different emotions, or possibly very few. They are simply making a decision to make a commitment to a relationship that they, as of yet, may know little about. Now, which of these couples is more married? Neither, of course. They are both just as married and both have a good chance of it being a successful, loving relationship. So, even though the experiences were very different, both marriages are equally valid.

No matter what our emotional response may be, we need to realize that accepting Christ's offer of salvation is not simply saying a prayer. We are entering into a lifelong relationship with God. We are recognizing that God Himself, as Jesus Christ, paid the penalty for our sinfulness by His death. We are recognizing that He did this willingly—a sacrifice made so that we would not have to die for our own sins and, thereby, never be able to have a relationship with a perfect God. We are recognizing our need, His payment and our new identity in Christ, as a child of God.

The Bible says,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)

And,

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13)

What Is the Bible?

The Bible is a collection of 66 ancient documents, letters and histories. The earliest record dates to as early as 2500 B.C. (possibly even earlier) and the latest to no later than 100 A.D. Approximately 44 different people authored these books. As you can see, the Bible is not one source but many. (See: Using the Bible to Verify Itself)

The Bible is broken up into the Old Testament (the first 39 books) and the New Testament (the last 27 books). The Old Testament is comprised of 4 basic parts:

* The Book of the Law

The first five books (Genesis-Deuteronomy) are called the Pentateuch, or "five scrolls". This is actually one book broken up into five parts. In it you will find the history of God's people from Adam to Moses. The Ten Commandments and very detailed instructions on early Judaic living are also included. The Jews call this section "The Torah" or "The Book of the Law".

* Old Testament History

The next twelve books (Joshua-Esther) are history texts. They start at the story of Joshua as he led the Israelites into battle to gain possession of the Promised Land (Canaan) and end with their defeat at the hands of the Babylonians and their eventual return from exile.

* Poetry & Wisdom

The next five books (Job-Song of Songs) contain drama, poetry, worship songs, wise sayings and even a racy love poem.

* The Prophets

The last seventeen books (Isaiah-Malachi) record important messages from God to His people. The prophets encouraged the people to worship and obey God and warned them of the dangers of turning to idols. God enabled some of them to see and record future events. These prophesies are astounding in their detail and many of them were written a full 1000 years before the fulfillment of the event. To date none of the prophesies of the Bible have been shown to be in error.

The New Testament is comprised of 3 basic parts:

* New Testament History

The first five books (Matthew-Acts) comprise this section. The first four (Matthew-John) are the first-hand, eye-witness accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are called the "gospels", meaning "good news". The book of Acts relays Paul's missionary journeys, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Church's early history. A great deal of fulfilled prophesy is contained within these first five books.

* The Letters

The next 21 books (Romans-Jude) are a collection of letters (a.k.a.: epistles). They were written by Christian leaders to the early churches throughout the Middle East. They contain teaching, encouragement and even rebukes to Christians who were acting in ungodly ways.

* Revelation

This book is a book of prophesy written in poetry and word pictures. It is a series of visions of the future and of the end times.

The Bible stands out among all other books because it is also a book of great truth and great mystery. (See: Why is the Bible So Confusing?) The Bible is God's Word to mankind—written by many men and by God Himself. That is not to say that God dictated the Bible word for word, but rather, He inspired the men to write the truth. God then miraculously preserved the Bible throughout history, despite many attempts to rid the world of His message. (See: How Has the Bible Survived?)

For more detailed descriptions of the individual books of the Bible, go to Overview of the Old Testament & Overview of the New Testament. (Links to be added soon.)

Who Are the Demons?

The identity of demons has been in question throughout history. The Bible does not specifically explain the origins of demons, though there is a passage that I believe indirectly gives us that information. The fact is, the purpose of the Bible is not to focus on evil, but to express to mankind the nature of God, to relate to mankind what God has done on our behalf due to His great love for us and to show us the Way (Jesus Christ) to be reconciled back to Him. Demons and cosmic battles, naturally, take a second seat to that message. However, the Bible isn't exactly silent on the existence and activity of demons, either.

There are three basic schools of thought as to the identity of demons:

1. Demons are fallen angels.
   
2. Demons are an unknown race of beings that at some point were condemned by God and now follow Satan.
   
3. Demons are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim, a race of giants who were part angel and part human. (Genesis 6:4)
   

Now, although most Christians today would choose option number 1, they might be surprised to know that there is absolutely no verse in the Bible that suggests such a thing. The Bible never says that the angels that followed Satan became the demons. In fact, it speaks of angels and demons in very different terms. Here are some basic biblical differences between angelic beings and demonic beings:

Angels	Demons
One angel can destroy an entire city. (II Sam. 24:16 & 17, I Chron. 21:16)	There is no evidence that demons have this kind of power.
One angel can destroy an entire army. (II Kings 19:35, II Chron. 32:21, Isa. 37:36)	There is no evidence that demons have this kind of power.
There is no evidence that angels ever possess people.	Demons do possess people. (Mt. 8:16, 15:22, Mark, 1:32, Luke 8:27)
Angels control animals outwardly, not through possession. (Dan. 6:22, Num. 22:21-33)	Demons possess animals in order to control them. (Mt. 8:28-32)
Angels speak with authority and confidence on all things and in all situations. (Gen. 16:9, Zec. 6:5, Luke 1:13 & 19, Acts 7:53 & 8:26, Rev. 11:15, 14:18 & 18:1etc.)	Demons snivel and whine when confronted with opposition. (Mt. 8:28-31)
Angels have great power over the elements. (Ex. 3:2, Jud. 13:20, Acts 7:30, 10:22, 12:8, Heb. 1:7, Dan. 3:16-28, Rev. 7:2)	There is no evidence that demons have this kind of power.
Angels have an awesome, overwhelming appearance. (Gen. 19:1, Jud. 13:6, I Chron. 21:20, Acts 6:15, Rev. 10:1, 18:1)	There is no evidence that demons can be seen.
Angels are beings of light. (Acts 12:7, Rev. 10:1)	Demons crave the darkness.
Angels preside over cities. (Dan. 10:12-13, 10:20-11:1, 12:1, Rev. 2:8 & 12, 3:1, 7 & 14)	There is no evidence that demons preside over anything.
Angels have great wisdom and extensive knowledge. (II Sam. 14:17, 14:20)	There is no evidence that demons are so well informed or so wise.
Angels can assume physical human form at will. (Gen. 19:1, I Chron. 21:20, Mt. 28:5, Luke 1:11, 1:28, 2:9 & 13, John 1:51, 20:12, Acts 10:3, 27:23, Heb. 13:2)	Demons must possess a human in order to have a physical form. (Mt. 4:24, 8:16, 28)
Angels have great, awesome power over physical matter and human life. (I Chron. 21:11-12, Psalm 78:49, Acts 5:19, 12:7 &23, I Cor. 10:10, Dan. 10:4-9 & 18, Rev. 7:2, 8:7-9:1, Rev. 15:1, 6 & 8, 16:2, 4, 8 & 12)	Demons have limited power over physical matter and human life. (Mt. 4:24, 8:33, 9:32, 12:22, Luke 4:35, 9:42, Acts 19:13 & 16)
Angels can fly. (Rev. 14:6)	There is no evidence that demons can fly.
Angels serve one master (either God or Satan). There is no evidence that an angel has ever bowed in obedience to a human or to a demon. (I Chron. 21:27, Ps. 103:20, Mt. 26:53, I Pet. 3:22, Rev. 22:6)	Demons will flee from anyone (including angels and humans) who exhibit power over them. (Mt. 10:1, Mark 1:34, 3:15, 7:29-30, 9:38, 16:9 & 17, Luke 4:35 & 41, 8:29, 10:17, etc.)
Satan is described as an angelic being who fell from grace, not just a big, powerful demon. Even after his fall, he remains an angelic being, able to command his angels. (II Cor. 11:14, Jude 1:9, Rev. 12:7)	Demons are never described as angelic beings or as ever having existed as angelic beings.
Hell was created specifically for Satan and his angels. (Mt. 25:41)	There is no evidence to suggest that Hell was ever intended for either demons or humans.
Fallen angels are generally bound or imprisoned by God, not free to roam the earth on their own (with the possible exception of Satan and certain key points in history and the future). (II Pet. 2:4, Jude 1:6, Rev. 9:14, 20:1)	Demons seem to have free reign to create havoc on earth. Their only fear is that they might one day be thrown into the Abyss. (Luke 8:31)
Angels can appear to people through dreams. (Mt. 1:20, 2:13 & 19)	There is no evidence of demons appearing in dreams.

Option number 2, that demons are some unknown, condemned race of beings, is also without biblical support. This is nothing more than a made-up explanation to make up for a perceived lack of explanation.

Option number 3, that demons are the spirits of the dead, half-breed Nephilim, is rejected by most modern Christians, primarily on the grounds that it seems too fantastical (as if Creation, angelic wars, the parting of the Red Sea and the miracles of the New Testament aren't!). However, when we take a deeper look at Scripture and the other historical evidence, we may see that this is the only logical explanation. Here is my defense of this less traditional, though more ancient way of thinking:

When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children with them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Genesis 6:1-8 (NIV)

1. Let me first unequivocally state that I hold the Bible as my primary source and the only one that is fully reliable—down to "every jot and tiddle". Naturally, my studies have been extensive and have brought me to various sources, but I always judge their validity through the lens of God's Holy Scriptures.

2. Let me explain why I have rejected the idea that the "sons of God" mentioned in Genesis 6 were merely the descendents of the godly Seth and the "daughters of men" were the children of the condemned line of Cain, as most commentators maintain.

a. The most literal and consistent translation of the text itself seems to be saying that the sons of God were angelic beings and the daughters of men were human. Basically, that's the first idea that comes to mind when the text is read. So, the back-flips the commentators go through to explain it away seem not only counterproductive, but contrary to the intended sentiment of God's Word.

b. Though the term "sons of God" (or "b'nei Elohim", the "divine beings", in the Hebrew) is used in some biblical passages to refer to men, it is used in Job to refer to angelic beings (Job 1:6, 38:7), setting a biblical validation for its use in that sense. Also, when one considers that Job is thought by many to have lived before the Flood, this may even be a contemporary usage of the term.

c. Modern biblical scholars reject the idea of angels marrying humans for two main reasons, both of which are unsatisfactory. The first is simply that they find such an event too fantastic to be believed. One commentator simply dismissed it as "ridiculous" and left it at that. Yet, isn't this the same grounds by which many reject the miracles of the Bible or even the existence of God? This is a very narrow-minded, faithless position to take, in my opinion. God is far bigger than our ideas of Him; therefore, much more is possible in this life than we may want to believe.

d. The second reason cited by commentators is a bit more grounded, yet one which I still find lacking. Luke 20:34-36 (NIV) states: Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection." Some take this passage to mean that angels do not marry, have never married and do not procreate. However, to apply this passage to Genesis 6 would be taking it out of context. Jesus was speaking primarily about humans and what it would be like for us in heaven, not giving a lecture about angelic activities. The passage, obviously speaking of the angels in heaven, cannot be applied to the fallen angels, who no longer reside with God. Marrying and procreation for angels may be aberrant behavior—something not covered in the verse above. Furthermore, to state what angels do or do not do in this present age (or at the time Luke was written), cannot be taken to apply to what a different group of angels might have done at one time in a far distant past. So, while the angels now residing in God's heaven do not marry and never have, it is possible they were at one time given a choice, which some of their angelic siblings miserably failed, causing their fall from grace. The verse above is referring to the angels who reside in heaven with God, not fallen angels.

3. The Genesis 6 passage, if taken at face value, explains many of the mysteries of the Bible—such as, how did the angels fall from grace? And, where did the demons come from? The Nephilim—as half-breed offspring of angels and humans—would, at their deaths, have no place to go and would be bound to this world—condemned to wander the spiritual realm on earth until Judgment Day. The demonic characteristics of desiring to possess a human body and their fascination with sexual perversions, drugs, deceptions, and evil of every kind, also mirror how the Nephilim are described in the Bible.

4. Lastly, let us consider the ancient, extra-biblical writings concerning Genesis 6. If one reads the apocryphal books, the works of the ancient historians, such as Josephus, and the vast amount of ancient mythology that mentions such occurrences, one will begin to realize that the beliefs of the people (including pious Jews) who lived more closely to the time this event actually occurred, had no problem at all accepting that angels did indeed cause their fall from grace by engaging in forbidden relationships with humans—even to the point of bearing offspring with them. They believed this as strongly as any Sunday school child believes that a youth named David killed the giant Goliath with only a sling and a stone. It is only in fairly recent years that this belief has come under scrutiny and has been subsequently squelched by modern biblical scholars. Let us remember that ancient people were not as unintelligent as many of us modern thinkers would like to believe. Though they lacked some amount of scientific explanation for what they observed, they were perfectly capable of communicating what they witnessed—often by memorizing long narratives—a practice that, as we know, greatly sharpens the mind, unlike the hours we spend dulling our senses in front of a television set.

But, despite the vast amount of debate this issue has caused, let us remember that our opinions on this matter have absolutely no bearing on Christ's offer of salvation nor on our ability to believe in Him and accept His mercy. It would be foolish to argue about such piddly matters, and this is why I don't bring it up at parties. Still, I find it beneficial to delve deeper into the Scriptures and meditate on the mysteries of God. There is so much to learn from God's Word, if we only take the time to look!