All You Want to Know about Hell: Three Christian Views of God's Final Solution to the Problem of Sin

by Steve Gregg

Hell is has become a controversial topic. Most Christians (and non-Christians) are only aware of one view of the fate of the lost--"Eternal torment in hell-fire." While this view has been the dominant doctrine of the church for centuries, the early church was not unanimous in seeing hell this way--nor is the modern evangelical church. There have always been three alternative views of hell that have been held by various Bible-believing scholars.


In addition to the traditional view of eternal torment (Traditionalism), there is the view that the sinner in hell eventually is annihilated and ceases to exist (Conditionalism). A third view holds that hell is a place in which the lost are brought to repentance and eventual salvation (Restorationism).


Each of these views can make a credible scriptural case for its own distinctives. " All You Want to Know About Three Christian Views..." examines the pros and cons of each view objectively, leaving the reader to decide which view he or she finds most persuasive. If you think you know "all you want to know about hell"...think again!


Features

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christian, Christianity

336 pages, ebook

First published October 15, 2013

Reviews

[Meadow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subject of hell is one that has always brought a mental cringe for me. Although I am a Bible teacher, I honestly don't have a strong view about hell. The more I study the less clear it seems to be. I have read a few other popular books about it recently (Francis Chan, Rob Bell, etc.) and was disappointed. It seemed like the authors, while trying to be open-minded, pretty much ended up with whatever conclusion they started with in the beginning. Steve Gregg hits a real home run with this book, as he honestly examines all the views of hell. At the end, you have learned that none of them can be said to be fully supported by the Bible. But all of them have some support!

The most notable part of Gregg's book, besides the excellent scholarship, is that he has a section for each major view where he writes AS IF he is a supporter of that view. I think is an amazing idea to do that, both because it shows his profound research, and because it shows that he is not belittling or discounting any view.

If you are interested in the whole question of how a loving God could ever send people to hell, you will probably be agreeably surprised by this book. If you have a firm belief in hell, you ought to read this book and see if further research leads you to a new view. It was a sometimes painful, sometimes enjoyable read. I challenge you to try it, too!

[Katy Schmitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book champions a topic that is surprisingly near to a Christian's heart. It is much like eschatology, in the fact that it matters little what we believe in order to be "saved" and in right standing with the Father. However, like all things, Jehovah is The Lord of All, so we may as well believe rightly about it if we can.

I love how the Father is so simple in the restoration of His creation. He woos us, loves us, and brings us to him through the perfect plan and sacrifice of Jesus. Then, as we progress through this journey and "regress" through the world as we have known it, His intimacy with His own creation and the ways He has established the laws of the invisible and visible worlds become marvelously complex. The study and relationship with The Lord is a vast science. It's like learning that there is a cell, and then having that door open to all of the intricacies therein. But so much more... God made that cell and it was part of the design from the beginning when no one knew about it. It has been doing all of those marvelous living, dividing, mechanical, and changing things just the same whether we knew it or not.

I am surprised, well not really, how I want people to pay. The idea of eternal torment scratches an itch for me. I know that is very unmerciful, but there it is. I like the idea of those who live in sin--pay. I want those things that I have endured to be paid for. All of the misunderstandings, all of the times where I owned up to more than my share, and turned the other cheek. I want gold stars for being good, and I want those guys to experience pain. That, obviously, is a very wrong way to approach any idea. Certainly a wrong way to approach theology.

This book, with its fair and scholarly walk through the three principal views, opened my eyes as to my own carnal prejudices on the subject. Steve takes us back to the church fathers, and holds our hand through the topic ever since. The language is simple enough for us common folk, but he does not spare us the detailed research. The three most common ideas of hell; eternal torment, annihilation, and universal salvation, are treated with equal research.

Again, it is amazing how one idea or another will instantly excite defenses in us. However, I have learned that if I cling too tightly to my idea of who God is, and am not willing to let Him be as He teaches me He is; I wind up holding a little idol of my own making. It is a difficult thing to lay down ideas about God that we have believed so absolutely. Sometimes we have believed wrong.

"One thing that can be said about the early fathers is that, although they differed from one another in their views on hell (as all three views were held through the first five centuries), they were not, like many church leaders of our time, contentious or condemning of those who differed from their own preferred positions. It was clearly not a matter to them over which to break fellowship with of those of other views." p.120

[Lee Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I asked for a review copy because I had previously devoured Steve Gregg’s Revelation: Four Views. This guy is an engrossing writer who gets right to the heart of the matter. While Gregg doesn’t entirely mask his own opinion, he does manage to fairly represent several alternative views with these books, and this time around he gives voice to the following opinions about hell:

Traditionalists, who stick with the common view of everlasting conscious torment.
Conditionalists, who argue for annihilation of the sinful. “The wages of sin is death.”
Restorationalists, who insist that hell is a place of rehabilitation. Everyone will eventually find their way to heaven.

Universalists, at least those who reason that for God to be victorious no one could find themselves in hell, are not strongly represented in the book. Hell is too real in scripture to dismiss.

It’s important to emphasize that all three views are solidly founded in scripture. Lots and lots of scriptural references are provided for each view, and all views have thoughtful, scholarly supporters.

We’d all like to know the ultimate truth about hell, but I just don’t think the scriptures are in total harmony in this matter. That’s where this study led me, though I doubt that’s where Gregg meant to lead. The more I study topics like this, the harder it is to believe in Biblical Inerrancy. I remain baffled as to why otherwise thoughtful Bible scholars rage against the obvious … that doctrinal differences in the Bible are a natural result of differing opinions among the Bible’s writers.

Nevertheless, this is a book to make you think, and to make you appreciate the richness of the Bible even as it examines the most frightening topic known to man.

[Luke Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

An effective and engaging overview of hell, providing both support for and criticism of three primary positions on hell- eternal conscious torment/traditional view, annihilationism/conditional immortality, and universal reconciliation. Gregg does his best to remain unbiased and provide a strong survey of both the arguments for and against these positions, coming from scriptural and scholarly perspectives. A survey of church leadership in the first few centuries was incredibly interesting, showing that a diversity of opinions on hell were tolerated before Origen's views were anathemized in the mid-6th century. I appreciate his attempt at neutrality, but I found he came down harshest on the traditional view/eternal conscious torment, but perhaps that is simply because as the majority view, I am not as used to criticism of that interpretation. The universalist position was also more logically cogent than I had realized before, but again, perhaps that is simply Gregg's presentation. Highly recommended as a starting point for investigating this difficult doctrine.

[Ron W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of a series of Steve Gregg's books dealing with matters pertaining to the Christian faith and my hat goes off to him for choosing to tackle a very difficult topic. One aspect of the Abrahamic faiths not taught that much about in places of worship and study groups is that of Hell. Gregg does a good job at unpacking Hell in its basic components of three views: Traditionalism (where because the soul was created eternal, those who fail to repent face a terrible fate) otherwise known as the 'eternal torment view', Conditionalism is where those who are saved go to be in a heavenly realm whereas those who don't make it are simply destroyed (or deleted from history's hard drive), and finally there's Resorationism where everyone is saved, otherwise known as universal salvation. Gregg examines the pros and cons of each side and seems to leave it up to the reader to make up his or her own mind after weighing up the evidence. It's worth the read if you're really interested in the topic, but if not, it'll be a bit like going there yourself!

[Franquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the title, you would think this would be a dark and dreary read... But it is just the opposite. I finished reading it with a new hope that the fate of the lost isn’t as certain as I have always believed it to be, which brings great relief and happiness to my heart. God is so great, and His love for us is boundless.

[Russell Mouser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book. Every christian should read this.

[Allen Sanchez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Steve is good on eschatology but accepts Alexandrian/Catholic scholars as authoritative in his lectures (Origen, Augustine, etc). Steve's wife Dayna is openly a universalist (believes everyone even satan will eventually be restored to God) and Steve's book on hell is dedicated to his wife. (a condition of Steve's marriage to Dayna was that he write this 3 views on hell book but they married before the book was published) Steve claims to have received his spiritual anointing from the laying on of hands from Lonnie Frisbee (vineyard movement, rainbow children, etc) Steve and his wife also openly embrace voodoo rock and roll in the church and support people like Greg Laurie, Chuck Smith, Jesus Revolution movie, etc. Steve openly mocks flat earthers though that is not as important of a doctrine (even though there are over 200 bible verses that prove a flat earth). Steve claims the Bible verses that clearly warn of eternal damnation are 'poetic imagery' though many are not poetic or apocalyptic imagery. His book on 'why hell' is a treatise promoting purgatory/universalism and annihilation(ism). Steve and his wife are also ecumenical with Rome and the Vatican (they love CS Lewis, Billy Graham, Francis Chan, etc) and believe the Catholic whore is just as much a part of the real church as any protestant denomination. How do I know all this? I read all his books and spent several months listening to his lectures and radio calls online as well as joined his Facebook group, which was the most revealing, its full of trolls that support Steve's more radical views that you won't get listening to the radio program. I would say tread carefully with Steve. I did like his Revelation 4 views book as well as the empire of the risen son books were ok and show a millennial now view, which I accept. His book on 'why hell' formerly called 'all you ever wanted to know about Hell' is absolute garbage and openly questions from a philosophical (not biblical) perspective what is clear scripture on eternal damnation! Steve went the way of Baalam with that book! ... Steve also does not believe in the superiority of the King James Bible and thinks other formal equivalency bibles are just as good if not better (NASB, ESV, etc) even though they come from Alexandrian manuscripts, the trolls on his Facebook group will attack you if you try to discuss topics in his group such as: flat earth, alexandrian bibles and scholars, voodoo rock and roll in the church, Greg Laurie being ecumenical, Lonnie Frisbee, the ecumenical movement in general, etc. I got thrown out of his Facebook group twice but not before challenging some of his views and getting jumped from all directions by his minions who come out of the woodwork on important doctrinal issues ... another thing that really bothered me is in looking at his wife Dayna's Facebook profile I found they had pictures of a halloween dinner party with guests dressed as hippies, one wearing a broken cross t shirt. Then she had a picture of a manger with Santa looking over baby Jesus, trees landscaped and dressed as gnomes outside her house, she even had a picture of a witch with her claiming she was a witch, this really bothered me for the wife of a minister to have this content, is wife Dayna was an art professor for 40 years at a secular community college, who knows what kind of art she taught, I didn't go that far in my research.

[Steven Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it possible what you believe about Hell is wrong?

The truth of the matter the very concept of hell is shrouded in mystery. Most people base much of their understanding of the subject on books, movies, and the teaching of TV evangelists. For most hell is a horrible place of endless torment. But is this what hell is, a place where sinners will suffer from their sins in an eternal state of torment? Or is there more to it than that?

In his book, "All You Want To Know About Hell" Steve Gregg tells us what the Bible really says about the terrifying and mystifying place and explains that throughout church history there were and still are three prominent views about the hereafter.

They include:
1. The Traditional View (sinners will face eternal torment in fire)
2. The Annihilists View (sinners will be annihilated by fire)
3. The Reconciliation View (sinners will be reconciled via fire)

Those who seek to understand the concept of hell would do well to learn from the various views and familiarize themselves with the strengths and weaknesses of each.

It is disturbing to hear someone claim that theirs is the only approach, or worse yet, to label others as non-Christian merely because they interpret hell differently.

Steve Gregg’s work is therefore of great value in bringing Christians together and promoting mutual understanding and cooperation. Steve Gregg admits, after writing the book, he cannot decide which view he believes in—each has its strong and weak points.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed and appreciated this. Gregg has done his homework, and manages to effectively canvas a wide variety of perspectives on the topic of Hell, both scripturally and historically (though I would say his exegetical/scriptural content is generally stronger than his historical content). He manages to balance careful defense and interrogation of each of the three main views (traditional, annihilation, restoration) in a way that truly gives each an eminently fair representation. Of course, Gregg seems to have sympathies in one direction, and it turns out those sympathies line up squarely with mine, so of course that's going to increase my opinion of the book too!

That all said, I absolutely think this is the best single-volume introduction to a "wider" view on the notion of Hell, especially for conservative evangelical-types who haven't been introduced to any diversity of viewpoint on the topic. I will absolutely be recommending this.

[Matthew C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an accessible overview of the basic arguments for the 3 views of hell. The format is fantastic for getting up to speed on the nature of the debate in an economy of space. Gregg presents this book as a neutral overview and calls himself undecided on the matter, yet it is obvious which view he prefers (as he admits in the epilogue). He clearly sympathizes with conditionalism and is even more enthusiastic about restorationism. This doesn't detract too much from the usefulness of the book, however, since the traditionalist view of hell, along with its arguments, is the one that most people are familiar with anyway. Most people will be reading this to understand the defenses of the other two minority views, which he does a decent job of covering.

[Nathan Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me with a better understanding of what should truly motivate my obedience to the Lord in sharing Christ with others than anything I have ever read. It’s a truly paradigm shifting book that helped me realize that I may not understand scripture as clearly as I previously thought regarding this subject. What I love is that Steve Gregg is very insistent on being true to the Word of God and helping the reader think carefully and thoughtfully about hell. It is a very theologically and spiritually stimulating book and makes me want even more to dive into the depths of scripture! Pick it up and see for yourself.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting and made many good points for each view on hell, but I strongly disagree that it is written for laypeople, it is extremely dry and points are often repeated to the point where I felt that each view having 2 30 pages sections each was overkill. I feel like the only viewpoint that felt interesting layperson enough was the view conditionalist view. This was also the only section that I felt benefitted from both sections that were devoted to it.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Comprehensive! Real Alternatives

I was not aware there are 3 views of Hell that are supported by Scripture!

I am uncomfortable with the traditional view and wasn't aware that the 3 views were fully accepted for the first 500 years!

There is support for the traditional view but I doubt it is accurate. It doesn't seem to fit God's character or some of what Jesus said. Thank you Steve!

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book about 3 different views of hell held by respected theologians. The author does not seek to persuade readers, but instead quite succinctly provides scriptural support for each as well as the arguments against each view. Perhaps God is deliberately being unclear in the Bible because knowing which view is correct is not the point, but walking with Him in this life IS, as well as sharing the gospel with others so they also can be redeemed and transformed.

[Charity Taylor Hattenhauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd reading. In my TOP 5 theology books. Anyone concerned with eternal destiny would find this interesting. I only give it 4 stars because of how pedantic it is. But it’s EXTREMELY thorough, which I appreciate. 4.5 stars, IMO

[Charles Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource. I will use it extensively in my efforts to spread the Greater Hope in Universal Reconciliation. It is obvious which view Steve Gregg leans toward, but that isn't necessarily a negative thing. The view that presents the best case is not unlikely to draw the author or reader closer to it's case.

Steve did an excellent job in presenting the best case for each view. He did not straw man the views he disagrees with, but honestly presented an accurate depictions of them as though a condoner of the view was presenting the view they condone. He may have critiqued certain views during his case for them, which may seem biased, but in reality we are commanded to test all things; especially the doctrine we hold as our own.

If anyone is interested in learning more about Christian Universalism, feel free to view the following page: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristian...

If you would like to challenge your view or either of the other two, join us in the group on Facebook entitled: Evangelical Universalism: Invitation and Debate

My grading system on a scale of 5 stars is as follows:
1 star is obviously the worst of all ratings. It basically says the book should never have been written, the author is far from qualified or equipped regarding authorship, and the book must have been self-published because no publishing company would ever publish their work. (This, of course, doesn't degrade self-publishing.)

2 stars is slightly better than 1 star. It is possible that a publisher would publish their work, but the publisher made a poor decision. The book is not worth reading even once. It's an utter waste of time.

3 stars is a good rating. It says the publisher didn't make a bad decision in publishing their work. The book was worth the read, but will likely not be read a second time.

4 stars is a very good rating. The publisher made a very wise decision in publishing their work. The book was very well written, intriguing, and is definitively worth reading again, or maybe twice. The majority of good books will get 4 stars.

5 stars is obviously the best rating available. Very few books should be rated 5 stars. Unfortunately, many people give books 5 stars just because they enjoyed the read, even if they never pick it up again. Even if it is read one or two more times, it doesn't deserve 5 stars. 5 stars is reserved for the best of the best, the most elite, books that will be historic i.e. read by generations. Books should only receive 5 stars if they will be read many more times and used as a tool in future endeavors.

Steve Gregg is one of the most humble individual I (don't) know. (although I intend to.) I'm sure he'd be hesitant in accepting a 5 star rating. While this book is far from the best book ever written, it is among the elite; regarding its genre. I rarely give books 5 stars and was hesitant in giving this one 5 stars, but ultimately decided it fits the criteria listed above.

Well done, Steve. Well done.

[Jon Kenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the Book

Having read Steve Gregg's book on the four views of Revelation, this book was an easy one to pick up. Steve Gregg is the radio host and teacher on "The Narrow Path" which is a part of his ministry. Gregg does a great job on his show expanding theology and this book is no different. From the outset Gregg potentially has multiple things going against him. Let's face it, hell, is a hard topic to address. Especially when the entire book is further articulating three traditional views. If you've ever read another book on this topic, I think it's fair to say that the words "page turner" most likely wouldn't have been used to describe it. Also, writing a book on this topic and remaining objective through out is almost impossible, yet Gregg manages to do a good job.

The book was a well balanced look at the three traditional views regarding hell but not before asking some hard questions about why God would create a hell, it's purpose, and what the early church's view was on the subject. After giving a brief overview and defining where we're going with the book, Gregg finally dives into the three traditional views on hell: traditionalism, conditionalism, and restorationism.

Just in case you don't know if you fall into one of these categories, let's break them down in just a sentence or two...

Traditionalism is the view most commonly held that believes hell is a place of everlasting conscious torment.

Conditionalism holds to the belief that all people who are unsaved will be ultimately destroyed and cease to exist, rather than suffer unending torment in hell.

Restorationism insists that hell is not a place of torment for the dead, instead it's a stop for rehabilitation. Eventually everyone makes it to heaven.

All of these sections do a good job of explaining these views in great detail and the appendix actually lists side by side the various views and beliefs for even greater study.

My Thoughts

I found this book fascinating and a great resource on such a vast and comprehensive topic. It's rare to find someone like Gregg who is thought provoking and confident while remaining mostly objective in attempt to give each view it's own credibility. I throughly enjoyed this read and hope it'll be introspective for you and your own views on hell regardless where you end up.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers the three different views of hell that are most popular among Christians. Each view is presented in two different chapters: one an argument for that view and one that criticizes that view. It is meant to help readers evaluate each view of hell for themselves and make up their mind on which view of hell they believe is right.

I was very intrigued by this book. For some reason the idea of hell is almost more intriguing than the idea of heaven. Maybe it was because we read Dante's Inferno in my humanities class last semester, which already had me thinking about hell, but as soon as I saw this book, I wanted to read it. I thought the book was very interesting, and I enjoyed learning about the different views of hell. I had never really known that there were views other than the traditional view, so I was very intrigued by the other views. The author does a good job at presenting the arguments for and against each view with plenty of biblical evidence. I also think that the author did a good job of hiding which view he thought was right, which helped the book not be biased towards one view. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the three different views of hell.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/20...

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book as part of a study group, and I have to say I really enjoyed reading it. What's there to enjoy in a book about Hell? The approach treats the reader as a thinker. Gregg presents the scriptural basis as well as the arguments of various thinkers and scholars throughout history. Is there postmortem salvation? Are all souls immortal or just those who have faith in Christ? Would sin against God require infinite suffering? How could God's ultimate purposes be served by conferring endless suffering on sinners? Would God's grace extend beyond human death? In following Christ, are we driven by a human-centered motive (fear of Hell) or a God-centered motive (love for God and desire for His glory)? And much more. In exploring these views, it's fascinating to see Gregg examine a pertinent scripture and then extrapolate possible variances in meaning based on context, our assumptions, the meaning of a word or phrase in the original Greek, and on examining what is NOT said. Plus, he just has the gift of drawing the reader into the issues. A great book to spur your own understandings and a great book to merit discussion with others. A great beach read ... maybe not. :)

[Denise DiFalco · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many the thought of "Hell" is incomprehensible especially as an eternal suffering from not following God's way. Like it or not, Hell is mentioned all over the Bible and for those Christians who take the Bible literally, it's all a part of the divine plan. Author Steve Gregg has done extensive research in his new book to share with the reader the pros and cons of three popular Christian views which explan Hell's purpose. This book is very deep and took me several times of reading and rereading to grasp each concept. I was given this opportunity through Book Sneeze in exchange for my honest opinions. It's not important as to whether I believe what each sect proclaims. What's more important here is the detailed account on what Mr. Gregg promises. The book will keep you captivated and wanting to understand more. It raises a lot of questions and controversy as much as the subject as Hell itself. The book contains a lot of history siting the views of the early church. Included in the back of the book is a chart of arguments for Tradictionalism; Conditionalism; and Restorationalism. The Author has given us a superb work of writing which will teach each reader much.

[David Holford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent analysis

Steve Gregg has set out the arguments for and against each major view concerning the eternal fate of those not in Christ at the time of their physical death. His goal is not to convince the reader of any particular view, though he is harshest on the traditional view. This is as it should be, because of the dominance of this view since the Middle Ages. However he clearly makes the case that all of the views are acceptable within Christian orthodoxy, especially as they were held by various Church Fathers who did not anathemize those who held a different view.

I think this book is especially helpful for those who have assumed that traditional ways of understanding hell are biblical or even exclusively biblical, without any closer examination. Gregg is decidedly staunchly evangelical and assumes the basic propositions of evangelicalism, and draws support for the conditionalist and restorationist views from well known evangelical scholars. He demonstrates that the various views of hell are not held by those who have somehow gone off the deep end.

[Michael Ots · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the different evangelical views on hell. However, unlike 'Four views on hell' it's weakness is that the same author presents all the views and it quickly becomes apparent which one he favours. Possibly it is best value for it's section on the early churches views on hell which I found very interesting. For a first book on the subject though, start with 'Four Views on Hell' edited my Sprinkle.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review on my blog: http://wp.me/pf2RR-pX

[Seth Heasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tremendous book. I'll write more later.