What do you think?
Rate this book
Judgment & Hell: God May Be Kinder Than You Think!
With down-to-earth language woven into a skillful yet pragmatic Bible study. Jim Ayer shines the light of Bible truth to reveal a God who always acts with justice, mercy, and most importantly, absolute love and fairness. This sharing book is the perfect way to knock down walls of unbelief, stumbling blocks, and falsehoods.
17 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 13, 2012
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 8, 2026
A BOOKLET REJECTING A HELL OF ‘ETERNAL TORMENT,’ AND ADVOCATING ANNIHILATION OF THE WICKED
Jim Ayer is Vice President for Advancement at Adventist World Radio, and producer/host of the Christian TV program, ‘Making Waves.’
He begins this 2008 booklet with the statement, “While there are many frightening things in this world today, few are ‘scarier’ than the thought of superheated flames in an eternally burning hell. The very idea of a ‘great judgment day’ is enough to create feelings of apprehension---if not abject terror---in the hearts of most people… Sometime … you [will] find yourself … ask[ing] yourself questions like: ‘Is there really a great judgment?’ ‘Does hell burn forever and ever?’ ‘Will many of the earth’s inhabitants really find themselves surrounded by flames?’ ‘Will the words of the hellfire-and-brimstone preachers actually come true?” (Pg 3-4)
He continues, “A great judgment day is coming, however. A day when all humanity will give an answer for their actions---both good and evil---before God. This is biblical fact, which can be quickly established from the Word of God.” (Pg. 5) He adds, “this world will not continue like it is forever. There is an appointment time in the heart and mind of God when every human being will choose who they will follow---God or Satan.” (Pg. 6)
He states, “Unfortunately, the beliefs and traditions of many people today do not coincide with the biblical view of the judgment… many preachers have taught that when an individual dies, he or she goes straight to heaven or hell. Are these teachings really correct?” (Pg. 6-7)
He gives his own story: “When God first knocked on the door of my heart, I gave up drugs, alcohol, and stealing… I held no preconceived ideas about Christianity… I was an empty vessel looking to be filled with the truth and the love of God. Janene [his wife] and I decided that we should probably go to a church… We picked a church and began to attend... [But] we started hearing ideas that were very foreign to the loving God we had come to know… we heard that those judged as sinners are, immediately upon death, condemned … to roast… in the fires of hell for all eternity… keeping the tormented souls alive and sensitive in every horrible flesh-searing feeling for ever!” (Pg. 8-10)
He notes, “We saw… that in Psalm 98:9, God is coming to judge… and to rule His people in righteousness and with justice. Yet, it’s hard to find any equity in the tradition of eternal hellfire… Even sinful people rise up to protest cruel and unusual punishment against their fellow humans… Do we really think ourselves to be more humane than the one who loved us enough to die for us, giving His life so that we could live?… Is He the kind of God who create us to live on earth for 70 years, then roast us on hell’s barbeque---forever---if we don’t just do as we’re told?” (Pg. 11-15)
He states, “‘God is love’ (1 Jn 4:8). And His love… is the keystone in the plan of salvation… The devil, on the other hand, is the father of lies. He’s been lying about the character of God since the very beginning of time…. Preachers of hellfire… were missing an important point… God is looking for … a relationship built on love, trust, and surrender. So… how can you enjoy the freedom of complete love and true joy with a being who is willing to toast much of humanity? The whole idea of eternal torment… caused me a great deal of anxiety.” (Pg, 16-18)
He goes on, “The more I studied, the more I realized that the Bible taught there is a judgment to come… Because this judgment has not been executed, no one is currently burning in hell.” (Pg. 19) Later, he adds, “The word of God is very plain in its meaning. When He destroys the wicked, nothing will be left, including [Satan]… The fire will have done its complete work of destroying sin and sinners forever.” (Pg. 23)
He asks his pastor about these issues, and was told, “Jim, God gave me a dream. On this side of a vast gulf stood all of the saved and on the other side those who were burning in hell forever. We could see them but we were not bothered by their plight. That settled the question of hell for me.’ Then he added, ‘Jim, I think you should find another church.’” (Pg. 26)
He concludes, “Why must the sinner die? Because sinners will never be happy in the heaven they shunned here on earth. And yet, they will receive a just punishment as will Satan and his minions. In the end, sin and sinner will be no more. But neither will there be an eternal place of torment, where our less fortunate relatives burn forever while we bask on the shores of Glory Land.” (Pg. 32)
This booklet may appeal to Christians looking for a brief treatment (with LOTS of personal examples and illustrations) of the Adventist rejection of hell as ‘eternal torment.”
Jim Ayer is Vice President for Advancement at Adventist World Radio, and producer/host of the Christian TV program, ‘Making Waves.’
He begins this 2008 booklet with the statement, “While there are many frightening things in this world today, few are ‘scarier’ than the thought of superheated flames in an eternally burning hell. The very idea of a ‘great judgment day’ is enough to create feelings of apprehension---if not abject terror---in the hearts of most people… Sometime … you [will] find yourself … ask[ing] yourself questions like: ‘Is there really a great judgment?’ ‘Does hell burn forever and ever?’ ‘Will many of the earth’s inhabitants really find themselves surrounded by flames?’ ‘Will the words of the hellfire-and-brimstone preachers actually come true?” (Pg 3-4)
He continues, “A great judgment day is coming, however. A day when all humanity will give an answer for their actions---both good and evil---before God. This is biblical fact, which can be quickly established from the Word of God.” (Pg. 5) He adds, “this world will not continue like it is forever. There is an appointment time in the heart and mind of God when every human being will choose who they will follow---God or Satan.” (Pg. 6)
He states, “Unfortunately, the beliefs and traditions of many people today do not coincide with the biblical view of the judgment… many preachers have taught that when an individual dies, he or she goes straight to heaven or hell. Are these teachings really correct?” (Pg. 6-7)
He gives his own story: “When God first knocked on the door of my heart, I gave up drugs, alcohol, and stealing… I held no preconceived ideas about Christianity… I was an empty vessel looking to be filled with the truth and the love of God. Janene [his wife] and I decided that we should probably go to a church… We picked a church and began to attend... [But] we started hearing ideas that were very foreign to the loving God we had come to know… we heard that those judged as sinners are, immediately upon death, condemned … to roast… in the fires of hell for all eternity… keeping the tormented souls alive and sensitive in every horrible flesh-searing feeling for ever!” (Pg. 8-10)
He notes, “We saw… that in Psalm 98:9, God is coming to judge… and to rule His people in righteousness and with justice. Yet, it’s hard to find any equity in the tradition of eternal hellfire… Even sinful people rise up to protest cruel and unusual punishment against their fellow humans… Do we really think ourselves to be more humane than the one who loved us enough to die for us, giving His life so that we could live?… Is He the kind of God who create us to live on earth for 70 years, then roast us on hell’s barbeque---forever---if we don’t just do as we’re told?” (Pg. 11-15)
He states, “‘God is love’ (1 Jn 4:8). And His love… is the keystone in the plan of salvation… The devil, on the other hand, is the father of lies. He’s been lying about the character of God since the very beginning of time…. Preachers of hellfire… were missing an important point… God is looking for … a relationship built on love, trust, and surrender. So… how can you enjoy the freedom of complete love and true joy with a being who is willing to toast much of humanity? The whole idea of eternal torment… caused me a great deal of anxiety.” (Pg, 16-18)
He goes on, “The more I studied, the more I realized that the Bible taught there is a judgment to come… Because this judgment has not been executed, no one is currently burning in hell.” (Pg. 19) Later, he adds, “The word of God is very plain in its meaning. When He destroys the wicked, nothing will be left, including [Satan]… The fire will have done its complete work of destroying sin and sinners forever.” (Pg. 23)
He asks his pastor about these issues, and was told, “Jim, God gave me a dream. On this side of a vast gulf stood all of the saved and on the other side those who were burning in hell forever. We could see them but we were not bothered by their plight. That settled the question of hell for me.’ Then he added, ‘Jim, I think you should find another church.’” (Pg. 26)
He concludes, “Why must the sinner die? Because sinners will never be happy in the heaven they shunned here on earth. And yet, they will receive a just punishment as will Satan and his minions. In the end, sin and sinner will be no more. But neither will there be an eternal place of torment, where our less fortunate relatives burn forever while we bask on the shores of Glory Land.” (Pg. 32)
This booklet may appeal to Christians looking for a brief treatment (with LOTS of personal examples and illustrations) of the Adventist rejection of hell as ‘eternal torment.”
October 21, 2016
Quick but good read
Very nice book. Short and to the point. Premise makes sense to me. I like the loving God theory much better than fire and brimstone
Very nice book. Short and to the point. Premise makes sense to me. I like the loving God theory much better than fire and brimstone
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews