Introduction

God’s Gift to Humanity: Hell or Reconciliation? is a book I first authored and self-published in 2018. It was far from a best seller—at the time of this writing, I purchased all but two of the copies sold. One was bought by the man I call my preacher, though we have never met face-to-face. The other was purchased by a friend.

Even so, researching and writing that book has been an ongoing blessing for me. It is not an academic dissertation, nor is it a polished literary work. It is the culmination of several years of sincere study, and I believe it reflects the work of the Holy Spirit in me. Through that process, I came to more deeply appreciate the absolute and irrefutable doctrine of God’s impartial grace as revealed in Holy Scripture.

God’s Gift examines the doctrine of eternal conscious torment from the perspective of those who teach it. Their own words describe the torments they attach to their understanding of “hell.” Their traditions outline unimaginable tortures inflicted upon humanity by an angry God. These descriptions are often fantastical, yet they are granted enormous credibility.

Within God’s Gift I also explore multiple Scriptures that reveal God’s relentless love and illuminate the beauty of His impartial grace. Impartial grace is anathema to traditional Christendom. Advocating it comes at a cost. Many who defend the doctrine of eternal conscious torment consider impartial grace to be heresy or blasphemy, and they do not hesitate to mock or condemn those who embrace it. Yet impartial grace is solidly grounded in Holy Scripture, while eternal conscious torment is a doctrine shaped and sustained by human tradition. Through improper interpretation of Scripture, a repugnant teaching developed—a teaching that took root around 500 AD and has since become deeply embedded in the traditions of men. “Hell” and “eternal conscious torment” have become interchangeable terms describing an unending existence reserved for those whom God supposedly hates.

Tradition has long been used to separate Christians from non-Christians and, more tragically, Christians from one another. Traditions breed disagreements, form denominations, and create boundaries that fracture Christ’s body. Denominations split over disputes rooted not in Scripture, but in tradition. Many defend their creeds with passion—even hostility—while ridiculing the beliefs of others. Some condemn entire branches of Christianity as heretical or unworthy. The divisions are many, and often bitter. Yet across these diverse traditions, one thing is almost universally affirmed: the doctrine of eternal conscious torment.

Tradition also places limits on God’s saving grace. It creates conditions of “acceptable” behavior and adds burdens that Scripture does not require. Traditionalists argue fiercely in defense of their doctrines, especially the doctrine of God’s supposed eternal wrath. They often overlook the clear testimony of Scripture and instead construct conditions to “prove” their views.

Tradition qualifies people—other brothers and sisters in Christ—as either truly saved or not. It sets rules that determine who is accepted in the larger community and who is not. In such an environment, it becomes difficult simply to be Christian.

The doctrine of eternal conscious torment is a vicious one. It describes an everlasting fire administered by God solely to punish unbelievers, and its defenders insist it is divinely inspired. Over centuries, the doctrine has become normalized, conventional, and widely accepted as truth. Today it is orthodox, codified in most Christian denominations and congregations around the world.

Conclusion

As I continue this journey of study and reflection, my hope is simple: to look beyond tradition and return to the heart of Scripture. My desire is that all who read these words might reconsider long-held assumptions and discover, as I did, the depth of God’s impartial and unwavering love for all humanity.