They call his name, but they do not know Him. They pray up to him, but they do not know Him. They follow him, but they do not know Him. Who do they follow? They follow the Jesus from Hell and they are his Legion of Dead Christians.

What becomes of the wicked? Hell—exile from God, subjection to fire, worms, and darkness—for centuries the idea has shaped the dread of malefactors, the solace of victims, and the deterrence of believers. Although we may associate the notion of hell with Christian beliefs, its gradual emergence depended on conflicting notions that pervaded the Mediterranean world more than a millennium before the birth of Christ. Asking just why and how belief in hell arose, Alan E. Bernstein takes us back to those times and offers us a comparative view of the philosophy, poetry, folklore, myth, and theology of that formative age.Bernstein draws on sources from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, and Israel, as well as early Christian writings through Augustine, in order to reconstruct the story of the prophets, priests, poets, and charismatic leaders who fashioned concepts of hell from an array of perspectives on death and justice. The author traces hell's formation through close readings of works including the epics of Homer and Vergil, the satires of Lucian, the dialogues of Plato and Plutarch, the legends of Enoch, the confessions of the Psalms, the prophecies of Isaiah, Ezechiel, and Daniel, and the parables of Jesus. Reenacting lively debates about the nature of hell among the common people and the elites of diverse religious traditions, he provides new insight into the social implications and the psychological consequences of different visions of the afterlife.This superb account of a central image in Western culture will captivate readers interested in history, mythology, literature, psychology, philosophy, and religion.

The credal affirmation, 'he descended to the dead', has attracted a plethora of views over the centuries and many Christians today struggle to explain the meaning of these words. This book explores various interpretations of the doctrine of Christ's descent to the dead, both within particular historical contexts and within contemporary theology. Laufer argues that the descensus clause, Christ's descent, is integral to Christian faith, specifically to the doctrine of the incarnation. If we are to affirm that, in Christ, God became truly human then that affirmation must include his sharing in the state of being dead that is the ultimate consequence of being human. Laufer concludes that, since the Son has experienced genuine human death and the separation from God which is the essence of hell, there is no longer any human condition from which God is absent, either in this life or in eternity. Christ's descent means that he is truly 'hell's destruction'. Drawing on a treasure trove of writings from the western theological tradition, including Luther, Calvin, Maurice, Balthasar, Moltmann and others, and attending to historical, theological, exegetical, philosophical and pastoral issues, this book explores an often-ignored doctrine which lies at the core of Christian life, death and faith.

Will all Christians go to heaven? Christians in Hell answers this question with an emphatic no. In his eye-opening expose of the Christian faith, Daniel P. Franklin provides Scripture-based reasons why many who sincerely believe that Jesus is their Lord and Savior will be cast into hell on Judgment Day. In today's egotistical culture, many choose to believe in self-achievements and hope in the saving power of personal works. This is not the message Jesus preached. Christians in Hell is a sobering warning to all professing Christians to heed the Apostle Paul's exhortation to 'Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith' (2 Corinthians 13:5). Bringing a timely perspective to Jesus's haunting question 'when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?' (Luke 18:8), Christians in Hell casts a fresh light on the dangers of today's man-centered doctrines that are leading men to hell in the name of Christ. Discover the key discrepancies between popular modern theology and the true salvation message God outlined for his people."

Hell is the most misunderstood doctrine by Christians throughout the world. This book deals with issues that I believe the Bible teaches and that are lamentably dismissed by many churches as heresy. These include:?Humans were created with the potential to become mortal or immortal beings. As a result of the Fall humans acquired a mortal nature. ?Immortality is God?s gift to the righteous. The wicked lack immortality and will be annihilated. Death and not hell is the final destiny of the wicked. ?When people die their whole being ceases to exist. Their souls do not continue to live in an intermediate state as is believed by many Christians and non-Christians. At death God withdraws his power of life resulting in cessation of being. This is why a resurrection is needed. ?The dead has no concept of time?there is no time between death and resurrection. ?At the resurrection, people will be restored back to the earthly nature. The Saints will be transformed and clothed with immortality while the wicked will be annihilated. Rev. Dr. John Muhia Karanja the author of this book is a Presbyterian Church Minister. He is married to Ann and has three children.

How can a loving God send people to hell? Isn’t it arrogant to believe Jesus is the only way to God? What is up with holy war in the Old Testament? Many of us fear God has some skeletons in the closet. Hell, judgment, and holy war are hot topics for the Christian faith that have a way of igniting fierce debate far and wide. These hard questions leave many wondering whether God is really good and can truly be trusted. The Skeletons in God's Closet confronts our popular caricatures of these difficult topics with the beauty and power of the real thing. Josh Butler reveals that these subjects are consistent with, rather than contradictory to, the goodness of God. He explores Scripture to reveal the plotlines that make sense of these tough topics in light of God’s goodness. From fresh angles, Josh deals powerfully with such difficult passages as: The Lake of Fire Lazarus and the Rich Man The Slaughter of Canaanites in the Old Testament Ultimately, The Skeletons in God's Close uses our toughest questions to provoke paradigm shifts in how we understand our faith as a whole. It pulls the “skeletons out of God’s closet” to reveal they were never really skeletons at all.

A Roman soldier dies on a Middle Eastern battlefield during the pre-Christian era. Captured, chained and humiliated in the afterlife, he suddenly finds himself being led by a band of demons to the first circle of hell. As he makes the arduous journey downward, Ioannes reflects upon his earthly life and his search for knowledge of the one true God. He wonders why he has been condemned and regrets not sharing his belief in Adonai with his friend and fellow legionnaire, Cælius. After the death of Ioannes, Cælius goes through a conversion of heart. This conversion not only leads to God, but to a change in his military status. He leaves the legion to become a sailor in the Roman Navy. Over the next couple of years, he achieves a small amount of peace as he sails the Mediterranean Sea. During port calls, he discretely visits local Rabbi who teach him about God and the coming Messiah. Unfortunately, some of his shipmates take notice of the changes in him and become suspicious. His new faith is revealed and tested during a storm off the coast of Cyprus, where he gives his life trying to save his shipmates. Cælius too finds himself descending into Hades, but on a very different path than his friend. Ioannes must pass through the gates of hell on foot and face a demonic court where his sins are exposed. Cælius finds himself floating down the River Styx into the underworld. He must evade demonic raiders and underwater monsters but is soon cornered on the banks of the river by an unholy siren. Having arrived in Hell before the Messiah, what do these humble warriors witness after the crucifixion of Jesus? Will their newfound faith lead to their salvation as just pagans? Or are they destined to be separated in Hell forever?