The goal of a Christian parent is to deposit the raw materials of Christianity into their children’s hearts and minds, and then to pray that God forges those raw materials into a life-long faith.

(This is the third part in a series on the idea that Hell is not  separation from God. Check out the other two HERE and HERE ) If we’re going to reject the idea that Hell should be thought of as separation from God, then we’re going to have to deal with something really significant that Jesus says in Matthew 27. While Jesus is suffering for our sins on the cross Matthew writes this, Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about

(This is the second post in a three-post series on my rejection of the idea that Hell is should be thought of as separation from God. Check out Part 1 HERE .) Here in Part 2, I want to tackle 2 Thessalonians 1:9 and how that particular verse plays into the discussion of Hell as separation from God. But to do that we need to get into the Greek weeds a little bit. I’ll try not to get too technical, but this is the good, hard work of knowing the Bible better, so stick with me! F

(I was pleasantly surprised to find that Professor Michael Horton wrote a brief article with the same name over at The Gospel Coalition in 2019. Check it out .) Have you ever heard (or maybe even said) something like, “Hell is separation from God.” Or maybe the more kid friendly version that eventually leads you to the same place, “Sin separates you from God.” I hear and it and read it all the time. I’ve read the kid-friendly version in several lessons of Children’s Ministry