Once you are in vocational ministry, it does not take too long for you to take into careful consideration of all the teachings that are in the world. These teachings are from "Christians", theologians, pastors, authors, and writers. As a minister, I do read the news from time-to-time. I notice what is happening in the world. At the same time, I also read articles, news, and blog entries written by professing Christians who claim to have high-view of Scripture. High-view of Scripture is a good attitude to have; at the same time, a person with a high-view of Scripture may also have low-literacy of Scripture.
I regret this, but I read some entries from Huffington post by this guy, some guy and the same guy. I know who Mooney is though not personally. Like Rob Bell who questioned the existence of Hell in his book, Love Wins, Mooney makes very bold statements and claims that Jesus did not believe in hell, Jesus did not care about doctrines, and God saving everyone in the end like the story of Jonah. Because of all those posts, there is no need to believe that everyone will go to hell. God's grace and love will prevail in the end. Everybody will be saved.
On a personal note, I really want to believe what Mooney says. Let's all admit...Hell is not a pleasant word. To some, hell can be a good word since they'll meet their buddies and party there. I really want to believe that in the end everyone will be saved. No one needs to suffer. It does sound very nice.
Knowing the Word of God to be inspired by God and His Word is inerrant, I cannot believe what Mooney says are absolutely the Word of God. I cannot promote "Peace"; when in the end, there is no peace. I cannot promote "Everyone will go to heaven"; when in the end, not everyone will go to heaven. I cannot promote "No Such Thing As Hell"; when in the end, there will be some who will be "vessels of wrath" (Romans 9:22).
Thankfully, I am not the first one to see this. Young Jeremiah have experienced it in his time in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 6:14). When Jerusalem was prophesied to be destroyed by Babylon, many false prophets have risen to comfort everyone with lies. They claim to have come from God, when God never called them (Jeremiah 23).
Let's fast-forward to Jesus' time. Jesus gave his disciples a prophetic event that will happen in the future. The reality of this future event implies that "many false prophets will arise and lead many astray." (Matthew 24:11) Jesus calls us to be ready because the "Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:44) God's final judgement will come through 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. Similar to what happened to King Zedekiah, God's judgement came on Jerusalem through Babylon.
Let's fast-forward to the time of Paul's last letter to Young Timothy. False teachers have already crept inside the church, and Timothy had to deal with them. Timothy was timid, weak, and constantly had ailment. Paul does not sympathize with him, but gives him strength and exhortation to press on. Paul said, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
I really hope Mooney also read the book of Nahum because Nahum prophesied God's judgement on Nineveh a generation after Jonah.
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