Brian Jones in Hell is Real (But I Hate to Admit It) discusses his voyage of self-discovery that the Hell of the Bible is real and how it has impacted his life. Jones examines why he personally failed to hold to a personal belief in heaven and why as group Christian by in large do not believe in a real hell. The then details how a real belief in the doctrine of hell has impacted his ministry and moved him to become very serious about salvation and helping others to avoid an eternity in hell. Finally, he provide his readers practical advice and guidance to leading non-believers to a saving faith in Jesus, and thus helping them to avoid an eternity of wrath.
Overall this text led to mixed reactions from me. First, realizing that I have failed to understand my own beliefs more fully on heaven and hell I have found the recent literary conversation about heaven a timely and interesting one. And this book definitely falls into that conversation, and provides a different view point of once you believe in hell this is how you can behave. And I found his evangelism advice helpful, useful and realistic especially as one who sees this area as a weak spot. And I love his explanation of a Christian as an foreign ambassador living amongst unbelievers. But there were also misses for me. He discusses uncovering how Bible study led him to discover the truth of hell for himself. I would have loved for him to walk his readers from fully through this process. Additionally, he discusses God’s wrath, but in my mind never fully answers the question of why God is wrathful. Finally, Jones who clearly is a compassionate man describes himself and statements as a way that can only be seen as harsh and unkind. These comes especially in the first half of the book where the second half better draws out Jones’ personality. Overall I was hoping for a fuller discussion of the doctrine of hell than was provided in a book which is really a call for evangelism.
Review Copy Provided by The B&B Media Group, Inc.
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