Robert A. Peterson

I’ve never met the man who changed my life. This person might not even exist for all I know. I very well might have familiarized myself with the creation of the guy who hides behind the scenes: the mastermind could be someone who controls the spotlight and gives his made up phantom the credit and the applause for all of his brilliant work. Who cares? I know I don’t. All that I appreciate from this man or woman is that for whatever reason, they took the time, and effort, to solidify their knowledge into the form of a four-hundred (or so), page book; and thank God they did! Without that book, I would probably be void of any compassion whatsoever toward anyone or anything in this rotten world. It is because of that special person, who put their words on paper, that today, I see the rot, and gloom, and sin in the world, and grieve over its fallen state. I ache because I know that if those rotting corpses are not picked up, and made into some new and beautiful fruit bearing trees, that they will instead be thrown into eternal flames: flames so intense that they will wake the dead, and the dead will not be able to escape from the torment. They will look for death, but will not find it. This is their fate, if I do not do something.
I realize that these are not theologically correct notions. This is how I feel, as opposed to what I know. I understand that it is not up to me. Who goes to Hell is not even decided by anyone but God, so why should I feel any responsibility over the fact that people will have to be crushed by God’s unrelenting power, solely based on His unbiased will? Only God knows. I believe He poured this intense charity into my soul for a purpose. But I was not always this way.
It was not until I discovered “Hell On Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment” by Robert A. Peterson that I actually repented from such a harsh criticism of the world. Reading that book is what changed me from being a world-hating, (supposed) ‘Holiness-of-God’-defending, self-righteous hypocrite, into someone who has been brought to a place where I would even be willing to give up my own salvation, for someone I have never met, if that meant that they would be privileged To Live eternally. If it were possible for me to sacrificially impart my election on to even one individual who needed saving, I would do it in a second, completely conscious of the implications of that act. The kind of saving God did to me is most miraculous, and most to be praised! Only God could change someone so depraved, and so arrogant, into an individual so humble, just through a simple book.
The premise of Peterson’s work is to prove that Hell is eternal in the aspect of time, (or the lack thereof), while being eternally painful and horrendous as well. Participants in the outpouring of The Almighty’s fury will never be able to escape from it. In fact, God will sustain their souls for the very purpose that He might show His power in them by tormenting their eternal spirits. Hell will be a physical, conscience pain for those who experience it, and they will never find peace. They will grope in the darkness but will never find one bit of comfort.
This is a sobering thought, and it is this concept, (the realities of Hell), that added to my eventual salvation. One cannot wander into the realm of pondering the truths of God’s justice and yet move on to less weighty subjects unscathed. It has been my experience that the Doctrine of Eternal Punishment will either evoke tears caused by the broken heart that spilled them, or tears of hatred for the God who inflicts this righteous torment. It Is a wonder where those tears of hatred come from, seeing how one would think that there is no possible way a heart of stone could produce such moisture. To hear and understand what the afterlife holds for those who never believe in the Gospel, and not be broken for those fellow human beings who we rub elbows against every day, is unthinkable to me! How could somebody be so callouss? But as I ask that question, I’m reminded of the passage: “So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills,” (Romans 9.18 ESV). I give God the praise and the glory for the compassion that has overwhelmed me. It Is not a place I could ever come to on my own: He used Robert A. Peterson to get me here.