Hey Jacob. Thanks for the reply. I see what you are getting at more clearly now. I do have a couple of ideas I would like to wrestle with on the matter. They are more of an approach-based set than the defined matter at hand.

Do you think it is appropriate, or wise, to not use the whole of scripture when it comes to this stuff? It seems as though Jesus teaches alot of things without concrete, pedagogical rhetoric. I keep thinking about the passage in Matt 13 where Jesus tells His disciples that He is teaching in parables to fulfill the Isaiah 6 passage.

It concerns me that you are setting out to assert that hell is not a physical place on the basis of isolated verses, outside of the context. In my opinion, this is a poor hermeneutic approach and is very dangerous.

I feel the way you go about coming to your conclusion is narrow and elementary at best in light of other references to eternal judgment, hell, etc.

Do you ever wrestle with the question of how a loving, gracious God could issue such a seemingly wrathful condemnation for those who do not have faith in Him and live in outright denial of Him? Maybe this is at the heart of your understanding of hell.

I am interested to continue this conversation with you. Have a great day. May God grant us the faith and wisdom to wrestle with His Word to the end that our faith in Him is strengthened and He is glorified!