Dear Fellow Believers,

In this broadcast of Grace Cafe, I delve into the three different Greek words all translated "hell" in the common English versions. This is a great title; Rodney came up with this one himself.  

We get two antagonistic callers: RJ from Parma and Ken from Cleveland. I can't believe the patience I have with these two career Christians. I would not nearly have this kind of patience today. Does it mean I have less of the spirit today—patience being a fruit of the spirit—or have I become a more aggressive warrior for the truth?

I'm trying to be honest here. I think I'm definitely a more aggressive warrior, but I also think that the flesh has been wearied by the twenty-five years of Christian hypocrisy that has ensued, and anyone touching me now with any hint of either self-righteousness or proud stupidity is like poking a bear with a stick. I won't bite the head off, but I will remove all other appendages. This is probably not good.

But back to giving myself some credit: Knowing as I do that the time is short, we simply don't have time today to listen to an RJ's long and drawn-out Biblical history lessons (RJ likes to hear himself talk, but most importantly he likes to keep US from talking), or a Ken's grade-school ignorance of the grammatical law that nouns becoming adjectives do not change meaning (aion to aionios). Both of these men so desperately want to maintain the orthodox Christian lines of free will and eternal torment that they will gladly make fools of themselves in front of the entire city of Cleveland and its suburbs. But not to worry, because the entire city of Cleveland and its suburbs were probably rooting for these two wandering sheep.

The funny thing is, I'm in the living room with my headphones on watching Rodney's production, listening to these callers, and I'm cussing my head off ("Jesus...!" this and "Oh, my God!" that, and "What the f....!" the other thing), but I'm unaware of how loud I'm doing it, to the point that Maria runs into the room and says, "What's wrong?" and I say, "Huh? Nothing. What's up?"  

Then I realized what was happening and I said, "Want to hear something funny? I'm listening to myself on the radio twenty-five years ago and I'm becoming more upset today than I was back in 1999 at these two clueless callers who are derailing our entire show. I wish I'd done a better job of derailing THEM."

Kind of funny. Well, I'm the sort of guy who, for fun and relaxation, watches 70's game show reruns on YouTube. I'm at the edge of my seat rooting for people to win washers and dryers—people who have probably been dead for over a decade.  

Thanks again to Rodney Paris for another great adventure. Minus RJ and Ken, this is a fine lesson on hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus. I think this is the first time I used my airline analogy to describe the crime of translating three different Greek words into the single English word "hell." So welcome to KJV Airlines, advertising flights to Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York, but sending everyone to Miami.

Thanks to all of your for the amazing and blessed support over the last three decades. The work and the message continues going forth. God is making note of our labors and we will reap the fruit of our labors in the hour of reaping, which is fast approaching.

Yours because of grace,

—Martin