Hi, Gino -

I think the main take-away in discussions of either hell or "outer darkness" is that we're warned that they exist and we are told to avoid them.

"You don't wanna go there!!"

Sadly, many Christians that all of us Doves know seem to think that "getting to heaven is all there is."  All you have to do is "accept Christ" and then it's count-down to rapture.  Everything after "accepting Jesus in your heart" is optional.  That means that while there may be eternal benefits to obedience and discipleship and growth in Christ, there is no down-side for those who don't take Christ and discipleship seriously.  The belief is that if you just get to heaven, everything will be wonderful forever.  We can ignore the commands of Christ, they think, with impunity.  Jesus' blood even covers my disobedience.

"Not so fast," suggest the scriptures.  Some will get to heaven, stand before Jesus at the Bema Seat where rewards are given, and they will suffer loss.  They themselves will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:15)

Suffer LOSS?  In HEAVEN??  But .... Jesus loves me.  He saved me!

Well, He has given us everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)  He gave us the tools and the opportunities to use them.  Whether we grow up in all things in Christ ... OR we choose to remain bottle-sucking spiritual infants (1 Cor. 3:2, Hebrews 5:12-13) who will be ETERNALLY relegated to the outer darkness (what I've called "Heaven's Day Care Center") is up to each of us. 

They will gnash their teeth - not in pain but in REGRET - because Jesus is the light and that's where the action is.  Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.  Those who think they are holy "by default" or that Jesus gives them the "gift of holiness" (like the "gift of obedience") will discover that by believing in Jesus, listening to weekly sermons, and sitting on the sofa watching TV ... they have squandered their lives.  Yes, Jesus has a plan for your life, but so does Satan.  Satan can't take away your salvation or prevent it in the first place.  But he can sure deceive you where growth and eternal rewards are concerned.

I don't claim to have all the answers and I'm not judging anyone.  But I am taking Jesus' call to take up the cross and follow Him VERY SERIOUSLY.  Paul feared being disqualified (1 Cor. 9:27) and we would all be wise to figure out why Paul - Paul! - had that fear.

Best,

Steve