I have been doing Max Lucado's 3:16 Bible Study. Today's group session discussed the word "perish". God tells us that unless we accept His love and forgiveness in our hearts then we will perish. We know as Christians that perish means hell, but one of the debates in the book was that some believe perish means just disappear. Now, the fact that sinners will just disappear and not be punished goes against everything I've been taught about God's will. One of the ladies in our class tends to play the "devil's advocate" on a regular basis; sometimes I find it bothersome and other times it gets me thinking. Her question today was why do we believe that "perish" means "Hell"? Do we believe because that's what we have been taught? Does the Bible come out and explain it? Of course there isn't an English lesson in the Bible with an analogy section or a thesaurus. I have decided that I believe because I have faith. Every person has a different interpretation of the Bible. There are different religons because of these interpretations. If we begin to over-analyze every little world of the Bible we lose sight of the overall message. Isn't the most important thing our relationship with God? Today we read Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’"

We must know God on a personal level and He will take care of the rest! Who are we to worry when He created us all!