My sister died 4 years ago, my mum 3 years ago, and my father 2 years ago. They were all wonderful people and very close to me. None of them accepted the saving grace of Jesus Christ prior to their demise.
As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and no one could be saved without Him.
Therein lies the anguish of first generation Christians. The thought of being saved in Heaven, and yet looking down from Heaven and seeing your closest family members, siblings, parents, grandparents, etc, suffering in Hell for eternity, is the most anguishing thought.
Christ had taught us to forgive others 70 times 7 times. Would God forgive his creation 70 times 7 times too? Why would non-Christians be condemned to Hell's eternal fire for not knowing Christ in just ONE lifetime. Or even 70 times 7 lifetimes. Eternal punishment is unthinkable.
There will be no joy in Heaven, as long as Heaven's inhabitants know of their loved ones suffering in eternal Hell. That is simple common sense.
Faced with such prospect, first generation Christians have developed a coping mechanism - the possibility of accepting Christ's salvation even beyond the grave. The soul of a person lives on after the physical death. There is still hope for the soul to acknowledge Christ's salvation even after the physical death, because Love and Faith and Hope endure forever. (1 Cor 13.) Even after one is physically dead, salvation through Christ is still possible - because there is Hope.
I will continue to pray for the salvation of my departed relatives till the day I die. God would not punish any of His creation permanently forever, at most only temporarily - because God is Love.
In some sense, I have rejected the doctrine of eternal punishment. This reasoning may not be biblical. But all humans are God's creation and should not be condemned to eternal punishment - because God is Merciful.
