So, I have been asked, "Do I believe in hell?" - and I've been challenged to post my answer.
Do I believe in hell? 
Short answer. No.
Long answer. Yes.
The modern view of hell (as a place of eternal judgment) cannot exist because it hasn’t been created ? yet. Our personal books (of our works, lives, deeds, hearts) haven’t been yet opened, nor has The Book of Life been opened.
This won’t be an answer you’ve heard before, so please pardon the long explanation.
The original Greek and Hebrew terms:
• The Grave
• Gehenna
• Hades
• Tartarus
• Abraham’s Bosom
All refer to Sheol.
Sheol is where Jesus went between His death and resurrection to get the keys to eternal death. AND, Sheol is STILL the place where souls are being held today ? awaiting judgment.
Sheol has 3 compartments:
• Abraham’s Bosom (emptied when keys obtained)
• Gehenna/Hades (those awaiting judgment; Rich Man & Lazarus parable)
• Tartarus (Demons, Fallen Angels)
Verses used for above: Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Peter 3:19-20; 2 Peter 2:4; Luke 16:19-31; Luke 23:39-43
Yes, the word “hell” was probably made up by persons of great power to create fear and control … but … it doesn’t mean that the original words in scripture are wrong.
People will attempt to refute the existence of "hell" as they say .... Jesus was referring to a literal garbage dump when talking about Gehenna (which has been renamed and branded as hell).
YES, Jesus WAS in fact referring to a literal fiery, smelly, evil garbage dump!
But, our parable/analogy wielding Jesus didn’t all of a sudden STOP speaking in the analogous. Like everything else, Jesus pointed to the literal to make a visual analogy. Jesus certainly wasn’t going to talk about our ETERNITY and SALVATION with a LITERAL example of a trash dump. How does that even make sense?
Every Jewish person was horrified of judgment and eternity (because it was all so unclear in the OT scriptures). As a Jew, I can tell you they worked so hard to be clean, and STILL had no fuzzy idea if they were clean or not! YES. These law toting Jewish people were so mortified about "The Book of Life" - they knew exactly what Jesus was talking about!
So. Besides a trash dump, what else did Jesus say about judgment?
John 3:14-15
14 "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."
John 5:24
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."
John 6:47
"Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life."
Matthew 25:46
“Then they (goats) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous (sheep) to eternal life.”
What does JOHN testify to about Jesus?
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
1 John 2:23
No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
1 John 5:12
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I don’t teach about hell (Sheol) – because it just isn’t going to bear fruit. Not because I don’t believe judgment exists. And, it isn't even relevant to me if eternal judgment is a conscious, experiential thing or not.
According to Paul, at the "Last Day" there will be forever separation - forever shut out from His presence. The temporary (Sheol) will be tossed under *judgment* into the eternal and forever (Lake of Fire).
2 Thessalonians 1:9-10
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.
God isn't there. It can't be good.
That's enough for me.