Coffee with Creamer on the Air

Commenting on some Evangelicals becoming open to the view that all people will eventually be saved, besides the clear teaching on this matter in the Bible, there is good reason to doubt it. It very well may be the case that people in Hell could choose to leave. But to do that they must do there what they refused to do here in their lifetime on earth, and that is submit willingly to God.

In Jean Paul Sartre's play *No Exit,* the leading male character, Garcin, comes to the point of desperation and demands release in the midst of the psychological torment he is being subjected to in what turns out to be Hell. To his and his companions' surprize, the door flies open providing a possibility of escape. But even in the throes of his agony, he makes the choice not to leave his misery in Hell.

Even though Sartre was an atheist existentialist, there are subtle Christian themes running throughout his writings, and this is one of them. Here we see that if given the opportunity to exit Hell, people there would not take advantage of the offer. They would have no interest in leaving even though they are suffering beyond endurance. In fact, no amount of pain could pry them away from the place they have chosen to spend eternity in. In the play, all of the three characters are drawn back into the fray as they continue to inflict psychic torture on one another. In this scene, we see the desire to develop and work through one's failings, but in this there is also a desire to control, and ultimately, continue in the refusal to submit to the only One who can truly save. To step out of Hell would mean losing control, venturing out into what seems to be the uttermost darkness, taking the leap of faith--in God and leaving oneself and control of oneself behind. Garcin can trust his most severe tormentor more than he can trust the only Person who can truly save him.

"GARCIN: Open the door! Open,blast you! I'll endure anything, your red-hot tongs and molten lead, your racks and prongs and garrotes-- all your fiendish gadgets, everything that burns and flays and tears-- I'll put up with any torture you impose. Anything, anything would be better than this agony of mind, this creeping pain that gnaws and fumbles and caresses one and never hurts quite enough. Now will you open? (THE DOOR FLIES OPEN: a long silence.)
INEZ: Well, Garcin? You're free to go.
GARCIN: Now I wonder why that door opened.
INEZ: What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go.
GARCIN: I shall not go.
INEZ: And you, Estelle? So what? Which shall it be? Which of the three of us will leave? The barrier's down, why are we waiting? But what a situation! It's a scream! We're inseparables!
ESTELLE: Inseparables? Garcin, come and lend a hand. Quickly. We'll push her out and slam the door on her. That'll teach her a lesson.
INEZ:(Struggling with Inez) Estelle, I beg you, let me stay. I won't go, I won't go! Not into the passage.
GARCIN: Let go of her.
ESTELLE: You're crazy. She hates you.
GARCIN: It's because of her I'm staying here.
INEZ: Because of me? All right, shut the door. It's ten times hotter here since it opened. Because of me, you said?
GARCIN:Yes. YOU, anyhow, know what it means to be a coward.
INEZ: Yes, I know.
GARCIN: And you know what wickedness is, and shame, and fear. There were days when you peered into yourself, into the secret places of your heart, and what you saw there made you faint with horror. And then, next day, you didn't know what to make of it, you couldn't interpret the horror you had glimpsed the day before. Yes, you know what evil costs. And when you say I'm a coward, you know from experience what that means. Is that so?
INEZ: Yes.
GARCIN: So it's you whom I have to convince; you are of my kind. Did you suppose I meant to go? No, I couldn't leave you here, gloating over my defeat, with all those thoughts about me running in your head.
NEZ: Do you really wish to convince me?
GARCIN: THat's the one and only thing I wish for now. I can't hear them any longer, you know. Probably that means they're through with me. For good and all. The curtain's down, nothing of me is left on earth-- not even the name of coward. So, Inez, we're alone. Only you two remain to give a thought to me. She- she doesn't count. It's you who matter; you who hate me. If you'll have faith in me I'm saved.
INEZ: It won't be easy. Have a look at me. I'm a hard-headed woman.
GARCIN: I'll give you all the time that's needed.
INEZ:Yes, we've lots of time in hand. ALL time."

So, tragically, people in Hell chose to go to Hell and they will always choose to remain there.