Will I go to hell if I change my belief?

Q:  I am having a hard time accepting a different version of the Bible, which says that Jesus is God's Son and only belief in Him as my Personal Savior can keep me (or anyone else) out of hell for eternity.  But you make sense, in a different way, without throwing out Scripture.  I have wondered about friends who have been raised in other belief systems.  Comment?  L.C.

A:  In order to advance "from glory to glory,"* or from one belief to a greater understanding of divine truth, one does not have to leave any belief behind, since every belief has a place in the whole, God being all, in all.*  True growth does not occur on a linear path.  True growth is an expansion in all directions.  You need not leave behind your belief in Jesus as God's Son, who is your personal savior.  Jesus left for us the Comforter, "whom the Father will send in my name," he said.*  The fruit of this Spirit is love, joy, peace...*

If you do not find comfort, or love, joy and peace in the belief of an eternal hell for many, including friends you love, you may wish to re-examine this part of your belief system.  You don't have to disbelieve the Bible in order to do so.  Be aware that many popular doctrines have come about through stringing together verses that have been taken out of context in order to achieve a certain result.

Old doctrines and old beliefs seldom leave us, but they seem to as we evolve, or grow.  The addition of a few pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, or even one piece, can change the way the previous ones looked.  And we can look forward to the unfolding of surprising new truth as we continue to grow.  That is the beauty of the path, with a light that shines "more and more unto the perfect day."*

*II Corinthians 3:18; Colosians 1:16-17, 3:11; John 14:26; Galatians 5:22; Proverbs 4:18