The question is often asked, “Why do most Christians believe in eternal conscious torment?” Here are my thoughts on the matter. Let me know what you think.
Tradition. The primary reason is that they were taught it and haven’t looked into it further. However, all who are like the Bereans, searching the scriptures diligently for the truth, have pursued the matter to its conclusion and have been blessed to discover the reformed understanding of God’s treatment of the wicked (of which we all are): healing and restoration.
Fear. Many hold on to traditional teachings (like ECT) because they are afraid that if they are wrong about a doctrine–here, the fate of the wicked–they will be tortured or killed in hellfire. Again, this is an idea that is easily falsified by both scripture and logic. God tells us to come and reason with him. God is not afraid of questions or doubts. He encourages us to use the brains he gave us to ponder these deep questions and allow his spirit to guide us into the truth that sets us free.
Also, God’s perfect love will cast out all your fear, so your very first step (Matthew 6:33), starting right now, is to get to know God (John 17:3) better/more fully. If you are experiencing any fear in your life, you are still in darkness. (That just means you have more growing to do and need an increase in awareness, which God will give you in his time. Trust him and the spiritual growth/maturity process.) Diminishing fear in your life is evidence that God is dragging you closer and closer to him.
Misunderstanding Justice. Many believe that if there is no torture or death of the wicked, then they will “get away with it.” Nobody gets away with damaging themselves or others with sin. But once damage has occurred, there are no pain-free options. Healing from trauma is a very difficult and hard-effort process, but it is required for us to be restored to the image of God within us. Those who have been damaged from trauma in their lives, and those who have caused trauma in others, will be put through an intensive and agonizing therapy program where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. It will feel as though death is coming, but, ultimately, the ego will be purified, and the soul will be restored to its right relationship with God: as a child of the Creator.
Misunderstanding the Exercise of the Will. In claiming that God will not violate human free will, many put the power of human free will above God’s omnibenevolence, omnipotence, and unthwartable will. This makes human free will the most powerful force in the universe, contrary to the claims and evidence shown about God’s power in the Bible. God can do whatever he wills, and he wills that all should come to the saving knowledge of the truth about Love. Nobody in their right mind would reject an offer of peace and joy for eternity in paradise. Nobody has a right mind until God gives that to them. God has to give them their right mind against their corrupted will (because nobody would give him permission!). Once they are healed, however, they will be grateful that God so intervened for their eternal peace and joy.
The Lies of the Enemy. Ultimately, there is an enemy who is warring against God for our minds and hearts. He desires to be on God’s throne, to take God’s place in your life (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and will resort to lies, coercion, and murder to get his way. He has ascribed his own characteristics onto God, such that most of humanity believes God is an arbitrary, harsh, manipulative, coercive, vindictive Roman dictator who desires your love and worship or else he’ll kill or torture you in fire. Simple reasoning, an examination of the life of Jesus, and the love paragraph in 1 Corinthians 13, amongst many other such evidences, falsify the lies told about the God of Love and give us the confidence to put our trust in the God of the Bible.
We can trust the God of the Bible to deal with the wicked in a completely loving and truly just manner. He exercises his infinite power, unthwartable will, and unstoppable love to drag every human being through the therapeutic fiery furnace from which they emerge completely healed, fully informed, all-loving, and forever grateful for God’s patient and merciful love.