That's very interesting Brother. So these people don't go to hell, but neither do they be let in at the city gates? This is something new for me, and I've not heard this view before. I thought that, either they go to hell or go to heaven...Please expound on this a little more Brother.
What is our perception of hell? Do we see it through the eyes of Dante's Inferno? A burning place of everlasting torture? Is that the perception we get we looking at the lake of fire? How can that be an image of hell when death and hell are cast into the lake of fire?
But as I try to stay in context with the writings of the scriptures and my understanding, then I see the lake of fire a little differently. God is a Consuming Fire. Perhaps those on the outside shall be led by a pillar of fire. In your OP on this subject, you spoke about fear. Consider the story in desert, how the children of God were to make themselves ready against the third day, and on the third day, when the trumpet blew long, they were to come up the mountain and receive Gods commands. But when God descended upon the mountain in a cloud of fire, the people were fearful and would not go up. They refused to hear Gods words, and chose for themselves to follow a man.
Do the fearful and unbelieving wait at the foot of the cross making themselves ready, waiting for the trumpet to blow long?
Hebrews 12:18-24
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
As to your question:
So these people don't go to hell, but neither do they be let in at the city gates?
From the parable in Mathew about the broad way and the narrow way. Do they both enter in? But only the narrow way leads to life. Where does the broad way lead to? Consider these two groups.
John 5:28-29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good,
unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation.
Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and
some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who enter in on the narrow road have come to the resurrection of life. Those on the broad way were on the outside, perhaps waiting at the cross. As for the lake of fire, they shall stand before the glory of God and be judged according to their works.
Hosea 6:1-2
Come, and let us return unto the Lord:
for he hath torn, and he will heal us;
he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
After two days will he revive us:
in the third day he will raise us up,
and we shall live in his sight.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord:
his going forth is prepared as the morning;
and he shall come unto us as the rain,
as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
