The thought of everlasting punishment, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched , can be very effective in preventing us from marching into some deadly sin.
Spiritual life requires careful balance.
The key here is God's love. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so . This familiar Protestant Sunday-school song offers a comforting contrast to the old days of hellfire and brimstone. Unfortunately, the message has been commercialized to the point of dangerous self-assurance. It may be for this reason that pastoral teaching in the Orthodox Church tends to stress the need for repentance, leaving God's love as understood and therefore largely unspoken.