purple_hairstreak said:
Woody,
You never answered that. I'm truly interested. Please go ahead and answer that question!
I want to hear what DD says about the blood of Jesus Christ. If God spared not his only begotten son Jesus Christ from the penalty sin, then what chance do we have without Jesus?
So, is your God doing 'good' in condemning ALL non-christians (even children) to eternal torment in hell?
The God of the bible does not send children to hell, rather the bible says to enter heaven one must become like a little child.
Yes, a good judge punishes wrongdoing in terms of the wrong that was done. A bad judge turns criminals loose to sin again and winks his eye at them. If you really understood this then you would probably be a christian: The sin of rejecting Christ is worthy of an eternal hell. You can not understand this unless you are a christian.
You say why? What did I do that was so bad? Answer is: You've never seen God before, or realize what His holiness is. Nothing unholy can stand in His presense because of the nature of what He is. It's that simple: imperfection burns in His presense because of who He is. He can't help it -- that's just the way He is, and it must work because He's lived forever, whereas imperfection causes death.
And, if God only loves, and spares everyone from pain, then why do people die painful deaths? Why are so many people starving and dieing of dieases? Why are so many people living in hell right here on planet earth, and why does DD think hell ends with death? Why do some of God's own children leave this world the same way? The bible says the same rain falls on good and evil.
Wouldn't the King discrimate between His own kin and the enemy? After all we Christians are His children, and he loves us more than we love our own children. Does it seem reasonable that His own children would suffer the same as His enemies? I wouldn't allow my children to go through life no better than the worst of the bad.
I understand why it is this way, and I accept it, just like I accept that I will die someday, and if God figures I belong in Hell then that's His business. I wouldn't like it, but I'm not going to be mad about it. I'm willing to do things His way.The apostle Paul was even willing to spend an eternity in Hell if His brethren could be saved. I think that is what God is looking for in a person's heart -- to accept things on His terms rather than mandating their own terms.
We have nothing to negotiate with after we die, and the rebellious go to hell, always demanding their rights, always asking, never giving, always cursing God, and hating Him. The obedient go to heaven, always thanking God for all they were given, always debtors to Jesus that paid it all and proved love beyond anything we know, always giving God the thanks that He rightfully deserves, always willing to let God live without the imperfection.
There are two issues that must be resolved at the same time to understand the Christian view of heaven and hell:
How can a
loving God send people to hell?
How can a
just God not punish people for doing wrong?
The paradox is resolved by Jesus Christ. With Him, we have the love of God, because he gave his life for our justification. Without Him we face the wrath of God with only the works of our own hands to show. God is a perfectionist, so any form of imperfection is totally unacceptable to Him.
So question becomes, what should God do with those He can not be with?
The JWs say they are annihilated.
The mainstream christians say they are cast alive into hell where they suffer eternal torment.
Hell is a place where God is totally absent. He isn't there cracking a whip and stoking the flames. He totally abandons the sinners in hell and they are left there without hope forever. Hell is a place described as outer darkness.
The bible teaches that people will get exactly what they deserve in hell. They will be joined with their sin for eternity because that's what they chose.
