2006-07-18 08:51:28 · 14 answers · asked by John B 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I like to think of it this way. The only way a person will go to hell is if they want to.
God in His (or Her) unlimited love has given us free will to choose. Our most important choice is to freely decide to accept or reject God's constant offer of spending eternity with Him in heaven. God will respect the choice to reject Him.
You say that you would take this gift of free will away and force some to obey your will. Is there anything else you would force us to do?
I think I like God's way better.
With love in Christ.
2006-07-20 17:48:58 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8.
The wicked are not immortal. The Bible says they will "perish", "burn up" and "be destroyed".
Answer: The wicked die the second death in hellfire. If the wicked lived forever being tortured in hell, they would be immortal. But this is impossible, because the Bible says God "only hath immortality." 1 Timothy 6:16. When Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden, an angel was posted to guard the tree of life so that sinners would not eat of the tree and "live for ever." Genesis 3:22-24. The teaching that sinners are immortal in hell originated with Satan and is completely untrue. God prevented this when sin entered this earth by guarding the tree of life.
Bible Clear--Wicked Obliterated
The Bible says the wicked suffer "death" (Romans 6:23), will suffer "destruction" (Job 21:30), "shall perish" (Psalms 37:20), will "burn" up (Malachi 4:1), "shall be destroyed together" (Psalms 37:38), will "consume away" (Psalms 37:20), "shall be cut off" (Psalms 37:9), "shall be slain" (Psalms 62:3). God will "destroy" them (Psalms 145:20), and "fire shall devour them" (Psalms 21:9). Note that all of these references make it clear that the wicked die and are destroyed. They do not live forever in misery.
"Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it." Isaiah 47:14. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth." "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:1, 4.
God will recreate a new world where no trace of the former evils of this world will be seen.
Answer: Yes, indeed, the Bible specifically teaches that hellfire will go out and that there will not be left "a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it." The Bible also teaches that in God's new kingdom all "former things" will be passed away. Hell, being one of the former things, is included, so we have God's promise that it will be abolished.
Is God a Torturer?
If God tortured His enemies in a fiery horror chamber throughout eternity, He would be more vicious and heartless than men have ever been in the worst of war atrocities. An eternal hell of torment would be hell for God also, who loves even the vilest sinner.
2006-07-18 15:58:48 · answer #2 · answered by Damian 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No
If people don't love God and don't want to keep His commandments then they will have no desire to be in heaven- heaven is a place where we spend our days worshiping God, so if you are an evil person heaven would be the worst form of punishment.
God is actually comassionate because He sends the evil people out of His presence. Hell is a place where God is not.
You however, would send an un-repentant sinner to heaven where they would shrink in the presence of God and feel totally out of place.(sort of like forcing an un-repentant sinner to attend church 24X7 for the rest of their life). Therefore God is much more compassionate then you.
2006-07-18 17:04:28 · answer #3 · answered by He's Real 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. All of God's judgement is fair.
Aside from that God through people warns people numerous times to get saved as many times as possible, but tragically some people dont except Jesus and the blood he shed to wash our sins away so we can be redeemed and made perfect again and repent from our sins to be delivered from evil and go into God's resting place; they just dont except that and so God can't have sin in his kingdom so he sends them to the place where evil and sin are which is Hell.
You're not more compassionate you are just lacking in faith and trust in God.
2006-07-18 16:12:53 · answer #4 · answered by morobell 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since there's no evil in Heaven, what do you suppose God should do with Satan, evil spirits, and evil men who don't want to do good? Let them into heaven freely to continue causing sin, and destruction, and unhappiness, and murder, and hate, and disease, and all other form of sin and rebellion? Are you also "compassionate" towards serial murderers when a human judge sentences them for their unspeakable crimes? Get real.
2006-07-18 16:08:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I always felt sending someone to hell was awfully cruel, but I'm sure many will answer telling you that God is all-righteous and better at knowing true justice than any human.
2006-07-18 15:55:28 · answer #6 · answered by xenomorph_girl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe if you knew everything that God knows, you would change your mind about not sending people to hell.
2006-07-18 15:59:20 · answer #7 · answered by MDPeterson42 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what bible you have been reading but my bible says that God will destroy those that go to Hell, not give them eternal life in Hell fire. If you can tell me where you find your information, I will give you $10,000 cash. For just one place it says that you will live for all eternity in Hell burning. My bible says they will be burned up, they will die, they will be turned to ashes.
2006-07-18 16:10:41 · answer #8 · answered by ramall1to 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. That just means that you don't understand the natural order of things. Don't feel bad, though. Most people don't either.
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2006-07-18 15:56:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
sorry to burst your bubble but there is no proof of god happens and its not b/c of him b/c hes NOT real!! hes like santa claus and the easter bunni!!
2006-07-18 15:55:34 · answer #10 · answered by chelsea 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋