How does God's infinite love during life suddenly turn into eternal punishment at death for those that don't choose Him? If salvation is a mere offer, then we've made it into a business transaction. This doesn't make for much of an argument for free will.
2006-11-14 08:49:17 · 10 answers · asked by ccrider 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Outstanding question. The first three answers address God not allowing "those that don't choose Him" to enter into his presence in heaven, but it doesn't address the eternal punishment issue. What is wrong with letting alone those who don't accept God? Why MUST they be dropped into the lake of fire? If we're free to decide for ourselves, but choose to live moral lives without believing in a god, why should we be punished for using our free will?
Adam: "[W]ith love comes judgment[. W]hat is seriously so difficult about this[?] [I]f you have a kid that bad mouths you from when he can speak, leaves you abandoned as you are old and feeble, but then at your death bed says 'Hey Pops, why Ain't I in your will, Don't you love me?'"
What about the child who just wants to live his own life, who doesn't "badmouth dear old dad," but also doesn't care about inheriting anything? He just wants to live a moral, useful, fulfilling life on his own. "Pops" in your scenario isn't just leaving his son nothing in the will; he's having him sentenced to hard labor in a maximum security prison for life just because his son didn't stick around the house and praise him daily like Pop wanted.
2006-11-14 08:59:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will is reserved for this mortal life. Whether we will seek salvation or neglect the dangers of condemnation, our eternal destination is decided upon death. God doesn't suddenly become wrathful and sadistic; in fact I think the entire point of hell is that God will withdraw his entire presence from you and, since you wanted to live apart from God, you'll get the chance to. God won't pressure you or torture you in hell since, even if you felt bad, you cant undo your choices on earth. I believe God will essentially just say, "Okay, if you don't want me, bye" and he'll leave you. I think then you will realize how much of God's existence you felt and did not recognize it was Him.
2006-11-14 08:59:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i grew to become right into a 9 12 months-old Evangelical Christian as quickly as I developed gangrene in the two my legs by way of a rampant an infection. My temperature reached 106*, and that i grew to become into hospitalized regionally in the previous being transferred via air to a significant city with a baby's scientific institution. The dermatologist who dealt with me pulled no punches. She reported me that yet another day without therapy and that i might have died from the poisons working rampant in the process my physique. I by no ability as quickly as even considered God at that element --i grew to become into too busy attempting to stay alive. This incident did no longer even make me query the why of issues. each so often, **** in simple terms occurs. I grew to become an atheist presently in the previous getting into my babies, and that i've got by no ability regretted it.
2016-10-22 02:23:43 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The free will is the choice to choose eternal life through Jesus Christ or to choose eternal separation from God in the Lake of fire by rejecting Christ. Once a person dies they can no longer be saved because it's no longer possible to repent and seek forgiveness. Believe it or not it's out of love that God lets people choose eternal torment because that's where they'd rather be. Anyone who hates or rejects Jesus Christ certainly wouldn't be happy spending eternity in Heaven with the one they hated and rejected throughout their lives. This life is a mere testing ground, your choice made through free will determines where you want to spend eternity. "It is destined a man once to die, after that comes judgement". Unless you receive Christ as Saviour and Lord you are still in your sin, and God can't abide the presence or sight of sin, nor will He allow anything polluted by sin into Heaven because of His perfect holiness. Finally, If you haven't received Christ Jesus as Saviour and Lord then the Bible says you are "at enmity with God". That means God is your enemy-not someone you'd want to spend eternity with,is it. Notice it doesn't say you are God's enemy. For anyone who has never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they'd be judged according to the knowledge they do have. IE: Creation
2006-11-14 09:02:23 · answer #4 · answered by utuseclocal483 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God loves you, but he won't force you to spend eternity with him if you didn't wish to spend time with him while on earth.
That is, God's love is so great that it allows the beloved to be free. God's love allows you to hate him and live apart from him forever, due to your own choice.
Hatred is the thing that clings to that which would rather be free.
Is this not obvious?
2006-11-14 08:53:52 · answer #5 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because God, being a perfect God, needs to punish everyone on the same level, his grace or infinite love as you put it is for anyone who acknowledges his son here on earth, it will be too late to acknowledge Jesus as your savior when you die, whats your big hang up about Jesus, and what he did for you? most of us can't handle God's love
2006-11-14 08:59:10 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
with love comes judgment, what is seriously so difficult about this, if you have a kid that bad mouths you from when he can speak, leaves you abandoned as you are old and feeble, but then at your death bed says "Hey Pops, why Ain't I in your will, Don't you love me"
what would you really say?
Judgment is love.
2006-11-14 08:56:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
God cannot tolerate sin in Heaven. Therefore if you haven't chose Him and had Him forgive you of yor sins and wipe them clean, YOU have no other choice. Remember, it's YOUR choice to accept it. not God's.
2006-11-14 08:53:11 · answer #8 · answered by thstuff9946 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
God is the author of love and as such created us to be love,if we reject God then we reject love and therefore may not stay in His presence.
2006-11-14 08:53:38 · answer #9 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
That version of "God" makes no sense to me!
2006-11-14 08:54:06 · answer #10 · answered by Zombie 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋