I've been wondering this for a few days. What do you think?
2007-03-20 11:32:46 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
As for the doctrine of hell consider the following:
1. Wouldn't everyone repent when faced with hell?
2. Would God let out people who repented?
3. Why was Hell created?
One argument against hell is this: No person in his right mind would choose eternal punishment in hell over heaven. Therefore everyone would repent when sent to hell. If God lets the repentant leave, hell will be empty (and therefore can be disregarded). If God doesn't let the repentant leave, God is unjust for continuing to punish them after they've repented.
The trouble with this line of reasoning is that repentance is not simply a matter of one saying, "Okay, I'll say whatever you want me to, just get me out of here!" Repentance involves acknowledging one's guilt, feeling remorse and the desire to change one's behavior, accepting Christ's sacrifice as substitutionary punishment for one's wrongs and agreeing to love and obey God (including Christ as God the Son). This includes by definition acceptance of eternal punishment in hell as just punishment for one's sins; while the skeptic may still object that continued punishment of the repentant is unjust, the repentant will respond that their continued punishment is deserved and could only end through God's mercy.
However, in reality people in hell won't repent, in particular not any skeptic who makes the above argument. If one thinks God is unjust for punishing people in hell, actually going there isn't going to make one suddenly decide that God is just and deserves one's love and worship after all. People are given their entire lives on Earth as an opportunity to repent and accept God; if they refuse each day of their lives to repent and believe they're justified in doing so, it's hardly conceivable that punishment in hell would change their minds.
Since hell is comprised of those who would never repent, the second question, “Would God let out people who repented?” is only a hypothetical one; it could be argued either way. In practice, someone who would repent in hell would be given the opportunity to repent on Earth and would presumably repent before they died, not after.
As for eternal punishment for finite life of sin, the answer is that our sin bears an eternal consequence because it is ultimately against an eternal God. When King David committed the sins of adultery and murder he stated, Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight (Psalm 51:4). David had sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, how could David claim to have only sinned against God? David understood that all sin is ultimately against God. God is an eternal and infinite Being. As a result, all sin is worthy of an eternal punishment.
An earthly example of this would be comparing attacking your neighbor and attacking the President of the United States. Yes, both are crimes, but attacking the President would result in far greater consequences. How much more does sin against a holy and infinite God warrant a terrible consequence?
In short, hell and heaven were created out of God's love for mankind as a consequence of free will. God could not have created a morally free creature who could not possess the potentiality to choose to sin. God, being perfectly righteous will righteously respect the choices a person makes and grant them the eternal life they sought through the exercise of their own free will. In short, we choose the behavior, and thus we have chosen the consequences.
I have simplified much of the doctrines behind these concepts. I suggest you do some careful study of the attributes of God to digest these hard sayings. Start with some basic introductions to theology, especially the attributes of a perfect being (God) and go from there.
2007-03-20 11:42:56 · answer #1 · answered by Ask Mr. Religion 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I don't think that the question is whether or not God will forgive. It's a matter of whether or not someone accepts forgiveness. God is willing to forgive everyone for everything. The reason people go to Hell is that they did not accept this offer.
2007-03-20 18:41:23 · answer #2 · answered by Pichu 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, once a person is in hell God clearly say that, He will remember them no more. That is why it is best not to go there, except Jesus this side of eternity and secure your place in Heaven. Romans 10:9-13 will tell you how.
2007-03-20 18:43:48 · answer #3 · answered by PREACHER'S WIFE 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, if a person goes to hell, it will be by his own choice, once there, that's where you'll spend all eternity. He is real, and it is a terrible place. The people that don't believe there is a hell, don't make it not true. It is an awful place to spend eternity,
please don't go.
2007-03-20 21:13:59 · answer #4 · answered by Auburn 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God sends no one to hell, people send themselves. God is eternally forgiving everyone, but not everyone can't accept that.
2007-03-20 18:40:57 · answer #5 · answered by svaha 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I've been pondering this for a long time now too and I'm sure he will. There are tons of scriptures that basically say that God desires for everyone to be saved and he will have what he wants. Here is a link: http://www.tentmaker.org/books/TheBibleHell.html
2007-03-20 20:51:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think that hell is a metaphor. The only hell I know of is our own private hell here on earth. I think that if we are steeped in negative emotions at the time of our death we can be so consumed in our own thoughts as to be blind to the way home. I think that eventually the damned could be led to the path by an outside influence or overcome their own grief enough to simply look for it.
That's what I think.
Peace!
2007-03-20 18:38:53 · answer #7 · answered by carole 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
God respects the choices we make. If someone asks to be left alone without God, then God will do so...The man sends himself to hell...But God's powerful, he can pull every soul out of hell if thtat's in his plan.
2007-03-20 18:36:16 · answer #8 · answered by Bebe 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No because they are in hell for not asking HIM to forgive them.
2007-03-20 18:43:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
NO
Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
2007-03-20 19:19:29 · answer #10 · answered by deacon 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, the Bible says it will be eternal separation from God forever and there is no redemption after this life.
2007-03-20 18:38:01 · answer #11 · answered by Miss Momma 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋