A question about god and hell?

Question

I may have this wrong, but this is what i have understood about god and hell.

God sends people to enternal suffering for not believing in him. Isn't that wrong. Thats like not believe what someone says and then they send you to be tortured forever. That seems cruel and ungodlike. Is god really that cruel?

Correct me if i have misunderstood god and hell.

Answer 1

Well let's flesh it out a bit. You need to know why a person who rejects God will never enter His presence.

The bible teaches that we each have sin. Sin is anything like lying, cheating, stealing, even a lustful thought can be a sin. There is no one who ever lived, except Jesus Christ, who is without sin. So, since sin cannot enter the presence of a holy God, what to do about it? That is why Jesus died on the cross. Sinless and without blame, Jesus willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for every sin of every person who ever lived. All you need do is repent of your sin, and accept the sacrifice of God's son on the cross.

A person who refuses to do this, well then, they will still have their sins. And since sin cannot enter heaven, there is only one destination for that person, hell.

God does not "send" a person to hell. They choose their own destination by turning their back on God's provision of salvation and forgiveness of their sin.

Answer 2

In one sense, God doesn't 'send' anyone to Hell - they choose it for themselves.
The imagery from the Bible of the Last Judgement is of great books being opened and each person's life being examined.Those whose names are not in "the Lamb's Book of Life" go to "Hell". This is not a burning, fiery place staffed by goat-legged, horned creatures with spiked tails and pitchforks (well, it might be for some, I suppose), but a place where one lives forever knowing that you are separated forever from the Source of All Being.
Exactly what form this 'hell' will be will probably be unique to everyone. The old physical imagery of chains, whips and fire was really a metaphor for the internal/spiritual pain that the people will feel.

But the things in the books on your life and your name's absence from the Book of Life are YOUR responsibility. God's put two options before you - His Way (who also proclaimed Himself the Truth and the Life), Jesus - or the other way.

One way leads to 'Hell', the other to 'Heaven', and it is YOU who ultimately decides, not God. All He really does at the Last Judgement is "show" the universe which of the two paths you chose and that your going "up" or "down" was decided by you.

[But, I believe we'll never understand exactly how it all really works until that day before 'the Great White Throne', but at that time we'll see the end result is truly fair on all. The person molested by a 'Christian' leader or family member and who then rejected other Christians trying to reach them, or the 'heathen' who never had a chance to hear the message, may still find themselves 'going up'; while others who looked outwardly 'Christian' may find they're heading for the 'down elevator'.

In a nutshell, however, God is 'good' and good cannot look on evil. Those who are found 'good' will share eternity in the Presence of God, those who are not will be eternally removed from Him.

That's going to be Hell.

Answer 3

I just answered another with these words about God and 'hell'.
Gehenna is the second death from where there is no return. Gehenna is the name of that place where all the garbage was thrown into and burned up back in the day--you know, in earlier times.
Hell is English for Hades, the common grave which will be emptied in the resurrection after Armageddon.
God is not sending anybody anywhere--when you die, that's it. You're done-dead--no life anywhere
Until--after the Great Tribulation and Armageddon.

Answer 4

It is, at best, only part of the truth. I don't think God so much sends people to hell as simply lets them get what they want: eternity without His presence. It's like catching monkeys by putting some peanuts in a jar and tying the jar to a tree. The unrepentant would rather keep hold of their sin and face destruction than let go of it and find true freedom.

Answer 5

D I would have to say you have it wrong. The reason for being ushered to hell is the individual has not had their sins forgiven.What you say? we are all guilty of committing sins, but if we believe Jesus whom God sent for us can forgive us for all the sins we have committed (past present and future) we can be forgiven. Once forgiven we are able to go before God who is holy and righteous. He will no we no longer stand with our sins but have trusted His Son whom He sent to forgive us. In order for you to accept Christ you first have to acknowledge you are a sinner, then you have to believe Christ can save you from your sins, and you must make Christ Lord of your life. When you do those things you will experience what is know as a second birth(spiritual birth) and God will send His Holy Spirit to come and dwell within you forever. (see John, chapter 3) No God is not cruel, He has given us an opportunity to escape being sent to hell for our sins. He provided His Son who was a perfect sacrifice because He never sinned. That is the reason Christ came to earth, to pay the price for you and me. You have to decide to accept or reject but before you do let me encourage you to take some time and read the book of John in the New Testament then decide. See John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him will never perish" Go for it!

Answer 6

I think you misunderstand, but then I believe the vast majority of Christians misunderstand too.

God is love. Love does not torture anyone or anything for eternity.

The problem is that people create God in a human image, one that is judging and vengeful. This is compounded by the tendency of many Christians to take parts of the old testament that they like and bring it into the new covenant.

So, you are right, they say that. And you are not right, it is not true.

Answer 7

Yes, you are mistaken. God does not send anyone to hell. In fact, scripture shows clearly that it is not God's will at all.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to repentance.

But God will not interrupt any man's free will to choose. We go there because we choose not to be with God. If you do not want God, He will send you where none of His light or love exists. Jesus describes this as a place of eternal torment and outer darkness.

Answer 8

If you own a piece of land on top of a cliff, with a drop straight down of 300 ft. to rocks and surf, you would put a warning sign up saying "warning...danger ahead...stop, turn back or fall off the edge into the rocks and sea." Who would blame you for people who say, "I don't see a drop off, so I don't believe there is one, so I'll just speed on ahead" and they fly off and die forever. Don't you see, God is not sending you to Hell for not accepting Him, but is warning you that non-believers are going to send themselves to Hell; stop, turn back before it is too late, is the message, so don't blame Him. Peace.

Answer 9

Punishment; is not a good education in nowaday everyone knew it. If there is a god still useing the punishment way to teach the children, he will never be god anymore. He is stupid than human. The more school, the less jail, everyone knew.
Obviously, god created by us. We are god but this mind cause us stingy and pride and prejutic then will fall into fail and suffering. The hollyman of the religious will never taught his followers to think human are gods.
The bible said there is only one god is me.
None of the word can be changed in Bible.
Then there will no more son of god, Christ.

Answer 10

You have misunderstood.

Hell is made for the devil & his messengers. You have to purposely rebel against Gods love & His redeeming Grace (the Gospel) purposely & when it is told to you in the Love of God. In doing so, becoming a messenger of the devil, by doing antichrist things. The devil is the destroyer, a thief, liar, false accuser & murderer. So you have to do these things also for the devil to go to hell fire.

People who believed in the Creator but wasn't presented the Gospel Truth correctly & never rejected Christ but never received His Gift of redeeming blood & eternal life by the spiritual birth, will go to a place of rest (in Gods care).

The reality, even one sin will keep someone out of heaven, so all of our sin from the littlest to the biggest needs to be covered by His Blood. Jesus said that He would draw all peoples to Him if He is lifted up. Also that he would shed His blood for the remission of sins of many. He bore our sins on the cross. He is our Redeemer. It is by Grace we are saved, it is the gift of God, not by works, lest anyone boast (self righteous).