2007-05-23 14:55:33 · 23 answers · asked by MoonWater 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In order to understand why just being "good" is insufficient; you would need to understand the concept of a perfectly holy and righteous being. Such a being would hate ALL sin and would be bound by the being's perfectly just nature to render judgment for the unjust. Just as we expect justice in this world, albeit imperfect at times, so does this being, God. Fortunately, a perfect being like God will render perfect justice, too.
While it is hard to hear, there are none righteous in the perfect God's eyes.
So how is a perfect God's demand for justice for sin reconciled with our own imperfections? Here we find that God came up with a perfect solution. He became flesh, lived a perfect life, and acted as our representative in God the Father's court of justice. There He was judged and crucified, carrying all the past and future world's sins with his crucifixion. God the Son, Christ, became our sin bearer and we need only acknowledge that sacrifice to be made "justified" in God's eyes and in God's demand for justice for sin.
Think of it this way. Your son does something like breaking a neighbor's window. Yet your son is too young to be made to pay for his crime. Society demands that the parent then act in the son's role and pay for these crimes. Likewise, God the Father allows God the Son to be humankind's representative. Christ paid the price for us all; it is deposited there in the justice bank of God. We need only claim our "share" of that account's balance and present ourselves to God.
In summary, a perfectly just being, God the Father, requires that sin be punished. In the Old Testament, such punishments were the slaughter of an innocent animal, accompanied by prayers of adoration and contrition to God the Father. These lawful rituals drove home the point to mankind that there are consequences for bad behaviors. These lawful rituals also foreshadowed a more significant means of reconciliation before God the Father’s demand for justice. A perfect being, Christ, willingly went to His death. A perfectly just God the Father, knows that the Son’s death is not justice, for the Son was sinless. Therefore, the perfectly just God the Father credits anyone who will claim the Son’s death as payment for their sins.
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. In other words, the gates of hell are actually locked from the inside.
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.
2007-05-23 15:05:59 · answer #1 · answered by Ask Mr. Religion 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
God make man to know him. Mankind was decieved and God send his son to restore man to God. Sounds like he paid the price for all people to be able to recieve forgiveness of sin and to be spared hell. Yet mankind has to make a choice blessing or cursings. It really is that simple. Jesus is the only way to the father. There is only one thing that sends you to hell. That is the rejection of the free gift of salvation through Jesus the christ. Yet God will force no one to believe.
So you have a bible ( roadmap) and a compus ( heart ) now the rest is up to you.
2007-05-23 15:32:30 · answer #2 · answered by the light exposes the darkenss 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a great question. If God did indeed send good and righteous people to hell, that would not be fair. But the Bible says, "there is none righteous, no not one, there is none that does good, not one." (Romans 3:10-11), and goes to say that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But the good news of the gospel is the Jesus Christ provides for us what we could not provide for ourselves, a righteousness that God can accept. Even the smallest of sins breaks God's perfect law. But Jesus kept the law of God perfectly so God can the just (righteous) and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ. The truth is, in our flesh, we all are guilty of sin, and in fact, dead in our trespasses and sins. The sin that Jesus condemned the most was self-righteousness. He is the only one who can bring us to God through His death and resurrection. That is the good news by which we can be saved from our sin (I Corinthians 15:1-4). Do any of the other options have an atonement for sin? How is forgiveness obtained? What does one do with his?her guilt? Jesus Christ answers all those questions in a definite, absolute way. The truth is, because of sin and man's propensity for idolatry, the other options have come to pass. It is an insult to God, who sent His Son to die in the place of sinners, to refuse God's offer of salvation and turn to a substitue of our choosing. God does not give us that option but in His grace He calls men and women from around the globe to receive His Son as their Lord and Savior. God bless.
2007-05-23 15:07:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why are you so conceited which you have not got self assurance? See how absurd that argument is while reversed? it extremely is slightly extra advantageous than no longer believing in God and yet that's sufficient. the reality is God has set up one technique through which we can get away our very own folly of sin and that's thru his son Jesus. in case you have not got self assurance in this it is your determination and in essence you are the single putting apart you from the affection of God. you decide on for to have no longer something to do with God and so he created a place void of him and could reluctantly make it easier to pass there in case you reject him. I concern, exceptionally in u.s., we expect of each and every thing is owed us. we'd desire to continuously have the skill to have our very own way and nonetheless get the perks too. remember the story of the Little purple poultry? many human beings have re written it from a political attitude to insult their competitors whether that's a lot an identical way spiritually. God does all the troublesome artwork on an identical time as we goof off and then are available stressful our proportion.
2016-11-05 04:37:45 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if they are good and good only in the eyes of man,but not in eyes of God he/she still not worthy"for being a good person is not enough how will you learn to be a good person if it's in the first place,you have no idea where is good and bad came? you dont even seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness,the real goodness of man is to know the reason why is he around in this world,what was his purpose as a man or woman,and now your asking why would God send good people in hell,and you dont even know what is really good,and what is really being Bad?if you have a God words in your heart at least you wont be acting ignorant asking this kind of Questions"
2007-05-23 15:31:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
My opinion (as a Christian) God would NOT. That believe is not with everyone.
People are people. To dislike someone for using the free will God gave them is the wrong way to show God's love if they really do believe in God and Jesus' teachings.
2007-05-23 15:02:08 · answer #6 · answered by hannahonelove 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I would like to know as well. And almost every answer I've heard on this is sick. I want no part of a god that sends a person to hell for not believing.
2007-05-23 15:00:25 · answer #7 · answered by punch 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
God does not commanding human in just believing in Him, but to follow His ways, seek His kingdom and righteousness.
One of them is to be merciful to others so that God will be merciful to you.
Be kind to everyone as much as possible.
Be polite and humble
Is that hard to do? of course, but keep on trying.
God seek our hearts and real intentions.
Give it try and see the results.
2007-05-23 15:29:01 · answer #8 · answered by Esteban 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Judge that for God
description of God intentions its for Christ
what we know just limited by the Bible.
2007-05-23 15:33:30 · answer #9 · answered by Mosa A 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To understand God's judgement is to understand God's plan. His plan is to create a kingdom of people who want to be there with Him. If people don't want to go, then that is their choice. He gives us free will.
His plan, through Jesus Christ, is to give everyone the opportunity to choose Him by His way. You can't come another way and still call God Lord. People who desire truth and reconciliation with God, will seek Him through the way He made - Jesus' shed blood. If you don't want God now, then you won't want God later.
2007-05-23 15:04:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
because Jesus is the way the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but thru Him...Jesus paid the ultimate price ( by His sacrifice on the cross,what a terrible price He paid) , to reconcile us back to God, what Adam gave up in the Garden of Eden to Satan.
2007-05-23 15:18:19 · answer #11 · answered by readywriter 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋