Christians, little question about Hell?

Question

I don't understand the concept of Hell. Every punishment should have at least an educational part (learning the bad things somebody has done), a purpose (trying to forgive oneself for the bad things done) and in the end a higher goal (forgiveness and a new start).

Hell is without purpose.

My question is this: Does Hell make sense to you? Do you find it fair? And if it was up to you, would you have created a Hell or something maybe a little more friendly?

Answer 1

There is nothing intended through Hell but the punishment of the wicked and their separation from the righteous. It is not remedial. It is absolute righteous judgment, without mercy.
What is it about the word "punishment" you don't understand?
Did you think the execution of mass murderer Saddam Hussein was intended to improve his behavior?

"Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off."
Romans 11:22

Answer 2

I think your three tiers are stated perfectly.

Definitely there is no education in hell - you are simply punished. The sociopath who goes in hell doesn't come out with a deeper understanding of his victim's pain or why his actions hurt society, he just suffers endlessly.

Hell does, I suppose, have a purpose, but that purpose seems to be more of quarantine rather than fairness or education or rehabilitation. Sinners can't be in the presence of God (or so we are told), so shove them off into hell. There. That takes care of THAT. *brushes hands on jeans*

Some purpose.

As for a higher goal, even heaven doesn't have that. Heaven isn't about learning, or inventing, or improving - no, you have to believe in reincarnation if you want improvment. Heaven is instead about worshipping God, all day, every day, for billions and billions and billions of years with no end in sight. Ever. That's not a goal - it's an existence.

Frankly, between the two, hell seems a slightly better place to go - at least there is no singing.

Answer 3

First of all, we must define what the Bible truly teaches about hell.

The Bible repeatedly states that death is death and life is life. There is no such thing as an immortal soul in the Bible. The Bible states clearly "the soul who sins shall die" Immortality is possessed only by God (1 Timothy 6:16)

When Jesus was on earth, He repeatedly referred to death as a sleep. This was to explain that, because of His death, death is a temporary problem, but until the resurection, we are unconscious. Like I said, death is death and life is life. There is no intermediate state; that's all paganism posing as Christianity. Read 1 Corinthians 15, John 14:1,2 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 for more information about death and the ressurection.

With all this in mind, hell is not an eternal place of torment. A God that sick is not worthy of worship. Hell is the final destruction of the wicked.

"For the day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the works thereof shall be consumed." 2 Peter 3:10

This is hellfire. It is not presently burning and will eternally destroy sin when it does burn. The punishment is eternal, not the punishing. Presenting God as a tyrant does not help the gospel, because the primary motivation for our service to God must be love, not fear.

"In the same way, Sodom and Gamorrah...are given as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire" Jude 7

Sodom and Gamorrah show us what eternal fire means in the Bible; it means eternal destruction. See 2 Thessalonians 1:9.

The only places where the classical view of hell can be sustained in the Bible are places clearly not intended to be read as literal, such as the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, and the book of Revelation, where we are told from the start that we are dealing with symbols. This doctrine was added by the church for the obvious reason of scaring people into following it. Outside of those places, you'll only find phrases like "eternal fire" and "eternal punishment", which I have alread shown, mean eternal destruction. John 3:16 shows us that the clear alternative to eternal life is death, not eternal life in hell. Only the righteous get eternal life in the Bible.

As for the redeeming value, I agree, there is non. Hell is God's mercy-killing of those who have consistently rejected His grace throughout their lives. That is why we need to accept correction today, while we are still alive and there is still as space for forgiveness. Even you would agree that a relentless child molester would have to be put behind bars for good after a certain point. It is the same way with hell. It is for Satan primarily, and those who have shown that they are beyond redemption. God wants to reestablish a perfect universe and has done everything He can, even laid down His life to give us all a chance to be a part of it. But at some point God must destroy sin to end the suffering it causes. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I believe that hell and heaven are real places. YOU can make the choice. The Bible does not talk too much about the fairness about this deal. We need to recognize the consequences of our choices. We might not like it but that is the way it is.

The choices you make and the way you live your life has a direct effect on your eternal experience. The Scripture is clear, fair or not, that when we will be judged on whether or not we trusted Jesus with our lives. EVERYTHING hinges on the work of Jesus - and our response to it. God has gone great lenghts so that EVERYONE can spend eternity with Him in Heaven. God never intended you, me,or anyone else to go to hell. One minute after you die you will be filled with tremendous gratitude or enormous regret. It might sound dramatic but this is reality.

It is God's wrath, fair or not. He provided us the escape. He has done His part. Yes, I agree...hell could be a little more friendly. If hell is so severe, I think we could have asked maybe more evidence or one perfect sacrifice to all generations or at least every other?

Answer 5

I find it so interesting that so many of people's answers have to do with fairness. Nowhere in scripture do we find a description of God or God's kingdom as a kingdom about fairness. We also don't find very much about hell. The idea of hell comes from the book of Revelation, which was written specifically to the church in persecution under Roman rule. In Jesus' description of the Kingdom of God, he didn't talk about eternal punishment, he did talk about how the first would be last, and he told lots of parables that illustrate the radical nature of God's grace. The parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates that even those who deserve punishment are welcomed with open arms. The parable of the day laborers who get the same pay for an hour's work as those who worked all day illustrates just how "unfair" God's justice is. Why would a God who has spent the entirety of history trying to create covenant relationship with humanity, consign anyone to eternal "punishment?" It just doesn't square up. Hell is a concept taken and developed by the Church to keep simple minded people in line. Faith should not be reduced to earning rewards and avoiding punishment.
thanks for the rant for the day-Markyyy

Answer 6

Long time ago I used to believe in literal hell: Blazing fires forever and ever. I gave up that thought completely because it makes no sense whatsoever (And as you may know, I left Christianity as well and shifted to Deism). So basically hell in its literal Christian understanding does NOT exist. I believe in God, nevertheless, I also believe that He/She made this world by giving the spark to the Big Bang , then left it to be, just observing and letting everything happen naturally (Including evolution). And I also believe that He/She gave us minds to use, some of us chose to follow a particular religion, and some didn't. And most sincerely I tell you that NOBODY no matter what religion (Or non-religion) he/she chooses, will go to hell. Hell makes no sense, ungodly & VERY cruel.

And no, I won't make hell. I don't wanna see anyone burn forever in a lake of fire, no matter how bad they're, if I'm supposedly a loving god.

EDIT: And now I see this cliché: "Hell is Satan's home, not for torturing people". For God's sake, WHY make Satan OR hell to begin with? Come on!

Answer 7

I was raised Catholic and yes, I do believe in hell. But the point is that even if I wasnt raised to believe in it, just the concept alone was (and still is) the deterrent that I needed to not do evil or malicious things. We all, in one way or another - yes, even atheists, believe in SOMETHING that helps to give us the strength we need. Noone goes thru life without praying (even tho some will deny it) for help or courage to overcome an obstacle...whether we pray to God as we know him, a statue, or a bowling ball... and what would be the point of "something a little more friendly"...all the world is far from friendly. Its nice to think (as well as comforting) that there is a place that is suitable for all of the unsavory criminals in this world.

Answer 8

God created all things. He gave us His word to lead, guide, teach, and rebuke. He gives us many chances in our lives to follow Him and His word, but in the end if you have pushed Him away, the word says those living in sin against God, wrath is being stored up upon you. He loves everyone with a love we can never understand, He sent His only Son to take the wrath that was meant for us in our transgressions against God and forgave all our sins by what He did on the cross. By believing in Jesus and what He did, and by living our lives according to the word of God - by what the Holy Spirit says the word means and not by what WE think the scripture means - then he will forget and forgive our sins and let us live in eternity with Him. God set it all out for us...it's all up to us and the free will He gave us to follow Him - He doesn't want robots. He intended Hell just for satan and the 1/3 angels that fell with him - but when adam and eve sinned and caused the fall of man, hell became a place for the unbeliever as well. We have all our chances on earth - once we die we are judged and given our eternal answer to how we led our lives - good and faithful, or rebellious and hard hearted.

It's really simple if you just seek after God and ask Him to open your eyes and show you.

God said in His word that satan is the "father of lies" that there is no truth in him - the biggest lie he told the world is that he doesn't exist. obviously from this question and the responders I've read, many people are blinded by satans lies! WAKE UP PEOPLE, THIS STUFF IS VERY VERY REAL!

Answer 9

Does hell make sense to you? Yes,
do you find it fair? Yes
More friendly? Hell? Hell is not susposed to be a nice place. It is not a "rehabilitaion center" it is hell, It is where you do not want to go. It is eternal, it is beyound your worst nightmare, and oh by the way, you will learn something. There is a God, and he is pissed at you behavior, disbeleif, unconcern. Each day he woke you up, each night he showed you the glory in the heavans, in the rolling of the ocean waves, in the soft touch of a loved on, but you like so many "evolved ones" said, I want no part of you, because I would haft to give up what I want. I don't like rules, or orders, from "someone in the sky" you choice , but remember that choise will be forever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever.......

Answer 10

Thus love of God, in and of itself, cannot save anyone, much less of all humanity. None of God's attributes, in and of themselves, can save anyone. It is the manifestation of God's love in Christ that saves sinners, not "love" as mere sentiment.

We might not like the idea of hell, but the Bible does not leave any good way around it. The Scriptures teach clearly that the believers will be resurrected in the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ.

This is something God has put together, how on earth I can go against it. However, I would be fine with less brutal way with dealing this situation. I do not want to give you false hope about the hell so that you would feel " friendlier" about it, I think there is a reason why God has it this way.However, if it was my way, I would give more evidence to the people who do not clearly see the existing evidence.

Answer 11

Hell is meant to be a place of eternal damnation. With fires, and torture, and a boat being the only way to gain entry. It is said in the bible that God will forgive all of your sins. That being fact the only way to enter into hell would be to commit suicide. As it is unforgiveable to throw away the gift of life.

So with that being one translation of hell then I would have to say yes! If you are a non-believer of any of the faiths then no would have to be the answer. Christinanity is not the only belief to have an opposite or hell.

Another point for you to ponder is this... everything has an opposite yin, yang, men, women, left, right, up, down, dark, light, giving balance to everything that is, so why not heaven and hell????