Do i deserve to suffer eternally?

Question

Ive never killed or raped anyone, sure I have done some bad things I regret. Im not an atheist, but im not a christian either. Does that really mean deserve to suffer for ever and ever and ever for not beleving in god? what about ghandi and everyone else, do they deserve to suffer enternally too?

im agnostic and i just want to learn more about christianity and how they can justify hell

Answer 1

Why Do We Suffer?

Lets see what the bible has to say about suffering starting in the beginning. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31) So, God created everything and saw everything was good. This means in the beginning there was no suffering at all.

If there was no suffering in the beginning how did suffering come to the world? When Adam sinned he brought death and suffering into the world. Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12) Here is Gods curse to us because of Adam: To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3: 17-19)
As you can see man brought suffering on himself. Sin is the cause of suffering. Without sin there is no suffering. Without the law there is no sin. So anything God says not to do is sin. Sin is lawlessness. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Sin is simply rebelling against God. The effect of our rebelling against God is death and suffering. Sin was the biggest cancer that was brought on to the earth. Sin separates us from God. When we are separated from God we are cursed. Through the curse of our separation there is suffering.

When people say why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is no one is good. Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone.” (Luke 18:19) The question should be why does God allow good things to happen to bad people. No one goes to God first. God has to come to us first. No one seeks God. So the answer to the question about suffering is simply we suffer because of our rebellion against God. Sin is the reason of suffering and deat

Answer 2

good question.
i'm still trying to figure it out.
i'm a christian.
i focus on Jesus' example of being a loving servant and His inclusiveness of people of different (previously rejected) races and gender. i focus on what i understand and ask God to help me with what i don't understand. i do think that what we read that other Christians say is not all what Jesus would say. maybe hell is a part of that.

but Jesus died to rescue us from something...

and i have yet to find a Leader i love as much as Him. so i keep reading the Bible and asking God questions and loving others. and i wait for the understanding that will only come with time.

Answer 3

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me

John 3:16-18
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

According to the Bible, the only way to heaven is through Jesus. If you don't believe in Him, then you will not have everlasting life. That is the Christian belief, so if you are asking Christians, then the aswer to your question is yes. But, you still have time to change your mind.

Answer 4

The thing that gets me is that Christians don't decide this, so how can we answer it?
I don't condemn people to hell, it is up to God, and I have no say in it.
Do I think hell is fair? no not really, but did I make it appear?

Also for people who do not believe in Hell, why such concern if other's believe you are going there?

Answer 5

I am in the same shoes as you I believe there is a higher power.I do not believe god judges us for how we believe but for how we live life.Are we good to other people do we do the best that we can etc.I am so saddened when a christian says I will perish in the afterlife.We just celebrated memorial day America has had many people from many faiths or lack of die for our freedom of religion do we only pray for gods blessing for only the christian ones.I thank god for everyone that died for my freedom and that I would hope that he would give them life in heaven.

Answer 6

I'm not God, I don't know what you deserve. I do know that God doesn't send anyone to hell, you do it to yourself. It's your decision. Free will is a pisser sometimes, we have to make our own decisions and we're obviously not very good at it.

Answer 7

I have a personal relationship with God and He has never told me anything about anyone deserving to suffer (such as the hell thing) although He has made me aware that many will not know His presence. As someone who already lives in His presence, I would not choose to live otherwise for a single day...let alone eternity. I think you will receive not what you deserve...but what you choose. He calls...but it is up to you to answer.

Answer 8

no one deserves to suffer. Jesus didn't want His people to suffer. He wants everyone in Heaven with Him.

i do have a question though. how can you not be athiest but not be Christian either? i mean sure you could be Muslim, but you didnt say that anywhere. im confused about that.

Answer 9

When God created man...man was not full of sin...it was after man disobeyed God and ate of the tree that God specifically told them NOT to eat of...that sin came into the world. Man fell from God's grace, but God has given man a way out. Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. The wages of sin is death...eternal separation from God. Jesus paid for those sins on the cross when He shed His blood. It is quite simple.

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Answer 10

If you believe you deserve to suffer eternally then it is you that will create it not God, you are what you are, and what you think or say you create from your own mind, start believing in your self.