luke 6:27
"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you...But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back."
If this is how we are supposed to live, then why does God punish those who don't "love" Him? Doesn't this seem hypocritical?
2007-06-11 21:45:57 · 14 answers · asked by mimi ^____^ 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
He punishes people for sin.
sin causes people to NOT love God.
so He punishes us for sin. sin that causes us to fall, sin that brings us consequences..
not because we do not love Him.
2007-06-11 21:49:30 · answer #1 · answered by sylll 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its a good question, one which I don't think is easy to answer. I think its not so much that God is punishing those that don't love him, more that he is giving them what they want. In this life, you are given the choice of being with God, or not. In the next life, as much as it hurts him to do so, he gives you what you chose. Also, God still loves those that don't love him, he still does good things for those that hate him (giving them friends, this world, allowing them to love/be loved...), still blesses them even if they curse him, and 'lent' us all Jesus, knowing that from some people he wouldnt get anything back. On the cross Jesus also prayed for us all, especially for those that were crucifying him, so he is also praying for those who mistreated him. So really, he is practicing what he preaches!
2007-06-12 05:07:49 · answer #2 · answered by totally_idiotic 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God does not punish those who do not love him at all.. he calls them for his love and supports their lives even if they do not....
... when death comes those who reject him will not be with him simply because they do not want to be with him....
... God does not punish people not on earth or in heavens, let me give an example: there is a picture of Jesus knocking on the door, the picture shows the door does not have a handle(grip) from the outside... it is missing on purpose because the one who will open the door is the person from inside the house if they choose to.
2007-06-12 04:52:31 · answer #3 · answered by Cheers For All 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You adroitly step over the parts you don't like!
Here in Matthew the same is being said, but also why!
Matthew 5:43-45 43 "YOU heard that it was said, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.
------------------
We are supposed to love our enemies in imitation of our Heavenly Father. The fact that Christians as well as non-Christians, all, shall be arraigned before the Judge Christ Jesus and have what they deserve is part of God's justice.
See how God's love is displayed toward the wicked here:
http://bythebible.page.tl/God%5C-h-s-Payback.htm
2007-06-12 05:17:19 · answer #4 · answered by Fuzzy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If I offer you a new house to live in but you decide not to accept it is it hatred that causes me to let you live somewhere else or am I merely allowing you to practice your free will. For many the idea of heaven is close to God and hell is away from God ( not place but more circumstance) If you choose to be away from God He loves you enough to allow you to have what you want,eternity away from Him. This is not punishment this is giving you your desire.
2007-06-12 04:57:18 · answer #5 · answered by David F 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
For the sake of discussion, Could you elaborate why you are said God punish those who don't love him?
2007-06-12 05:54:12 · answer #6 · answered by Meakness 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wish more of your type would lend to me without getting anything back.
2007-06-12 05:03:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
He doesn't necessarily punish them, He actually gives them what they want!
If you're referring to "hell", unbelievers didn't want anything to do with God on earth during their life, why would they want to spend eternity with Him?
He grants their wish.
2007-06-12 06:21:16 · answer #8 · answered by witness 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
.
God isn't punishing you for not loving Him.
You are punishing yourself by refusing His Love.
You've gotten it backwards.
You've been deceived.
.
2007-06-12 05:34:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One of the big problems I have with all this 'God' worship is that this 'God' character seems to be a huge hypocrite, holding humanity to a standard that he (God) doesn't seem willing or even able to hold himself.
2007-06-12 04:50:44 · answer #10 · answered by pasdeberet 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋