Why doesn't "Christian God" punish people swiftly, immediately after they commit "sins"?
The Christian God, who prescribes forebearance and forgiveness of every "sin", exercises none himself. He does the exact opposite.
A punishment which comes at the end of the world cannot have for its object either to improve or deter.
A punishment which comes at the end of all things, when the world is over and done with, is pure vengeance.
So is the Christian god just a vengeful god?
2007-08-12 16:37:09 · 25 answers · asked by Fish Stick Jesus 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because knowledge of the consequencs should be enough to help guide us in the right direction.
Rather than people constantly looking for faults in their fellow humans I wish they would accept them for who they are.
2007-08-12 16:42:19 · answer #1 · answered by mommakaye 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The world may be over and done with, but that's not the end of all things. Everything is supposed to be made new again, beautiful and perfect. Those who haven't done what they need to in order to be a part of that paradise will be denied it.
According to Christianity (and several other religions), your life on Earth isn't all you get. Once you die you will either go to a paradise or to a place of punishment. It is there you will exist for eternity. Your time on earth is a microscopic period compared that eternity. The end of the world is hardly the end :]
Is the Christian God a vengeful god? Yes, but what is always preached is that everyone has the ability to avoid that punishment.
2007-08-12 16:48:55 · answer #2 · answered by CSE 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I believe that you made a statement that you cannot justify, which is that God does not forbear or forgive. Also, for a non-religious guy, you sure do talk about the "Christian God" a lot . . .
A final jusgement at the end of all things serves as a warning. One of the rewards for those who believe God is the exclusion from God's final Judgement.
Actually, God's final judgement is a very just thing, not vengeful at all. See, God is giving everyone time to get right with Him. He is giving them every oppurtunity to avoid that final judgement. The idea is that, when that time comes, any one who is subject to it has no excuse. God gives everyone the oppurtunity to have faith in Him. Whether or not they do is their choice.
As far as making the actual judgement itself, God is the one who defines what is right and wrong. He made the World, so He gets to make the rules. Therefore, He has every right to judge the world according to the standards He sets.
That being said, God is just in this: He made the way for us to be forgiven, and has made it possible for that "right relationship" to be restored with anyone who chooses to accept it. That way was Jesus. Accepting what Jesus did takes away all of the evil and sin, and puts us in right standing with God, which enables us to be excluded from that final Judgement.
God made the way; the only people who will be subject to His final wrath are the ones who simply chose not to accept the gift that He gave. It's that simple.
2007-08-14 10:57:48 · answer #3 · answered by William H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is just. He is full love and mercy, but he is also full of wrath. That might not make sense to you, but that's the uniqueness of God. He will repay everyone for their wrongdoing according to what they deserve. God does not take revenge on the innocent; it's for those that deserve it for their wrongdoings. The Bible says in Romans 12:19: 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" The reason why the punishment is eternal is because the person's sin is against an eternal God. A true Christian, who is born-again, does not face this eternal punishment because they have been set free from it by accepting God's free Gift of Salvation which is Jesus.
All it takes is one sin to separate yourself from God. God is Life and separation from Him equals death. There is nothing that a human being can do that can take their sin away. There are no amount of good works or good deeds that could ever be good enough to wipe the sin away and go to Heaven. That's the whole reason why Jesus came in the first place. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit into the Virgin Mary and therefore was born without sin. Everyone else is born with a sinful nature, but not Him. That is why Jesus is perfect and why only He could take our place in death. If someone else were to try and die for everyone it wouldn't work because then they would simply be dying for their own sins. But, since Jesus has no sin nor ever committed a sin, then he was able to substitute himself for us. So, God condemned His own Son to death and then raised Him from the dead (conquering death in doing that) so that if someone goes to God and admits they're a sinner in need of forgiveness and accepts His Son then they will be able to be set free from eternal punishment and have Everlasting Life and go to Heaven.
2007-08-12 17:04:53 · answer #4 · answered by michele840 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It would seem so, but isn't pure vengeance lacking in mercy?
God isn't lacking mercy, so pure vengeance may be an over estimation...
Forgiveness, forturnately, is the term most often associated with the christian god.
And to answer the original question, "understanding" happens in the life review. But it happens throughout life as well.
2007-08-12 16:49:32 · answer #5 · answered by Jenny 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Contrary to your concept, here is mine. God is a Loving Just God. Creation was set into existence with a balance of energy. There are Universal Laws to keep the balance. This includes the Laws that govern mankind. Is not a God of Vengeance or a Jealous God as bible scripture says. He doesn't have to be. That is a human concept to make people fear not worshiping him. A warning if you will for those who can't do it by free will choice. My view differs from the bible on this. He does not have to be vengeful when we have consequences for our behavior if we violate the Laws of balance. The reward for keeping the law is a positive one and the exception or violation is negative,
Man has made the warning in his writing in trying to explain it as God's harsh punishment to be fearful of God. We are the ones who have made the concept and blame God when we should blame ourselves. We make the transgression upon his Laws and then Blame him which is wrong when he stands with Loving arms to take us back after the errors of our ways.
Jesus gave two laws that cover the rest of the laws. They both have to do with Love. Not Fear based.
Rev. TomCat
2007-08-12 17:00:42 · answer #6 · answered by Rev. TomCat 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Deny it as the religious do, Hell is certainly a place of punishment, but I disagree that it becomes ineffectual when the punishment comes at the end of all things instead of immediately after sins are committed. As a deterrent, it is fairly effective for those who believe in Hell. I personally do not. I have much more practical and adult reasons for not committing "sins."
2007-08-12 16:43:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The final act of punishment is not intended to correct you. It is the final punishment for any wrongdoing you have done. Knowing that a final punishment may be awaiting you in the end, is designed to keep you straight until the end does come.
2007-08-12 16:46:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
you make no sense at all!!...you just said that he is not swift about punishing (which is forbearance also known as patience), not only that but when our sins are forgiven they are not brought back up and punished at a later time they are forgiven...what is not forgiven are the sins of the people who hear him calling but continue to turn their back on God they are unrepentant sins of an unbelieving hedonistic society that will stand judgment...God is not the opposite of what he asks us to do, but remember this his word is very clear...we are to forgive, but vengeance belongs to God that is very true...I am glad he is long suffering and his judgment is not swift but I really feel bad for those souls who refuse to listen on the day of the Lord..because Holiness demands justice.
2007-08-12 17:12:49 · answer #9 · answered by candi_k7 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your dad told you not to do something before it ever occurred to try it but given the warning many of us tried doing these misdeeds anyways, dad couldn't spank that bottom for thinking about it but he sure as heck would after we had done the misdeeds. In this life we are warned of many things that are not for us to do and also told about how to get back into our fathers good grace - if someone does all these things against our fathers warnings and never comes back into his good grace " the way is there " the punishment is awaiting!!!
2007-08-12 16:43:46 · answer #10 · answered by S.O.S. 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋