I don't think God 'sends' people to hell, I'm pretty sure they drive themselves there.
God set up the rules, and gave us 'free will' to choose our path. Many choose this path.
Posted on 01/09/2014 9:09:07 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The premise is illogical and not just in the “hell” example. What the person is saying is “I could never believe in a God that doesn’t behave exactly how I personally would want God to behave.”
I disagree. It's not a binary. Different Christians interpret the Bible differently on this point.
I think people who say that really mean, “Any God who would create/allow Hell is not good but evil, and you say God is good.”
The Muslims believe that good is what Allah says it is - and that he could say anything. If he decides to say giving alms is evil and stealing is good, it is so.
Suppose the Muslim concept of God and goodness were true, not the Christian one. I suppose most of us would become Muslims to avoid hell, if we knew that was the only way - but wouldn’t the heart you have now cry out against the teachings of Islam, slavery and conquest and murder, cry out that it was still evil?
Cases in point: Detroit, Venezuela, North Korea.
Even if God did not make a hell, His mercy and justice would demand such a place.
The Muslims certainly do not reject Allah because of Jahannam (the Koran’s “Hell”).
God does not send people to hell. People send themselves there because they do not want to be with God for eternity. They would rather be with the alternative.
Where else is Christ going to put those obstinate folks that don't want to be with Him? The place is called hell.
I’ve been to Hell, twice. Once in Michigan and once in Norway. Both places are quite logical and do freeze over in the winter.
“Hell” to me is being separated from God. It does not have to be literally “Dante’s Inferno” but it does exist in a form where Satan/Devil has hold of one’s soul and thus keeps a person/soul from believing that their salvation is possible through Jesus.
Again and again the Bible tells us the punishment for sin is death.
It is illogical to say death = eternal life, but with agony.
The biblical construct of “hell” is not as tradition has taught.
According to the bible there is a Lake of Fire in which the wicked, the Beast, the False Prophet and the Devil himself are thrown into. (Revelation 20)
The Devil is the only one who will be tormented forever and ever (Revelation 20:10)
The wicked shall be ashes under the feet of the righteous (Malachi 4:1-3)
There is a White Throne Judgement, and those not found in the book of Life are thrown in the lake of fire. The judgment is permanent (forever) - meaning the judgement is final. Similar to when God sealed the door of the ark and the judgment was final on all those who were not in the ark.
Modern American Churchianity has no balance. They are rushing from one erroneous tradition (hell) into another false tradition (no judgment). There is a Judgement upon all - even the Angels themselves. There is a penalty for sin - which is DEATH. Eternal death, the Second Death.
Belief in hell is not a Salvation issue. Believing on Him who can save us from the Second Death, and His death for our sins and resurrection into His life is the Gospel.
That said - scaring people into faith does not produce an anchor as powerful as a people rooted in faith looking forward to the resurrection that Christ is bringing with Him as our reward.
They are not rejecting “God”. Rather, they are rejecting the message. They are saying they don’t believe such a God exists and is a fairy tale.
Interestingly, the New Testament has many clear messages. One of them is the message to willingly come to the Lord. Yet the “eternal torture in Hell” message is clear coersion. It is the equivalent, in human terms, of telling someone to sign the contract or you will blow their brains out. It is called coersion. It is also illegal.
But more importantly, it flies in the face of Jesus’ teachings. I did not become a follower of Christ because he threatened to torture me for all eternity. I became a follower of Jesus because I want to spend eternity in the presence of my creator.
I came to the Lord through desire, not fear. And fear is the opposite of faith.
When was Hell created?
Even if God did not make a hell, His mercy and justice would demand such a place.
You’re missing my point.
God permitting hell is a moral scandal to some people. To them, if that God existed he would be an evil God. People stand up to worldly dictators sometimes and are tortured and killed for it but most lay low and appease them. Suppose the dictator were eternal and all-powerful - that still wouldn’t make him good, would it? You could not gain anything by opposing him, not even non-existence.
I don't think God 'sends' people to hell, I'm pretty sure they drive themselves there.
God set up the rules, and gave us 'free will' to choose our path. Many choose this path.
The problem of of hell is that it assigns infinite torture as punishment for a finite number of evil deeds committed during a finite life.
It’s only a “moral scandal” to those that hate the idea of the existence of an all-powerful god, evidently.
As for God’s law as Christians know it, that brings freedom rather than slavery. The freedoms that the USA brought are evidence of that; the Founding Fathers wanted the country to be biblically-based in terms of law.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.