Posted on 02/24/2014 5:17:08 PM PST by SoFloFreeper
LOL. I argue that hell cannot be infinite, because God's love is infinite, and I "seem to have a very negative view on heaven and the afterlife"? And that is "starting from a negative frame of reference focused on punishment and never-ending judgment"? WTF? My entire position is exactly opposite of what you are talking about - specifically opposite.
LOL, whatever. Have your fun. After all, it's not like there are any spiritual reprecusions to creating FUD around God's love, right?
Go for it.
Let’s talk about infinite.
You are fixated about “infinite”. Infinite love.
God is a perfect person. As God He is infinite. In just about any way we would attempt to measure Him. Basically that’s why the term applies to Him in about all things, as He is immeasurable in so many ways. Love. Patience. Endurance. Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. Strength. Power. Intelligence. Creating things out of nothing. Creating things that will live on forever from their point of existence. Self replicating life forms. Etc. The perfection of universal physical laws He devised the universe to work under. Infinite knowledge. Infinite existence across time, existing outside of time as He created time/space. Not bound by time and space. Not bound by His creation. Infinite wisdom. Infinite ability to sustain everything He made perfectly.
God is also a God who is perfectly just. Infinitely just. God set forth ONE RULE to Adam and Eve. An infinite God put forth one rule, an infinite rule. Do not do this one thing. A rule devised by an infinite God, is an infinite rule. Absolute. Perfect. Infinite.
Just one rule to live by. They broke that rule by their sinful behavior and breaking God’s infinite law.
When one breaks an infinite law, decreed by an infinite God, what is the logical result?
The logical result of breaking an infinite law is an infinite punishment. An infinite penalty. Breaking an infinite law brings upon the lawbreaker, an infinite penalty.
And God could have left it at that, and kicked them out of the garden and said when you two die, it’s over and you are separated from Me forever.
But He didn’t do that, did He? After an infinite, perfect and just God found His perfect and infinite law was broken, He did pass sentence, but immediately after that, He explained to them He would provide a way for them and their progeny to be able to be with Him, He would provide a Redeemer for them. A kinsmen Redeemer. This is the first reference to the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Christ. God would provide a way for every person to return to Him, if they so desired. The way would be there for everyone. Nobody has a harder time being saved than anyone else, it’s the same thing for everyone. No tougher requirements for some, no extra work for anyone, nobody can claim they earned any part of it. That’s the beauty of His solution. His way of salvation is a gift. You can’t earn it. It’s not possible.
It isn’t possible because a finite being breaking an infinite law, cannot on their own make things right. How does a finite being pay an infinite penalty? The finite being must pay that penalty forever because it’s an infinite penalty.
If God hadn’t provided a way out, a way of salvation and return to Him, I believe you could argue He would not be a loving God. But the solution He provided, HE ALSO PAID FOR by Jesus Christ living a perfect life, and offering that life on the cross for all of us. Scripture says the shedding of blood is required for atonement. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, living the perfect life, shed His perfect blood voluntarily for all men, so that that if we believed in Him, His atoning, perfect blood sacrifice would satisfy God’s infinite justice, and pay for the infinite penalties of all of us.
The only other way we can pay is we pay our penalty ourselves. And if we don’t accept God’s solution, the one He planned so that we wouldn’t have to pay our infinite penalty ourselves, then He will let us pay it ourselves, forever. But if you don’t think that God is love, by putting forth a plan of salvation for us sinners whereby He Himself wound up paying the penalty for us, so that all we have to do is recognize it, recognize we need it, and accept His gift of salvation sincerely,
then there is nothing God can do to convince you He loves you.
Hell certainly is eternal
Revelation 14:
[9] And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
[10] The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
[11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Those that want to imagine Hell out of existence need to read their Bible wayyy more.
.
Amen, Brother!
Satan has been casting doubt on the truth of God’s Word since the garden. That’s his oldest tactic.
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