Hell's demographics

[Xeno.of.athens]

For this discussion, let's define "hell" as "the place of the dead," signifying a spiritual separation from God and His grace. The nature of hell, whether it's considered eternal punishment or a lake of fire leading to annihilation, is not the focus here. Instead, the intended topic is what actions or behaviors you believe will lead a person to hell and what types of individuals, if any, will be found there.

 

[Matt5]

Matthew 19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Where do the rich go when they don't enter the kingdom of heaven?

Remember, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (the poor man)? The rich man goes to hell.

 

[RandyPNW]

For this discussion, let's define "hell" as "the place of the dead," signifying a spiritual separation from God and His grace. The nature of hell, whether it's considered eternal punishment or a lake of fire leading to annihilation, is not the focus here. Instead, the intended topic is what actions or behaviors you believe will lead a person to hell and what types of individuals, if any, will be found there.

Placement in Hell is determined strictly by how one ultimately desires or rejects Jesus. Specific sins are said to lead one there precisely because Jesus is rejected as the antidote for these things.

Many will be in Heaven who were addicted to doing things their own way, and thus captured by the deceit of evil. They will be ashamed of their capitulation, but will be healed of it in short order.

A determined attitude to dislike Christ is what will damn because his Spirit stands in stark contrast to what going our own way leads to, in terms of aggression, disorder, and abuses of every kind. One must desire the loving Spirit of Christ to be saved. And that will come out in the wash in eternity, when the forces that deceive us will be fully exposed.

 

[Clare73]

For this discussion, let's define "hell" as "the place of the dead," signifying a spiritual separation from God and His grace. The nature of hell, whether it's considered eternal punishment or a lake of fire leading to annihilation, is not the focus here. Instead, the intended topic is
what actions or behaviors you believe will lead a person to hell and what types of individuals, if any, will be found there.

Unbelief. . .all those not of faith in Jesus Christ will be in hell (Jn 3:18).

All those of faith in Jesus Christ have their sin forgiven (salvation from the wrath of God, Ro 5:9) and will be with Jesus.

 

[th1bill]

For this discussion, let's define "hell" as "the place of the dead," signifying a spiritual separation from God and His grace. The nature of hell, whether it's considered eternal punishment or a lake of fire leading to annihilation, is not the focus here. Instead, the intended topic is what actions or behaviors you believe will lead a person to hell and what types of individuals, if any, will be found there.

I am often the odd man out when discussing Hell because it has become my impression that the place we address as Hell is best noted as residing in the Spirit Realm as best described in Luke 16:19-31 in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. Paradise I see as closed because Yashuah led the Old Testament Saints out of there and through the streets of the Holy City as seen in Matt 27:51-63. I see the Rich Man as being in Hell awaiting the Great White Throne Judgement. I do not see Hell as the Final Torment but, rather. as a temporary holding place or cell until the Final Resurrection of the sinners to judgment and Eternity in T|he Lake of Fire.

 

[concretecamper]

The Eye of a Needle

Daily Gospel Reflection for Tuesday, August 17, 2021

catholic-daily-reflections.com

 

[GentleGospeller]

For this discussion, let's define "hell" as "the place of the dead," signifying a spiritual separation from God and His grace

Not scriptural, waste of time.

 

[RandyPNW]

I am often the odd man out when discussing Hell because it has become my impression that the place we address as Hell is best noted as residing in the Spirit Realm as best described in Luke 16:19-31 in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. Paradise I see as closed because Yashuah led the Old Testament Saints out of there and through the streets of the Holy City as seen in Matt 27:51-63. I see the Rich Man as being in Hell awaiting the Great White Throne Judgement. I do not see Hell as the Final Torment but, rather. as a temporary holding place or cell until the Final Resurrection of the sinners to judgment and Eternity in T|he Lake of Fire.

I'm not sure that makes you the "odd man out?" The original poster used "Hell" for lack of a better word, rather than argue its proper name. I would agree with you that Hell is temporary because Hades is thrown into the fire.

I see the "fire" as the destruction of things that don't belong on the New Earth. It is called "eternal" not because a literal fire literally burns people for all eternity, but rather, because the fire of destruction from Paradise is eternal . That's why Hades itself is burned up because people who die opposed to the Lord experience a new kind of death, supplanting the death of mortality.

Eternal death will be eternal separation from Paradise. There will be no more need for mortal death, therefore, as a temporary removal from God's blessings. This death will be final, with no more opportunity of redemption such as we have today.

 

[Bob Crowley]

The Catholic teaching on Hell is summarised in paragraph 1035 of the Catholic Catechism.

1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

Technically anybody who dies in a state of mortal sin will go to Hell. We can all qualify, and while I have no doubt that Adolf Hitler is in Hell I think there are at least a few popes in Hell. Some of the Renaissance Popes come to mind.

We need to keep Christ's comment in mind about the wide and easy gate, and the hard and narrow way, with many choosing the former.

What I find hard to accept is that people who might be called "minor sinners" end up sharing the same or similar torments to the "great sinners".

I don't know why a petty thief should end up sharing the flames of hell with Hitler. I'm particularly thinking of those who live good lives by human standards but who may not have a formal Christian faith - cultural Christians if you like, which is a term making its way into modern jargon.

 

[bling]

People who do not believe in the Christian God, would not believe in “hell”, so there is no threat of hell for them. If you do truly believe (trust the Christian God) to the point of being just willing to humbly accept pure sacrificial undeserved charity in the form of forgiveness then they are not going to hell. Hell does let us know how unbelievable huge the debt we are forgiven of, so we can automatically Love much (Godly type Love) Luke 7. Hell also helps some to accept quickly and not just hold off accepting.

Neg[JB1]

You cannot just threaten people with hell, because they will not believe such a place exists without first believing in God/Christ.

• Yes God’s Love is not a knee jerk reaction and is a thought-out free will choice God makes, but that does not mean God is void of emotion, since God is like the father of the prodigal son.
• Hate is not the opposite of Love, you can hate and Love the person at the same, like Jesus commanding us to hate our families, yet Love them at the same time.
• Allowing some truly bad things to happen to one person in order to help another person does not mean you do not Love the person bad stuff is happening to, like God really Loved Christ, but allowed really bad stuff to happen to Christ in order to help willing individuals to accept His Love.
• Hell does not help or discipline the people that go to hell, but since prior they have reached the point of never willingly accepting God’s pure undeserved charity/Love in the form of forgiveness and will never, God will at least use them to do some good for others still able to choose to accept God’s Love. Another words God will use children He Loves to at least do some good in helping some other children He Loves.
• Look at the story of “The Rich man and Lazarus”: God Loved the rich man and provided at great cost the rich man every day with the very best opportunity to experience Godly type Love with Lazarus. This was really hard on God and Lazarus, but God Loved the rich man.
• God promised me hell if I did not accept His Love as pure undeserved charity and since I came to believe in Christ and God I also believed in His promises and God not lying. If no one went to hell then God would be a liar, so God has to allow some people to go to hell and experience the second death (annihilation after some time).

Hell does not help or discipline the people that go to hell, but prior, those that go to hell, have reached the point of never willingly accepting God’s pure undeserved charity/Love in the form of forgiveness and will never, God will at least use them to do some good for others still able to choose to accept God’s Love. Another words God will use children He Loves to at least do some good in helping some other children He Loves.

Look at the story of “The Rich man and Lazarus”: God Loved the rich man and provided at great cost, to the rich man every day with the very best opportunity to experience Godly type Love with Lazarus. This was really hard on God and Lazarus, but God Loved the rich man. The rich man did not complain in hell about being treated unfairly.

If “hell” was just temporary prior to going to heaven, that would make the debt of sin finite (a slap on the hand), so from what we are taught by Jesus in Luke 7, he that is forgiven little loves little, so you would get little love from God’s forgiveness, but if sin is made to be an unbelievable huge offence creating and unbelievable huge debt (not payable by even Christ’s death) then God forgiving this unbelievable huge debt would automatically result in an unbelievable huge Love (a Godly type Love)) and that is the first part of our objective (obtaining this Love).

I am promised hell if I did not accept His Love as pure undeserved charity and since I came to believe in Christ and God I also believed in His promises and God not lying. If no one went to hell then God would be a liar, so God has to allow some people to go to hell and experience the second death (annihilation after some time).

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[JB1]

 

[hislegacy]

For this discussion, let's define "hell" as "the place of the dead," signifying a spiritual separation from God and His grace. The nature of hell, whether it's considered eternal punishment or a lake of fire leading to annihilation, is not the focus here. Instead, the intended topic is what actions or behaviors you believe will lead a person to hell and what types of individuals, if any, will be found there.

Hell is completely filled with only one demographic - those who have not accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 

[RandyPNW]

What I find hard to accept is that people who might be called "minor sinners" end up sharing the same or similar torments to the "great sinners".

I don't know why a petty thief should end up sharing the flames of hell with Hitler. I'm particularly thinking of those who live good lives by human standards but who may not have a formal Christian faith - cultural Christians if you like, which is a term making its way into modern jargon.

Jesus said some would receive "few stripes," while some would receive "many stripes."

Luke 12.46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Those who reflect a spirit of rejection of the Lord will all share a common destiny. But those who did so with full knowledge will suffer more than those who rejected Christ in ignorance.

I believe the suffering will not be a matter of suffering the affliction of physical punishment, but rather the deprivation from them of God's loving Spirit. The more deprivation the more emotional suffering. And the conditions of service may be more rigorous the greater the rejection of God's help.

"Outer Darkness" just explains that the place where the Lost go lacks the light of God's love. It does not explain the geographical place or the physical conditions.

I do not believe it will be molten lava. It will be a place to continue God's original mandate to Man to serve Him in accordance with His image and likeness. Being forced to do so will be a burden to those who have rejected the Lord's help.