How could a loving God create hell?

[S.gal83]

Well, how could a loving God create hell, to put those who do not worship him there?

 

[seashale76]

I copy and paste this old post of mine quite a bit around here:

Think of it this way. God is Love and His presence is like fire. How one endures this fire has everything to do with how they were tempered in this life, just like the three righteous youths in the fiery furnace (Old Testament) were able to joyfully walk around unharmed in the fire, so did others who didn't love God perish just being near the fire. The fire didn't change.

Here is a quote from an old Wikipedia article on the topic (that doesn’t seem to be around anymore) that I thought explained it pretty well: "For many ancient Christians, Hell was the same "place" as Heaven: living in the presence of God and directly experiencing God's love. Whether this was experienced as pleasure or torment depended on one's disposition towards God. St. Isaac of Syria wrote in Mystic Treatises: "... those who find themselves in Hell will be chastised by the scourge of love. How cruel and bitter this torment of love will be! For those who understand that they have sinned against love, undergo greater suffering than those produced by the most fearful tortures. The sorrow which takes hold of the heart, which has sinned against love, is more piercing than any other pain. It is not right to say that the sinners in Hell are deprived of the love of God ... But love acts in two ways, as suffering of the reproved, and as joy in the blessed!" This ancient view is still the doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church."

 

[DrBubbaLove]

It would be a God that could annihilate us all. It would be Just that evil should be punished. Hell (whatever it is) would be the just end for those that reject the Love He offers all. It would the Love of God that provides a means to restore us in that Love.

 

[drich0150]

Well, how could a loving God create hell, to put those who do not worship him there?

I'm going to cheat a little and repost one of my previous post. (We have had alot of questions on Hell lately)

What if some where in the past, the descriptions of Heaven and Hell were reversed?? What if Heaven was actually a fiery pit, and Hell is what most of us would describe paradise to be? The only difference being God lived in the fiery pit.. Would you still want to goto "Heaven?" (The fiery pit) Or would you want to goto paradise?

Heaven is Heaven because God is there, not because of what it looks like or how it can be described.. And transversely Hell is Hell because of what is not there (God and all of the rest of creation.)

True "Christians" Choose Heaven to be with God, not because they want to cash in on streets of Gold, and pearly gates. Nor escape what they perceive to be a terrible way to spend eternity.. It is this reason that we Have, and actively maintain a relationship with God. That means whatever heaven looks like, even if it were a eternal church service, then that's what we'd want, if for no other reason than we'd get to be with God.

If you do not have a relationship with God in this life, why do you think you would want one in the next one?
If "Lucifer" and all of the angels who followed him, Knew who, and what God was, and Knew what they faced, and stilled weren't content with all that they were given...
What make you think without a relationship with God, that heaven wouldn't be Hell for you, even if you were allowed in??
"Lucifer" obviously thought that risking actual literal Hell, for a chance at rebellion was better than being in a place with someone he did not love for an eternity... How how long before you get tired of singing the same songs? How long before you'd be ready to do your own thing?

Heaven is the choice for all who love and wish to be with God, and Hell is your other option. If you wish to love and serve yourself, then you can do that in Hell. Because simply put, Hell is the reality or emptiness of existence, without the benefit of anything found in creation... That includes God, and all he offers. In hell, you are with who you chose, in this life to spend eternity with.. Yourself, or if you'd prefer Not God/Jesus.

The devil and his angels don't rule hell, they are there, like you are there, and for the same reason. Because you all chose to be without God.. Hell or the "Void" is the only place you can do that.

 

[arunma]

I think Drich explained it quite well.

Consider the fact that though God sent his Son Jesus to ransom people from their sins, to this day people reject God and invent other religions, complete with false gods and false doctrines. They worship God's creation instead of God, and sometimes go so far as to call the creation "God." You yourself say that you worship Satan. This is a most heinous sin (not your sin in specific, but the sin of practicing false religions). I think the problem here is that you do not see sin for what it really is. If you knew how horrible sin really was, then you would not object to God's method of condemning sinners.

 

[andreha]

I believe that hell has a purpose. There has been testimonies of Atheists who died, descended into hell and heard a mighty voice, telling them to call on the name of Jesus. They did so and came back to life. I know some will differ with my view, but I have reason to believe that no man will be confined to hell for eternity.

If I told you I have seen Jesus Christ personally, you would probably think I've lost it altogether. If I told you I have felt His emotions toward us, it may indeed sound like the words of a lunatic. I have seen many signs and miracles, all confirming that God indeed does exist, and cares for us. The urgency you feel inside of you is the Spirit of God that's starting to compel you to come to Him. Please excuse me if I sound like a complete lunatic...

 

[ebia]

Well, how could a loving God create hell, to put those who do not worship him there?

That's a question that's hard to answer without clearing up a lot of other preconceptions.

Ultimately, there has to be some other option for those (if any) who refuse to be part of the Kingdom of God; those people cannot hold the rest of creation to ransom. If "hell" is just a name for whatever that alternative is, then there's your answer.

The tradition view of what that alternative looks like owes more to medieval fantasy than anything else. The bible only talks about that alternative in symbolic and metaphoric terms.

 

[Stinker]

How could a loving God create hell?

Well, how could a loving God create hell, to put those who do not worship him there?

Because our God, who is infinite in love, is also infinite in Justice. If God has the right to reward souls/spirits eternally, God also has the right to punish the evil and unbelieving eternally.

 

[andreha]

May I ask how this follows logically? An atheist dies, is brought back to life, and lives his life for Jesus Christ, therefore no one will be confined to hell for all eternity? The Bible says that hell is as eternal as heaven:

And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. (Revelation 14:11)
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And what of non-Christian theists who spend their entire lives devoted to abominable and false gods? The Bible says that this is the sort of sin that sends people to hell. Perhaps you can clarify what you mean here, because as I'm understanding the above comments, they don't conform to Scripture.



No, I would not think that you are a complete lunatic. I believe in a living God who speaks and reveals himself to men. I do not question what you say because you claim to have seen Jesus Christ, but because what you're saying doesn't agree with Scripture. Again, perhaps you can help me by clarifying.

Well, the Lord has a way of getting through to us. The one atheist I referred to became a pastor after coming back to life. I know it sounds a bit illogical, but God is very wise. And the thing about eternal hell, I've done some research on that. The original greek word for eternity has more than one meaning. It also refers to an age, not only an eternity. That's why I suspect that some will indeed see hell, but not necessarily for ever. There is a part in the bible where it mentions people getting reminded of being judged based on whether or not they practiced love in life. Also in Acts 2:17 it says that the Spirit of God will be poured out to all flesh in the last days. When that happens, people will certainly change.

I don't mean to argue, I really enjoy talking about stuff like this, and would indeed welcome any feedback. It could very well clarify stuff for me as well.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Well, how could a loving God create hell, to put those who do not worship him there?

How could a holy and righteous and just God become a man and die to pay the penalty deserved by those who mock Him, curse Him, constantly break His laws, and never thank Him for the blessings He's given them and day after day after day that He's allowed them to live to have one more chance to repent?

 

[Jpark]

Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)

 

[Proud Christian 2]

Hell is like a garbage can. Anyone can go there, and anyone can be saved from it. God made hell to put those who were bad, and non-beleivers. He is loving, but we can't have bad non-beleivers in heaven, now can we?

 

[jlujan69]

Well, how could a loving God create hell, to put those who do not worship him there?

I don't know. While I believe I know who ends up there and why and even the original purpose of Hell, I don't know why a person deserves eternal torment simply for not believing in Jesus.