God sentences me to hell.
LX - you have the wrong idea bro.
God does not senence anyone to hell.
This is the "angry god theology" of the west.
Try this:
If you and a friend are on a boat. You know that he can not swim so you offer him a life vest. He declines. He then jumps overboard and starts drowning. You throw him a lifepreserver and tell him to grab it. He tells you that there is no such thing as a lifepreserver and then drowns.
Did you sentence him to death? Did you kill him? Was it your fault that he died?
Again....
You are a firefighter. You and your co-worker arrive at a fire. He left without his protective gear but you brought it for him. You tell him to put it on but instead he strips naked and runs into the fire.
Why did you sentence him to burn?
You didn't! HE did it himself!
At the end of the age, God will show forth his full glory. He will shine his light and love on everyone just as the rain falls on the righteous and the wicked. The problem is that without the protection of God's grace, his energy and love will be like a searing fire - a gehenna.
(Hebrews 12:29) For our God is a consuming fire.
God is a consuming fire. Those that have not thrown off the grace of Christ will not be protected.
What? Want that from an Old Testament source?
Ok.
(Deuteronomy 4:24) For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Think of it. Infinite energy. Energy = heat and light. Heat and light burn if you are not protected.
So, if you throw off the grace that is freely offered to all (life preserver, fire pretoection) and then die (run int othe fire naked) whose fault is it if you are then burned?
[SIZE=+1]“I say,” writes Saint Isaac the Syrian, “that those who are suffering in hell, are suffering in being scourged by love.... It is totally false to think that the sinners in hell are deprived of God’s love. Love is a child of the knowledge of truth, and is unquestionably given commonly to all. But love’s power acts in two ways: it torments sinners, while at the same time it delights those who have lived in accord with it”.[/SIZE]
(Proverbs 25:21) If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
(Proverbs 25:22) For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
God's love to one that hates him is like heaping coals of fire on their heads.
When man was created he was under grace. He could not be hurt. Fire could not burn him. When he willfully turned away from God he threw off that protection. He withdrew himself from the source of life and warmth.
If you have a lamp and you pull the plug out of the wall do you then complain that God has taken your light away?
If you have a plant and you put a black bag over it do you then complain that God has killed your plant?
NO!
When man pulled himself away from the source of life he began to die. He threw off grace and became subject to death, pain, fire.
The divine Logos - the word of God became human. In becoming human he started the process of restoration of mankind to his original purpose. In death he defeated death and in his resurrection he opened the gates of Sheol.
There is so much more to Christainity LX. Christainity is a deep and mystical religion. It is far more than anything I can tell you about.
PLEASE do not let some distorted view of hell keep you from accepting the grace of God.
God is good and in him there is no darkness at all.
If you want to learn more look
HERE and
HERE.