Those Who Don't Make It To Heaven

[Skye1300]

I've always wondered if people in Heaven would be rejoicing knowing that family members and other loved ones that they've prayed for and tried to reach for so long never ended up getting saved and now they'll never see them again. Not only that, but their loved ones will be suffering for all eternity during the time that they themselves will be enjoying paradise. It's hard to believe how that can be.

True, I definitely can't imagine it being that way. If they don't make it, I would rather just not even know. Make me not remember them.

 

[Aldebaran]

True, I definitely can't imagine it being that way. If they don't make it, I would rather just not even know. Make me not remember them.

I've heard that would be the case, but then it brings up that idea that erasing our memories of people and our life on Earth would change who we are and turning us into robots. It also makes us ask, "Then why doesn't God just change our thinking patterns, our memories, and even who we know right now so we won't have to suffer loss when people die, or when other tragedies strike?" Why not also take away any ability to sin while here on Earth so we won't disappoint God, or risk falling away from Him?

 

[Skye1300]

I've heard that would be the case, but then it brings up that idea that erasing our memories of people and our life on Earth would change who we are and turning us into robots. It also makes us ask, "Then why doesn't God just change our thinking patterns, our memories, and even who we know right now so we won't have to suffer loss when people die, or when other tragedies strike?" Why not also take away any ability to sin while here on Earth so we won't disappoint God, or risk falling away from Him?

Oooh okay I hadn’t thought about it like that! Yeah that is a good point.

 

[Aldebaran]

Oooh okay I hadn’t thought about it like that! Yeah that is a good point.

I liked Mark Quayle's reply in post #2 where he said that "WE will be changed, to see what the reality is, of who that 'person' is at that point, of what hell is, and of who God is and why it had to be that way."

I agree that our viewpoint will be changed so that we'll see things as God does. But then it made me wonder if knowing that would start making us think of nonbelievers NOW as being people that we should rejoice and celebrate being tortured for all eternity, since we'll see them that way later anyway. Scary thought! Things like this get me to questioning my own thoughts and values about everything and everyone, including myself. "Wretched man that I am!", as Paul would say.

 

[Skye1300]

I liked Mark Quayle's reply in post #2 where he said that "WE will be changed, to see what the reality is, of who that 'person' is at that point, of what hell is, and of who God is and why it had to be that way."

I agree that our viewpoint will be changed so that we'll see things as God does. But then it made me wonder if knowing that would start making us think of nonbelievers NOW as being people that we should rejoice and celebrate being tortured for all eternity, since we'll see them that way later anyway. Scary thought! Things like this get me to questioning my own thoughts and values about everything and everyone, including myself. "Wretched man that I am!", as Paul would say.

Yes, I like that idea too about us being the ones changed. That makes perfect sense!
As far as how we should see sinners now, we can’t really see them as in hell already because we don’t know for sure who will end up there. The worse sinner today may end up converting at some point before they die and become like Paul. Even the worse drug addict or murderer. Only God knows who will end up in hell. So we have to love them all because we don’t know. We can hate the things they DO but we have to love the person in the Lord.