Why an eternal hell?

[dies-l]

if life is forever, is it reasonable to state that we have accomplished eternal life? No, not until the eternity is up.

Like I said, you seem to have a very limited view of the depth of God's grace. Eternal life is completeness of life; you seem to be playing semantics games with the word "complete" to justify your view eternal life, which in turn justifies your view of hell.

Eternal life is life without end. A person with eternal life will never die. Eternal death is death without end. A person with eternal death will never live. It's really not that complicated.

 

[createdtoworship]

Like I said, you seem to have a very limited view of the depth of God's grace. Eternal life is completeness of life; you seem to be playing semantics games with the word "complete" to justify your view eternal life, which in turn justifies your view of hell.

Eternal life is life without end. A person with eternal life will never die. Eternal death is death without end. A person with eternal death will never live. It's really not that complicated.

The Bible says just because they are dying doesn't mean they don't have life. They do, they just don't have eternal life! They are not dead until the eternity of dying is up. In the same way you don't have full life until the eternity is up.

 

[dies-l]

The Bible says just because they are dying doesn't mean they don't have life. They do, they just don't have eternal life!

Yes, meaning they will die someday. They are dying now. One day, they will be dead; they won't have life.

 

[createdtoworship]

Yes, meaning they will die someday. They are dying now. One day, they will be dead; they won't have life.

They are not dead until the eternity of dying is up. In the same way you don't have full life until the eternity is up.

 

[dies-l]

They are not dead until the eternity of dying is up. In the same way you don't have full life until the eternity is up.

I can't help thinking that you just keep proving what I said earlier and why I believe that eternal torment points to a less than completely benevolent view of God. Oh well, we're never gonna change each other's opinions.

 

[createdtoworship]

I can't help thinking that you just keep proving what I said earlier and why I believe that eternal torment points to a less than completely benevolent view of God. Oh well, we're never gonna change each other's opinions.

how is His benevolence in question at all?

 

[dies-l]

how is His benevolence in question at all?

Well, if you are saying that he gives an incomplete gift of eternal life (despite his promises to the contrary) and a curse of eternal torment to those who that don't choose him, I would say that that is a god that is less than completely benevolent.

 

[createdtoworship]

Well, if you are saying that he gives an incomplete gift of eternal life (despite his promises to the contrary) and a curse of eternal torment to those who that don't choose him, I would say that that is a god that is less than completely benevolent.

again, how so? Just because God chooses torment for eternity, and age abiding life, how does that make Him less benevolent? Is He not the definition of benevolence? Is He not perfect? Is not His actions what we call the standard? Then how can you redefine benevolence to mean all accept true justice?

 

[dies-l]

again, how so? Just because God chooses torment for eternity, and age abiding life, how does that make Him less benevolent? Is He not the definition of benevolence? Is He not perfect? Is not His actions what we call the standard? Then how can you redefine benevolence to mean all accept true justice?

Yes, God is all these things, the true God, not the conception of Him that you are presenting here. But, considering your overall view of God, I shouldn't be surprised that we would disagree about the nature of how He treats those refuse Him. I don't see that there is really anywhere to go from here.

 

[createdtoworship]

Yes, God is all these things, the true God, not the conception of Him that you are presenting here. But, considering your overall view of God, I shouldn't be surprised that we would disagree about the nature of how He treats those refuse Him. I don't see that there is really anywhere to go from here.

Prove that my conception of Him is not the right one, good luck.

 

[Armistead14]

Yes, God is all these things, the true God, not the conception of Him that you are presenting here. But, considering your overall view of God, I shouldn't be surprised that we would disagree about the nature of how He treats those refuse Him. I don't see that there is really anywhere to go from here.

We have this view God is somehow limited in his love, that his love isn't based on our sincerity. All of us are effected by thousands of human factors that define our views on God, but mostly it's culture.

I notice you have adopted children, possibly other races, other cultures.
When I did missions, we tried to find homes for countless children that had no parents, only a lucky few found homes, millions did not. The ones left behind more than likely remained in the beliefs of their culture, should they remain eternally damned for following the beliefs of their parents from birth? I remember seeing dead children, even babies, laying dead on the roadside, I couldn't make sense of it. I recall a Pastor once saying at least they're in heaven, had they grown up, most would die without Christ and go to hell.....That seemed so unjust, so unfair that it caused me into deeper study, that this eternal torture pit was nothing but a pagan concept adopted by Christianity.

Anyway, how wonderful of you to open your home to children not your own, that is true love. I would like to think God has the ability to open up his home to children not his and I believe he has and will through the work of Christ.

 

[dies-l]

We have this view God is somehow limited in his love, that his love isn't based on our sincerity. All of us are effected by thousands of human factors that define our views on God, but mostly it's culture.

I notice you have adopted children, possibly other races, other cultures.
When I did missions, we tried to find homes for countless children that had no parents, only a lucky few found homes, millions did not. The ones left behind more than likely remained in the beliefs of their culture, should they remain eternally damned for following the beliefs of their parents from birth? I remember seeing dead children, even babies, laying dead on the roadside, I couldn't make sense of it. I recall a Pastor once saying at least they're in heaven, had they grown up, most would die without Christ and go to hell.....That seemed so unjust, so unfair that it caused me into deeper study, that this eternal torture pit was nothing but a pagan concept adopted by Christianity.

Anyway, how wonderful of you to open your home to children not your own, that is true love. I would like to think God has the ability to open up his home to children not his and I believe he has and will through the work of Christ.

I appreciate the sentiment. Just one phrase you used I take issue with. My children are my own children no less than if they had been born from my wife's womb. I know that you didn't mean anything by your phrasing, so I'm not upset or anything; I just like to correct adoption misconceptions when I run into them.

 

[dies-l]

Prove that my conception of Him is not the right one, good luck.

I would venture to guess that when we meet God face to face we will both find that our conceptions of Him were seriously flawed.

Blessings.

 

[createdtoworship]

I would venture to guess that when we meet God face to face we will both find that our conceptions of Him were seriously flawed.

Blessings.

you probably, me......

not so much.

 

[dies-l]

you probably, me......

not so much.

Not quite sure whether that is jest or genuine arrogance. For your sake, I hope it's the former.

 

[dollarsbill]

You keep saying that like you think that it's relevant somehow. Care to explain? Do you think the death penalty is as cruel as an eternity of conscious torment?

No. Actually it's God's mercy, warning us.

 

[dollarsbill]

No, I'm saying that if He did that, He did it for some ultimately good purpose, though I don't know what that purpose may be.

What would the purpose of eternal suffering be?

See above.

 

[createdtoworship]

Not quite sure whether that is jest or genuine arrogance. For your sake, I hope it's the former.

nope, my view of God comes from the Bible and if He is not the way He says in the scriptures only then will I be shocked.

 

[seeingeyes]

nope, my view of God comes from the Bible and if He is not the way He says in the scriptures only then will I be shocked.

Hehehehe. Got God all wrapped up? Don't be surprised when He jumps out of that box, brother.

 

[createdtoworship]

Hehehehe. Got God all wrapped up? Don't be surprised when He jumps out of that box, brother.

why make a Bible, if He's going to shock us out of the Box? Why put a box there in the first place?