The Greater Good….Love your Enemies

[Rose]

Does the Bible teach violence? If one holds to the doctrine of Eternal Hell for the crime of unbelief, which is to be an enemy of God then the Bible does indeed teach violence.
.
Rom.5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
.
If the Greater Good is to love our enemies and to do good to those that hate us as the Bible teaches, how can God do any different? Jesus said that in order to be called children of God we must not only love our neighbors, but we must pray for and love those who persecute us….if that is the case then how can the doctrine of Eternal Hell be true? For if it is, God would be violating His own Word!
.

Matt. 5:39-40 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also….43- 45 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
.
Can you think of anyone who would willingly choose torture over love? In my book, loving ones enemy does not include sending them to Hell….so how do we reconcile the teaching of Eternal Hell with Eternal Love?


Rose

[gregoryfl]

While I believe in universal reconciliation by means of and only through Jesus Christ, if I had to choose another view, I would have to consider the Eastern Orthodox view of hell.

Ron

[Clifford]

Does the Bible teach violence? If one holds to the doctrine of Eternal Hell for the crime of unbelief, which is to be an enemy of God then the Bible does indeed teach violence.
.
Rom.5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
.
If the Greater Good is to love our enemies and to do good to those that hate us as the Bible teaches, how can God do any different? Jesus said that in order to be called children of God we must not only love our neighbors, but we must pray for and love those who persecute us….if that is the case then how can the doctrine of Eternal Hell be true? For if it is, God would be violating His own Word!
.

Matt. 5:39-40 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also….43- 45 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
.
Can you think of anyone who would willingly choose torture over love? In my book, loving ones enemy does not include sending them to Hell….so how do we reconcile the teaching of Eternal Hell with Eternal Love?


Rose

Hi Rose,

I don't think if follows that since God is love he will not punish His enemies if they do not repent.

Someone could make the same argument with regards to many historical events in the Bible.

If God is love he would not destroy the world as He did in the Flood.

If God is love he would not rain down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah.

If God is love he would not have killed all the firstborn of Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go.

If God is love he would not have destroyed Jerusalem in AD70 when over 1 million Jews were killed.

I think there needs to be a balance here. Yes God is love but He is also a God of holiness and justice. If people keep rejecting God and His love there comes a time when God will judge them. If they don't accept the atonement for sin He has provided through Christ then they have to pay the penalty for their own sin. Whether that is eternal punishment in hell or not is for God to decide but there are scriptures that seem to suggest eternal punishment in hell such as Mark 9:47 where Jesus said; And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’

I think a balance needs to be struck here. Just as in the past there were preaches that emphasized hell and punishment to the exclusion of God's grace and love I think it can go the other way too.

Clifford

[Rose]

Hi Rose,

I don't think if follows that since God is love he will not punish His enemies if they do not repent.

Someone could make the same argument with regards to many historical events in the Bible.

If God is love he would not destroy the world as He did in the Flood.

If God is love he would not rain down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah.

If God is love he would not have killed all the firstborn of Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go.

If God is love he would not have destroyed Jerusalem in AD70 when over 1 million Jews were killed.

I think there needs to be a balance here. Yes God is love but He is also a God of holiness and justice. If people keep rejecting God and His love there comes a time when God will judge them. If they don't accept the atonement for sin He has provided through Christ then they have to pay the penalty for their own sin. Whether that is eternal punishment in hell or not is for God to decide but there are scriptures that seem to suggest eternal punishment in hell such as Mark 9:47 where Jesus said; And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’

I think a balance needs to be struck here. Just as in the past there were preaches that emphasized hell and punishment to the exclusion of God's grace and love I think it can go the other way too.

Clifford

Hi Clifford,

How can there ever be too much love? We must bear in mind that all the punishments you mentioned were earthly punishments, which is quite different from the eternal punishment that people speak of as somehow being God's justice for unbelief...:confused: It seems that the punishment outweighs the crime by an eternity!

The Greater Good cannot be God sentencing individuals to an eternal punishment in a Hell created by Him, for the crime of unbelief in this world. If we as mere humans are commanded by Jesus to love our enemies, and forgive our brothers 70 X 7 in this world....how can a God of Mercy and Grace not do the same, times an eternity?

If you and I can be forgiven by God, so can every other individual. The justification I've heard for Hell over and over again, is that people have free will and make their own choices - well, I don't buy that - no one (in their right mind) would ever choose "Hell" over forgiveness. There is no cut off time for the offer of the living water of Christ...it is freely offered time without end.


Rose

[Clifford]

Posted by Rose;


The justification I've heard for Hell over and over again, is that people have free will and make their own choices - well, I don't buy that - no one (in their right mind) would ever choose "Hell" over forgiveness. There is no cut off time for the offer of the living water of Christ...it is freely offered time without end.

Hi Rose,

The fact is people do have free will and make their own choices, and suffer the consequences of those choices. Of course those people who reject God don't necessarily think that by rejecting God they are choosing Hell, they just don't want to serve God in this life for whatever reason.

I think whatever concept we have of God's love and what that would compel Him to do or not to do needs to in line with what the scriptures say. Whether you like it or not there are quite a few scriptures that speak about Hell and its eternal nature. Here are just a few:

Daniel 12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Jude 12-13 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

Matt 18:8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

We can't just ignore verses that we don't like or go against what our concept of God is.


There is no cut off time for the offer of the living water of Christ...it is freely offered time without end.

To those living on the Earth, but it is not stated anywhere in scripture that the offer applies after you die, you are just assuming that.

Clifford.

[Rose]

Hi Rose,

The fact is people do have free will and make their own choices, and suffer the consequences of those choices. Of course those people who reject God don't necessarily think that by rejecting God they are choosing Hell, they just don't want to serve God in this life for whatever reason.



Hi Clifford,

I don't think its so much that people reject God because they don't want to believe in Him, but rather the God that has been presented to them they can't accept for various reasons. Just think of all the various concepts that you have rejected....for example: you reject the God of the Muslims because you believe they worship the wrong God. Well, the same holds true many times for those who have been presented with a doctrine of God they cannot accept.

When one stops and thinks about it most of our choices are made out of blind ignorance. Many things in our lives we have little control over, like where we are born, who our parents are, and what religion we are raised in...so we have a pretty limited free will.




To those living on the Earth, but it is not stated anywhere in scripture that the offer applies after you die, you are just assuming that.

Clifford.

Neither is it stated that the offer ends after death. I'm inclined to believe that a God of eternal Mercy, Grace and Love equally extends the offer of salvation eternally.

Rose

[Rose]

I think whatever concept we have of God's love and what that would compel Him to do or not to do needs to in line with what the scriptures say. Whether you like it or not there are quite a few scriptures that speak about Hell and its eternal nature. Here are just a few:

Daniel 12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Jude 12-13 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

Matt 18:8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

We can't just ignore verses that we don't like or go against what our concept of God is.

Hi again Clifford,

I wanted to respond to the point you brought up about the verses that speak of "Hell". First, those verses are at best ambiguous and I don't think any kind of solid doctrine can be formed from them....on the other hand it is made abundantly clear that God's Mercy endures forever and it is a quality that Jesus taught over and over again.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Secondly, from every thing I've ever read about Hell - Mercy and Grace have no part in it! That leaves us with a conundrum....an eternal God of Mercy and Love sending people against their will to a place of eternal torment that He created...:eek:

Rose

[RickLannoye]

There are many reasons why we can be sure there is no Hell, but I find Jesus' original message, in his words and deeds, about what God is really like, the most compelling.

I've actually written an entire book on this topic--Hell? No! Why You Can Be Certain There's No Such Place As Hell, but if I may, let me share just one of the many points I make in it to explain why.

If one is willing to look, there's substantial evidence contained in the gospels to show that Jesus opposed the idea of Hell. For example, in Luke 9:51-56, is a story about his great disappointment with his disciples when they actually suggested imploring God to rain FIRE on a village just because they had rejected him. His response: "You don't know what spirit is inspiring this kind of talk!" Presumably, it was NOT the Holy Spirit. He went on, trying to explain how he had come to save, heal and relieve suffering, not be the CAUSE of it.

So it only stands to reason that this same Jesus, who was appalled at the very idea of burning a few people, for a few horrific minutes until they were dead, could never, ever burn billions of people for an eternity!

True, there are a few statements that made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts which place 'Hell' on Jesus’ lips, but these adulterations came along many decades after his death, most likely due to the Church filling up with Greeks who imported their belief in Hades with them when they converted.

Rick
www.thereisnohell.com

[Richard Amiel McGough]

There are many reasons why we can be sure there is no Hell, but I find Jesus' original message, in his words and deeds, about what God is really like, the most compelling.

I've actually written an entire book on this topic--Hell? No! Why You Can Be Certain There's No Such Place As Hell, but if I may, let me share just one of the many points I make in it to explain why.

If one is willing to look, there's substantial evidence contained in the gospels to show that Jesus opposed the idea of Hell. For example, in Luke 9:51-56, is a story about his great disappointment with his disciples when they actually suggested imploring God to rain FIRE on a village just because they had rejected him. His response: "You don't know what spirit is inspiring this kind of talk!" Presumably, it was NOT the Holy Spirit. He went on, trying to explain how he had come to save, heal and relieve suffering, not be the CAUSE of it.

So it only stands to reason that this same Jesus, who was appalled at the very idea of burning a few people, for a few horrific minutes until they were dead, could never, ever burn billions of people for an eternity!

True, there are a few statements that made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts which place 'Hell' on Jesus’ lips, but these adulterations came along many decades after his death, most likely due to the Church filling up with Greeks who imported their belief in Hades with them when they converted.

Rick
www.thereisnohell.com (http://www.thereisnohell.com)
Hi Rick,

Welcome to our forum!

:welcome:

I just watched your intro video on your (brilliantly named) home page Hell? No! (http://www.thereisnohell.com/). You have a real talent. Your presentation is very well done. I recommend that anyone interested in this topic watch it.

Your point that the Doctrine of Hell is used to control people is right on. And your solution - that the doctrine contradicts the teachings of Christ - is very powerful.

I look forward to your contributions to our conversation.

Richard

[Rose]

There are many reasons why we can be sure there is no Hell, but I find Jesus' original message, in his words and deeds, about what God is really like, the most compelling.

I've actually written an entire book on this topic--Hell? No! Why You Can Be Certain There's No Such Place As Hell, but if I may, let me share just one of the many points I make in it to explain why.

If one is willing to look, there's substantial evidence contained in the gospels to show that Jesus opposed the idea of Hell. For example, in Luke 9:51-56, is a story about his great disappointment with his disciples when they actually suggested imploring God to rain FIRE on a village just because they had rejected him. His response: "You don't know what spirit is inspiring this kind of talk!" Presumably, it was NOT the Holy Spirit. He went on, trying to explain how he had come to save, heal and relieve suffering, not be the CAUSE of it.

So it only stands to reason that this same Jesus, who was appalled at the very idea of burning a few people, for a few horrific minutes until they were dead, could never, ever burn billions of people for an eternity!

True, there are a few statements that made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts which place 'Hell' on Jesus’ lips, but these adulterations came along many decades after his death, most likely due to the Church filling up with Greeks who imported their belief in Hades with them when they converted.

Rick
www.thereisnohell.com (http://www.thereisnohell.com)

Hi Rick,

Welcome to the Bible Wheel Forum...:welcome: It's so nice to have another brother of like mind joining the battle to free human souls from the abominable doctrine of Hell.

I went to your Blog and I am going to be putting a link to your site from my Blog. We must unite in our efforts to fight this teaching that has kept people in bondage.

Many Blessings,

Rose

[Clifford]

There are many reasons why we can be sure there is no Hell, but I find Jesus' original message, in his words and deeds, about what God is really like, the most compelling.

I've actually written an entire book on this topic--Hell? No! Why You Can Be Certain There's No Such Place As Hell, but if I may, let me share just one of the many points I make in it to explain why.

If one is willing to look, there's substantial evidence contained in the gospels to show that Jesus opposed the idea of Hell. For example, in Luke 9:51-56, is a story about his great disappointment with his disciples when they actually suggested imploring God to rain FIRE on a village just because they had rejected him. His response: "You don't know what spirit is inspiring this kind of talk!" Presumably, it was NOT the Holy Spirit. He went on, trying to explain how he had come to save, heal and relieve suffering, not be the CAUSE of it.

So it only stands to reason that this same Jesus, who was appalled at the very idea of burning a few people, for a few horrific minutes until they were dead, could never, ever burn billions of people for an eternity!

True, there are a few statements that made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts which place 'Hell' on Jesus’ lips, but these adulterations came along many decades after his death, most likely due to the Church filling up with Greeks who imported their belief in Hades with them when they converted.

Rick
www.thereisnohell.com

Hi Rick,


True, there are a few statements that made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts which place 'Hell' on Jesus’ lips, but these adulterations came along many decades after his death, most likely due to the Church filling up with Greeks who imported their belief in Hades with them when they converted.

That sounds rather convenient saying the words attributed to Jesus that are recorded in the Gospels are just a later add on and He really didn't say that. What else in the Gospels are not really what Jesus said? If I don't like a doctrine I just claim it wasn't in the original? That would make the Bible a buffet where everyone just chooses what they like to believe and discard what is uncomfortable.

Clifford

[Clifford]

Hi again Clifford,

I wanted to respond to the point you brought up about the verses that speak of "Hell". First, those verses are at best ambiguous and I don't think any kind of solid doctrine can be formed from them....on the other hand it is made abundantly clear that God's Mercy endures forever and it is a quality that Jesus taught over and over again.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Secondly, from every thing I've ever read about Hell - Mercy and Grace have no part in it! That leaves us with a conundrum....an eternal God of Mercy and Love sending people against their will to a place of eternal torment that He created...:eek:

Rose

Hi Rose,

You just want to think the verses about Hell are ambiguous because you don't like the doctrine. They seem pretty clear to me. If there was just one or two verses about Hell than I would agree with you that a doctrine could not be formed from that. But the fact is there are many verses in both the OT and NT about hell.

Yes God's mercy endures forever but does that mean he will never judge anyone? The scripture are abundantly clear that is not the case.

Jesus said Hell was created for the devil and his angels who rebelled against God. Therefore those people who reject God and His mercy by default go to that place.

Clifford

[Richard Amiel McGough]

Hi Rick,

True, there are a few statements that made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts which place “Hell” on Jesus’ lips, but these adulterations came along many decades after his death, most likely due to the Church filling up with Greeks who imported their belief in Hades with them when they converted. That sounds rather convenient saying the words attributed to Jesus that are recorded in the Gospels are just a later add on and He really didn't say that. What else in the Gospels are not really what Jesus said? If I don't like a doctrine I just claim it wasn't in the original? That would make the Bible a buffet where everyone just chooses what they like to believe and discard what is uncomfortable.

Clifford
Excellent point Clifford.

Rick - I would very much like to see the textual evidence that indicates those verses "made their way into the copies of copies of copies of the gospel texts." Which verses are we talking about?

Now it is true that ideas about Hades were "imported from the Greeks," but the important things is the interpretation that came later - I don't think we could successfully argue that the references to Hades in the text were added later.

Richard

[alec cotton]

I find that the 'logic' offered on this forum is often so flexible ,elastic
and convoluted that it can be stretched so that it will fit anything , any time ,anywhere. Now to Rose and others who have said that the sinner in outer darkness ( for want of a better word) can repent and drink of the living water and enter into the everlasting kingdom with the saints and angels. My first question must be : What do you mean by the phrase 'Drink of the living water'? I know that it means ,live righteously. Live according to the laws ,rules, statutes and guidance of the living God. If that statement can be refuted then I will be only too pleased to correct my error and adjust my life accordingly. On this forum it has been stated that hell is not eternal but that it is a cutting off from life . Oblivion , Obliteration . Without awareness it is impossible to repent. God pleads with man . 'why will you die ?. Turn and live. God does not desire the death of the wicked but rather that he turn from his wicked ways and live 'What more can I do in my vineyard?.' If hell is utter and total destruction of the soul then there can be no degrees of punishment. The word indicates that there are degrees of punishment .---------'Will be beaten with many stripes . Will be beaten with few stripes.'
Now is the appointed time.



There is no cut off time for the offer of the living water of Christ...it is freely offered time without end.

Rose

Logically , If hell is sudden and total destruction of the soul then it is a cut off point which you deny. If the offer is time without end then hell is eternal Which you deny.
Alec

[Rose]

I find that the 'logic' offered on this forum is often so flexible ,elastic
and convoluted that it can be stretched so that it will fit anything , any time ,anywhere. Now to Rose and others who have said that the sinner in outer darkness ( for want of a better word) can repent and drink of the living water and enter into the everlasting kingdom with the saints and angels. My first question must be : What do you mean by the phrase 'Drink of the living water'? I know that it means ,live righteously. Live according to the laws ,rules, statutes and guidance of the living God. If that statement can be refuted then I will be only too pleased to correct my error and adjust my life accordingly. On this forum it has been stated that hell is not eternal but that it is a cutting off from life . Oblivion , Obliteration . Without awareness it is impossible to repent. God pleads with man . 'why will you die ?. Turn and live. God does not desire the death of the wicked but rather that he turn from his wicked ways and live 'What more can I do in my vineyard?.' If hell is utter and total destruction of the soul then there can be no degrees of punishment. The word indicates that there are degrees of punishment .---------'Will be beaten with many stripes . Will be beaten with few stripes.'
Now is the appointed time.




There is no cut off time for the offer of the living water of Christ...it is freely offered time without end.

Rose Hi Alec,

Yes, I absolutely stand by my statement: "There is no cut off time for the offer of the living water of Christ...it is freely offered time without end.". Christ did not give us a "limited" atonement that expires at a certain time, but rather forgiveness of sins for all times. The Living Water of Christ is the Eternal Life that is offered anytime a soul comes and asks to drink.


Logically , If hell is sudden and total destruction of the soul then it is a cut off point which you deny. If the offer is time without end then hell is eternal Which you deny.
Alec

I deny the existence of an eternal place of torment called Hell created by God.

It is not conceivable that the Greatest Good which is God, could possibly create a place that is outside the bounds of His Mercy. It is one thing to be outside of God’s Grace because of being lost in unbelief, and quite another to be sent to a place of torment for eternity, that was created by the very God that is portrayed as the Greatest Good, with no hope of ever being reached by Him.
Matt.19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Rose

[NumberX]

Gehenna is called Hell and derives from german. What I understand is that it is a state of mind of a person.

For Biblical study we should research what the Bible teaches us about Sheol and Gehenna and Hades en Tartanus all translated as hell. I once read a study that Sheol has four levels and Gehenna is level three. And when I remember it right - and you may correct me and add - the upper level is called the bossom of Abraham (N.T.). And the lowest part is the hottest.
Something like this:
1
-
2
3
4
A(nother) study about Understanding Hell (http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/UnderstandingHell.htm)

On the material level we all are heated up at our body temperature burning through time.

[joel]

It is my view that the key to understanding the judgment of God is in the understanding of the word, aionian...........which if translated as "eternal" gives the wrong impression.

It is not eternal.....but eonian. Which pertains to the eons.....the periods of time which are prescribed, and determined. They are not lasting for an "eternal" time.....but.....are limited to a specific duration.

If you look at time in this manner.......it brings the duration into specific determined periods of time.

Eternal life becomes life pertaining to the eons.

Joel

[alec cotton]

[QUOTE=NumberX;21597]Gehenna is called Hell and derives from german. What I understand is that it is a state of mind of a person.

For Biblical study we should research what the Bible teaches us about Sheol and Gehenna and Hades en Tartanus all translated as hell. I once read a study that Sheol has four levels and Gehenna is level three. And when I remember it right - and you may correct me and add - the upper level is called the bossom of Abraham (N.T.). And the lowest part is the hottest.
Something like this:
1
-
2
3
4
A(nother) study about Understanding Hell (http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/UnderstandingHell.htm)

It is obvious that you did not read the link which you reccomended.

Alec

[alec cotton]

Hi Alec,




I deny the existence of an eternal place of torment called Hell created by God.

It is not conceivable that the Greatest Good which is God, could possibly create a place that is outside the bounds of His Mercy. It is one thing to be outside of God’s Grace because of being lost in unbelief, and quite another to be sent to a place of torment for eternity, that was created by the very God that is portrayed as the Greatest Good, with no hope of ever being reached by Him.
Matt.19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

You are perfectly at liberty to deny the existence of a place of torment or any other concept which you find repugnant or inconvenient, but I was labouring under the delusion that everyone was searching for truth on this forum. Not looking for a chance to express a personal view. Quite a few times I have sought to clarify the idea that we have serious obligations to fulfil, but they are invariably brushed aside and ignored. You have just quoted 'If you will enter into eternal life then keep the commandments. '. When I said that I was shot down in flames. Even though I had just made it clear that redemption is for free but reward is for works. As I have said before : There are levels of reward in heaven and degrees of punishment in hell.
Kind regards and Christian love.
Alec


Rose

[NumberX]

[QUOTE=NumberX;21597]Gehenna is called Hell and derives from german. What I understand is that it is a state of mind of a person.

For Biblical study we should research what the Bible teaches us about Sheol and Gehenna and Hades en Tartanus all translated as hell. I once read a study that Sheol has four levels and Gehenna is level three. And when I remember it right - and you may correct me and add - the upper level is called the bossom of Abraham (N.T.). And the lowest part is the hottest.
Something like this:
1
-
2
3
4
A(nother) study about Understanding Hell (http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/UnderstandingHell.htm)

It is obvious that you did not read the link which you reccomended.

Alec

? To you it might. Isn't it a biblical study about hell?

[Rose]

If God is the only standard for Good…how can there possibly be a Hell created by Him? How can the Greatest Good create a place like Hell to cause eternal suffering?
.
Matt.19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
.
It is not conceivable that the Greatest Good which is God, could possibly create a place that is outside the bounds of His Mercy. It is one thing to be outside of God’s Grace because of being lost in unbelief, and quite another to be sent to a place of torment for eternity, that was created by the very God who is portrayed as the Greatest Good, with no hope of ever being reached by Him.

By the very act of God pouring out His Mercy on mankind, He takes that which is sinful and changes it into that which is pure by Grace alone ….therefore all that is sinful can at some point be covered by God’s Grace. The doctrine of eternal Hell as a place created by God that excludes God’s Mercy from ever reaching it, is impossible in a universe created by a God of Love.

The way I like to think about God’s universal Love is that those who are lost keep seeking until they find the door provided by Christ’s death on the Cross….once that door is found reunion with God happens. This is far different from the idea of a place created by God where lost souls are sent to, forever slamming the door on any hope of reconciliation from that point on. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is the perfect example of God’s eternally reaching Love and Mercy that is always there to reach out to a lost soul.


Rose