wyguy Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 373 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 3,331 Content Per Day: 0.59 Reputation: 71 Days Won: 10 Joined: 10/15/2008 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/24/1965 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I was reading the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn (GREAT BOOK!) and he wrote something very interesting about Hell. " Hell will be agonizingly dull, small, and insignificant, without company, purpose, or accomplishment. It will not have it's own stories; it will merely be a footnote on history, a crack in the pavement. As the new universe moves gloriously onward, Hell and its occupants will exist in utter inactivity and insignificance, an eternal non-life of regret and - perhaps - diminishing personhood. Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, Hell must also be the absence of all good. Likewise, community, fellowship, and friendship are good, rooted in the triune God himself. But in the absence of God, Hell will have no community, no comaraderie, no friendship. Each person is in solitary confinement, just as the rich man is portrayed alone in Hell. Misery loves company, but there will be nothing to love in Hell. Earth is an in-between world touched by both Heaven and Hell. Earth leads directly into Heaven or directly to Hell, affording a choice between the two. The best life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 683 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 11,128 Content Per Day: 2.00 Reputation: 1,352 Days Won: 54 Joined: 02/03/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/07/1952 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I was reading the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn (GREAT BOOK!) and he wrote something very interesting about Hell. " Hell will be agonizingly dull, small, and insignificant, without company, purpose, or accomplishment. It will not have it's own stories; it will merely be a footnote on history, a crack in the pavement. As the new universe moves gloriously onward, Hell and its occupants will exist in utter inactivity and insignificance, an eternal non-life of regret and - perhaps - diminishing personhood. Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, Hell must also be the absence of all good. Likewise, community, fellowship, and friendship are good, rooted in the triune God himself. But in the absence of God, Hell will have no community, no comaraderie, no friendship. Each person is in solitary confinement, just as the rich man is portrayed alone in Hell. Misery loves company, but there will be nothing to love in Hell. Earth is an in-between world touched by both Heaven and Hell. Earth leads directly into Heaven or directly to Hell, affording a choice between the two. The best life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven." I really like the last quote, it makes a lot of sense to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drawn Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 24 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 168 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/23/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted March 8, 2010 Hmmm... very interesting. Except scripture says that Hell contains a "lake of fire". (Do I really need to reference the scripture for that?) I'm not saying that I disagree with what he said, and I'm not starting an argument here. I'll have to check that book out... Thanks for this- very thought provoking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,762 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted March 8, 2010 i'm rather confused about hell these days. i was always taught it is an actual lake of fire where people will be tormented forever and ever without end. i am having a difficult time connecting that with my God. the concept i have of who God is and the concept of people being in unbelievable torment that never ends simply do not go together. i know God doesn't send people to hell; the choice they make on earth does that. but the result is the same as if God did it Himself. i just don't know. I disagree. How is God responsible for the actions and choices of people? He gave us free will so we, ourselves, can choose to love Him or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Elly Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 415 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/31/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/02/1945 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I was reading the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn (GREAT BOOK!) and he wrote something very interesting about Hell. " Hell will be agonizingly dull, small, and insignificant, without company, purpose, or accomplishment. It will not have it's own stories; it will merely be a footnote on history, a crack in the pavement. As the new universe moves gloriously onward, Hell and its occupants will exist in utter inactivity and insignificance, an eternal non-life of regret and - perhaps - diminishing personhood. Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, Hell must also be the absence of all good. Likewise, community, fellowship, and friendship are good, rooted in the triune God himself. But in the absence of God, Hell will have no community, no comaraderie, no friendship. Each person is in solitary confinement, just as the rich man is portrayed alone in Hell. Misery loves company, but there will be nothing to love in Hell. Earth is an in-between world touched by both Heaven and Hell. Earth leads directly into Heaven or directly to Hell, affording a choice between the two. The best life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven." I really like the last quote, it makes a lot of sense to me! I've also heard that sinners have a little hell here to go to a big hell later and christians have a little heaven to go to a big heaven in. Your quote and mine are both true, paradoxically I think, as sinners suffer here without God to comfort them, they turn to other avenues to find fleeting happiness. Believers find joy and happiness in Christ no matter what tribulations they suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Elly Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 415 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/31/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/02/1945 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Hmmm... very interesting. Except scripture says that Hell contains a "lake of fire". (Do I really need to reference the scripture for that?) or vice versa. Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. Is it a literal or figurative lake of fire? It must be a literal lake of fire because Revelations 14:11 says that the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. A place where the resurrected dead will suffer forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,762 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted March 8, 2010 i'm rather confused about hell these days. i was always taught it is an actual lake of fire where people will be tormented forever and ever without end. i am having a difficult time connecting that with my God. the concept i have of who God is and the concept of people being in unbelievable torment that never ends simply do not go together. i know God doesn't send people to hell; the choice they make on earth does that. but the result is the same as if God did it Himself. i just don't know. I disagree. How is God responsible for the actions and choices of people? He gave us free will so we, ourselves, can choose to love Him or not. I dont think that Charitow said God was responsible, just that the final outcome is the same, the people are in Hell away from God suffering torment. By stating "as if God did it Himself", Charitow led me to believe that they are one in the same, according to her. If I am mistaken, she will let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~candice~ Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 955 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 11,318 Content Per Day: 1.89 Reputation: 448 Days Won: 33 Joined: 12/16/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted March 8, 2010 I was reading the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn (GREAT BOOK!) and he wrote something very interesting about Hell. " Hell will be agonizingly dull, small, and insignificant, without company, purpose, or accomplishment. It will not have it's own stories; it will merely be a footnote on history, a crack in the pavement. As the new universe moves gloriously onward, Hell and its occupants will exist in utter inactivity and insignificance, an eternal non-life of regret and - perhaps - diminishing personhood. Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, Hell must also be the absence of all good. Likewise, community, fellowship, and friendship are good, rooted in the triune God himself. But in the absence of God, Hell will have no community, no comaraderie, no friendship. Each person is in solitary confinement, just as the rich man is portrayed alone in Hell. Misery loves company, but there will be nothing to love in Hell. Earth is an in-between world touched by both Heaven and Hell. Earth leads directly into Heaven or directly to Hell, affording a choice between the two. The best life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven." How very true. To me, it doesn't matter whether or not the lake of fire and it's smoke is literal. Hell will not be pleasant. I want to be with Christ for all eternity to come! The only reason I would argue for literalness is hat is is a proper method of interpretation here, and that alternatives may change people's theology. I'm too fixated thanking God for access to heaven through the sacrifice of Christ, and trying to tell others of it, to think about hell. It's just not pleasant. People go there, of their own free will, because they reject God. Also, take comfort in the fact that God doesn't delight in it either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricH Posted March 8, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 366 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,933 Content Per Day: 1.57 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/21/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted March 8, 2010 Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, Hell must also be the absence of all good. Since God is omnpresent, it would not be correct per se to say that God will not be in hell. He will not be there to bless, sustain, and restrain. But He will be there to judge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyguy Posted March 9, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 373 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 3,331 Content Per Day: 0.59 Reputation: 71 Days Won: 10 Joined: 10/15/2008 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/24/1965 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 i'm rather confused about hell these days. i was always taught it is an actual lake of fire where people will be tormented forever and ever without end. i am having a difficult time connecting that with my God. the concept i have of who God is and the concept of people being in unbelievable torment that never ends simply do not go together. i know God doesn't send people to hell; the choice they make on earth does that. but the result is the same as if God did it Himself. i just don't know. I disagree. How is God responsible for the actions and choices of people? He gave us free will so we, ourselves, can choose to love Him or not. I dont think that Charitow said God was responsible, just that the final outcome is the same, the people are in Hell away from God suffering torment. By stating "as if God did it Himself", Charitow led me to believe that they are one in the same, according to her. If I am mistaken, she will let me know. the reason i said what i did is that when people say that a loving God would not send people to hell, the usual answer is that God doesn't send them there, they send themselves by rejecting Him (which i believe). but at the end of the day, so to speak, people are in a hell that God made--no matter who "sent" them there. and i have a difficult time wrapping my mind around my God allowing that to happen. does that clarify anything? Charitow, the concept of Hell doesn't make sense unless we understand God's justice and holiness. We are all lawbreakers, and every single one of us deserves Hell. God's total justice and holiness demands that He punish all murderers, all rapists, and even down to all adulterers and liars. The Bible says all of those will have their part in the lake of fire. The Bible says if we hate anyone, we are murderers at heart. If we look with lust, we are adulterers at heart. And that lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. God even judges our thought lives and intents of the heart. We have broken all of His commandments. We are filthy, putrid, wretched and guilty. We are all willful rebels that deserve to be separated from God. What is amazing is that God chooses to save any of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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