no afterlife?

[Guest Calvin12]

I am a Christian, and I even sense God's presence in love with me at times, but sometimes I think that he just hangs out with us in this life and afterwards there is nothing. No hell, no heaven, no purgatory, no pain, no joy, no nothing.

Does anybody else ever feel that way? How do you deal with it?

I mean, God has been so bad to me in this life - 17 years plus of illness for me, which has ruined every part of my life from job to relationships to everything. And it could be worse - there are people God treats even worse - people who are born into a starvation and disease situation only to die young. Why would he treat us so badly in this life if he is going to give us Heaven later? It seems so inconsistent.

And what would heaven be like anyway? Could you imagine living forever? Wouldn't it be exhausting and boring? Imagine being a billion years old and thinking boy there sure is nothing new in the last million years...

[Guest Called]

First, may I ask how you know that you are a Christian?

Secondly, I want to share a verse with you.

John 14

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

That verse is a promise from Jesus that we will be with Him in heaven at the end of our life.

If you can just answer my first question, I will be more than happy to try to talk with you about pain and suffering.

God Bless!

Debbie

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

So GOD has been so bad to you?hummm you still alive aint you :x: ? GOD's love for us isnt always a love that exempts us from trials,but rather,a love that sees us through trials.Hold on to the hope.GOD allows things to happen.why?I cant say.Maybe to strenghten us.To live for ever.....WOW....no pain...no suffering....no death.......no bills .GOD hasnt treated us as badly as we have treated HIM.We have been so bad that HE sent HIS only begotton SON to die on a cross.

[Trinity]

There are many reason why we as humans suffer in this world. Much of it is due to the fact that we're in this world. Remember, due to the sin of Adam, creation was subjected to death and decay; we have bodies which get sick, grow old and die.

Through the ages, disease, chemicals, and many other things have caused many physical problems. Our genetics have been altered in many cases by substances which were designed to help, but did just the opposite. Thalidomide, which caused babies to be born without legs or arms, is a good example. Was it God's will that all these babies be born this way? I do not believe so; that is, not within His perfect will, although He allowed it to be so within His permissive will.

There are also things which happen just because we're in this world. An example is one who steps in front of a car and is killed. Was it God's will that they be killed or did they just suffer the natural consequences of their actions? One who is addicted to alcoholism and ends up with liver damage, is this God's will? There are laws of nature which God has set in place, which affect much of what we experience. It is God's will that mankind operate within the laws of nature which He has established.

satan the arch enemy of God also has a lot to do with suffering. he delights in hurting mankind and in trying to get us to turn our backs on God.

Another reason we experience suffering in this world is that God allows hardship at times to come our way to produce perseverance and character in our lives. As James wrote in (James 1:2-4), "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." We as humans grow through adversity; when our faith is put to the test. As it has been said, "In this life we go from one catastrophe to another, but they have less and less effect on us as we allow God to bring us through them." God prepares us for the future.

[Guest Calvin12]

First, may I ask how you know that you are a Christian?

Secondly, I want to share a verse with you.

John 14

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

That verse is a promise from Jesus that we will be with Him in heaven at the end of our life.

If you can just answer my first question, I will be more than happy to try to talk with you about pain and suffering.

God Bless!

Debbie

I know all those verse already. I've read the Bible - parts of it many times. I am a Christian because I made a prayer of faith confessing to Jesus that He is my Lord and Savior, confessing my sins, thanking Him for His death on the cross and accesping / thanking Him for His forgiveness. I did that 12 years ago. I go to Baptist and Evangelical Churches - I am an Evangelical. I have been praying and praising the Lord and reading the Bible and fellowshipping with fellow believers and walking in faith and confessing my sins and repenting and staying on the straight and narrow probably as well as the next guy and just doing all the usual protestant Christian things. I have a relationship with Jesus Christ - I pray, He answers prayer, I feel His Holy Spirit bringing a gift of a glow to my heart. I have seen miracles and thanked God for answered prayer. I hope that is Chrisitan enough for you.

I don't really want answers I know the standard answers already. I want to hear from other people who have been there.

[Guest Calvin12]

First, may I ask how you know that you are a Christian?

Secondly, I want to share a verse with you.

John 14

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

That verse is a promise from Jesus that we will be with Him in heaven at the end of our life.

If you can just answer my first question, I will be more than happy to try to talk with you about pain and suffering.

God Bless!

Debbie

I have to admidt your type who doubts another person's salvation at the first sign that they are experiencing trouble or doubt - you people bug me.

[Guest Called]

I don't really want answers I know the standard answers already. I want to hear from other people who have been there.

Been where? A place of pain? I am just trying to clarify what you are looking for exactly!

God Bless!

Debbie

[yukon]

hmmmm? Praying for this situation

Yukon

[OBEY]

I am a Christian, and I even sense God's presence in love with me at times, but sometimes I think that he just hangs out with us in this life and afterwards there is nothing. No hell, no heaven, no purgatory, no pain, no joy, no nothing.

Does anybody else ever feel that way? How do you deal with it?

I mean, God has been so bad to me in this life - 17 years plus of illness for me, which has ruined every part of my life from job to relationships to everything. And it could be worse - there are people God treats even worse - people who are born into a starvation and disease situation only to die young. Why would he treat us so badly in this life if he is going to give us Heaven later? It seems so inconsistent.

And what would heaven be like anyway? Could you imagine living forever? Wouldn't it be exhausting and boring? Imagine being a billion years old and thinking boy there sure is nothing new in the last million years...

I've often thought about that myself... but just think: without him at all this planet would just consist of eternal suffering. By this I mean no good things happening EVER because everything good comes from God. It isn't like he finds some kind of sick pleasure in torturing us... but when people and societies start abandoning Him how are they going to recieve his grace and the good things that come from faith? They won't... sin will have overtaken them and brought them to rock bottom.

-Joel

[Guest Calvin12]

I don't really want answers I know the standard answers already. I want to hear from other people who have been there.

Been where? A place of pain? I am just trying to clarify what you are looking for exactly!

God Bless!

Debbie

Yes I meant a place of pain, specifically, ongoing pain - like suffering for 10+ years.

Maybe I do believe in Heaven - I am just exhausted, tired day after day, struggle ongoing. I guess the exhaustion makes me wonder how I will handle living forever, but I guess I will be rejuvenated so it will be possible.

I forgot to mention I worked with missionaries for 3 months in 1997 and I have been baptized in 1995. I made a mistake in an earlier post - I accepted Christ 15 years ago, not 12.

Edited August 25, 2004 by Calvin12