Why does God send people to an eternal hell

[wyguy]

Ok so I'm a christian but I do have my doubts sometimes and lately several questions have been plaguing my mind. Heres one:

Why does God send people to hell? I know that we're all sinners and we dont deserve heaven, but why hell? I also understand that God is a just God and he is eternal and can't stand sin, and that our souls are eternal too, but I don't understand how burning forever and ever and ever is a just punishment.

that's a good question. i ask myself the same thing sometimes and i think we will never get a satisfactory answer, we need to walk by faith and know that god is good and just.

i also think it a matter of perspective......kinda like people sending themselves to hell for rejecting jesus after they here the gospel.

God doesn't send anyone to hell, by not choosing Jesus Christ as their Savior, they eliminate themselves from heaven and there is only one other place to spend eternity........Hell

And if you've never heard of Jesus.

People don't go to hell because they've never heard of Jesus - they go to hell because they are liars, thieves, murderers, blasphemers, adulterers, etc.

Wyguy, I know that, and you know that, but does K.R. know that. His/her post while on the surface sounds good, that question really turned some of my family away from God..... It's a real sore spot with me.

Sorry. I did not mean to offend.

...actually we don't even disagree.

Then obviously I'm not trying hard enough.

[Rick-Parker]

Many believe that those who are not saved go to Shoal/hell when they die, where they are aware that they have blown it by not accepting the Messiah and knowing their fate, until their judgment day. It is on that day that they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. Can you imagine what it must be like for those who are there from their death until judgment? The great demons of the human race are experiencing more terror than that which they made their victims experience.

Those who are saved go to be with the Lord when they die.

[other one]

Ok so I'm a christian but I do have my doubts sometimes and lately several questions have been plaguing my mind. Heres one:

Why does God send people to hell? I know that we're all sinners and we dont deserve heaven, but why hell? I also understand that God is a just God and he is eternal and can't stand sin, and that our souls are eternal too, but I don't understand how burning forever and ever and ever is a just punishment.

that's a good question. i ask myself the same thing sometimes and i think we will never get a satisfactory answer, we need to walk by faith and know that god is good and just.

i also think it a matter of perspective......kinda like people sending themselves to hell for rejecting jesus after they here the gospel.

God doesn't send anyone to hell, by not choosing Jesus Christ as their Savior, they eliminate themselves from heaven and there is only one other place to spend eternity........Hell

And if you've never heard of Jesus.

People don't go to hell because they've never heard of Jesus - they go to hell because they are liars, thieves, murderers, blasphemers, adulterers, etc.

Wyguy, I know that, and you know that, but does K.R. know that. His/her post while on the surface sounds good, that question really turned some of my family away from God..... It's a real sore spot with me.

Sorry. I did not mean to offend.

...actually we don't even disagree.

Then obviously I'm not trying hard enough.

We just got back from a really good fishin' trip...... it'd be really hard to push me over the edge toady.

[Guest]

Just to give my two cents on the issue.

The Bible says that the lake of fire is eternal, but it never says that souls will be there forever. Also...

Philippians 2:9-11

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

And Romans 10:9

9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

From this I think it is safe to say that there are only two options. One, the souls of the unbelievers will eventually perish or all of these unsaved souls will one day be saved and no longer in the lake of fire.

It's A Tale

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

Of Two Families

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

One Family By Faith Is Adopted Into

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15

Their Eternal Father's House

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

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.

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. John 14:1-3

But The Other Family Chooses To Stay With Their Sins

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:13-15

And To Mockingly Follow Their Father

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44

Into His

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Matthew 25:41

Eternal

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:46

"Rest"

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. Ezekiel 28:14-18

See

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:13-15

No?

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:10

>>>>>()<<<<

There Is A Big Lie Hear Around This Planet

Yea, hath God said Genesis 3:1(3)

That In Death Sinners Will Find Their Eternal Rest From The Judgement To Come

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:28-29

But The Truth Is Jesus Is The Only Shelter A Man Can Have

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

Seriously Beloved, Seriously!

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:7-9

Love, Joe

[Ebwly]

Ok so I'm a christian but I do have my doubts sometimes and lately several questions have been plaguing my mind. Heres one:

Why does God send people to hell? I know that we're all sinners and we dont deserve heaven, but why hell? I also understand that God is a just God and he is eternal and can't stand sin, and that our souls are eternal too, but I don't understand how burning forever and ever and ever is a just punishment.

First of all, you need to understand that God sends noone to hell. The bible clearly states that 'God takes no delight in the death of the wicked.' In fact, when they built Rome, they didnt start off by building jails! no, they started off by building a city. Same with God. He started off building heaven and earth. Hell was not part of original creation. Also, God is a just God, and there is evidence in the bible that there will be different degrees of punishment in hell.

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

Also, as for the question of how a finite life on earth can warrant eternal punishment, you have to realize that the length of punishment is not meant to fit the length of time that a crime was committed. e.g. say I break into your house and steal all your furniture. Sure that might take me a whole day, but my jail term wouldn't be that long. However, if I murdered someone by shooting them, the actual deed is committed in less than a minute, but I will very likely get life in prision. therefore, the punishment fits the severity of the crime, not the length of time the deed was committed. And you may not realise it now, but the greatest sin a human being can commit against God his creator is to break the greatest law, and jesus said that the greatest law is 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength.' therefor we are all sinners and guilty of Hell, because we have all committed the ultimate sin - rejecting our Maker, and attempting to be our own God. That is why Hell is a separation from God, and not only is it necessary, but eternity in hell is a proportionate length of time for a crime as severe as that.

Unless of course, you have Jesus! =)

[exrockstar]

Ok so I'm a christian but I do have my doubts sometimes and lately several questions have been plaguing my mind. Heres one:

Why does God send people to hell? I know that we're all sinners and we dont deserve heaven, but why hell? I also understand that God is a just God and he is eternal and can't stand sin, and that our souls are eternal too, but I don't understand how burning forever and ever and ever is a just punishment.

that's a good question. i ask myself the same thing sometimes and i think we will never get a satisfactory answer, we need to walk by faith and know that god is good and just.

i also think it a matter of perspective......kinda like people sending themselves to hell for rejecting jesus after they here the gospel.

God doesn't send anyone to hell, by not choosing Jesus Christ as their Savior, they eliminate themselves from heaven and there is only one other place to spend eternity........Hell

And if you've never heard of Jesus.

we would have to accept the fact that God requires blood covering from all of mankind. This goes back to the first people on earth. To say "what if they never heard of Jesus" would not dismiss them of what God required...which was blood or a sacrificial offering. Isn't it interesting that there were Indians in the America's doing sacrificial offerings when the spaniards came?

The debate encompases those areas of land that stopped doing sacrificial offerings and went into religions that do not require any sacrifice. Do the people pay for the decisions of their ancestors?

[Guest shiloh357]

People don't go to hell because they've never heard of Jesus - they go to hell because they are liars, thieves, murderers, blasphemers, adulterers, etc.

Actually, they don't to hell for anything they have done. No one goes to hell on the grounds that they did or didn't do anything. There are a lot of people who are strutting into hell not because they were adulterers or blasphemers, etc., but because they never were. There are many "good" sinners who do not do those things, who love their families are faithful to their spouse, who give to charity and live decent, upright moral lives, but they don't know Christ and they will spend eternity separated from God in eternal punishment, as a a consequence.

For the person who has never heard, it is the same. There is enough revelation of God in creation (Romans 1) to lead a person to the true God and subsequently to Christ if they truly seek. No one is without excuse and everyone will be judged according to the light they had available.

[Guest shiloh357]

Where does scripture say people will be in hell for eternity? It doesn't.

In scripture the hebrew word was sheol and the greek words were hades, gehenna, and tartaroo. These words are properly translated as "the grave."

Revelation 20

13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So the highlighted part of this scripture would be "death and the grave delivered up the dead." Notice, people are deliverd from hell, not left there.

Rev 20 goes on to say that death and hell/the grave are thrown into the lake of fire. Then those without Christ are thrown in. It doesn't say they will burn for eternity. In fact scripture says that the lake of fire is the "second death."

You need to read a little more about what the Bible says about the eternality with regards to the torment that the unsaved will endure.

The Bible describes it as:

eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46)

eternal fire

[Guest]

Where does scripture say people will be in hell for eternity? It doesn't.

In scripture the hebrew word was sheol and the greek words were hades, gehenna, and tartaroo. These words are properly translated as "the grave."

Revelation 20

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So the highlighted part of this scripture would be "death and the grave delivered up the dead." Notice, people are delivered from hell, not left there.

Rev 20 goes on to say that death and hell/the grave are thrown into the lake of fire. Then those without Christ are thrown in. It doesn't say they will burn for eternity. In fact scripture says that the lake of fire is the "second death."

You need to read a little more about what the Bible says about the eternity with regards to the torment that the unsaved will endure.

The Bible describes it as:

eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46)

eternal fire"(Matt. 25:41),

unquenchable fire" (Matt 3:12),

where the fire is not quenched (Mk 9:44-49),

where the smoke of torment rises forever and ever (Rev. 14:10-11)

Jesus calls it eternal punishment. The same word used for "eternal" with reference to punishment is the same word used for eternal in reference to eternal life for Christians. So if punishment in hell is limited to a specific time, then by the same token, one would also have to conclude that the promise of eternal life is only for a specific, limited period of time.

Yeap

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:13-14

Still There

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Revelation 22:15

Seriously, Believe

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

>>>>>()<<<<<

When Jesus Arose From The Grave

The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. Proverbs 14:32

He Defeated Death

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. John 5:23-25

See

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29

[Fraught]

Where does scripture say people will be in hell for eternity? It doesn't.

In scripture the hebrew word was sheol and the greek words were hades, gehenna, and tartaroo. These words are properly translated as "the grave."

Revelation 20

13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So the highlighted part of this scripture would be "death and the grave delivered up the dead." Notice, people are deliverd from hell, not left there.

Rev 20 goes on to say that death and hell/the grave are thrown into the lake of fire. Then those without Christ are thrown in. It doesn't say they will burn for eternity. In fact scripture says that the lake of fire is the "second death."

I, also, do not need a threat of everlasting punishment to keep me walking with God. I know that God is the real Truth, that Jesus is the real image of God and it's pretty hard to imagine that I will be eternally happy in the presence of God while people I have known are eternally 'gnashing their teeth' in anguish. I don't claim to know what all the hellfire and damnation verses in scripture signify. What I do know is that we are continually gaining insight into these things and The Word is still living and all of us are still learning.