Why does Hell have to be eternal?

[Tinky]

Would it be just for a God of love to send one of His human creations to a lake of eternal fire after going through mortal suffering on Earth?

You seem to believe that suffering on earth removes the consequences of breaking God's laws. It doesn't. God is love - that is true- but God is also a God of justice, and He cannot let the guilty go unpunished.

Do you have a problem with a human judge sentencing a criminal to life in prison, or to death, for a heinous crime? Know that all sin is directed against a HOLY and eternal God, and it is eternally offensive to Him. It deserves an eternal punishment.

Hell wasn't created to rehabilitate. It was created for punishment.

[Hall7]

Would it be just for a God of love to send one of His human creations to a lake of eternal fire after going through mortal suffering on Earth?

You seem to believe that suffering on earth removes the consequences of breaking God's laws. It doesn't. God is love - that is true- but God is also a God of justice, and He cannot let the guilty go unpunished.

Do you have a problem with a human judge sentencing a criminal to life in prison, or to death, for a heinous crime? Know that all sin is directed against a HOLY and eternal God, and it is eternally offensive to Him. It deserves an eternal punishment.

Hell wasn't created to rehabilitate. It was created for punishment.

It just sounds too harsh coming from a God of love. I'd take life in prison or a death sentence over eternal flesh burning fire anytime. No "human being" would think of such a cruel sentence for anyone. If God's love is stronger than a human being then why would He come up with such a cruel sentence not even a human being could think of?

[Hall7]

Please don't get me wrong, I respect and believe in the Bible 100% except for the metaphorical part of eternal fire in hell that has been "miss-translated" by "humans". Don't believe and follow a God out of fear of eternal punishment in fire, but rather trust and have faith in a God of love, a God that offers happiness and prosperity in a short mortal life that determines ones position in eternal life, and by doing so...you will learn to love your neighbour more than ever... And by loving you will find freedom within yourselves...

[Hall7]

What is so sad, exactly? That I will spend all eternity in the lake of fire?

Yes, Viole. That thought is extremely sad for us.

You know, maybe Viole is a lot purer than many Christians. I understand where she comes from. Yes she was into a "light" Christian phase at one time but she has studied rationality. And even though rationality cannot be compared to spirituality, it is part of understanding the whole. She is here for two reasons, one to challenge her doubts and two to satisfy her pride, and perhaps three to warn you of something you aren't aware of. Viole, it isn't by undoing your spirituality that you can undo what God sees in your heart you know. He isn't going to condemn you to hell if you don't follow His path. keep loving and living life as a precious gift that was given to you. Whatever you do I ask you for one thing as a fellow "human" being, do not reject the word of Jesus but instead learn to say it through your voice and hear it through your ears, and absorb it through your soul, You don't need a church or a preacher or a Bible, all you need is the power of your own spoken word to yourself with faith in a higher power that comes from Jesus through you...

[j102]

What is so sad, exactly? That I will spend all eternity in the lake of fire?

Yes, Viole. That thought is extremely sad for us.

You know, maybe Viole is a lot purer than many Christians. I understand where she comes from. Yes she was into a "light" Christian phase at one time but she has studied rationality. And even though rationality cannot be compared to spirituality, it is part of understanding the whole. She is here for two reasons, one to challenge her doubts and two to satisfy her pride, and perhaps three to warn you of something you aren't aware of. Viole, it isn't by undoing your spirituality that you can undo what God sees in your heart you know. He isn't going to condemn you to hell if you don't follow His path. keep loving and living life as a precious gift that was given to you. Whatever you do I ask you for one thing as a fellow "human" being, do not reject the word of Jesus but instead learn to say it through your voice and hear it through your ears, and absorb it through your soul, You don't need a church or a preacher or a Bible, all you need is the power of your own spoken word to yourself with faith in a higher power that comes from Jesus through you...

without the bible how is one supposed to know who jesus is?

[Jayyycuuup]

Hell is eternal because all sin is directed against an eternal God - thus deserving an eternal punishment. It's very simple actually.

Actually, God's eternity does not refer to Him lasting forever. According to basically all theologians, starting with Augustine, God is eternal in the sense that He resides outside of time. This is obvious, God created time and cannot have temporal extension, otherwise one of His characteristics would refer to something He created, which is logically absurd.

So, if your inference is correct (penalty has the same temporal characteristics of the offended party), then Hell is outside of time, too.

Fire is a chemical process that releases energy in the form of photons and heat (BTW, hell cannot be dark if there is fire). The burning skin excites nervous cells which transmit this information to the brain; the brain processes this information and releases the sensation of intense pain. This pain also causes the uncontrollable activation of facial muscles which causes the teeth pressing on each other. This causes the generation of progressive sound waves which are interpreted as the sound of "gnashing teeth", etc. etc.

It is obvious that all these physical and cognitive processes, which allegedly happen in Hell, require a time context in order to make sense.

But Hell cannot be both WITHIN time and OUTSIDE of time. Therefore, Hell is a logical impossibility. QED

Ciao

- viole

Hell IS eternal(Mathew 25:46) so where is the time variant?

Furthermore,

Isaiah 28:18-19

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hellshall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night. It will be a terror just to understand the report.

You feel comfortable now because you have assured yourself, that just before your birth you remember nothing, so shall it be in death, but do not deceive yourself. For in death is punishment to the unrighteous, and all are unrighteous without repentance. The logical inevitability is beyond compare, and our minds cannot grasp the sense of this so we conjure up reasoning to try and deplete the inevitable, why run from when you can run to? Run to the LORD of Hosts and be blessed, accept Him and you accept eternal life, reject Him and love death, love evil and love punishment.

[Hall7]

What is so sad, exactly? That I will spend all eternity in the lake of fire?

Yes, Viole. That thought is extremely sad for us.

You know, maybe Viole is a lot purer than many Christians. I understand where she comes from. Yes she was into a "light" Christian phase at one time but she has studied rationality. And even though rationality cannot be compared to spirituality, it is part of understanding the whole. She is here for two reasons, one to challenge her doubts and two to satisfy her pride, and perhaps three to warn you of something you aren't aware of. Viole, it isn't by undoing your spirituality that you can undo what God sees in your heart you know. He isn't going to condemn you to hell if you don't follow His path. keep loving and living life as a precious gift that was given to you. Whatever you do I ask you for one thing as a fellow "human" being, do not reject the word of Jesus but instead learn to say it through your voice and hear it through your ears, and absorb it through your soul, You don't need a church or a preacher or a Bible, all you need is the power of your own spoken word to yourself with faith in a higher power that comes from Jesus through you...

without the bible how is one supposed to know who jesus is?

She knows, she was a Christian for a while...

[Tinky]

Would it be just for a God of love to send one of His human creations to a lake of eternal fire after going through mortal suffering on Earth?

You seem to believe that suffering on earth removes the consequences of breaking God's laws. It doesn't. God is love - that is true- but God is also a God of justice, and He cannot let the guilty go unpunished.

Do you have a problem with a human judge sentencing a criminal to life in prison, or to death, for a heinous crime? Know that all sin is directed against a HOLY and eternal God, and it is eternally offensive to Him. It deserves an eternal punishment.

Hell wasn't created to rehabilitate. It was created for punishment.

It just sounds too harsh coming from a God of love. I'd take life in prison or a death sentence over eternal flesh burning fire anytime. No "human being" would think of such a cruel sentence for anyone. If God's love is stronger than a human being then why would He come up with such a cruel sentence not even a human being could think of?

When it comes to the punishment of those who spit in God's face by turning down His pardon, paid for by His suffering and blood, God didn't ask for our opinion.

You may not believe in a God who would punish someone eternally in Hell, but by doing so, you are simply committing idolatry. You are creating a god in your mind who is "too loving" to demand such harsh justice.

Are you aware just how serious God takes sin? Even ONE sin committed by us is enough to condemn us forever. God says to enter His heaven we must be PERFECT. Jesus said that if your hand causes you to sin, CUT IT OFF, because it is better to enter heaven maimed than to enter hell with both hands. He said if your eye causes you to sin, PLUCK IT OUT. Because it is far better to enter heaven with one eye than to have both of your eyes and be thrown into hell. Or are those passages also ones you feel are "mistranslated?"

You can't pick and choose what you want to believe from Scripture. Either it's all true, or it's all fiction.

How do you handle Scripture when it speaks of God destroying entire cities? Or having entire people groups killed right down to their livestock because of their sin?

God killed Ananias and Sapphira for telling one lie!

Or do you believe God was "too loving" to do that as well?

Read the book of Revelation sometime, and see how much of the world will perish through the judgments of God.

You can't separate God's Holiness from His JUSTICE.

[Guest]

You know, maybe Viole is a lot purer than many Christians. I understand where she comes from. Yes she was into a "light" Christian phase at one time but she has studied rationality. And even though rationality cannot be compared to spirituality, it is part of understanding the whole. She is here for two reasons, one to challenge her doubts and two to satisfy her pride, and perhaps three to warn you of something you aren't aware of. Viole, it isn't by undoing your spirituality that you can undo what God sees in your heart you know. He isn't going to condemn you to hell if you don't follow His path. keep loving and living life as a precious gift that was given to you. Whatever you do I ask you for one thing as a fellow "human" being, do not reject the word of Jesus but instead learn to say it through your voice and hear it through your ears, and absorb it through your soul, You don't need a church or a preacher or a Bible, all you need is the power of your own spoken word to yourself with faith in a higher power that comes from Jesus through you...

Pure?

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,

like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

I Think Not

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Their feet are swift to shed blood:

Destruction and misery are in their ways:

And the way of peace have they not known:

There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:10-18

For The God Of Infinite Love

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

IS The God Of Eternal

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

Judgement

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.

If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.

Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people. Deuteronomy 32:39-43

See?

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalms 2:10-12

Don't Mess With Jesus, The Lion Of Judah

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed,

and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

hese are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts;

and their mouth speaketh great swelling words,

having men's persons in admiration

because of advantage. Jude 1:14-16

~

And Dear One Just Wherever Did You Find Your Jesus

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother,

and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:

and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 10:32-39

You Know, The One From The Land Of Winking, Blinking

He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. Proverbs 6:13-15

And Nod

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you,

who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,

and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

And many shall follow their pernicious ways;

by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:

whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:1-3

~

Believe

For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

And Be Blessed Beloved

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

Be Very Blessed

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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

He that believeth on him is not condemned:

but he that believeth not is condemned already,

because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18

Love, Joe

~

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth;

keep the door of my lips. Psalms 141:3

[GoldenEagle]

A. Would it be just for a God of love to send one of His human creations to a lake of eternal fire after going through mortal suffering on Earth? To burn and torture one of His creations? B. A creation who had no choice but to appear on Earth due to the gift of life given by Him? Why give this precious gift of life on a planet in which He very well knows is owned by the dark side? C. You were created to His image and the plan was to create an eternal paradise on Earth until the fall of one of "His" angels ruined that plan. Why "you" humans should suffer eternal fire when you had nothing to do with a plan that went wrong? It's their war not yours, although it seems as though you are the Chess pieces to this battle...

D. I personally believe that the eternal fire is reserved for a non-human entity.

Stop fearing and judging and start loving...

Interesting post. This brings up a few questions I’d like to discuss as a Moderator (Servant)…

A. Is God just?

B. Do you believe that everyone will go to Heaven?

C. Did God’s plan go wrong or did He know what was going to happen all along?

D. Where does the Bible say that eternal fire is reserved for non-human entities only?

God bless,

GE