Why did God make hell?

[Hall7]

Something is going wrong here. I feel like everyone is answering a different question. Did I ask it wrong or am I missing something?

What if I ask what the purpose of hell is?

Everyone seems to be talking about how people get there. Is the point of hell because people send themselves? I don't understand this.

 

You asked why, and you were given reasons why.  I have a strange feeling you are trying to figure out why God just doesn't remove them from existence once they die instead of eternity without Him, which is hell itself.

I'm starting to feel like an idiot here. Everyones telling me the same thing, but I'm just getting more confused. I really have no idea why God would not remove them from existence. It's not like they will be saved.

The only logical explanation (I personally can think of) as to why God created hell instead of removing us and evil from existence, is that our souls are immortal and cannot be destroyed, so instead they must be placed where they belong.

[ayin jade]

Who said God has to abide by our logic? This is how He has chosen to do it. He is not obligated to explain why.

[rightontime]

People rarely ask the question as to why God would even allow any human in heaven with Him. It probably comes down to a high view of self and a low view of his Holiness.

[Hall7]

Something is going wrong here. I feel like everyone is answering a different question. Did I ask it wrong or am I missing something?What if I ask what the purpose of hell is?Everyone seems to be talking about how people get there. Is the point of hell because people send themselves? I don't understand this.

 You asked why, and you were given reasons why.  I have a strange feeling you are trying to figure out why God just doesn't remove them from existence once they die instead of eternity without Him, which is hell itself.

I'm starting to feel like an idiot here. Everyones telling me the same thing, but I'm just getting more confused. I really have no idea why God would not remove them from existence. It's not like they will be saved.I must have missed when you told me why. It just sounds to me like everyone is saying what hell is and who goes there, but not why. Can you dumb it down for me? Thanks for sticking with me!

  Ecclesiastes 12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Matthew 25:46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.  Still does not say the why, but instead says God made our souls immortal.  I think we all have wondered questions like this at times.

Amen

[Guest]

 

Is God Just?

 

"Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind." Isaiah 66:24 (NASB)

 

And Is God Love?

 

Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. Isaiah 30:18 (NASB)

 

And Will A Fellow Even Care?

 

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV)

 

~

 

Beloved

 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV)

 

Stand Fast

 

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

 

And Be Blessed

 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 (ESV)

 

Love, Your Brother Joe

[OneOfGodsOwn]

Thank you for all your replies! Unfortunately I'm still confused, but it's really making me feel loved and less alone to see all of you sticking it out with me and helping! You guys are the best!
 

 

 

The doctrine of hell as a place of flaming torture for the devil and his angels, and for every lost person who turns up thereafter, cannot be proven from scripture.

The idea of "eternal" flames or "worms that die not" or "smoke that ascends up forever" does not immediately suggest that the material to be burned lasts forever, or that torment lasts forever. It says "the smoke of their torment rises up forever."

Otherwise God cannot or does not destroy the sinner or sin. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil which is sin and sinners who willingly join him. He will not do that until after a judgement, which is only fair.

I'm just starting to realize that not some many people believe in a hell with punishment. I learned that hell was a place of fire and pain. I guess I have even more to learn about, but I'm not sure it changes my question.

What if God made a party town hell that was a pretty awesome place, but still without Gods love? People would still have the choice to be with God or not and they could also choose torture or not. Would it make any difference?

I have to get some sleep. Have a good night guys and thanks for all your help!

 

 

The only stupid question is the one not asked.  Saying that, I have to ask if you have ever studied scripture?  Hell is a holding place until the Great White Throne Judgment, where hell and death will be thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, along with Lucifer (Satan), the Beast, the False Prophet, all the fallen angles and anyone who's names are not found in the Book of Life.

 

Not as much as I should, but I did know that.

 

 

As other have said, hell was created for the devil and his angels.

 

Matthew 25:41, "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels".

 

 

So, if it was created for the devil and his angels, why do many people go there, too?  Because the Bible says that children will live with their father.  We are either a child of God or child of the devil.  Here's the distinction between the two.

 

1 John 3:10, "By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother."

 

John 8:44-47, "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

 

 

But, thank God that He provided THE way, THE truth and THE life, through His Son so that WHOSOEVER WILL can receive forgiveness and eternal life with God! 

 

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

 

The choice is ours.  Every person is solely responsible for their own choice... and the consequences of that choice.

I still don't see what this accomplishes. Gods sorts the people that follow him into his house because they deserve a reward and everyone else into the Devils house because that is where he sorts them? Is there really nothing more to it than God wants to put them there so God puts them there?
 

 

Thing is, God is quite clear in the bible that He has not made a party town. He has made a place that is miserable for everyone there. 

 

I know that. My question is what would it have mattered if it had been a party town?
 

 

As I read through this thread, I find people are trying very hard to shape the scriptures around their own thoughts, their understanding, and what they want to be true.  I see a lot of "What if..." and "I don't think..." type statements.  Eternity is NOT a What If game and it's NOT dependent on what we believe about it.  It is what God says it is in His Word.  And He's very clear about it. 

 

Granted, people are free to believe whatever they want.  People are allowed to be wrong.  But you can't do that and call it Christianity because it's what YOU want to be true.

 

The very nature of truth is that there can only be ONE truth.  And, if that truth has any bearing on our eternities, which it does, then it behooves us to find out exactly what that truth is, regardless of whether we like it or not, stop arguing about it, and conform to it... and STOP trying to conform the truth to our way of thinking.

 

Hell is eternal.  The Bible is MORE than clear on this issue.  That's why it uses words like "eternal" and "forever and ever" and "everlasting."  How those words can be confusing is a mystery to me.  But just SAY for the sake of argument that hell is not eternal.  What benefit is that to anyone?  Hell is still hell, separation from Jesus.  It's not a party town.  Satan doesn't rule and reign there.  It's still torment beyond comprehension and no one in their right mind wants to experience it for ANY length of time. 

 

Our time is better spent KEEPING OUT of hell altogether, and snatching others off the wide road that's leading them there.  To argue how long hell lasts is an inane waste of time that benefits nothing and nobody.  If you believe hell is temporary, what do you say to unbelievers?  "Don't worry about it.  It won't last forever.  When it's done you'll just vanish altogether from existence."  That's ridiculous.

 

EDITED TO ADD THE WORDS OF  JESUS HIMSELF:  Matthew 25:46, "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” 

 

Eternal means eternal, not temporary.  Basic English.  The torment of the wicked in hell is as eternal as the joy of the righteous in heaven.

When I ask "What if..." it's because I want to find out why the world is the way it is. I'm not really sure the right way to ask these questions, but I'm trying to hear someone answer "God needed to do it that way because..." or "It's like that because God had too..." or something.
 

 

If we let our spirits become evil, then evil becomes part of us because we allowed it to happen out of our own free will. God will not accept any evil spirits in His kingdom, whether it be an evil spirit of a man or one of a demon.  The spirit/soul ends up where it belongs according to what we have nurtured it with. Just as a lamb who belongs with lambs and a wolf who belongs with wolves.

It sounds like you are repeating my confusion back to me as a statement. I don't have any doubt left that I asked my question wrong, but I'm still not sure the right way to ask it. Why do the wolves belong with wolves? Does it help God somehow to put things that are like together?
 

 

The only logical explanation (I personally can think of) as to why God created hell instead of removing us and evil from existence, is that our souls are immortal and cannot be destroyed, so instead they must be placed where they belong.

 

But God could have made our souls any way he wanted right? And why is hell the place they belong? Like I'm imagining God thinking out his plan and he says to himself "Ok. I'm going to make a soul to fit in the humans and for the good people it will last forever because I want to hang out with them and for the bad people it will last forever because I need a place to put all the bad souls because I made them last forever and that place has to be hell with fire and the Devil now because the people need to with a bad father because they are bad." and my mind just keep running in loops like that.
 

 

Who said God has to abide by our logic? This is how He has chosen to do it. He is not obligated to explain why.

No one. You are right. I know I'm not ever going to understand a lot of things, but I feel obligated to try. He put that book for us here for a reason right? I feel like I'm doing a really bad job as a Christian because I don't know stuff like this. It seems like everyone else gets it.

-

Thanks again for all the replies. Maybe someone out there has an idea what I'm trying to ask in all this rambling. I'm going to try reading everything again so I can see if there's another way I can ask this question and maybe get it right.

Edited January 18, 2015 by OneOfGodsOwn

[hmbld]

 I feel like I'm doing a really bad job as a Christian because I don't know stuff like this. It seems like everyone else gets it.

-

 

 

Actually, i for one don't quite get it either.  But I know from reading the bible that He desires ALL to come to Him.  And the more times i read the bible, and not just a verse here or there, but the entire bible, the more unfathomable I realize our Father is, which instead of making me question Him more, somehow I know I can trust Him all the more, as His wisdom is beyond comprehension.  

 

Keep asking!

God bless,

[OneLight]

Thank you for all your replies! Unfortunately I'm still confused, but it's really making me feel loved and less alone to see all of you sticking it out with me and helping! You guys are the best!

 

The only stupid question is the one not asked.  Saying that, I have to ask if you have ever studied scripture?  Hell is a holding place until the Great White Throne Judgment, where hell and death will be thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, along with Lucifer (Satan), the Beast, the False Prophet, all the fallen angles and anyone who's names are not found in the Book of Life.

Not as much as I should, but I did know that.

 

 

If you knew that, then why is it so hard to understand the why?  Let me try to approach this from another point of view, Love.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

 

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails ...

 

Through pure love, God wants to share His existence with us, knowing how perfect it is. He could of just created perfect beings to share it with, but where would the love be? The creation would be just like robots, never having the choice to be there or not. We, on the other hand, have been given the time to evaluate who God is and make a choice. IT is through this time where His love for us shines by allowing us to grown the way we want, where His love is not forcing us to be anything that we don't want to be. God is willing to let us make mistakes and learn from our mistakes. We have a lifetime to choose, however long each lifetime is.

I do suggest that you spend more time in scripture studying. He is more than willing to show you the answers to your questions and will do a better job than anyone of us could ever do.

 

 

As other have said, hell was created for the devil and his angels.

 

Matthew 25:41, "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels".

 

So, if it was created for the devil and his angels, why do many people go there, too?  Because the Bible says that children will live with their father.  We are either a child of God or child of the devil.  Here's the distinction between the two.

 

1 John 3:10, "By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother."

 

John 8:44-47, "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

  

But, thank God that He provided THE way, THE truth and THE life, through His Son so that WHOSOEVER WILL can receive forgiveness and eternal life with God! 

 

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

 

The choice is ours.  Every person is solely responsible for their own choice... and the consequences of that choice.

I still don't see what this accomplishes. Gods sorts the people that follow him into his house because they deserve a reward and everyone else into the Devils house because that is where he sorts them? Is there really nothing more to it than God wants to put them there so God puts them there?

 

Again, God allows people to chose for themselves. It is not like God makes the choices for people, as you imply by how God sorts believers from nonbelievers ... He is allowing us to choose for ourselves. God, as stated in John 3:16, declares

 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

showing that it is not His desire for anyone to reject Him, but for all to accept Him.

 

 

 

Thing is, God is quite clear in the bible that He has not made a party town. He has made a place that is miserable for everyone there.

I know that. My question is what would it have mattered if it had been a party town?

 

Yeah, that is how I wanted to believe when I was sinning ... "When I die, I will be with all my "friends", and we will have one huge party! Who needs God to have fun?" This is a lie straight from Satan himself, trying to cause the weak and nonbelievers to think death without God will be one big party. In your mind, or on paper if you wish, list all the things God has to offer. That is what it will be like for those who accept Him. Then write the opposite of each of the first list, and you will see what is awaiting those who reject Him.  Why it matters is truth.  If people believed they were going to die and attend a party for the rest of time, which is a lie, many would fall for it and spend eternity without God. 

[OneOfGodsOwn]

 

Thank you for all your replies! Unfortunately I'm still confused, but it's really making me feel loved and less alone to see all of you sticking it out with me and helping! You guys are the best!

 

The only stupid question is the one not asked.  Saying that, I have to ask if you have ever studied scripture?  Hell is a holding place until the Great White Throne Judgment, where hell and death will be thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, along with Lucifer (Satan), the Beast, the False Prophet, all the fallen angles and anyone who's names are not found in the Book of Life.

Not as much as I should, but I did know that.

 

 

If you knew that, then why is it so hard to understand the why?  Let me try to approach this from another point of view, Love.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

 

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails ...

 

Through pure love, God wants to share His existence with us, knowing how perfect it is. He could of just created perfect beings to share it with, but where would the love be? The creation would be just like robots, never having the choice to be there or not. We, on the other hand, have been given the time to evaluate who God is and make a choice. IT is through this time where His love for us shines by allowing us to grown the way we want, where His love is not forcing us to be anything that we don't want to be. God is willing to let us make mistakes and learn from our mistakes. We have a lifetime to choose, however long each lifetime is.

I do suggest that you spend more time in scripture studying. He is more than willing to show you the answers to your questions and will do a better job than anyone of us could ever do.

 

Saying that hell and the Devil and all that stuff will be thrown in the lake of fire doesn't really tell me why God made hell. I mean I guess he made it to throw it into the lake of fire, but I want to know what good that does. What you are saying here sounds like you are telling me that God had to allow people to be bad to make them free. I'm not questioning that. My question is what good hell does. I can't figure out why all these things could have been done without making people suffer in hell.

 

 

 

Thing is, God is quite clear in the bible that He has not made a party town. He has made a place that is miserable for everyone there.

I know that. My question is what would it have mattered if it had been a party town?

 

Yeah, that is how I wanted to believe when I was sinning ... "When I die, I will be with all my "friends", and we will have one huge party! Who needs God to have fun?" This is a lie straight from Satan himself, trying to cause the weak and nonbelievers to think death without God will be one big party. In your mind, or on paper if you wish, list all the things God has to offer. That is what it will be like for those who accept Him. Then write the opposite of each of the first list, and you will see what is awaiting those who reject Him.  Why it matters is truth.  If people believed they were going to die and attend a party for the rest of time, which is a lie, many would fall for it and spend eternity without God. 

 

Just to be clear; I know it's not a party town. Are you saying that if hell was a party town then everyone would sin? Like hell is a horrible place because we need the threat of torture to keep us from evil?

[OneLight]

Thank you for all your replies! Unfortunately I'm still confused, but it's really making me feel loved and less alone to see all of you sticking it out with me and helping! You guys are the best!

 

The only stupid question is the one not asked.  Saying that, I have to ask if you have ever studied scripture?  Hell is a holding place until the Great White Throne Judgment, where hell and death will be thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, along with Lucifer (Satan), the Beast, the False Prophet, all the fallen angles and anyone who's names are not found in the Book of Life.

Not as much as I should, but I did know that.

 

If you knew that, then why is it so hard to understand the why?  Let me try to approach this from another point of view, Love.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

 

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails ...

 

Through pure love, God wants to share His existence with us, knowing how perfect it is. He could of just created perfect beings to share it with, but where would the love be? The creation would be just like robots, never having the choice to be there or not. We, on the other hand, have been given the time to evaluate who God is and make a choice. IT is through this time where His love for us shines by allowing us to grown the way we want, where His love is not forcing us to be anything that we don't want to be. God is willing to let us make mistakes and learn from our mistakes. We have a lifetime to choose, however long each lifetime is.

I do suggest that you spend more time in scripture studying. He is more than willing to show you the answers to your questions and will do a better job than anyone of us could ever do.

Saying that hell and the Devil and all that stuff will be thrown in the lake of fire doesn't really tell me why God made hell. I mean I guess he made it to throw it into the lake of fire, but I want to know what good that does. What you are saying here sounds like you are telling me that God had to allow people to be bad to make them free. I'm not questioning that. My question is what good hell does. I can't figure out why all these things could have been done without making people suffer in hell.

You are making this a lot harder then it needs to be. God did not make hell for the reason of having a place to put those who do not accept Him, those who rejected God, in a sense, created a place for themselves away from God. You will say that only God can create, which is true. This brings us back to what I said earlier about everything having to have an opposite. The opposite of Heaven is Hell.

 

Thing is, God is quite clear in the bible that He has not made a party town. He has made a place that is miserable for everyone there.

I know that. My question is what would it have mattered if it had been a party town?

Yeah, that is how I wanted to believe when I was sinning ... "When I die, I will be with all my "friends", and we will have one huge party! Who needs God to have fun?" This is a lie straight from Satan himself, trying to cause the weak and nonbelievers to think death without God will be one big party. In your mind, or on paper if you wish, list all the things God has to offer. That is what it will be like for those who accept Him. Then write the opposite of each of the first list, and you will see what is awaiting those who reject Him.  Why it matters is truth.  If people believed they were going to die and attend a party for the rest of time, which is a lie, many would fall for it and spend eternity without God.

Just to be clear; I know it's not a party town. Are you saying that if hell was a party town then everyone would sin? Like hell is a horrible place because we need the threat of torture to keep us from evil?

No, you are the one who said it could be a party town, not me. I was refuting the idea.

People focus on torture described in scripture as an absolute, not realizing that the examples are given in a way we could understand. If we cannot fully understand how perfect it will be with God, how can we understand how horrible it will be without Him? Think in opposites and you will begin to understand the reality.