Hell is a turn off

[Jon-Marc]

Originally Posted by eddybear

Without getting into the debate, just a word of testimony. The night that it dawned on me that I was a rebel against God and was going to hell..... was the night I turned to Christ. Far from turning me away from God, it drove me to surrender to him. And how glad I am that I did, for nothing can ever compare to the love of God I found in Christ.

Same here. It was the revelation that I was lost and on my way to hell that caused me to call on the Lord and ask for forgiveness. If there is no condemnation in being unsaved, why would anyone see any reason to be saved? Saved from what?

If all that was preached was the love of God, no one would ever know about His wrath and condemnation of sin. Everyone would come to the end of their miserable lives thinking they were "good" just to find out that their goodness is not good enough. However, they didn't know that because no one ever told them. They never heard about hell because no one preached about it.

[Gary52]

Originally Posted by thestreetsinger

As I said before there is more to this than we know.

Those people that believe they understand why God tortures people eternally without any hope of mercy, would disagree with you...

They believe it's all there in scripture for all to witness.

I cannot understand how the sentence of eternal torture, for finite sin, is justified. Maybe someone can explain it to me.

[Gary52]

Originally Posted by Jon-Marc

Everyone would come to the end of their miserable lives thinking they were "good" just to find out that their goodness is not good enough.

Do you know there are good people in this world that spend their entire lives doing things for the good of others?

These people are full of love for there fellow man, they spend their lives working for charities caring for the poor in the third world...

There are many like this, working for charities, who do not believe in God... they spend their lives working away for the poor, without any thought of rewards!

I personally find that magnificent... they do it for love... not reward!

Those kinds of people do not have miserable lives, their lives are full of love and compassion.

[titus212]

I cannot understand how the sentence of eternal torture, for finite sin, is justified. Maybe someone can explain it to me.

I did 2 pages back:

Originally Posted by titus212

It is Jesus who will judge who goes where, Matthew 25:31-46 NIV . Notice vs. 46:

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Notice Jesus says they will go away to eternal "punishment", not torture (Parents punish, not torture, their kids for being bad). We all deserve punishment for our sins, but thanks be to God that we can be saved, and we CAN tell others that they too can be saved from punishment in hell. That's why He tells his disciples to "go into all the world and preach the gospel.", so no one would be lost.

One last thought from 2 Peter 3:9 NIV :

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Varlyn (The VMan)

God is NOT in hell, Satan is. Any torment is brought about by Satan, because Satan HATES God, and by proxy, us, as we were created in God's image. God does NOT want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. If you don't repent before you die, most likely you will go to hell, and it is that realization that should drive us toward God and away from sin. And it is by that realization, why we need to TELL others that if they DON'T repent, hell is what awaits them. Please try to understand.

Varlyn (The VMan)

[Gary52]

Originally Posted by titus212

I did 2 pages back:

Yes, but I don't remember you coming back to my responce.

God is NOT in hell, Satan is. Any torment is brought about by Satan, because Satan HATES God, and by proxy, us, as we were created in God's image.

I believe I said, that God created the torture chamber of hell, with intent to torture. He didn't have to create it.

God does NOT want anyone to perish,

Yet, He knows they will, and end up in torment!

Please try to understand.

I am, hence my questions.

[Wabco]

You are searching for answers to this query gary52......
but have you asked God for Him to answer you?
We can talk until we are blue in the face, and we are trying to answer your questions on Hell and the nature of God, but you can ask Him yourself,the answers are in the Bible, with respect.

The book of Job is a good place to start, to question God. IMO.

I do hope you find the answer, but maybe you have had your answer, but you don't like it.

[Gary52]

Originally Posted by Wabco

but have you asked God for Him to answer you?

Yes, I pray to God that he will put me on the path to truth, and keep me on the right path.

Now... don't you think that most people who desire to know the truth, have also asked God for it?

Now tell me, who has God given the truth to?

We can talk until we are blue in the face, and we are trying to answer your questions on Hell and the nature of God, but you can ask Him yourself,the answers are in the Bible, with respect.

As I said, I do ask God for the truth... And I also read the Bible... But the problem with the Bible is Interpretation... Do we all interpret it the same way?

I do hope you find the answer, but maybe you have had your answer, but you don't like it.

I wont know if I like the answers or not until I discover if they are true!

[titus212]

Originally Posted by Gary52

As I said, I do ask God for the truth... And I also read the Bible... But the problem with the Bible is Interpretation... Do we all interpret it the same way?

Maybe it would help if you showed us, what scriptures, in the Bible, about hell are giving you trouble.

I went to Bible Gateway and checked every popular English translation for the Matthew 25:31-46 NIV (please click on the link and read it and tell me your opinion) passage I mentioned and almost every translation for Vs. 46 says "punishment" or other form of "punish". One had the words "eternal doom", and one used "eternal torment".

As for my post from 2 pages back, I don't think you answered my entire post, but the part I was agreeing with Shorty about Lazarus and the Rich man, which DOES give a glimpse of what hell is like even if it IS told as a parable.

One thing you MUST understand, is that hell is not everyone's destination. Many WILL get to Heaven and live with the Lord forever. I pray that I will be among them.

Varlyn (The VMan)

[Gary52]

Originally Posted by titus212

Maybe it would help if you showed us, what scriptures, in the Bible, about hell are giving you trouble.

It's not really scripture that is giving me trouble, it's the differing interpretations of people that is puzzling to me.

I went to Bible Gateway and checked every popular English translation for the Matthew 25:31-46 NIV (please click on the link and read it and tell me your opinion) passage I mentioned and almost every translation for Vs. 46 says "punishment" or other form of "punish". One had the words "eternal doom", and one used "eternal torment".

I've read this from my Bible (NKJV) I'm not sure what part of it you woukld like me to focus on, but I found it all most interesting. Verses 35-36 were of particulr interest, as those practices exist in people that do not even believe in God. It may be that you want me to focus on verse 41...

"Then He will also say to those on His left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Like most of the Bible it is open to interpretation. First thing is to remember it is a parable and not a direct statment. Is the everlasting fire literal, and even if it is, it does not say those cast into it are everlasting. It only says the fire is everlasting....

As for my post from 2 pages back, I don't think you answered my entire post,

Sorry, if I missed something please state again and I will try to answer, if I can!

but the part I was agreeing with Shorty about Lazarus and the Rich man, which DOES give a glimpse of what hell is like even if it IS told as a parable.

With respect, agreeing with someone does not make it true.

One thing you MUST understand, is that hell is not everyone's destination.

Not necessarily so, some believe hell is just the grave... that is everyones destination.

Many WILL get to Heaven and live with the Lord forever.

Again, not necessarily so, some believe all will go to heaven, and some believe paradise will be a new Earth...

[GloryB]

Again, why concentrate on the consequences instead of concentrating on the remedy?