Monday 14 May 2007
Monday's Madness
What the hell. Is there a hell? Do we all get to heaven? Would/could/should God send anyone to hell? We all certainly hope all of our family members get to heaven, but we can't base that on our hopes or feelings. There needs to be a decision on their part. I found a dozen verses that talk about hell as a place you don't want to be (lake of fire, place of torment), and a lot of times it mentions it as a place where people are thrown into. Verses in Matthew http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=5&verse=29&version=31&context=verse and Mark http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=48&chapter=9&verse=47&version=31&context=verse mention that it is better for you to pluck your own eye out if it causes you to sin. Better to enter heaven blind or crippled than hell healthy. I don't think he literally wants us to poke our eyes out here, but is certainly making the point of how bad a place hell is. We cannot wish our friends and family into heaven. If there were no hell, would the Bible talk about it, would Jesus mention it as often as He did? Once this life is over...it's over...no more second chances, see http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2016:19-31;&version=31; Obviously my conclusion is there is a hell,and this life we are living now is not hell compared to the "real thing". It is an extremely unpleasant place to be. When you think of how short our life seems on this earth, think how long a time it would be to have eternity in hell. Better yet, think of the other side of the coin...eternity in heaven. There are some who will ask "Is not God gracious. loving, caring...How could He send people to hell. God is also just. This is by no mean an exhaustive search on this subject. Don't take my word on this either, search the Bible. Guess that's why we bring our Bibles to church too...so we can make sure and test what the preacher is saying.
Today's riddle - is there a hell? Your thoughts?
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16 comments:
yes, there is a hell. And NO, God doesn't SEND people there, We make our choices here on earth about where we will go once we leave. We either choose God or choose against God. Hell is for those who choose against God. And God won't be in Hell. That is why I think that Hell will be a place where there is total void of everything God is. There will be total emptiness, isolation, darkness, evil. And no escape. Imagine how prisoners feel after days in solitary, only able to hear in the distance other voices. Hell will be worse. No end in sight, no hope that you will be let out in "x" number of days. And no hope to get out by dying. No hope. No end. No light. No comraderie with others. No peace. No sharing. No comfy pillows at night (just thot I'd lighten this up a bit.. altho there will be none of that in hell).
Su-Ann
No ice cream either. It has been good to blog about these areas that I have all these questions about. It gets me to look up things in the Bible (but this is not the same as spending time with God IMO).
no ice cream. no bbq, no cars, no friends, no rain, no sunshine, no reading, no comfy bed, no ice cream.
so. i really like the idea of a group blog. I am truly enjoying the interaction here. It is great to have a small group that I can participate in, even from 2000kms away! SO what do you think. I'd really like to go back to Once Saved Always Saved, Mike. It is a concept I am not convinced of, and that has horrified more than one friend. Anyone else have thots on this?? do we start a small group blog where we can all interact (of course, we want Mike to keep up Mike's Mind... we will just expand it from there!!!)... Mike your blog could be the "preacher Blog"... great idea!!!
One problem I see with once saved always saved is live as you want because it does not matter...I am saved woohoo. hmmm "everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial"...still working on that one. That saying goes great with once saved always saved :)
that is my problem too. I see it more of a catch all motto for those who want assurance of eternity, while living life on their terms. I think the focus can become how far from God can I get because I can do what I want? rather than how close to God am I getting?
I really like the idea of a small group, especially with not belonging to one right now. Su-ann can head it up :) I think we could have some great discussions. Ice cream socials at least a couple of times a month...you know how us Christians like to have food when we get together ;)
i'll start the blog, but the name should be joint effort.
I want something unique... and you have me stumped with the alliteration thing..
how about Fellowship, Friends, History & Hope!! Does that describe our blog??
Works for me anonymous. :) Anyone else coming to church :):0;)
Mike, just so ya know, we still want YOU to blog.. you can be the starting point each day/week!
Su-Ann
Ok, now it is done, please give feedback!! And feel free to change the template, add things, pics, whatever.
Su-Ann
Well, I'm the 'occassional' churchgoer when it comes to the blog church....you know, when I feel like and have nothing else to do...
Hell, yep, believe in it. Don't know exactly what it's going to be like. But i can live with that unknown.
What I'm more interested in are the comments about loving God and loving others. My opinion, as Christians those statements come too easily to us, without really grappling with what does it really mean for me to love you. I've heard too many people say "I love them, I don't like them, don't want to be around them but I love them." To me that doesn't cut it.
Have some more thoughts, but I'll leave it there in case others have something to share.
I totally agree with you Winnie re: loving some but not all. We all know people who are unlovable to us, and the only obvious answer is having God help us to love them. Here is something you may have never thought of before ... we are probably all on someone's list of "I don't love them". Just something to think about when we meet up with that person we don't love ...... yet!
there are people I don't love. there are people I can only take in small quantities. I don't think we have to love gushy everyone. I think we need to be able to have no ill feelings, be able to speak respectfully. But we don't have to be able to spend mass quantity of time with everyone. We don't have to allow everyone into our lives unconditionally. We do have to be open to God loving them thru us. We do need to be willing to serve when GOD asks us. Now, that is definitely open to interpretation. But. what do you say to the adult child of abusive parents... parents have never changed, but they go to church, claim to be christians. what do you say to an abused wife, husband goes to church, claims to be a christian. Mike, this gets into the "all things permissable?"
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