Good question.
Let's first remember that though 'God is love.' is a true statement, Love is not His only attribute. Let's check out the rest of them: All-knowing, Eternal, All-powerful, Righteous, Holy, Just.
God cannot be 'more' of one of His attributes than the others, because He is infinite in all of them.
Hell is a place devoid of God. Totally. People go there because they spent their entire lives rejecting God. As such, He will not force Himself upon you after you die, because what will have changed? You will never love Him after you die if you didn't before you did. God is not interested in keeping people out of Hell, He's interested in getting them to Heaven. Heaven is a place of pure love, joy, peace and happiness because God is the source of all of that. Christians are simply in-training to be able to go to Heaven prepared, free of hate, sadness, strife and anger. We are not doing it ourselves. As we further our walk with Christ, He fills us with more of Himself, and as such, we become more of who we were meant to be.
Now suppose God let just anyone into Heaven, sin and all. Those who had trusted in God on Earth are prepared for the inability to sin anymore, and they don't want to. But the sinner, who is still tainted with it, desires to do it, but can't. As such, they couldn't enjoy God and His attributes because they were never open to it. Hell is a self-induced punishment. Yes, it's the place you go for rejecting God, but He gave you a lifetime to see the error of your ways. He sent His children to warn you, He has His Word in every bookstore, His signature is in the night sky, and in nature. The Bible says that foolish men worship the created instead of the Creator. Some worship themselves, some worship women, some worship 'Mother Earth'. Why not worship the One who created everything?
You may ask 'Why can't God just wipe away everyone's sin and let them into Heaven?' Well, do you think you are a sinner? Do you WANT forgiveness? Then God has already offered a way! His Son, Jesus Christ shed His sinless blood on the cross so that our faith could make us blameless in God's eyes. Many people, however, are unwilling or unable to forsake their pride and put faith in the One who gives them every breath they take. As such, because God is Just, and because all of our souls are eternal, He keeps them seperate from those who put their faith in the One who created them and rewards them and punishes the wicked. Let's face it, if the created refuses to give thanks and praise and love to its Creator, it is wicked.
Originally posted by sasquatch672If they've never heard the Word, they are judged by how they acted in life. Was it righteous or not? God is Just, if they deserve Heaven, they go there, if not, they don't.
So...lessay that you go to a village in Tibet where there's no radio, television, very limited traffic in and out of the place, the terrain is very forbidding. So to date, no brave Christian souls have ventured forth to this place to preach the word and convert these heathens.
Do they go to hell?
What about the small children that died in the Boxing Day tsunami? Do they go to hell because they never received the Word?
All small children are innocent, and as such go to Heaven.
Originally posted by nickybuttAh! Now there's a reason for abortion that the pro-lifers can really sink their teeth into! 😀
Then all we have to do is kill them right away, then we've granted them eternal heavenly bliss, isn't that right?
No wait there's something wrong here...
Originally posted by DarfiusMind doing us a little Arby Hill and referencing the scripture that backs up this claim?
If they've never heard the Word, they are judged by how they acted in life. Was it righteous or not? God is Just, if they deserve Heaven, they go there, if not, they don't.
All small children are innocent, and as such go to Heaven.
John 14:6
"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Romans 3:21-25a
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
www.biblegateway.com (NIV)
Originally posted by telerionJesus' description of Judgment Day in Matthew 25 clearly refutes Darfius' "two-tiered" approach to who gets into Heaven.
Mind doing us a little Arby Hill and referencing the scripture that backs up this claim?
John 14:6
"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Romans 3:21-25a
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteo ...[text shortened]... nted him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
www.biblegateway.com (NIV)
Originally posted by telerionPsalms 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Mind doing us a little Arby Hill and referencing the scripture that backs up this claim?
John 14:6
"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Romans 3:21-25a
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteo ...[text shortened]... nted him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
www.biblegateway.com (NIV)
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. Isaiah 11:3-5
Originally posted by no1marauderno1, it takes a lot of prayer and self-control not to tell you the first words that pop into my mind when I see one of your hateful, seething posts.
Jesus' description of Judgment Day in Matthew 25 clearly refutes Darfius' "two-tiered" approach to who gets into Heaven.
You do not understand what Matthew 25 is talking about.
Originally posted by no1marauderMathew 25? What text? Parables are not what I'd call clear.
Jesus' description of Judgment Day in Matthew 25 clearly refutes Darfius' "two-tiered" approach to who gets into Heaven.
If anything, it is a two tiered approach. Those who well go to hell and those who won't. Other than that, I don't think it's obvious.