Originally posted by iamroot
Eternal life, or eternal death?
It scares me senseless to think about it. I can only hope that when it is my time to die, it either comes so quick that I don't know what happens, or I am so sick of life that I welcome death. What do you all think?
(this may be a better questions to ask atheists, because religious people have found a purpose in life, and may not fear death as much)
The Bible teaches that there is no eternal death. Once we are born (conceived?) we all will live forever. The question before us is
where we will live forever. Of course, choosing to live forever without God being present, without all things Godly, without His influence registering at all in our environment and culture, is hell itself. This can be considered eternal death if you want, but it is not like being annihilated or not existing anymore.
Now if you are afraid of death, wouldn't you be better off to find out what those of us who are not afraid of death think, and why? We are all from the same stock, by the way, but those of us who believe have found hope! And we love to share it. We are not worried about the resouces of heaven being spread too thin, and we love others because 'Christ loved us'.
I found these verses which don't address heaven exactly, but refer to the nature of God's love for us. Being with Him forever will not be boring! (see verse 20 below!)
Ephesians 3: 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to
grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.