@philokalia saidWhy do you think there is not one single jot of credible evidence that 'torment in burning flames for eternity' in the future will actually be real?
Because it isn't happening yet? It's in the future. Maybe something like that.
Revelation 16's fourth and fifth bowl of the wrath of God at the very end of this age show that some humans will not repent of their sins no matter what.
And the forth poured out is bowl upon the sin; and it was given to it to burn men with fire.
And men were burned with great heat, and they BLASPHEMED the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory." (Rev' 16:8,9)
These are finally the hardest of the hard. The very authority of God they hate. His love, His grace, His mercy, His patience, His forbearance have had no effect. They hate the very authority of God.
They are willing to be tormented because there must be something that they enjoy more - that is to hate forever the authority of God. Forget about any other attributes of God. They love to hate God's authority more than love their own well-being.
Maybe they have sunken to a level of rebellion that their very purpose of existence is to be against the authority of God.
"they blasphemed the name of God, who has the authority ... and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."
It is repeated in the fifth bowl.
Again as in the fourth bowl of the final wrath of God upon Antichrist, so the fifth bowl. The punished rebels are willing to undergo anything to avoid the agony of acknowledging God, and repenting of their sins.
It is a horrific sight. But I have to believe it.
And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.
And BLASPHEMED the God of heaven for their pains and for their sores, and they did not repent of their works." (Rev. 16:10,11)
They will not repent.
They have what they want - to live without God, without His love, holiness, and glory, without His eternal righteousness.
But reading Revelation closely, we do see that the final outpouring of God's anger will cause some to repent. God has to be faithful and reveal to us that there are the hardest of the hardest who will not turn their hearts to God in repentance no matter what.
The third verse in Revelation 16 showing the perpetual blaspheming of God is the last verse 21 at the pouring out of the final seventh bowl of God's judgment over the earth.
Putting the three verses on the final unrepentant blaspheming of sinners is revealing. Some will never repent.
Verse 9 - "And men were burned with great heat, and they BLASPHEMED the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."
Verse 11 - And BLASPHEMED the God of heaven for their pains and for their sores; and they did not repent of their works."
Verse 21 - "And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, came down out of heaven upon men; and men BLASPHEMED God for the plague of the hail, because the plague of it is exceedingly great."
What I don't fully understand is how God will cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Jesus is Lord, yet some go into eternity perpetually rebellious and blaspheming God.
No one can complain however, that the whole Bible shows nothing else about God reaching out to save man except by violent judgment. Some will intentionally see only this aspect. That is one extreme. The other extreme is to say this aspect doesn't exist at all in Scripture.
These are two extremes on opposite ends of the issue - Nothing but God's wrath and the non-existence of God's wrath.
Take the middle way.
@sonship saidYour god is a vicious SOB. Kind of like Kim Jong Un.
The third verse in Revelation 16 showing the perpetual blaspheming of God is the last verse 21 at the pouring out of the final seventh bowl of God's judgment over the earth.
Putting the three verses on the final unrepentant blaspheming of sinners is revealing. Some will never repent.
Verse 9 - [b]"And men were burned with great heat, and they BLASPHEMED the ...[text shortened]... f the issue - Nothing but God's wrath and the non-existence of God's wrath.
Take the middle way.
"Worship me or I will hurt you" is his mantra.
If you worship that god then you are a deluded fool.
Your god is a vicious SOB. Kind of like Kim Jong Un.
My God is Jesus Christ. And equating Jesus Christ with Kim Jong Un reveals more about the spiritual and moral blackness of your own heart then about my God.
"Worship me or I will hurt you" is his mantra.
If you worship that god then you are a deluded fool.
You're talking like an idiot.
Jump out of this 10th story building window and the law of gravity will pull you down to your death. But you're free to jump.
So you jump to your death, cursing the law of gravity on the way down.
God has His laws. God also has His way of redemption which you spurn and blaspheme.
@sonship saidAnd you are talking like a deluded fool.
@caissad4Your god is a vicious SOB. Kind of like Kim Jong Un.
My God is Jesus Christ. And equating Jesus Christ with Kim Jong Un reveals more about the spiritual and moral blackness of your own heart then about my God.
"Worship me or I will hurt you" is his mantra.
If you worship that god then you are a deluded fool.
You're ...[text shortened]... he way down.
God has His laws. God also has His way of redemption which you spurn and blaspheme.
@sonship saidCan you clearly validate this claim (through scripture) that God is depicted as existing everywhere, as opposed to having a distinct location?
@divegeester
Bump for you
What is not in the presence of a God who is omnipresent ?