What does the hell doctrine say about the character of God?

[Bruce-Leiter]

Hell is absolutely literal and EVERLASTING! ZERO proof otherwise.

You're right that hell is a literal place, I agree, but the pictures of it as a lake of fire and a place of outer darkness may be God's way of teaching us things about hell. Those are figurative ways of describing a spiritual reality. I was an English teacher before becoming a pastor and learned a lot about biblical interpretation in both of those occupations. Talking about language being figurative doesn't mean that they aren't real but that they are being compared to physical things.

 

[Windmill Charge]

What sort of God would create such a thing? Eternal torment with no hope of escape?
An eternal punishment for a finite crime? Something is very wrong here.

And what about those who had never heard? We were told that those who rejected Christ would suffer eternally.
But what about those who had NEVER heard? (countless billions

Is an offence against an infinite God finite?

The bible is clear that All creation speaks of God and of his glory, so how can any person really be ignorant of God.

 

[Jack]

The topic question is:

What does the hell doctrine say about the character of God?​

I think the hell doctrine says horrible things about God.

Good luck on Judgment Day when you stand before Him who drowned all but 8 on Earth and burned Sodom alive "making them an example"!

This is hard to process, because we grew up in a church that taught the hell doctrine.

Sounds like a good church. You should have paid attention!

From the youngest age I understood the hell doctrine and didn't question it.

But now that I am older and can evaluate my religious upbringing, I have questions.
Since it was a common teaching, we all took the hell doctrine to be true.

Further analysis made me wonder about it. God created all things.
So hell, if it was real, was part of his creation. Oh boy... ????

What sort of God would create such a thing? Eternal torment with no hope of escape?
An eternal punishment for a finite crime? Something is very wrong here.

And what about those who had never heard? We were told that those who rejected Christ would suffer eternally.
But what about those who had NEVER heard? (countless billions)

The whole thing begins to fall apart when you examine it.

[

IOW you REJECT the Christian Bible but call yourself Christian? How did you get so confused?

 

[St. SteVen]

St. SteVen said:

What sort of God would create such a thing? Eternal torment with no hope of escape?
An eternal punishment for a finite crime? Something is very wrong here.

And what about those who had never heard? We were told that those who rejected Christ would suffer eternally.
But what about those who had NEVER heard? (countless billions

Is an offence against an infinite God finite?

LOL
The blame the victim apologetic. I'm familiar.
An attempt to whitewash hell.

The bible is clear that All creation speaks of God and of his glory, so how can any person really be ignorant of God.

Another familiar apologetic. "... men are without excuse."
Is recognizing the creator God in creation all that is required?

[

 

[Jack]

What sort of God would create such a thing? Eternal torment with no hope of escape?

That would be God of the Christian Bible that you reject! So then, why do you claim to be Christian???

 

[Bruce-Leiter]

Is an offence against an infinite God finite?

The bible is clear that All creation speaks of God and of his glory, so how can any person really be ignorant of God.

Is an offence against an infinite God finite?

The bible is clear that All creation speaks of God and of his glory, so how can any person really be ignorant of God.

I don't know what your question is getting at. "Infinite" to me means "unlimited." No human offense can be unlimited. You're right that God, our Creator, shows himself all the time, his divine creative power and majesty, through his creation (Romans 1:18-20). Paul says that humans are without excuse in rejecting him and replacing him with created things and people, which is the primary sin of humans.

 

[Windmill Charge]

don't know what your question is getting at. "Infinite" to me means "unlimited." No human offense can be unlimited.

If I punch you I would be rightfully done for that crime, however should I manage to punch the president the crime and the punishment is far greater than my assault against you.

God is infinite and a sin against God is constantly an infinity sin.

 

[Windmill Charge]

An eternal punishment for a finite crime? Something is very wrong here.

Yet the sin is not finite. It is an offence against an infinitely Holy God and in consequence is an infinite sin deserving an infinite punishment.

Yes something is very wrong.

Your concept of God is based on human, on man's views rather than on what is reveal in the bible.
You forget that God does not have to save anyone, we all deserve judgement and eternal separation from God.

It is only his mercy and grace that we get to live out ' our ' lives and to receive his salvation.

If you're going to Jake judgements about God then use the bible and make a right judgement.

 

[St. SteVen]

Yet the sin is not finite. It is an offence against an infinitely Holy God and in consequence is an infinite sin deserving an infinite punishment.

There is nothing just about that.

[

 

[Eternally Grateful]

There is nothing just about that.

[

Your looking at it wrong.

The word says whoever does not keep every word of the law by obeying it is cursed.

The word says if you keep the whole law yet stumble (accident) in one point,. your guilty of the whole law

The word says the wage of sin is death.

So if the wage of one sin is death, if the wage of 1 sin causes us to be bursed by the law

imagine the wage of the many sins we all have committed being stacked on one another.

I mean lets think about it. If I have been sentenced to death for over 100 crimes. Is it just that I be allowed to live and not be required to pay for my crimes?

Yet you think it is unjust for God to do this very thing?

 

[Windmill Charge]

There is nothing just about that.

[

That is only your opinion.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Mankind is not an interloper in the lake; he is a willing follower of his slave master, Satan. The picture of a lake of fire is God's just justice against Satan and all who are his slaves. Hell is also pictured as outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Read Matthew's gospel and Jesus' description.)

Well given that Jesus said:

Matthew 25:40-42

King James Version

​

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

The lake of fire was not prepared for man, but for the devils. In that reality man is an interloper who earned his way into the lake.

 

[Bruce-Leiter]

If I punch you I would be rightfully done for that crime, however should I manage to punch the president the crime and the punishment is far greater than my assault against you.

God is infinite and a sin against God is constantly an infinity sin.

If I punch you I would be rightfully done for that crime, however should I manage to punch the president the crime and the punishment is far greater than my assault against you.

God is infinite and a sin against God is constantly an infinity sin.

I see what you mean; the penalty must also be "infinite." You have a good point.

 

[St. SteVen]

That is only your opinion.

Explain what is just about this.

Windmill Charge said:
Yet the sin is not finite. It is an offence against an infinitely Holy God and in consequence is an infinite sin deserving an infinite punishment.

[

 

[Windmill Charge]

Explain what is just about this.

Windmill Charge said:
Yet the sin is not finite. It is an offence against an infinitely Holy God and in consequence is an infinite sin deserving an infinite punishment.

[

Punishments in this life often reflect the seriousness of the crime.
We are not all equal. A crime against you would be punished differently to a crime against the president
Not because who is is, but alsobecause of his office.

A finite offence against God becomes infinite because of who and what God is.

 

[St. SteVen]

Punishments in this life often reflect the seriousness of the crime.
We are not all equal. A crime against you would be punished differently to a crime against the president
Not because who is is, but alsobecause of his office.

A finite offence against God becomes infinite because of who and what God is.

You paint a very ugly picture of God with your words.
Is that the best you can do?

[

 

[Behold]

What sort of monster would create such a thing? The most sadist tyrant imaginable.

Only a "deceived" would state, and on a public forum, that God is a "sadist - tyrant".

The issue with people like this, is that they dont know Him, but they pretend they do.


What ive noticed is that people who are afraid they are going to Hell, try to get rid of it.

No need ... As Hell is going to be cast into the Lake of Fire, with all the unbelievers in it.....

So, God will be getting rid of it, once the last Christ Rejecting Unbeliever, never born again, ends up there.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

You paint a very ugly picture of God with your words.
Is that the best you can do?

[

If only,

sorry God does not lower himself to your standards.

I praise him that he is a righteous God. While also being a loving God.

the perfect judge, as well as the perfect sacrifice to those who will recieve him.

 

[St. SteVen]

sorry God does not lower himself to your standards.

Did Jesus teach us to love our enemies?
Why would he hold us to higher standard than he holds himself?

[

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Did Jesus teach us to love our enemies?

He taught us to do what he did

he loved his enemies

Why would he hold us to higher standard than he holds himself?

[

Because he also punished his enemies. Unless they repented.

Why would you hold a lower standard than that.

Why do you think God will not punish those who reject him? Who are his enemy.