God in Hell

[DanielJT]

In the Apostle’s Creed, there is the line that says Jesus descended into hell. I’ve always loved this image of Christ entering into where He is hated and dominating.

So, here is my question. I’ve heard of hell being defined as, basically, “The absence of God” which I also have always liked and it makes a lot of sense to me. If that’s the case, how could Jesus (being God) descend into hell? Wouldn’t His mere presence negate the “hell as absence” aspect?

I think of a candle being carried into a dark room. Once the candle is in the room, it is no longer a dark room. Even if you acknowledge that parts of the room may still remain in shadow depending on the strength of the light, you still would not say that where the candle went was darkness.

How can God the Son be in hell if He is the one thing that just by being somewhere means that it is no longer hell?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[porthos11]

In the Apostle’s Creed, there is the line that says Jesus descended into hell. I’ve always loved this image of Christ entering into where He is hated and dominating.

So, here is my question. I’ve heard of hell being defined as, basically, “The absence of God” which I also have always liked and it makes a lot of sense to me. If that’s the case, how could Jesus (being God) descend into hell? Wouldn’t His mere presence negate the “hell as absence” aspect?

I think of a candle being carried into a dark room. Once the candle is in the room, it is no longer a dark room. Even if you acknowledge that parts of the room may still remain in shadow depending on the strength of the light, you still would not say that where the candle went was darkness.

How can God the Son be in hell if He is the one thing that just by being somewhere means that it is no longer hell?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Because the hell Jesus descended to is not the hell where the damned go, but Sheol, the world of the dead, also known as the limbo of the Fathers. He descended there to deliver the just souls who were waiting for his redemptive act. He went to deliver his message of redemption and deliver them from the world of the dead, or at least, proclaim to them that their release is near.

“Rise, let us leave this place.” — Jesus to Adam, “An ancient homily on Holy Saturday.”

 

[Ad_Orientem]

Actually, God *is *present in the hell of the damned, in that he holds it in existence, sees all that is in it, and has total control over it. But he is absent in the sense that the souls and spirits there are devoid of grace, charity, and the Beatific Vision, and have no hope of attaining them.

 

[thephilosopher6]

Actually, God *is *present in the hell of the damned, in that he holds it in existence, sees all that is in it, and has total control over it. But he is absent in the sense that the souls and spirits there are devoid of grace, charity, and the Beatific Vision, and have no hope of attaining them.

Many Eastern Christians believe that God is present in hell and so is his love. But, his love is like a fire to those in hell because they rejected him. His love is spiritually painful to them and this is their suffering.

 

[ffg]

A question at the parish mission this year that caught everyone off guard -

Does God love those in Hell?

You had your grumbling and uncomfortable folks thinking about it.

But if you are ever asked if God loves xxxxxxxxxx -

The answer is always - YES!

Love is the trigger word there, not the object. If God loves and if God is perfect, then that perfect love never becomes ‘not perfect love’ or conditional.

Though I think the OP is focused on the descent, which of course has purpose in that the gates of Heaven are opened with the sacrifice (relationship between humans and God set back to ‘available’), so God goes to those waiting for the gates to open, since He is a good host, and greets them.

So the word ‘hell’ is used, but is not the same place necessarily as those who reject God forever.

In a similar way that the word McDonald’s is used, but we don’t all go the same one and some might as well be for the damned. (admit it, you do go)

Take care,

Mike

 

[hasantas]

Jesus was human and prophet and all human will drive through on the bridge which is fixed above Hell but evil and unbelivers will fall into it.

 

[fred_conty]

In the Apostle’s Creed, there is the line that says Jesus descended into hell. I’ve always loved this image of Christ entering into where He is hated and dominating.

So, here is my question. I’ve heard of hell being defined as, basically, “The absence of God” which I also have always liked and it makes a lot of sense to me. If that’s the case, how could Jesus (being God) descend into hell? Wouldn’t His mere presence negate the “hell as absence” aspect?

I think of a candle being carried into a dark room. Once the candle is in the room, it is no longer a dark room. Even if you acknowledge that parts of the room may still remain in shadow depending on the strength of the light, you still would not say that where the candle went was darkness.

How can God the Son be in hell if He is the one thing that just by being somewhere means that it is no longer hell?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

The “hell” that is spoke of in the Apostle’s Creed is a name given to a place that held all the good people who were waiting for the Messiah to free them. It isn’t the firey hell where the bad people go that we refer to today. It was totally different.

The bad people who died before the coming of the Messiah really went to the bad firey hell, and Jesus did not descend to them. He desended only to those in a special place where the good people were which was labeled a “hell” because they were not yet in heaven.

 

[Amer1ca]

I disagree that God is in Hell. We must remember that there is is a day where all men who God deems so will be cut off from Heaven forever. Just look at the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. We must we remember the goodness and the severity of God and that there are a million roads in Hell but only one road into Heaven.

 

[Amer1ca]

A question at the parish mission this year that caught everyone off guard -

Does God love those in Hell?

The answer is always - YES!

So the word ‘hell’ is used, but is not the same place necessarily as those who reject God forever.

In a similar way that the word McDonald’s is used, but we don’t all go the same one and some might as well be for the damned. (admit it, you do go)

Take care,

Mike

Please give us scripture and verse for your beliefs because I completely disagree with you. Unfortunately, I feel this is the common teaching of Christianity that has turned too meek. For some reason we have lost sight on Hell as Catholics and believe that pretty much everyone is going to Heaven. Why would you be in Hell if God loved you? Remember that in Isiah 5:14 Hell is always getting larger because so many people are sent there. When Jesus comes in the Book of Revelations he is on a throne of Justice and not on a throne of mercy.

 

[ffg]

Please give us scripture and verse for your beliefs because I completely disagree with you. Unfortunately, I feel this is the common teaching of Christianity that has turned too meek. For some reason we have lost sight on Hell as Catholics and believe that pretty much everyone is going to Heaven. Why would you be in Hell if God loved you? Remember that in Isiah 5:14 Hell is always getting larger because so many people are sent there. When Jesus comes in the Book of Revelations he is on a throne of Justice and not on a throne of mercy.

Thanks for the reply!

For clarity, I have never posted and don’t think, that most go to heaven, those are your pixels of opinion on ‘Catholics’.

God loves period. You really need a bible verse on that?

Maybe you could provide one where God loves conditionally?

God loving, doesn’t mean that those who he loves, love Him back. That would include those who choose hell.

God can’t - not love! Love is action and God is Love.

Take care,

Mike

 

[Bob_Crowley]

Actually, God *is *present in the hell of the damned, in that he holds it in existence, sees all that is in it, and has total control over it. But he is absent in the sense that the souls and spirits there are devoid of grace, charity, and the Beatific Vision, and have no hope of attaining them.

I agree with this. I also think He places some limits on what the devil can do to the damned.

I’ve said ad infinitum that the night my own father died, he appeared in my room. He started with an apology, we talked and argued, and at the very end he gave this absolutely terrifying scream and then just disappeared. It was obvious something was coming for him, but which I couldn’t see as I just saw him during the entire episode.

I think he’s in hell frankly. He certainly fulfilled all the conditions.

However he wasn’t an Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, Josef Stalin, Pol Pot or Al Capone. I find it a bit hard to stomach that he would receive exactly the same punishment as they would.

So I think God places limits on what the devil can do to his charges, depending on the gravity of their own sins. To do that He would in some sense have to be present in hell.