Heaven and Hell

[mandy2]

So I know that God loves us so so much! I know! I love Him too!!! But the thought of hell scares the heck out of me. Like we hear that God loves all of us the same whether we are living holy or in complete sin. Well if someone is living in complete sin and never confess it, they may not go to Heaven and are out of Gods love forever.
I just get so scared in thinking that so many people go to hell. Like that is forever…and ever…and ever
In the bible it says the gates of Heaven are narrow and the gates of hell are wide. That many are invited into Gods kingdom, but only a few enter…
Even if I do make it to Heaven…what about all those fallen?

 

[1love]

God loves us so dearly that He gave us free will. We are able to choose whether we want to unite ourselves to Him by following His commandments, or separate ourselves from Him by sin. God has proved Himself to be loving and merciful and we must trust that if someone is worthy of Heaven, they will get there by the grace of God. Have faith in deathbed conversions and last-minute confessions.
e
Those who are in Hell have chosen Hell. We cannot put ourselves above the mercy of God…in some cases, it would NOT be merciful for God to take a soul away from Hell if that person does not want to be with God. Maybe another poster will have a better memory of the specifics, but there was a saint who was shown a vision of Hell and the souls there were cursing God. The saint suggested that those souls would not have chosen Heaven even if they had experienced Hell and were given a second chance, because they had so much anger and hatred towards God.

Even if a person decides to commit suicide and does so hating God or not believing in Him, it is possible that in this person’s last moment of life, God gives him the grace to know God, and a last-minute conversion can be made.

As a priest said to me once: God LOVES you and He is merciful. He is not going to say “sorry, you can’t come in because you got too distracted while you were praying” or “you skipped a day in that novena so your intention doesn’t count.” God does not experience the same doubts, scruples, and distractions that we face on earth. It is hard to think of Him outside of the human realm but He does not think like us.

Hope that makes sense and helps you feel a little better.

 

[Robertanthony]

So I know that God loves us so so much! I know! I love Him too!!! But the thought of hell scares the heck out of me. Like we hear that God loves all of us the same whether we are living holy or in complete sin. Well if someone is living in complete sin and never confess it, they may not go to Heaven and are out of Gods love forever.
I just get so scared in thinking that so many people go to hell. Like that is forever…and ever…and ever
In the bible it says the gates of Heaven are narrow and the gates of hell are wide. That many are invited into Gods kingdom, but only a few enter…
Even if I do make it to Heaven…what about all those fallen?

This idea of the eternal character of hell, the eternal absence of hope trouble me greatly. For reasons too long to go over, hell is a real possiblity for me. That’s an overwhelming idea that so many who tried to get a hold of some hope in this life will find themselves miserable, helpless and without the slightest hint of hope after death. I would have liked a scenario different from the mafia-like one “Either you’re with me, or you will die a horrible death in hot oil”. Salvation is offered to all but the point is moot because many – through their personalities, psychological wounds, unique life experiences–will likely never give God a serious thought. But God is in charge, eternal punishment and unending misery for a 16 year old who dies with a mortal sin on their soul doesn’t bother him. What more is there to say? Some will try and sugar coat things by saying we choose hell, yet people end up in hell who didn’t even believe either in God or hell, yet that’ll be their eternal residence. God’s justice is unbelievably harsh for people who don’t change their ways.

 

[Zekariya]

But God is in charge, eternal punishment and unending misery for a 16 year old who dies with a mortal sin on their soul doesn’t bother him. What more is there to say?

Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them: As I live, says the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live.

God desires that sinners repent and live. If they want to remain in sin, God is not going to force their hand. God does not view men from the perspective of a man. He views them from the perspective of almighty God. God acts in perfect love and in perfect justice. An unjust God is no God at all.

If someone’s sins cause us sinners grief, how much grief does the same sin cause our loving, merciful, holy, and just God? We cannot expect God to act like a 21st century American, Canadian, etc.

 

[bzkoss236]

What about the guilty people in prison, how do you feel about them?

 

[TK421]

@Robert:

Your post shows that you have an incorrect understanding of Church teaching on the subject of God’s judgement in general, but I would note in particular in the last part that nobody is sugar coating anything when they say that Hell is chosen out of obstinacy. That is Scriptural and Traditional teaching. There will be zero souls that ever accidentally end up Hell or that slip through the cracks because of imperfect jurisprudence. Evil people go to Hell. Good people go to Heaven. God has provided everything and then some for people to receive His grace, and each person will go to where they belong. Hell exists and it is not mandatory to go there.

5 years ago I thought I would be psychologically incapable of ever accepting the existence of Hell without going insane, but here I am. Millions of people have walked the same path I did before me, and millions of people will walk the same path ahead of me. If this teaching seems unbearable to you, then you have to run toward God, not away from him.

I don’t expect you to have a complete change of attitude overnight. I know I didn’t, but I will pray for your discernment.

 

[mandy2]

God loves us so dearly that He gave us free will. We are able to choose whether we want to unite ourselves to Him by following His commandments, or separate ourselves from Him by sin. God has proved Himself to be loving and merciful and we must trust that if someone is worthy of Heaven, they will get there by the grace of God. Have faith in deathbed conversions and last-minute confessions.
e
Those who are in Hell have chosen Hell. We cannot put ourselves above the mercy of God…in some cases, it would NOT be merciful for God to take a soul away from Hell if that person does not want to be with God. Maybe another poster will have a better memory of the specifics, but there was a saint who was shown a vision of Hell and the souls there were cursing God. The saint suggested that those souls would not have chosen Heaven even if they had experienced Hell and were given a second chance, because they had so much anger and hatred towards God.

Even if a person decides to commit suicide and does so hating God or not believing in Him, it is possible that in this person’s last moment of life, God gives him the grace to know God, and a last-minute conversion can be made.

As a priest said to me once: God LOVES you and He is merciful. He is not going to say “sorry, you can’t come in because you got too distracted while you were praying” or “you skipped a day in that novena so your intention doesn’t count.” God does not experience the same doubts, scruples, and distractions that we face on earth. It is hard to think of Him outside of the human realm but He does not think like us.

Hope that makes sense and helps you feel a little better.

I love this! Thanks so much It does make me feel better! I guess that’s why we Catholics need to be examples to non-believers! As well as lukewarm believers

 

[soma]

In heaven there is not hell.

 

[ready]

So I know that God loves us so so much! I know! I love Him too!!! But the thought of hell scares the heck out of me. Like we hear that God loves all of us the same whether we are living holy or in complete sin. Well if someone is living in complete sin and never confess it, they may not go to Heaven and are out of Gods love forever.
I just get so scared in thinking that so many people go to hell. Like that is forever…and ever…and ever
In the bible it says the gates of Heaven are narrow and the gates of hell are wide. That many are invited into Gods kingdom, but only a few enter…
Even if I do make it to Heaven…what about all those fallen?

Pray and offer sacrifices for the people who are fallen. Your prayers and sacrifices can make a real difference. Our Lady of Fatima has asked us to do these two things. God bless you.