Hell is not a Choice according to Jesus Parable?

[devonsams]

Hello, my friend send me this verse:

Luke 13:23-24 and 28, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many,** I say unto you, many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able …** There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.”

This means that it will have people going to hell against their will because they will be begging to go to heaven but the owner won’t allow them.
And I always thought that Hell was a free-will choice.

Anyone can help me with that? Thank you!

 

[thistle]

Hello, my friend send me this verse:

Luke 13:23-24 and 28, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many,** I say unto you, many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able …** There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.”

This means that it will have people going to hell against their will because they will be begging to go to heaven but the owner won’t allow them.
And I always thought that Hell was a free-will choice.

Anyone can help me with that? Thank you!

That absolutely means the opposite. The reason many will not be able to enter is that they have freely chosen to commit a mortal sin and die unrepentant. Anyone dying in a state of mortal sin will not be saved but go immediately to Hell.

 

[Simca]

As the above poster says, this parable refers to one’s desire’s after death and judgement. Those who lived unrighteous lives and were cast into the ‘‘outer darkness’’, will then desire to repent and enter heaven, but it will be too late.

 

[Flagstone]

As the above poster says, this parable refers to one’s desire’s after death and judgement. Those who lived unrighteous lives and were cast into the ‘‘outer darkness’’, will then desire to repent and enter heaven, but it will be too late.

Why is there a time limit? Many say God gives people what they want. That doesn’t appear to be true in this case.

 

[seagal]

Why is there a time limit? Many say God gives people what they want. That doesn’t appear to be true in this case.

Actually it is true. People who freely choose not to follow God get exactly what they want.

 

[Richard_White]

Why is there a time limit? Many say God gives people what they want. That doesn’t appear to be true in this case.

When you are dead, your time for repentance is up. You will be judged immediately according to your faith and works and will then go to wither Heaven, Hell, or (temporarily) Purgatory.

Yes, God will provide for all that we need. However, He does not just give us whatever we want; He gives us the necessarily gifts, talents, blessings miracles, etc., to follow Him properly according to His Divine Will for us. He knows best what is going to make us truly happy.

May God bless you and lead you to the Truths of Catholicism!

 

[petra22]

Lord, have mercy!

 

[prometheus1]

Many say God gives people what they want. That doesn’t appear to be true in this case.

Really? Let me try to answer your question…which is ironic, as I am atheist, and you are agnostic!

God does not give us what we want…read the Lord’s Prayer, the words are ‘thy will be done’…hence everything should be done in grace of God (otherwise the words would be ‘my will be done’)…when people pray, they are beseeching God for a variety of reasons…but then it is left in God’s hands as to whether the prayer is answered.

If God did indeed give us what we wanted…selfishly I would be the most devout 6’4’’ international superstar millionaire in the world.
And I am not!

 

[prometheus1]

Actually it is true. People who freely choose not to follow God get exactly what they want.

You are right, my friend…after my death I will get exactly what I want…my atoms will again be at one with this beautiful universe…and as matter cannot be destroyed or created, it can only change form…I may end up in a super nova … or an atom in the air that my loved ones breathe in.
As I have spent many years discounting God in my life, and trying to keep religion from young, impressionable minds I doubt whether He will want me.

And if I am wrong, as so many have told me…then I will have a little time to think on the error of my ways.

 

[seagal]

You are right, my friend…after my death I will get exactly what I want…my atoms will again be at one with this beautiful universe…and as matter cannot be destroyed or created, it can only change form…I may end up in a super nova … or an atom in the air that my loved ones breathe in.
As I have spent many years discounting God in my life, and trying to keep religion from young, impressionable minds I doubt whether He will want me.

And if I am wrong, as so many have told me…then I will have a little time to think on the error of my ways.

Actually he does want you, even though you reject him. But he won’t force you to accept him. Praying for you.

 

[prometheus1]

Actually he does want you, even though you reject him. But he won’t force you to accept him. Praying for you.

Thank you…and in time I may find something that changes my mind…I hope God stays with you.

 

[seagal]

Thank you…and in time I may find something that changes my mind…I hope God stays with you.

Thank you

 

[coachdennis]

Thank you…and in time I may find something that changes my mind…I hope God stays with you.

The issue is never God “staying with us”. His offer of a relationship (covenant) is continuous) It is whether we stay with God. It is our response that is our choice.

 

[prometheus1]

The issue is never God “staying with us”. His offer of a relationship (covenant) is continuous) It is whether we stay with God. It is our response that is our choice.

Thank you for that explanation…my response in future will be, ‘I hope you maintain your covenant with God’.

 

[Cricket2]

Hello, my friend send me this verse:

Luke 13:23-24 and 28, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many,** I say unto you, many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able …** There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.”

This means that it will have people going to hell against their will because they will be begging to go to heaven but the owner won’t allow them.
And I always thought that Hell was a free-will choice.

Anyone can help me with that? Thank you!

No. It is about the choices they make. They may be called, but the difficulties of life and choices they make in that life because of those difficulties will be the reason they can’t enter. People have a tendency to pick and choose what they are comfortable with in terms of Faith. But they will sway if things get hard or are not to their liking. We all do it.

Please keep in mind the scriptures that remind us that those who turn from their wicked ways can be saved, but those who turn from doing good can be lost; or that God puts before us life and death and we are the ones that choose which way we go. Hell is something we choose or reject. Everyday that challenge is before us.

 

[Flagstone]

Actually it is true. People who freely choose not to follow God get exactly what they want.

I’m not sure I agree. I think many would want annihilation following this life. If a person wants that do they get it?

 

[Peter_Plato]

You are right, my friend…after my death I will get exactly what I want…my atoms will again be at one with this beautiful universe…and as matter cannot be destroyed or created, it can only change form…I may end up in a super nova … or an atom in the air that my loved ones breathe in.
As I have spent many years discounting God in my life, and trying to keep religion from young, impressionable minds I doubt whether He will want me.

And if I am wrong, as so many have told me…then I will have a little time to think on the error of my ways.

If God exists, are you certain that it is wise to wager your eternal destiny based upon the possibility that your puny 1400 gram brain - am I being generous here? - and relatively short (20-90 years) experience is far superior to anything that God (defined as omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent Actus Purus) could possibly muster in terms of persuasive reasoning or end result?

Leaving aside for a moment the question of whether your 1400 gram brain, dependent as it is on limited information from your senses, is capable of comprehending what it means to be omniscient, omnipotent or omnibenevolent, let alone capable of comprehending for certain whether such a One exists, I would question your ability to be so certain about anything beyond what colour of socks you are wearing.

As a mere observer to this “match-up,” my only response is to express my shock at the sheer audacity of your unwarranted belligerence. You are picking a battle (discounting God, keeping impressionable others from him) and making an enemy where he remains decidedly unwilling to take you on - in fact, passively underwent crucifixion for you.

As a bookmaker, I would call it a no contest and even wonder why you would make yourself the instigator of this match-up when God offers you a gift of sharing in his divine, eternal life?

Perhaps it is your bellicose nature that leads you to think that a God who remains unresponsive in the face of lashes, a crown of thorns and nails will be a pushover for you, as well, but you forget that permitting something to occur out of love when everything is in your power is not the same thing as weakness.

 

[Peter_Plato]

I’m not sure I agree. I think many would want annihilation following this life. If a person wants that do they get it?

Perhaps Hell is the absolute knowledge of what you missed out on because you unwisely and ungraciously dismissed the possibility that God could be merciful and generous beyond all of your measures.

You “want annihilation” based upon what? The promise of what you think you should have right now? Sounds self-absorbed to me.

Jesus said something about losing yourself to find yourself.

Sounds to me that your perspective - while on the surface appearing to be faultless - is actually ungracious. “If I can’t have what I want, the way I want it, I will take nothing instead.”
You didn’t ask for this life, but you got it. Instead of seeing the wonder and unfathomable gift that “being yourself” is, it would appear ungrateful to look at all that it isn’t at each moment in time and from that decide to toss away the gift of being as rubbish, preferring “nothing” instead.

 

[Zachary]

You are right, my friend…after my death I will get exactly what I want…my atoms will again be at one with this beautiful universe…and as matter cannot be destroyed or created, it can only change form…I may end up in a super nova … or an atom in the air that my loved ones breathe in.
As I have spent many years discounting God in my life, and trying to keep religion from young, impressionable minds I doubt whether He will want me.

And if I am wrong, as so many have told me…then I will have a little time to think on the error of my ways.

Put that line of thinking to its logical conclusion and you could also end up the foul air your family “swats” away, a stray bullet that kills an innocent child or a shovel in a stable. I don’t mean to make light of your beautiful imagery (poetic, almost). But if you believe you might end up your great-grand-daughters diamond ring, you have to allow that you might turn into her uterine cancer instead.

God promises eternal joy and warns that the only other choice is eternal fire.

I had to add this edit: some of your other replies are so well put. It had me wondering if you really are an atheist or just not fully aware of the depths of your own theism. I’ve seen many people totally flame out trying to say things you put is a few simple lines.

 

[Flagstone]

Perhaps Hell is the absolute knowledge of what you missed out on because you unwisely and ungraciously dismissed the possibility that God could be merciful and generous beyond all of your measures.

You “want annihilation” based upon what? The promise of what you think you should have right now? Sounds self-absorbed to me.

Jesus said something about losing yourself to find yourself.

Sounds to me that your perspective - while on the surface appearing to be faultless - is actually ungracious. “If I can’t have what I want, the way I want it, I will take nothing instead.”
You didn’t ask for this life, but you got it. Instead of seeing the wonder and unfathomable gift that “being yourself” is, it would appear ungrateful to look at all that it isn’t at each moment in time and from that decide to toss away the gift of being as rubbish, preferring “nothing” instead.

You make some insightful points. They hit close to home. Kinda eerie actually.