How was hell created?

[mary77]

many years ago i had a dream i was in a lake area and there were people all around a hill up from the lake and i began to see and hear them smiling then as soon as they passed someone they would turn frightening with ill intent and i realized they were all horrible and untrustworthy and i awoke and felt like thiat I had just glimpsed hell.

 

[Wesrock]

At the very least we have God creating a world in which he knows that is going to happen. It’s not an “oops.” It’s, “yes, that will happen, I know who it will happen to, and I intend to make it that way.” He must in some manner will it otherwise it would not be. Furthermore, we typically do teach punishments for sin beyond simply the pain of loss. Even if it is only the pain of loss, that is still an intentional result within the order of his creation. Justice is related to the proper ordering of the world, which is a good, and punishment is consistent with that and not in opposition to God’s love and goodness.

 

[IWantGod]

Furthermore, we typically do teach punishments for sin beyond simply the pain of loss. Justice is related to the proper ordering of the world, and punishment is consistent with that and not in opposition to God’s love and goodness.

I’m saying that punishment for sin is really a natural consequence of Gods nature. I don’t think God wills the existence of hell as a possible end in itself. I think God only wills heaven and anything incompatible with that will naturally lead to eternal suffering. That is God’s justice.

In other words i don’t believe that hell is artificial or something that God could decide to create. It’s a natural consequence of sin.

 

[lelinator]

I’m saying that punishment for sin is really a natural consequence of Gods nature. I don’t think God wills the existence of hell as a possible end in itself.

But when you will one, knowing that the other will be an inescapable result, then you are in fact willing them both. Hell is just as much an intended outcome as heaven is.

Also it negates the notion of a just punishment, because it doesn’t matter whether God believes the punishment is just or not, the outcome is unavoidable…just or not.

 

[IWantGod]

Also it negates the notion of a just punishment, because it doesn’t matter whether God believes the punishment is just or not, the outcome is unavoidable…just or not.

Whatever isn’t good is unjust. Hell is simply the natural consequence of sin. It’s incompatible with God because God is love. Justice is the impossibility of evil attaining heaven. It’s natural justice, not something contrived or artificial. God didn’t just make it up, but rather justice is a natural consequence of God’s nature.

 

[lelinator]

Whatever isn’t good is unjust.

Well that’s certainly black and white, seemingly leaving room for only pure good or pure evil, because anything less than pure good would by necessity be evil.

Now if we humans are incapable of being pure good, then aren’t we all destined for hell?

 

[IWantGod]

Now if we humans are incapable of being pure good, then aren’t we all destined for hell?

Mercy is also a natural consequence of God’s nature since love is merciful by nature, and certainly without God’s intervening grace we would all be destined for hell.

 

[lelinator]

Mercy is also a natural consequence of God’s nature since love is merciful by nature, and certainly without God’s intervening grace we would all be destined for hell.

So part of justice is mercy, and God can extend His mercy to whomsoever He chooses. The implication being that God chooses not to extend His mercy to those in hell. Which means that hell isn’t simply a natural outcome of sin, it’s a direct choice by God.

 

[IWantGod]

At the very least we have God creating a world in which he knows that is going to happen. It’s not an “oops.” It’s, “yes, that will happen, I know who it will happen to, and I intend to make it that way.”

God willingly created us knowing that his nature eternally rejects sin, and since his nature is identical to his will, it is correct to say that it is God’s will to reject sin knowing the consequences. But i don’t think that is the same thing as creating hell. I don’t believe that hell is artificial.

 

[IWantGod]

The implication being that God chooses not to extend His mercy to those in hell.

God eternally extends his mercy to everyone. Those in hell have eternally rejected his mercy and are eternally bound by their sin.

 

[Wesrock]

IWantGod:

Mercy is also a natural consequence of God’s nature since love is merciful by nature, and certainly without God’s intervening grace we would all be destined for hell.

So part of justice is mercy, and God can extend His mercy to whomsoever He chooses. The implication being that God chooses not to extend His mercy to those in hell. Which means that hell isn’t simply a natural outcome of sin, it’s a direct choice by God.

You can distinguish between natural consequences and supernatural election.

I’ve more to say on the subject in general but I got to go for now.

 

[lelinator]

I’ve more to say on the subject in general but I got to go for now.

Seeing as how another one of my posts got flagged I’ll be gone for now as well.