If There Is No Heaven Will You Still Love God?

[Bruno_Schulz]

**

Why do you love God. Is it because of the promise of Heaven or do you love Him just for Himself alone. That is why I asked you before, you should find out tomorrow that there is no afterlife, would you stop loving Him.But please bear in mind this is an IF

so you cannot say "but we know that there is afterlife because of Divine Revelation.
I think this is what some people overlook in this discussion. This IF.

No - I id not overlook the IF in your question, nor did others. Such IF-questions however ar so far of reality, that hardly anyone cares to think about it, for such questions can not be answered because they are to far off any reason and therefor all answers must be wrong.

But even as I do not see any sense in -IF-questions, I did answer it at great length in my last post #352 - See there (above)

**

 

[The_Catholic]

Peace of Christ to everyone who visits this thread!

A priest once gave this one liner homily (can’t remember now what the readings were) for the faithful to ponder upon.

I have asked the same question of a few friends and got some good and some quite angry reactions. One said the question was stupid.

The question of course is purely hypothetical and every Christian knows there is a heaven.

But hypothetically, if there is no heaven, if this life here on earth is the only life that God is giving us, would you still love God and follow His commands?

Looking forward to some interesting responses.

This is interesting. First, it would have to be that I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that god exists. I believe in Him, yes, with all my heart, but one of my biggest–the most–hope I have is SEEING Him and being with Him. Were one to say that he exists, but this is the only life you get, and you are never to see Him, I would think it was all made up. If I saw Him, could be with Him, well, I’d be sad that He would one day be killing me forever more, but I would still worship Him.

 

[The_Catholic]

But this answer does not address the validity of the question. The only point I am trying to make in citing this question in the Summa is that pondering questions outside of Divine revelation is a valid exercise.

Also, you did not answer my question as to why you love God.

Why do you love God. Is it because of the promise of Heaven or do you love Him just for Himself alone. That is why I asked you before, IF you should find out tomorrow that there is no afterlife, would you stop loving Him.

But please bear in mind this is an IF so you cannot say “but we know that there is afterlife because of Divine Revelation.”

I think this is what some people overlook in this discussion. This IF.

I love God because His ways, His wisdom, His being is perfect. He loves, knows what is best for humanity, creates such wonder, and is beyond beauty. I don’t care about any reward in Heaven, not at all. I just want to rest my head beside Him, and if He desires to cast me to sleep forever, then I only pray to be with Him for just a little while, and to hear that I’ll forever rest beside Him, even though I’d be gone.

 

[benedictus2]

I love God because His ways, His wisdom, His being is perfect. He loves, knows what is best for humanity, creates such wonder, and is beyond beauty. I don’t care about any reward in Heaven, not at all. I just want to rest my head beside Him, and if He desires to cast me to sleep forever, then I only pray to be with Him for just a little while, and to hear that I’ll forever rest beside Him, even though I’d be gone.

Beautiful!!!

 

[The_Catholic]

Beautiful!!!

 

[fhansen]

**I don’t get it. Our faith calls death the ultimate enemy which Christ conquered. His sacrifice-His revelation of divine love which is intrinsically connected to the offer of eternal life and happiness with God to those who’ll accept it-is the greatest solution to the “problem of evil” any faith proposes.

And yet we should be willing to embrace a God who desires to annihilate us-to embrace the very death our faith calls evil? Something’s wrong with this picture.**

 

[benedictus2]

**I don’t get it. Our faith calls death the ultimate enemy which Christ conquered. His sacrifice-His revelation of divine love which is intrinsically connected to the offer of eternal life and happiness with God to those who’ll accept it-is the greatest solution to the “problem of evil” any faith proposes. **

And yet we should be willing to embrace a God who desires to annihilate us-to embrace the very death our faith calls evil? Something’s wrong with this picture.

But this is why the question is a what if. We are shall we say, stepping back from Divine Revelation a bit.

Also, what Christ conquered is not death as in annihilation but death as in damnation. Two different things. Without Christ we would have all been destined for hell not oblivion.

 

[nancy_dalrymple]

doing good doesn’t get you into heaven.

Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Hello Jerry no doing good does not get you to heaven Beleiving in Christ does but he said not to be weary in good doings for in due season you shall reap your reward. I think it helps in heaven because if we just thought we could just go to heaven and not help anyone on earth we are mistaken you know what he said to do.LOVE THY NEIGHBOR,DO NOT COMMIT ADULTRY ETC AND IF YOU TRY TO DO THE PERFECT WILL OF THE FATHER YOU ARE DOING good.Just think of the rewards you can place at the Lords feet for all he has done for us so we could live forever.We should do all we can to show appreciation,and to try to please him. The decipals went without alot because they wanted to please God.Most gave their lives to show how much they realy beleived and wanted to please him first The Joy of the Lord is 1:JESUS FIRST 2:Others Second 3:You Last= the joy of the Lord. Spread the joy Give to food pantrys and cloth someone you might know needs a new coat or help the homeless find a home,or help someone find Jesus,or Listen to this: THE COLD WITHIN: SIX FOLKS SAT BY A CAMPFIRE IN DARK AND BITTER COLD; EACH ONE POSESSED A STICK OF WOOD MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD; THEIR FIRE WAS GOING OUT FOR LACK OF WOOD BUT THE FIRST WOMAN HELD HER STICK BACK;FOR SHE LOOKED AT THE FACES AROUND THE FIRE AND NOTICED ONE WAS BLACK; A SO CALLED CHRISTIAN LOOKED AROUND AND SAW NO ONE FROM HIS CHURCH; SO HE COULD NOT BRING HIMSELF TO OFFER HIS STICK OF BIRCH; A THIRD MAN SAT IN RAGGED CLOTHES AND HE GAVE HIS COAT A HITCH; HE THOUGHT WHY SHOULD MY STICK OF WOOD BE USED TO WARM THE IDLE RICH; THE RICH MAN THOUGHT AND THOUGHT OF THE WEALTH HE HAD IN STORE; HE WANTED TO KEEP ALL HE HAD EARNED FROM THE GOOD FOR NOTHING POOR; THE BLACK MANS FACE WAS ALL AGLOW AS THE FIRE PASSED FROM SIGHT; FOR ALL HE SAW IN HIS STICK OF WOOD WAS A CHANCE TO HURT THE WHITE; NOW THE LAST MAN IN THIS HATEFUL GROUP WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE COULD GAIN; FOR HE GAVE ONLY TO THOSE WHO GAVE TO HIM THAT WAS HOW HE PLAYED THE GAME; SO THE FIRE WENT OUT AND THEY ALL DIED AND THE ANGEL OF DEATH HOW HE DID GRIN; BECAUSE NOT ONE DIED FROM THE COLD OUT SIDE THEY ALL DIED FROM THE COLD WITHIN…You are Loved Nancy

 

[benedictus2]

Hello Jerry no doing good does not get you to heaven Beleiving in Christ does but he said not to be weary in good doings for in due season you shall reap your reward. I think it helps in heaven because if we just thought we could just go to heaven and not help anyone on earth we are mistaken you know what he said to do.LOVE THY NEIGHBOR,DO NOT COMMIT ADULTRY ETC AND IF YOU TRY TO DO THE PERFECT WILL OF THE FATHER YOU ARE DOING good.Just think of the rewards you can place at the Lords feet for all he has done for us so we could live forever.We should do all we can to show appreciation,and to try to please him. The decipals went without alot because they wanted to please God.Most gave their lives to show how much they realy beleived and wanted to please him first The Joy of the Lord is 1:JESUS FIRST 2:Others Second 3:You Last= the joy of the Lord. Spread the joy Give to food pantrys and cloth someone you might know needs a new coat or help the homeless find a home,or help someone find Jesus,or Listen to this: THE COLD WITHIN: SIX FOLKS SAT BY A CAMPFIRE IN DARK AND BITTER COLD; EACH ONE POSESSED A STICK OF WOOD MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD; THEIR FIRE WAS GOING OUT FOR LACK OF WOOD BUT THE FIRST WOMAN HELD HER STICK BACK;FOR SHE LOOKED AT THE FACES AROUND THE FIRE AND NOTICED ONE WAS BLACK; A SO CALLED CHRISTIAN LOOKED AROUND AND SAW NO ONE FROM HIS CHURCH; SO HE COULD NOT BRING HIMSELF TO OFFER HIS STICK OF BIRCH; A THIRD MAN SAT IN RAGGED CLOTHES AND HE GAVE HIS COAT A HITCH; HE THOUGHT WHY SHOULD MY STICK OF WOOD BE USED TO WARM THE IDLE RICH; THE RICH MAN THOUGHT AND THOUGHT OF THE WEALTH HE HAD IN STORE; HE WANTED TO KEEP ALL HE HAD EARNED FROM THE GOOD FOR NOTHING POOR; THE BLACK MANS FACE WAS ALL AGLOW AS THE FIRE PASSED FROM SIGHT; FOR ALL HE SAW IN HIS STICK OF WOOD WAS A CHANCE TO HURT THE WHITE; NOW THE LAST MAN IN THIS HATEFUL GROUP WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE COULD GAIN; FOR HE GAVE ONLY TO THOSE WHO GAVE TO HIM THAT WAS HOW HE PLAYED THE GAME; SO THE FIRE WENT OUT AND THEY ALL DIED AND THE ANGEL OF DEATH HOW HE DID GRIN; BECAUSE NOT ONE DIED FROM THE COLD OUT SIDE THEY ALL DIED FROM THE COLD WITHIN…You are Loved Nancy

Wow Nancy that is a wonderful post! :clapping:

 

[MindOverMatter]

If there was no heaven, there would be no such thing as God. So, how could i possibly love God?

 

[1edyson]

Yes. I love God, not necessarily to get into heaven, but because he is God, and he is Good. I’ve heard a lot of criticism of Christianity because some folks claim that Christians are only Christians because they are afraid of going to Hell and are scared into worship. I love to love, because God is Love.

 

[MindOverMatter]

Yes. I love God, not necessarily to get into heaven, but because he is God, and he is Good. I’ve heard a lot of criticism of Christianity because some folks claim that Christians are only Christians because they are afraid of going to Hell and are scared into worship. I love to love, because God is Love.

Whether we identify love with God or not; everybody, atheist and theist alike, learns to respect the good of love because of the benefits they gain from it. We learn to love Good; we learn to love God. We love God because of the benefits that come from loving God. To desire God or love, is to desire perfection and completeness. We are not complete without God, and so it is natural to desire God. Only God is good. Only God loves perfectly. And although God commands us to love like him, it is impossible to approach God from any other position then that of desire. Our love for God is perfected in our relationship with God and are free acceptance of Gods grace. It is God who perfects us, it is not us who is perfect. But the main problem with the original post is that it fails to realize that heaven is a natural extension of Gods love and being. If there were no heaven, God would not love us. If God does not love us, there is no God. Therefore the original post is logically invalid. Its a psychological trick question. And because everybody is afraid of admitting that they love God because of what God gives them, they end up saying that they would love God regardless of the absence of heaven. They don’t want to be seen as a sinner. The truth is, the vast majority would not love God, and nobody would be immoral for not loving God, because there is no such thing as a good that does not save.

 

[Bruno_Schulz]

**I’m devoted to God and I love God not just because He is there, but for the reason I will be living in Gods Kingdome as promised by Jesus, and for the incredible dead of Gods salvation and other reasons – like feeling Gods presence and his continuous presents. Its no use to say I’d love God also if there was no heaven, for there is.

Christians are definitely not Christians because they are afraid of going to Hell and are scared into worship! Because Christians know they can’t go to hell IF they live in Gods word.

The question “If There Is No Heaven Will You Still Love God?” remains irrelevant.
**

 

[benedictus2]

**I’m devoted to God and I love God not just because He is there, but for the reason I will be living in Gods Kingdome as promised by Jesus, and for the incredible dead of Gods salvation and other reasons – like feeling Gods presence and his continuous presents. Its no use to say I’d love God also if there was no heaven, for there is. **

Christians are definitely not Christians because they are afraid of going to Hell and are scared into worship! Because Christians know they can’t go to hell IF they live in Gods word.

The question “If There Is No Heaven Will You Still Love God?” remains irrelevant.

Only because you seem to miss the WHAT IF all the time. It is okay if you cannot comprehend that side of it but the question remains relevant.

As someone has said, this question is not even a what if for him and yet he still loves God. To have been given this life to share with God is enough for him.

As I have said so many times, this is a WHAT IF and cannot be viewed solely through the lens of Divine Revelation which is what you keep doing.

This is a PHILOSOPHICAL and not a THEOLOGICAL endeavour.

 

[Bruno_Schulz]

**Philosophy is sapience, or more exact; love for wisdom.
Wisdom wouldn’t exist without God, who gave us as the one and only creature, the gift of being able to think= Sapience.

So, Philosophy is Theology.
This even then, when it’s misused to misinterpret life and being, as there are many philosophies leading away from God. Godless philosophies.
Let’s not slide into such, by asking things far away of Gods reality.

Answers like the one you mentioned:
“To have been given this life to share with God is enough for (whosoever)“ testify, that the Question “If There Is No Heaven Will You Still Love God?” is highly irrelevant, as Jesus Christ died for he one and only reason, that we are able to share life with God in Gods Kingdom – which wasn’t possible before.

So - don’t even mention such senseless “Philosophies”.
**

 

[kesa82]

Of course we can - I love the colour purple - what am I getting out of that??? It is of no benefit to me to love it or not love it.

umm, nice try.

Have you ever, by chance…just hypothetically… considered suicide? That is, have you stared down that black hole at the end of a gun barrel?

Can I love the abyss? Can I love…nothing?

Well, yes, I suppose I can.

It is all the time being asked on this forum. " Since the Devil is certain to lose, certain to fail, WHAT is he fighting FOR?

I think that question directly pertains to this one.

 

[kesa82]

Which is the whole point of the question.** WHAT IF **the end for us is nihilism? Would you still love God.

Let us say you that you say that you love God now. IF you should find out tomorrow that there is no after life, would you stop loving God then?

Ok, I’ll try again.

Rocks,presumably, cannot ask " What if? "

What if no thought?
What if no existence?

= no " what if " . No love.

I did not ask questions, apparently, when I did not exist. I did not love or hate, apparently, when I did not exist.
absent the existence, absent the thought, there is no question.
absent ME , don’t ask me, ask GOD.

 

[mary1173]

Peace of Christ to everyone who visits this thread!

A priest once gave this one liner homily (can’t remember now what the readings were) for the faithful to ponder upon.

I have asked the same question of a few friends and got some good and some quite angry reactions. One said the question was stupid.

The question of course is purely hypothetical and every Christian knows there is a heaven.

But hypothetically, if there is no heaven, if this life here on earth is the only life that God is giving us, would you still love God and follow His commands?

Looking forward to some interesting responses.

od for the life He allowed me to have hear with all of you. Mary1173

 

[mary1173]

od for the life He allowed me to have hear with all of you. Mary1173

I would still love God if there were no way to see Him because He gave me life and the ability to e here with all of you. :) Mary1173

 

[benedictus2]

umm, nice try.

Have you ever, by chance…just hypothetically… considered suicide? That is, have you stared down that black hole at the end of a gun barrel?

Can I love the abyss? Can I love…nothing?

Well, yes, I suppose I can.

It is all the time being asked on this forum. " Since the Devil is certain to lose, certain to fail, WHAT is he fighting FOR?

I think that question directly pertains to this one.

But the question is not about loving the abyss. The question is whether we would still love God even if the end is oblivion? The question is really whether you love God for Himself alone.