Why does God put us on earth?

[JewishManofGod]

Ok, If God knows that we are going to Heaven or Hell and it is set in stone NO CHANGING why does he put us on earth? Why not send us all to Heaven. (Or for that matter all to hell?) (Not that I want too)

 

[reggieM]

Ok, If God knows that we are going to Heaven or Hell and it is set in stone NO CHANGING why does he put us on earth? Why not send us all to Heaven. (Or for that matter all to hell?) (Not that I want too)

God created us so that we could freely choose to know, love and serve Him.
He did not want to create beings that would have no choice.
When we choose the path to God, it truly is our choice. God is not forcing us.
So, when we do good works, we truly deserve praise and reward – again, because we freely chose to do good. We weren’t just forced to be good.
That’s the big risk that God took in order to have creatures truly experience what it is like to love God and choose heaven. Otherwise, we wouldn’t know what God’s love is like – or how much he loves His creation.

The idea that it is “set in stone” is not a Catholic teaching. God wants every person to go to heaven. He gives his help to everyone.
No one can end up in hell for an unjust reason. It would be unjust if God forced anyone to go to Hell.
The only reason for Hell is that it is the necessary consequence of free choice. It’s the “reward” of evil works that were freely chosen.
Nobody in Hell thinks that he or she doesn’t deserve to be there.

The chance for heaven is freely available to everyone. God made it that way.
The choice for Hell is there also.
Many people hate God and freely choose to walk away from Him. No matter how much God calls them, they do not want to follow.
So, God has to respect their free choice and permit them to follow the path they have chosen.

 

[Nec5]

Nobody in Hell thinks that he or she doesn’t deserve to be there.

I don’t know about. Satan thinks he should will rule from on high.

 

[rvilbig]

Ok, If God knows that we are going to Heaven or Hell and it is set in stone NO CHANGING why does he put us on earth? Why not send us all to Heaven. (Or for that matter all to hell?) (Not that I want too)

God placed us on earth as a merciful punishment:

“[Man] forgot the Commandment which had been given to him; he yielded to the baleful fruit; and for his sin he was banished, at once from the Tree of Life, and from Paradise, and from God; and put on the*coats of skins…that is, perhaps,the coarser flesh, both mortal and contradictory… Yet here too he makes a gain, namely death, and the cutting off of sin, in order that evil may not be immortal. Thus his punishment is changed into a mercy; for it is in mercy, I am persuaded, that God inflicts punishment.” (Nazienzen,*Orations 38, XII)

And God has called us to change, as all things in the world change to reach their proper end:

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you may do good who are accustomed to do evil.” (Jer 13:23)

Haydock’s commentary explains:

Bad habits are a sort of second nature. I speak in vain. (Calmet) — Yet God sometimes converts inveterate sinners, who cannot rise of themselves. (Worthington) (Commentary on Jer 13:23)

Furthermore, our choices are real and have consequences, despite being foreknown in the mind of God, as Saint Augustine explained:

“It does not follow, therefore, that the order of causes, known for certain though it is in the foreknowing mind of God, brings it about that there is no power in our will, since our choices themselves have an important place in the order of causes” (Saint Augustine, City of God, Book V.9)

Hope this helps,

-Ryan Vilbig
ryan.vilbig@gmail.com

 

[Geremia]

Ok, If God knows that we are going to Heaven or Hell and it is set in stone NO CHANGING why does he put us on earth?

We are on earth to glorify Him in a way that the angels cannot.

Why not send us all to Heaven. (Or for that matter all to hell?) (Not that I want too)

In time that will be true; you basically are asking why we are bound to time. The answer? We are not God, and neither can nor should we question Him.

 

[reggieM]

I don’t know about. Satan thinks he should will rule from on high.

The point is, he cannot make a legitimate accusation of injustice against God for his plight.