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Why would you assume that God loves everyone? The Bible specifically states that he hates sinners. If you're going to make a statement like that, you need to deal with these verses:
NOT if you are Christian. The beliefs about God and His motives in the OT are under the veil of ignorance Christ came to lift. Christians should apply the TRUE NATURE of God revealed by Christ to ALL verses to eliminate the errors of ignorance that cover reading the OT. Unfortunately, religious leaders abdicated their responsibility to TEST the Spirit of everything against the Spirit of agape love who IS God. Instead, they retained our ignorant savage ancestors' corrupt and erroneous beliefs about the nature of God . . . ignoring the clear and unambiguous teachings and demonstration of God's TRUE NATURE by Christ. How can a God who IS love . . . ever NOT love anyone??? God is not just capable of love . . . He IS love as revealed UNAMBIGUOUSLY by Christ. "No greater love . . ." Your exclusivity and special pleading for yourself and those who believe as you do is nothing but human vanity and hubris, Vizio. God loves us ALL!
some believe that the "torment" of hell is ultimately separation from God and that those who are in hell have freely chosen at some point and in some way to remain separate from God and literally "do their own thing" (think the devil in the poem "paradise lost"---"better to reign in hell than serve in heaven"). perhaps any suffering any separation from God either here or hereafter comes from our rejection of God through sin and selfishness than God's rejection of us.
think no one here can really know for sure what happens or doesn't happen IN ETERNITY for anyone---except God and ultimately we are all at a loss to fully describe, understand, or comprehend "Him" ("....for my thoughts area not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways..."----except that "God IS love "---but how His love is employed and how we individually ultimately respond of do not respond to it in this world and the next is great mystery both humbling and hopeful.
OTOH, most Christians believe that God is always reaching out to those who are separated from Him by sin---like the "good shepherd" constantly searching for the lost sheep, He is always ready to find us and bring us to where He is now and forever ---IF we want to be found and be with Him.
God bless you.
Amen,
Yes, His love is always reaching out to this world yet people keep ignoring Him and doing their own thing !!
Your last sentence underlined is the key, as Jesus stated, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:19-21)
Everything in our lives that we have thought, spoke, and done we will be made accountable to God one day. People just don't want to believe this nor acknowledge the reality of it, but one day they will have no other choice in the matter when they stand before God and hear the verdict of their choices with sin and unbelief and continuing with rejecting the will of God for life.
Also, "The one who comes from above is above all [Jesus]; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all [Jesus]. He [Jesus] testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his [Jesus] testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." (John 3:31-36)
This scripture ^^^ is so important as it is the will and voice of our Savior warning yet people keep turning their heads (hearts) away. Pretending this will not happen. But it will no matter how much they try to justify their unbelief and continue to live in their sin. Or come up with their own theories of what will really happen to those who reject Christ in this life. As they keep rejecting the very words Christ spoke and demanding that they know better then He does, yet the very scripture testifies that Christ spoke what He saw and heard from the Father and that was, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them" .. Go figure !!
Blessings to you, georgeinbandonoregon ! And all who hear the voice of our Shepherd, our Lord God Jesus Christ !
Cyber Munchkin, thanks for the kind words. think we should always see God as totally encompassing BOTH justice and mercy so that despite our many failings as "wayward sheep" (and even those who really try to stay near the Shepherd) it is well and reassuring to remember that "even one who gives a cup of water.... in my name shall not lack his reward".
may God give us all the grace to remember that and to neither presume on OR despair of God's mercy and love (and always realize and remember our need for repentance and turning in love back to God and our neighbor).
Last edited by georgeinbandonoregon; 05-05-2015 at 08:20 PM..
Reason: more info.
Not once they have definitely turned from Him. Until then He lovingly extends an invitation to be one of His children through the "second" Adam, Christ.
I don't think there is a hell where a guy with a pitchfork watches over everyone as they burn and scream. I do think that it is possible one can be tormented after they die. I believe you create your own hell though. Of course it is also possible that after we die, that God does not allow anyone to torment themselves, and makes sure that every soul is healed.
Why would you assume that God loves everyone? The Bible specifically states that he hates sinners. If you're going to make a statement like that, you need to deal with these verses:
Psalm 5:5, "The boastful shall not stand before Thine eyes; Thou dost hate all who do iniquity,"
Psalm 11:5, "The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates."
Lev. 20:23, "Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I shall drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them."
Prov. 6:16-19, "There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers."
Hosea 9:15, "All their evil is at Gilgal; indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; All their princes are rebels."
Maybe, you are loved-less, but not hated.
Because of your wickedness?
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Go figure !!
