How can a good God send people to Hell

[Jan]

I have friends who cannot believe in a God who sends decent people, maybe any
people, to hell.

Any ideas of what I can say?

[Winston James Blanke]

MENTAL SHARPNESS IS ANOTHER KEY WHEN READING THE HOLY BIBLE.

[Dr. Cheryl Durham]

The presupposition of a person who believes God SENDS people to hell, is that He hand picks people to be saved and hand picks people to go to hell. That is not the case. Hell is a place reserved for people who do not WANT to be with God. God is the source of good everywhere so without Him and the benefits of knowing Him, all that is left IS Hell. The other assumption prevalent in this statement is a works righteousness which is also not true. It implies, IF we are good enough for God's standards, we get into heaven and IF we don't live up to God's standards we go to hell. NEITHER is the case when it comes to getting the heavenly pass. We don't EARN our salvation, it is a GIFT, its free, and the only people who go to hell are those who reject the gift of His love..they have to WANT HELL by rejecting heaven. Tackle the assumptions and the rest will fall into place

[Stephen]

Dear Dr. Durham,
I so indentify with your statement here! I really agree with and try to show that "God is a source of good"! In that goodness I see justice supreme and the wisdom to dispence it.
I was once told that "To go to hell one has to "work" at it" I see much truth in that understanding. As salvation is a gift and we are saved by Grace (the works of Jesus) What is left for those who reject that gift? The only thing left is their own performance. As we all understand our personal performance always falls short!
As I see it, hell is a place of eternal separation from God.
God provided for me a way of escape from my inherited sinful nature in his son Jesus the Christ. As a member of his heavenly family my inheritance is eternal life. My motivation is not so much to avoid hell as it is to be closer to him that redeems me. He is my love,my life and he wants me to be with him now and forever.
Thank you so much Dr. Durham for your perspective on this! IHL Stephen

[Winston James Blanke]

THAT'S NOT THE ONLY REASON.

[Carla]

Hello Everyone! I received this beautiful devotional in my email today..I wanted to share it with you all.. Jan--show this to your friends, and I pray they will experience the Joy in their hearts of what it means to be a Christ follower...REJOICE! He has saved us...and one day we will be with Him...so let everything we say be good and helpful, so that our words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

DEVOTION
Alive in Heaven
December 21, 2008
"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." (2 Kings 2:11)

This remarkable event--the translation of Elijah alive into heaven, without dying--was altogether miraculous, but it really happened! Among other things, it assures us that heaven is a real place in this created universe, for Elijah is still there in his physical body, still alive, to this very day. The prophet Enoch, who had also served God in a time of deep apostasy, had likewise been taken into heaven without dying (that is, into the "third heaven," beyond the starry heaven, where God's throne is), as recorded in Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11:5.

Enoch's prophecies, addressed to the entire world of mankind, were given at approximately the midpoint of the period from Adam to Abraham, whereas those of Elijah, addressed only to Israel, were given at essentially the midpoint of the time from Abraham to Christ. Both were caught up alive into heaven before their ministries were finished. It is possible that they will return again to earth as God's "two witnesses" who will prophesy to both Jews and Gentiles in the last days (note Malachi 4:5-6; Revelation 11:3-12), then finally to be slain and resurrected.

In any case, there will also be one entire generation of believers who will--like Enoch and Elijah--be caught up alive into heaven. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This could very well be our generation! And "when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). HMM

Blessings in Christ, Carla

[Winston James Blanke]

Fire was created by GOD.

[Jan]

Thanks Carla! I love it.

I will file it away for the right time for others to read.
Sadly my friends are quite hostile to Christianity.
I supppose that is a reaction, better than luke warm.

For now, I have passed them up to God and asked for
promptings should the time ever be right.

And trying to follow your advice to build up my own faith and
love walk as the further on I am the better equipped I will
be to reflect a little of His love and all He does for us.

So, your devotional encouraging me might just have a
knock on effect.

It also foccuses my mind on wanting to complete God's plan
for my life before that wonderful moment arrives!

I have been following all your discussions with great interest.
CIFIDs brain fog limits my energy for joining in but I am
still benefitiing. God is good, He finds a way.
I really appreciate how loving you are with each other too.

[Carla]

Hello Jan,

It is always so difficult to witness to non-believers...for they are truly living under a veil of deception 2 Corinthians 3:12-15 and 2 Corinthians 4:3,4...but whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away... 2 Corinthians 3:16. Continue to pray for them. Each of us has people in our lives who do not know the Lord...That's not a coincidence or a mistake...We are to live as children of Light amongst them Eph 4:17-32....so then they may see Christ in us. My husband is an athiest...I know how hard it can be. But we live this way in God's strength, not our own.

Remember, we too were once under that same veil of deception...It was only when each of us turned to Christ that the veil was lifted...and we each experienced a re-birth in Spirit.

Christ be with you my dear sister....We are so loving with eachother because it is our Love for Jesus that holds us together...We are one body....all God's children.

Blessings, Carla

[Jan]

Thanks Carla! I love it.

I will file it away for the right time for others to read.
Sadly my friends are quite hostile to Christianity.
I supppose that is a reaction, better than luke warm.

For now, I have passed them up to God and asked for
promptings should the time ever be right.

And trying to follow your advice to build up my own faith and
love walk as the further on I am the better equipped I will
be to reflect a little of His love and all He does for us.

So, your devotional encouraging me might just have a
knock on effect.

It also foccuses my mind on wanting to complete God's plan
for my life before that wonderful moment arrives!

I have been following all your discussions with great interest.
CIFIDs brain fog limits my energy for joining in but I am
still benefitiing. God is good, He finds a way.
I really appreciate how loving you are with each other too.

[candy:)]

hey carla ...i mostly talk to kids about god ...since im kinda small ...tooo ..so when i
. say much and kinda make it complicated ..........kids and da youth dont easily get the point .
ya very good at explaning things carla ........you kw ya god well ...!!! :) god bless
..:) carla:) real good ...............since i work with kids its like that ...4 eg ..the topic on ....all proplems ..in life comes to a good end ..god works it out for good ...like josephz story ..and stuff ....this is hw i explain it to the youth n kids ...story ..k ...there was a boy named david and his grandma

david : gratdma i had a very bad day in school ..life is bad i hate ma life

grandma: well will a snack make you feel beta?

david : yes i would like that ma!

grandma :would you like to have some flour?

david : no no no thatsvery bad ....

grandma : would you like to have some raw eggs ?

david : yuck !!!!

grandma: would yooooou like to have alot of butter and ghee?????

david ....?????? :/

grandma : al these things dont taste good ,,but when you put them all together they make a beutiful cake '''''this is hw all ya problems in life will have a good end it will take you to a beta place...

:) peace in jesus name:) ....god will be very happy with ya work carla ...:) you will be blessed ..dont eva stop what you do .(be the proverbs 31 gal:) will alwaz keep you in prayers ...

luv
ze "warrior4christ"

[Carla]

Oh dear Candy....Praise God for your obedience to Him.....your message came to me at just the right time. I'm sitting here in front of my computer crying out to God, and I was really just feeling so discouraged at the moment...It's 2am, and I thought I would just check for messages before going to bed....'feeling' quite sad and alone. Then I read your message, and it just lifted my spirits so much Candy, truly answered prayer for just the right encouragement that I really needed.

Heavenly Father
Thank you for Jesus...you always hear our prayers, and You Love each one of us so much, we can't stand to be separate from you even for a moment. We Love you Lord. Thank you so much for our brothers and sisters, especially right now for Candy...Your warrior. In Jesus name...Amen.

[candy:)]

hey da ..what happened why were you crying ...heres something ..i was crying from the morning ....im just waiting for it all to get ova waiting to be in heaven with ma dad .............wen eva ya down ...just think of his peace......listen to some songs ..and ....feel his presence..he will be around ....dont worry ...:) in life ....if god closes a door .........................we often ..sit by the closed door and cry our life away ...NO!!!!!!! thats not right ...get up and search for the open door ....coz wen he closes a door ..the other opens "God is faithful ,who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also ;) so that you will be able to endure it .." ref( 1 corin 10:12-13..) only our dad knows what lies behind the door ....hes gonna take you to a betta place ..... SO GET UP ...COZ YA STRONG IN GOD ....:) GET UP ...AND SEARCH ...DONT GIVE UP .....ITS NOT IN DA NATURE OF GODZ CHILDREN ...:) ..TO GIVE UP ................you know ..i just adviced ma self now ...ha ha ha :) aaaaaaammmmmmmmeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ......."JESUS ROCKS AND RULES ...." ......FOREVER AND EVER AMEN....... .TC CARLA JESUS IS ALWAY BESIDE YOU .OPEN YA EYES ...HE IS BESIDE.....DONT LET DA PROBLEMS IN LIFE ...BLIND YOU ..:) ..HEY IM YA SIS IN JESUS RITE WERE RELATED ..SO YA NOT ALONE ..HE HE ,,,,,:) TC TATA