Is Hell "Just?"

Lightknight · 07-13-2005, 09:11 PM

Was my response helpful to you at all, Bereana?

Bryan · 07-13-2005, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BereanatHeart

I've been engaged in a written debate with a Deist, and the subject of whether or not Hell is just came up.

His argument, basically, is that "finite creatures commiting finite deeds, are in no way deserving of an infinite punishment."

I argued that, "these are decisions that are intrinsically eternal by nature, for, if in our entire Earthly life-time we see fit to reject God by violating His laws, we have thus shown that we do not love Him and revere Him as God, as we ought to. In us choosing a life without God, God justly gives us a death without Him."

I further added that God knows the true evil of Sin better than we do, since He is indeed infinite, and would certainly make a just punishment, and in His wisdom saw fit to deem eternal Hell to be that punishment.

Anyway, I'm just curious to hear other's opinions and thoughts on the subject, and any help would be appreciated. Thanks ahead of time!

the reason why infinite punishment is just because our crime of dishonoring God is infinitely evil. Where God's good knows no bounds, neither does our evil. God if infinitely glorious, and to not recognize that is infinitely evil.

Bryan · 07-13-2005, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sallyjr

It is out of respect and the intrinsic value placed in us that we are in hell for eternity. Someone posted earlier that we choose to go to hell. I think that's spot on. God is giving us what we wanted, seperation from him. By sinning we are saying, "I want to go my way, the soul is mine" and so God lets us go.

In terms of time I found this analogy helpful.

The greatest crime we can commit physically, most people would agree, is murder. The sentence for murder is removal from society for the rest of your life.

The greatest crime we can commit spirutally is the rejection of God love. The sentence is removal from His presence for eternity.

Man does not choose hell. When faced with the choice between infinite happiness and infinite pleasure, man will always choose the latter. The unregenerate do not wake up one morning and make a cognitive choice for hell. No, hell is the result of unregenerate man's choices. Man chooses not to honor God properly, and the consequence of such action is hell. But he did not choose hell; the very notion is absurd.

Lightknight · 07-20-2005, 09:22 PM

Bereana?

nolidad · 07-21-2005, 02:58 PM

Here's a quick thought: Your Deist friend seems to have a firm grasp on the concept of justice, but what is his standard to base justice upon? His problem is that his concept of justice is limited to his mortal perspective. His position is quite biased, because it is only based on what HE thinks is just.

God is the definition of justice. Therefore, what He does is just and good, because it is His world. He made it, so He has the rights to do whatever He wants with it and in it.

patrick1 · 07-21-2005, 03:03 PM

ok guys, i dont even think it even matters if it is or not, b/c everything that Christ did for us and we are asking if his rules, and what he said would come about in the endtime are just; just or unjust(i believe it is just) what God said goes

BereanatHeart · 07-23-2005, 03:07 AM

Hey, sorry Lightknight and others, I was in the process of moving and just got internet back. Anywise, thanks for the help! Unfourtunately Joseph (the deist) never replied to my initial statement, and is currently on vacation, so I'll have to see how he handles what I've already presented, and what you guys have helped me come up with.

Thanks again.