Who goes to hell?

CursedSkeptic

Who exactly goes to hell? Take serial killers for example, it is widely believed that their circumstances and genetics both play a huge role in making them into what they are. Do they go to hell? If not them, who?

Seaneh

According to the bible, everybody who hasnt accepted Christ's salvation...

Soul Winner

CursedSkeptic wrote: »

Who exactly goes to hell?

Those whose names are not written in the book of life.

CursedSkeptic

CursedSkeptic wrote: »

Who exactly goes to hell? Take serial killers for example, it is widely believed that their circumstances and genetics both play a huge role in making them into what they are. Do they go to hell? If not them, who?

Yore Ma

Fanny Cradock

AH over there

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>

Shinji Ikari

Seaneh wrote: »

According to the bible, everybody who hasnt accepted Christ's salvation...

I believe the current Pope said un-baptisied babies go straight to heaven. More-over the last Pope defined Hell as a form of subjective torment rather than a torture pit.

Run_to_da_hills

Shinji Ikari wrote: »

I believe the current Pope said un-baptisied babies go straight to heaven. More-over the last Pope defined Hell as a form of subjective torment rather than a torture pit.

I believe that Infant baptism is responsible for sending more people to hell than any other religious error.

From my point of view, it is a dreadful thing to baptize a baby and then let him grow up going about his own business believing that by that by baptism he has been saved and is on his way to heaven.

I also believe that a child must reach the age of reason and decide for himself if he wants to become a Christian and be paptised.

There are numerous scriptures defining hell and who goes there: Ie unbelievers and those that don't follow Gods plan.

"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:" -2nd Thessalonians 1:8

MrPudding

Shinji Ikari wrote: »

I believe the current Pope said un-baptisied babies go straight to heaven.

Who did he hear that from?

Shinji Ikari wrote: »

More-over the last Pope defined Hell as a form of subjective torment rather than a torture pit.

Same question.

MrP

Bottle_of_Smoke

CursedSkeptic wrote: »

Who exactly goes to hell? Take serial killers for example, it is widely believed that their circumstances and genetics both play a huge role in making them into what they are. Do they go to hell? If not them, who?

That genetics argument is a bit rubbish. Should we not charge burglars/rapists because some genes might direct them to take their actions?

Perhaps a bit arrogant but I'd imagine God would take a similar line.

Zombrex

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Should we not charge burglars/rapists because some genes might direct them to take their actions?

I would have thought that would be even more of a reason to charge them.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Wicknight wrote: »

I would have thought that would be even more of a reason to charge them.

Okay I meant punish when I said charge.

Shinji Ikari

MrPudding wrote: »

Who did he hear that from?
Same question.

MrP

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12945/pope-to-abandon-idea-unbaptised-babies-suspended-forever-in-limbo

Also;
In the words of Pope John Paul II, "The images of hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, Hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy".[17] The traditional image of the suffering of those in hell is that of "fire", as described in an earlier catechism.[18]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_in_Christian_beliefs#cite_note-17

MrPudding

So the pope have made an interpretation about the unknowable will of god? And god is contractually obliged to obey the pope?

MrP

kelly1

CursedSkeptic wrote: »

Who exactly goes to hell? Take serial killers for example, it is widely believed that their circumstances and genetics both play a huge role in making them into what they are. Do they go to hell? If not them, who?

Everyone who dies in a state of mortal sin goes straight to hell. That is the definite answer and only God knows who's in a state of grace or not. That's not for any of us to judge.

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I believe that Infant baptism is responsible for sending more people to hell than any other religious error.

From my point of view, it is a dreadful thing to baptize a baby and then let him grow up going about his own business believing that by that by baptism he has been saved and is on his way to heaven.

RTDH, think about what you're saying! What do you think happened to the countless billions of people who were baptised as infants before the Reformation? Do you really think they're all damned to hell???

So what if the bible doesn't explicitly mention infant baptism? What does that prove? Whole households were baptized. I think your understanding of baptism is faulty to be honest. Baptism is a sacrament and like all sacraments, it confers Christ's grace. According to St. Peter, baptism washes away sins and confers the gift of the Holy Spirit for everyone:

Acts 2:38 But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus gave Peter and the Church the power to bind and loose and the Church decided that infant baptism was appropriate and according to God's will.

God bless,
Noel.

Goduznt Xzst

I'm asking this question because I don't know the answer to it, not to be flippant.

Of the following who will go to hell:

People who premeditatively:

1. Have sex out of wedlock
2. Use contraception
3. Lust after married women

MrPudding

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

I'm asking this question because I don't know the answer to it, not to be flippant.

Of the following who will go to hell:

People who premeditatively:

1. Have sex out of wedlock
2. Use contraception
3. Lust after married women

Does that not depend on:

1) Which religion they are & 2) Which religion god is?

MrP

Seaneh

Shinji Ikari wrote: »

I believe the current Pope said un-baptisied babies go straight to heaven. More-over the last Pope defined Hell as a form of subjective torment rather than a torture pit.

Well TBH the pope has about as much an idea as any of us.

Seaneh

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

I'm asking this question because I don't know the answer to it, not to be flippant.

Of the following who will go to hell:

People who premeditatively:

1. Have sex out of wedlock
2. Use contraception
3. Lust after married women

If we're going by Pure Biblical theology here then all of them, if they haven't accepted salvation.

Also it's not just lusting after married women, if you are single and you lust after ANY woman you are thinking of sex outside of marriage and according to the bible just to think about/want to commit a sin is the same as doing it in Gods eyes.

n1ck8D

The majority of the Chelsea and Man United team will defiantly go to hell.
Also the people that came up with such shows as X-Factor and Big Brother will also go to straight to hell (.. on a express wagon)

n1ck8D

btw, hell is overrated

PDN

n1ck8D wrote: »

btw, hell is overrated

So is trolling and muppetry.

Consider yourself warned.

Seaneh

PDN can you give one week bans for general idiocy please?

Delirium

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

I'm asking this question because I don't know the answer to it, not to be flippant.

Of the following who will go to hell:

People who premeditatively:

1. Have sex out of wedlock
2. Use contraception
3. Lust after married women

I assume you mean Lust after married men/women.

kelly1

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

I'm asking this question because I don't know the answer to it, not to be flippant.

Of the following who will go to hell:

People who premeditatively:

1. Have sex out of wedlock
2. Use contraception
3. Lust after married women

For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be fulfilled:

1. its subject must be a grave (or serious) matter;
2. it must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the
gravity of the offense (though nobody is deemed to be ignorant of the
moral law, embedded into the consciences of every human being);
3. it must be committed with deliberate and complete consent, enough for it
to have been a personal decision to commit the sin.

To answer your question, if a person dies in this condition having refused to beg for God's mercy, they will end up in hell.

Lots of people think this is way too harsh but they fail to understand the diabolical nature of sin and how it is so offensive to God who is infinitely holy. Mortal sin basically means giving God the two fingers and saying I don't give a damn what you want.

Actually if you read the writings of the saints, many of them have said that sin should be avoided at all costs. St. Faustina said that she would rather suffer hell for a thousand years than offend God by the smallest deliberate sin. Now we might think that's petty but that's because we haven't allowed the light of faith to inspire us with a sense of God's majesty and the consequential gravity/enormity of sin.

MrPudding

kelly1 wrote: »

For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be fulfilled:

1. its subject must be a grave (or serious) matter;
2. it must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the
gravity of the offense (though nobody is deemed to be ignorant of the
moral law, embedded into the consciences of every human being);
3. it must be committed with deliberate and complete consent, enough for it
to have been a personal decision to commit the sin.

To answer your question, if a person dies in this condition having refused to beg for God's mercy, they will end up in hell.

Lots of people think this is way too harsh but they fail to understand the diabolical nature of sin and how it is so offensive to God who is infinitely holy. Mortal sin basically means giving God the two fingers and saying I don't give a damn what you want.

Actually if you read the writings of the saints, many of them have said that sin should be avoided at all costs. St. Faustina said that she would rather suffer hell for a thousand years than offend God by the smallest deliberate sin. Now we might think that's petty but that's because we haven't allowed the light of faith to inspire us with a sense of God's majesty and the consequential gravity/enormity of sin.

But why does he get annoyed a a behaviour he built into his creations? If you have a dog and you train it to pee on the carpet, can you really be annoyed with it when it pees on your carpet?

MrP

Seaneh

IMHO God doesn't have "mortal" sins and "normal" sins.

There is simply "sin" swearing, in gods eyes is just as bad as murder.

Controversial but I can't find any scripture that says some sins are alright and others are unforgiveable... In the eyes of God all sin is unforgiveable and there was nothign we, as people, could do to "make it up to him" and this is why Jesus was sent to die for OUR sin, all of our sins, "big" or "small".

Seaneh

MrPudding wrote: »

But why does he get annoyed a a behaviour he built into his creations? If you have a dog and you train it to pee on the carpet, can you really be annoyed with it when it pees on your carpet?

MrP

He didn't build it into his creation.

We live in a fallen world.

God created us, and he created us in perfection, Satan decieved us and corrupted that which was perfect, and one corrupted perfection could never be "re-achieved".

robindch

Seaneh wrote: »

He didn't build it into his creation. [...] God created us, and he created us in perfection, Satan decieved us and corrupted that which was perfect, and one corrupted perfection could never be "re-achieved".

If you're a christian, then you're required to believe that god is omniscient and that he created everything, including the character of Satan/Lucifer.

Therefore, knowing everything, and having created everything, you cannot avoid concluding that god knew exactly what was going to happen before he started.

So it's a bit unusual that he would be irritated, or pretend to be.

.

kelly1

MrPudding wrote: »

But why does he get annoyed a a behaviour he built into his creations? If you have a dog and you train it to pee on the carpet, can you really be annoyed with it when it pees on your carpet?
MrP

Sorry but this is silly. God never ever makes us sin and never wants us to sin. As Jesus said "Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect". God wants us to be "holy and blameless before Him".

Did God train us to murder and steal?? That only happens when we turn our backs on God's will and follow our own.

Seaneh

robindch wrote: »

If you're a christian, then you're required to believe that god is omniscient and that he created everything, including the character of Satan/Lucifer.

Therefore, knowing everything, and having created everything, you cannot avoid concluding that god knew exactly what was going to happen before he started.

So it's a bit unusual that he would be irritated, or pretend to be.

.

God gives us the choice to do what we want, God gives the angels the choice to do as they like, some of them follow him, a minority follow satan, who was the leader of some sort of rebellion and a very small minority are kind of on neither side, I can't remember the scripture of hand to support this but there is, somewhere, a scripture in which God appears to be talking to Angels who are not fallen but also not following his will.

Your arguement is flawed on a lot of levels TBH, it's like match box theology and I honestly think you're just trolling.

Dades

kelly1 wrote: »

Mortal sin basically means giving God the two fingers and saying I don't give a damn what you want.

Surely (in theory, obviously) that gets unbelievers off the hook then? You can't in all honesty give two fingers to something you believe is a figment of other people's imaginations.

kelly1

Seaneh wrote: »

IMHO God doesn't have "mortal" sins and "normal" sins.

There is simply "sin" swearing, in gods eyes is just as bad as murder.

Controversial but I can't find any scripture that says some sins are alright and others are unforgiveable... In the eyes of God all sin is unforgiveable and there was nothign we, as people, could do to "make it up to him" and this is why Jesus was sent to die for OUR sin, all of our sins, "big" or "small".

Have to disagree. Do you agree that we are saved by grace? If so, this naturally begs the question whether grace can be lost/forfeited. I certainly believe it can.

"if we sin willfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26)

St. Paul gives us a list of grave sins. He states that anyone who commits these sins shall not enter the kingdom of God. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-20). Paul also tells the Corinthians, "know you no that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, Nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor railers, nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). These sins constitute grave matter, and if they are committed willingly and with full consent, constitute mortal sin.

See http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html

I know all sin is offensive to God but God is a realist and knows that we're prone to sin. For instance if someone steals my car and I shout "Ah for f**k sake!", Would that make me deserving of hell?

BTW, you're wrong to say that all sin is unforgiveable. God's mercy is infinite.

Seaneh

kelly1 wrote: »

Have to disagree. Do you agree that we are saved by grace? If so, this naturally begs the question whether grace can be lost/forfeited. I certainly believe it can.

"if we sin willfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26)

St. Paul gives us a list of grave sins. He states that anyone who commits these sins shall not enter the kingdom of God. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-20). Paul also tells the Corinthians, "know you no that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, Nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor railers, nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). These sins constitute grave matter, and if they are committed willingly and with full consent, constitute mortal sin.

See http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html

I know all sin is offensive to God but God is a realist and knows that we're prone to sin. For instance if someone steals my car and I shout "Ah for f**k sake!", Would that make me deserving of hell?

BTW, you're wrong to say that all sin is unforgiveable. God's mercy is infinite.

I believe once saved always saved in that if you truely are saved it will be obvious in how you live your life.

If you are claiming that you are saved and still living a worldly life then you probably never really believed that you said when you accepted God into your life.

And yes, we are saved by grace, grace meaning Gods unmerited favor.

kelly1

Dades wrote: »

Surely (in theory, obviously) that gets unbelievers off the hook then? You can't in all honesty give two fingers to something you believe is a figment of other people's imaginations.

Nice try.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. 18 He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Let's all hope that you don't hear these words on judgment day. I mean that charitably.

Seaneh

kelly1 wrote: »

Have to disagree. Do you agree that we are saved by grace? If so, this naturally begs the question whether grace can be lost/forfeited. I certainly believe it can.

"if we sin willfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26)

St. Paul gives us a list of grave sins. He states that anyone who commits these sins shall not enter the kingdom of God. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-20). Paul also tells the Corinthians, "know you no that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, Nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor railers, nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). These sins constitute grave matter, and if they are committed willingly and with full consent, constitute mortal sin.

See http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html

I know all sin is offensive to God but God is a realist and knows that we're prone to sin. For instance if someone steals my car and I shout "Ah for f**k sake!", Would that make me deserving of hell?

BTW, you're wrong to say that all sin is unforgiveable. God's mercy is infinite.

Yes gods mercy is infinate but our ability to live according to his standards is finite and without the sacrafice of christ we could never be fergiven, so, without salvation through the blood of christ all sin is unforgivable.

robindch

Seaneh wrote: »

Your arguement is flawed on a lot of levels TBH, it's like match box theology and I honestly think you're just trolling.

"matchbox theology"? It's a new phrase to me (thanks!) but all I'm doing is describing what christians are required to believe. The matchbox size is christianity's problem, not mine.

If you'd like to respond to the points I made, rather than attempting to insult me, then perhaps we can have a mature debate?

all the stars

Seaneh wrote: »

just to think about/want to commit a sin is the same as doing it in Gods eyes.

:eek: :eek:
Dontcha think thats a tad unfair?
Surely im not as bad as Hitler or Charlie Manson who killed many people (for whatever reason ) i never killed anybody.... and coz i thought about it and didn't act upon it im as bad as them (in theory...)

Thats em, Harsh may be the word...

MrPudding

Seaneh wrote: »

He didn't build it into his creation.

We live in a fallen world.

God created us, and he created us in perfection, Satan decieved us and corrupted that which was perfect, and one corrupted perfection could never be "re-achieved".

Oh, OK. So, god is not all powerful. Got it.

kelly1 wrote: »

Sorry but this is silly. God never ever makes us sin and never wants us to sin. As Jesus said "Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect". God wants us to be "holy and blameless before Him".

But he gave us the facility to sin, knowing that we would sin when he could easily have made us unable to sin and offend him.

kelly1 wrote: »

Did God train us to murder and steal?? That only happens when we turn our backs on God's will and follow our own.

He may not have trained us to, but apparently he designed us with the ability, and in some cases, the desire to.

MrP

Dades

kelly1 wrote: »

Nice try.

...but?

Would you consider yourself giving two fingers to Vishnu by not recognising him as the All-Pervading essence of all beings?

Shinji Ikari

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

I'm asking this question because I don't know the answer to it, not to be flippant.

Of the following who will go to hell:

People who premeditatively:

1. Have sex out of wedlock
2. Use contraception
3. Lust after married women

Based on this Heavens sounds a great place for claustrophobics and misantropists.

Zombrex

Seaneh wrote: »

Your arguement is flawed on a lot of levels TBH, it's like match box theology and I honestly think you're just trolling.

Not at all, this is a regular area of discussion on this forum.

God created the angels, including Satan, knowing at the time of their creation that Satan and the other angels would rebel.

In fact it is hard to argue logically that they could do anything but rebel since at the time of their creation God had already seen them rebel.

The same holds true of Adam. God created Adam knowing he would rebel. He created Eden knowing that Adam would eat the Fruit.

As for the Fall and the altering of nature it was supposed to bring. Where did that power come from? The Fall was simply Adam eating a piece of fruit he was told not to. Neither Adam, nor Satan, nor the fruit for that matter, had the power to alter the nature of the universe.

The idea that the universe just changed itself because of Adam's sin (sin simply being disobeying God) is nonsense.

The only person who has that power is God. If the universe was changed as a consequence of Adam's action it is because God changed it.

marco_polo

Shinji Ikari wrote: »

I believe the current Pope said un-baptisied babies go straight to heaven. More-over the last Pope defined Hell as a form of subjective torment rather than a torture pit.

I think he said last year that there is reason to hope that they go to heaven.

Must be confusing to keep getting moved along every few centuries, first hell, then limbo and now possibly heaven.

kelly1

Wicknight wrote: »

Not at all, this is a regular area of discussion on this forum.

God created the angels, including Satan, knowing at the time of their creation that Satan and the other angels would rebel.

In fact it is hard to argue logically that they could do anything but rebel since at the time of their creation God had already seen them rebel.

The same holds true of Adam. God created Adam knowing he would rebel. He created Eden knowing that Adam would eat the Fruit.

God knows the future but that doesn't mean that it's in accordance with His will. God doesn't desire rebellion and sin from His creatures but He knows it will happen. Same with all parents.

I realize that God could have created us without the ability to sin but I think there are good reasons why He gave us free will and the ability to rebel.

1. Love which is forced is not true love. Love for God through faith proves our fidelity. When we see God face to Face, there will be no more need for faith. It was the same before the fall of the angels. God's glory wasn't revealed to them until after the fall and they had made the decision to serve or rebel against God.

2. In heaven, there are different degrees of glory depending on how much we have loved God and our neighbour in this life. God in His wisdom decided that each of us would have the ability to determine this degree of glory by doing His will to a lesser or greater degree.

kelly1

marco_polo wrote: »

I think he said last year that there is reason to hope that they go to heaven.

You're right. God has revealed very little about the numbers of people who are saved or damned. If we know that very few were saved, it would cause despair. If we knew most were saved it would cause laxity. Best not to know.

We also know very little about the fate of non-baptized Christians. We can only hope in God's mercy. The opinions of theologians is bound to change because they just don't know - it hasn't been revealed.

PDN

kelly1 wrote: »

We also know very little about the fate of non-baptized Christians. We can only hope in God's mercy. The opinions of theologians is bound to change because they just don't know - it hasn't been revealed.

I would disagree with you there, Noel. I think it is revealed pretty clearly in Scripture that salvation is based on our faith in Christ, not a ritual.

I also find it interesting how many posts in this thread assume that Christianity is about going to hell or heaven when you die & remaining there for all eternity. The biblical teaching, and one embraced by Catholic, Reformed & Orthodox doctrine, is that the ultimate destiny of the saved is to be resurrected from the dead - not to spend eternity as a disembodied spirit in heaven. Heaven is simply a temporary state of affairs until the resurrection of the dead.

mise

Im normally just a reader of these kinds of threads, but this topic does not sit well with me. I have a problem if God gives us free will, the ability to choose not to have faith, and then punishes us for not believing he is the one true God. Is this the same for every religion? What if I get it wrong, believe in the wrong God, because I was brought up in a Catholic Ireland instead of India? Do I still go to "hell"?

I just have a problem with the whole idea of heaven.. seems like a carrot dangling in front of believers to continue believing.

Forgive my simple arguments..

kelly1

PDN wrote: »

I would disagree with you there, Noel. I think it is revealed pretty clearly in Scripture that salvation is based on our faith in Christ, not a ritual.

Don't take my word for it. It's there in the Gospel and Acts:

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned.

Acts 2:38 But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Matt 28:19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Of course I understand the necessity of faith but Christ has ordained that the normal way to become a Christian is via baptism. We become children of God through grace in baptism.

PDN wrote: »

I also find it interesting how many posts in this thread assume that Christianity is about going to hell or heaven when you die & remaining there for all eternity. The biblical teaching, and one embraced by Catholic, Reformed & Orthodox doctrine, is that the ultimate destiny of the saved is to be resurrected from the dead - not to spend eternity as a disembodied spirit in heaven. Heaven is simply a temporary state of affairs until the resurrection of the dead.

My understanding is that when we die, we go to heaven, hell or purgatory as disembodied spirits. We will only be united with out bodies at the resurrection.
I have never claimed that we will spend eternity without a resurrected body.

As regards what will happen to heaven and earth after the resurrection/General Judgment, I've no idea what happens.

Goduznt Xzst

What happens to everyone in hell after the resurrection? I'm guessing Satan is going to be destroyed at some point, or is he allowed to continue to exist so that he can torture unfaithful humans?

PDN

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

What happens to everyone in hell after the resurrection? I'm guessing Satan is going to be destroyed at some point, or is he allowed to continue to exist so that he can torture unfaithful humans?

No, the idea of Satan torturing people in his kingdom of hell is a medieval invention not found in the Bible.

The New Testament indicates that the spirits of those who reject Christ will remain in Hades until the return of Christ awaiting final judgement. At the general resurrection of the dead they will be cast, along with Satan, into the Lake of Fire (or what we commonly think of as hell as in eternal punishment). So those who reject the Gospel share Satan's punishment.

Christians disagree among themselves as to whether the fire is intended to be taken literally or as a metaphor. Either way it's not going to be nice.

Splendour

kelly1 wrote: »

Of course I understand the necessity of faith but Christ has ordained that the normal way to become a Christian is via baptism. We become children of God through grace in baptism.

Hi Noel, I'm sure there are many of our athiest friends on boards and elsewhere who were baptised as infants. Are you saying then that they are in fact Christians? Don't think they'll like that to much!!

kelly1

Splendour wrote: »

Hi Noel, I'm sure there are many of our athiest friends on boards and elsewhere who were baptised as infants. Are you saying then that they are in fact Christians? Don't think they'll like that to much!!

That's a good question. We're all God's creatures but don't become His children until baptism. I would say they're not Christians because disbelief is a mortal sin and therefore they have deprived themselves of sanctifying grace.

I read a few times that baptism (and confirmation/holy orders) confers and indelible "imprint" on the soul. This means that those who bear this mark and go to hell, will suffer all the more because of it. Frightening thought.