The Prospect of Going to Hell

[Balthazzar]

The prospect of going to hell, particularly from a perspective that I've been accustomed most my life is or can be a very difficult thing to acknowledge. I'm a Christian. I understand myself to be a guilty Christian. I understand myself to be guilty and required to give an account of my life and that every word spoken will determine my fate. I'm not unaccustomed to justification attempts. I'm not fond of lying, but I am guilty of it. I'm fairly sure I've lied about others, too. I'm an adulterer, a fornicator (I think) although I'm not certain about this one, I am guilty of dishonoring my parents, of greed, envy, and a host of other things, including drunkenness. Ok, so most of these behaviors have been altered since, but I may still be required to go to hell. I don't have a defense. I'm guilty. I don't think it's as easy as simply believing that Jesus died so I wouldn't go to hell. I'm pretty sure justice must be satisfied. We reap what we sow. I think this is karma. Ok, so this has me a little more at ease, but my past .... man!

I'm a sinner.

What can I do beyond accept that possible and make peace with it?

 

[Jimmy]

Do yourself a favor. Forgive yourself and move on.

 

[Balthazzar]

Do yourself a favor. Forgive yourself and move on.

Speaking from my past struggles with this and in contrast to how I feel about it today, the difference is between night and day. Although, I'm not eager to be required to go, I accept it as something I may need. Forgiveness ... well it helps. It helped me more (I think) to acknowledge the prospect and likelihood for myself. I have no real understanding of what that next world might be like, but I do anticipate some company who understands things much like I do. So, the spirit of truth (the comforter) somehow offers comfort in this likely fate. I think this is due to my simply accepting it and doing my best to be a better man, knowing that I'm not all that bad a guy. It's not like I'm trying to avoid it, but the thought has a refining element that accompanies it. I guess I take Malachi 3 to heart, apply it to the fate in question, and view that description of the Lord's coming in that context. Instead of hell being something so terrible that I have no hope to ever live a life satisfying enough to be worth living, I'll view myself as one who needed saving and his 3 days down to be part of that process.

 

[Jimmy]

Speaking from my past struggles with this and in contrast to how I feel about it today, the difference is between night and day. Although, I'm not eager to be required to go, I accept it as something I may need. Forgiveness ... well it helps. It helped me more (I think) to acknowledge the prospect and likelihood for myself. I have no real understanding of what that next world might be like, but I do anticipate some company who understands things much like I do. So, the spirit of truth (the comforter) somehow offers comfort in this likely fate. I think this is due to my simply accepting it and doing my best to be a better man, knowing that I'm not all that bad a guy. It's not like I'm trying to avoid it, but the thought has a refining element that accompanies it. I guess I take Malachi 3 to heart, apply it to the fate in question, and view that description of the Lord's coming in that context. Instead of hell being something so terrible that I have no hope to ever live a life satisfying enough to be worth living, I'll view myself as one who needed saving and his 3 days down to be part of that process.

We only get one life to live. If we get a second life that too will only be our one life to live. Mind as well make the best of the one we got right now.

 

[Balthazzar]

We only get one life to live. If we get a second life that too will only be our one life to live. Mind as well make the best of the one we got right now.

I won't argue with that logic. The story of our lives, playing out daily as we patiently await the closing scene of a life lived. I agree, make it good or make it bad. I suppose we are responsible for that much, even in what we consider to be.

 

[Jimmy]

I won't argue with that logic. The story of our lives, playing out daily as we patiently await the closing scene of a life lived. I agree, make it good or make it bad. I suppose we are responsible for that much, even in what we consider to be.

Life goes quick. Make it count.

 

[Spice]

I fully believe in reaping what you sow, but in a very spiritual sense. Not physical fire and brimstone, so yes, Karma.

I'm not sure I understand the Hindu concepts of Karma & Dharma accurately, but "my take" on it is a balancing. Dharma being the credit to Karma's debit on the balance sheet.

No, I don't believe you can do works to pay for your wrongs. That's too worldly, too physical. But your soul's repentance can balance them out so the repayment won't hold interest. LOL.

You can change how you are, who you are, growing into your best. And since I believe in God's love and mercyweI believe we continue to grow through reincarnation until we've reached that level Jesus reached. And remember, he too suffered before his final resurrection, but he did so holding his faith, his love for the Father, until the end.

So, what can you do? You do your best to "be kind, do kind" and love your Creator, trusting He will always guide you where you need to go to achieve your greatness in Him. And if you find yourself standing at the firey gate, have faith you will not be alone, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not alone.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

@Balthazzar Long ago used to feel like that...it's been a lifetime of undoing...

As a Jesusian (I follow Jesus, not Christianity) I note that Jesus always says to people, "Your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more."

And he says you should forgive up to 70 times 7 times he'll forgive...I think it means as many times as necessary...so I think that's what you'd get from him...

 

[Balthazzar]

No, I don't believe you can do works to pay for your wrongs. That's too worldly, too physical. But your soul's repentance can balance them out so the repayment won't hold interest. LOL.

Works help work out your wrongs into better conditioned rights, making them very useful to the process of repentance, which is specifically defined as change.

You can change how you are, who you are, growing into your best. And since I believe in God's love and mercyweI believe we continue to grow through reincarnation until we've reached that level Jesus reached. And remember, he too suffered before his final resurrection, but he did so holding his faith, his love for the Father, until the end.

Do we ever not suffer in a lifetime? We already share in the same suffering he shared with us when he dwelt among us as a man. Becoming better is not isolated to simple ideals difficult to adhere to, but in the struggle and the works that work out our wrongs, turning our works into better rights.

So, what can you do? You do your best to "be kind, do kind" and love your Creator, trusting He will always guide you where you need to go to achieve your greatness in Him. And if you find yourself standing at the firey gate, have faith you will not be alone, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not alone.

I'm viewing this in a light, as if we're already here and never really leaving. With life comes struggle. With life comes death. With life comes the need to become better, and with this need we work to develop into that something. I'm suggesting it's far less fearful than it once was. The acceptance of being required to go through it as if we already are makes this so. There are varying degrees or levels to our torments, but these are largely dependent on our works and how we choose to live, so becoming better became my aim. It should help me get through it continually. I think that is the premise. Eternal torment. I suppose God being identified as a consuming fire doesn't hurt and the objective defined as refinement so we might offer right (righteous) gifts as opposed to wrong (wicked) ones for our time spent.

 

[Balthazzar]

Life goes quick. Make it count.

Life goes on.

Quick, make it count!

The kingdom of God is at hand.

 

[YoursTrue]

Life goes slowly when I was younger but always had a lot to do. Now that I'm older it appears to me as a closing timeline. I appreciate what I've learned from my Bible studies, that of everlasting life in a beautiful earthly setting without the mental and physical difficulties we have today. Revelation 21:1-5 -+ there are new heavens and a new earth where righteousness will be and there will be no more death or pain or sorrow

 

[Balthazzar]

Life goes slowly when I was younger but always had a lot to do. Now that I'm older it appears to me as a closing timeline. I appreciate what I've learned from my Bible studies, that of everlasting life in a beautiful earthly setting without the mental and physical difficulties we have today. Revelation 21:1-5 -+ there are new heavens and a new earth where righteousness will be and there will be no more death or pain or sorrow

Some people understand this very well. I'm in my 50's so I have 50 plus years to reference a single year. When I was 10, I only had 10 years in and that 10 years was all I knew. At 10 years old, I was unable to reference the over 40 years that came after, so time certainly sped up with that frame of reference counted along with the 10 years I understood as an entire lifetime at age ten.

I'm not opposed to an ongoing conditioning for my good, but one day I do expect a very nice sabbath day before I enter into this way again.

 

[YoursTrue]

Some people understand this very well. I'm in my 50's so I have 50 plus years to reference a single year. When I was 10, I only had 10 years in and that 10 years was all I knew. At 10 years old, I was unable to reference the over 40 years that came after, so time certainly sped up with that frame of reference counted along with the 10 years I understood as an entire life at age ten.

I'm not opposed to an ongoing conditioning for my good, but one day I do expect a very nice sabbath day before I enter into this way again.

A rest day; that's interesting. I like that. Jesus did say that his friend Lazarus was sleeping. He did not say he was in heaven or what some consider a burning torment. Rather he was resting. Notice the conversation Jesus had with the disciples: (from John chapter 11)
"After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Thank you for your comment.

 

[Altfish]

The prospect of going to hell, particularly from a perspective that I've been accustomed most my life is or can be a very difficult thing to acknowledge. I'm a Christian. I understand myself to be a guilty Christian. I understand myself to be guilty and required to give an account of my life and that every word spoken will determine my fate. I'm not unaccustomed to justification attempts. I'm not fond of lying, but I am guilty of it. I'm fairly sure I've lied about others, too. I'm an adulterer, a fornicator (I think) although I'm not certain about this one, I am guilty of dishonoring my parents, of greed, envy, and a host of other things, including drunkenness. Ok, so most of these behaviors have been altered since, but I may still be required to go to hell. I don't have a defense. I'm guilty. I don't think it's as easy as simply believing that Jesus died so I wouldn't go to hell. I'm pretty sure justice must be satisfied. We reap what we sow. I think this is karma. Ok, so this has me a little more at ease, but my past .... man!

I'm a sinner.

What can I do beyond accept that possible and make peace with it?

Just remember, all the most interesting people in the world have been sinners. So Hell should be great ... Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, George Best will all be there waiting for you. Much better that Mother Theresa and a load of Pope's

 

[Balthazzar]

Just remember, all the most interesting people in the world have been sinners. So Hell should be great ... Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, George Best will all be there waiting for you. Much better that Mother Theresa and a load of Pope's

What would we do without Mother Theresa? We've had many Popes on earth. Why would we exclude their presence?

Wait ... They're all still here with us, with us.

Hey, will you remember me?

 

[YoursTrue]

Just remember, all the most interesting people in the world have been sinners. So Hell should be great ... Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, George Best will all be there waiting for you. Much better that Mother Theresa and a load of Pope's

We're all sinners in a certain sense. Some sins are worse than others -- nevertheless, there is no one on earth without sin.

 

[Altfish]

We're all sinners in a certain sense. Some sins are worse than others -- nevertheless, there is no one on earth without sin.

An hour old baby has not done much wrong

 

[YoursTrue]

An hour old baby has not done much wrong

True but given enough time he will sin.

 

[Altfish]

True but given enough time he will sin.

It is a 'she'

 

[YoursTrue]

It is a 'she'

Ok.