To all of my friends around this world,
The Puyehue volcano that just erupted in Chile was a spectacular show of lightning fire power!!! There was deep ash left behind in the towns close enough to be affected. It is nothing compared to the lake of fire that will destroy those who persist in rebelling against a loving, merciful Creator God.
I don't believe anyone will suffer eternal torture in hell, but that they will be burned up, just as the Bible says in, 2Peter3:10, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." Malachi 4:3 says, "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do [this], saith the LORD of hosts."
God wants to be with everyone, His children, for eternity. 2Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Isaiah 28:21 says, "For the LORD shall rise up as [in] mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act." Destroying is a strange act to God. He is Creator. He really DOES NOT want anyone to die, but love always gives the freedom of choice. It grieves God's heart to see His wayward children, much more than it grieves an earthly parent. Ezekiel 33:11 says, "Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"
The belief that God will torture people in hellfire for eternity, in my humble opinion, has produced many an atheist and made many angry at or fearful of, Creator God.
When Bin Laden was captured, many were celebrating that a torturing, murdering terrorist was gone. It amazed me as I thought that many, even in the Christian world, want to believe that a loving, Creator God is capable of even worse, by torturing those who choose to rebel against His love. What kind of a sick parent would punish & torture their child for the rest of their life, for rebelling? God's love for you goes deeper than the ocean, and higher than the highest star!
The Bible makes it clear that immortality will be given at the last day, when Jesus comes. No one is burning in immortal hell right now. 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 says, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1Timothy 6:16 says, "Who(Lord of Lords) only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honour and power everlasting. Amen." The Bible says in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death." Death doesn't mean life. Only Creator God has the ability to give life, and only He has immortality and the power of it.
2Peter 2:6 says, "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow, making [them] an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;" Jude 7 says, " Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Are they still burning today with eternal fire? No! The consequence is eternal, not the fire. The punishment is eternal, not the punishing! They will face eternal death instead of eternal life. The cases of the inhabitants of Sodom & Gomorrah are decided for eternity. Sin must be destroyed once and for all, and if satan, his angels and those who rebelled against God were burning forever, then they would have immortality, and life, and sin would be around for eternity. Satan, through the serpent told Eve in the garden that if she ate of the fruit she would not die. He has been spreading that lie far and wide since then.
At some point, those who choose rebellion against God will wish they had made a different decision, but then it will be too late. Luke 13:28 says, "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out."
God is loving, and does not want anyone to perish. He will remember the lost for eternity. His love for the lost is much deeper than we can begin to understand, but if you look to the cross of calvary, you will see love displayed in the form of Jesus Christ. He died for your sin and my sin, and there is no need to die eternally, because Jesus made provision for us, took our guilt upon Himself, and offers us eternal life! Give Him your heart right now, today, if you haven't done so. He's thinking about you...
PLEASE take a few minutes and enjoy this great video about God as Creator. God is about LIFE not destruction!
God B in U & through U, Joy J
Part 2 coming soon!
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