With or without Him.

[Garyzenuf]

On another thread, a christian said in hell, non-christians will be separate from God, like they are now. My question is, if I'm separated from God now,(not being a Christian), is this how I'll be for eternity, or will I notice some change in how I feel (aside from the fact that I'll be dead )?

 

[ebia]

On another thread, a christian said in hell, non-christians will be separate from God, like they are now. My question is, if I'm separated from God now,(not being a Christian), is this how I'll be for eternity, or will I notice some change in how I feel (aside from the fact that I'll be dead )?

I guess you need a Christian who would describe hell as "non-christians will be separate from God, like they are now" to elaborate.

I would say that you are not entirely separate from God now.

 

[Garyzenuf]

I guess you need a Christian who would describe hell as "non-christians will be separate from God, like they are now" to elaborate.

Sorry, it was more, "if you choose to be apart from God now, you would choose to be apart from God in eternity" Too late to change your mind?

I would say that you are not entirely separate from God now.

How so?

 

[ebia]

Sorry, it was more, "if you choose to be apart from God now, you would choose to be apart from God in eternity" Too late to change your mind?

Sorry - I can't figure out what that means.

How so?

You are living in a world in which God is actively present, you are surrounded by people who bear the (marred, imperfect, broken, but still present) image of God - indeed you still bear that image yourself.

 

[arunma]

On another thread, a christian said in hell, non-christians will be separate from God, like they are now. My question is, if I'm separated from God now,(not being a Christian), is this how I'll be for eternity, or will I notice some change in how I feel (aside from the fact that I'll be dead )?

People who suffer in hell are separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus. But the Bible also says that they will burn in an eternal fire and be consumed by worms:

And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.' (Mark 9:43-48)
​

The fire and the worm may very well be imagry. But if so, then they are imagry for something far worse. That's how analogies work, after all. When someone says, for example, that his wife is a jewel, he means to say that she is of greater value than a jewel. I do not know what exactly the torments of hell will entail. What I do know is that compared to these torments, being burned and eaten alive for all eternity would be preferable. It says that hell will be accompanied by great pain:

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. (Luke 13:28)
​

Describe hell how you like. Whether you call it "separation from God" or "fire and brimstone" is of little consequence. What can be clearly discerned from Scripture is that hell is absolutely horrible, and it the very real result of a lifetime spent practicing false religion and rejecting the Son of God. But if you will only believe in Christ Jesus and receive him as your Lord, he will bestow his own righteousness on you so that you may escape the just wrath of God which otherwise falls on all humans.

 

[aiki]

On another thread, a christian said in hell, non-christians will be separate from God, like they are now. My question is, if I'm separated from God now,(not being a Christian), is this how I'll be for eternity, or will I notice some change in how I feel (aside from the fact that I'll be dead )?

Scripture indicates that you will not be dead in the sense that you will be oblivious to all experience, but that what you will experience will be utterly negative: darkness, pain, isolation - all unalleviated permanently. The death you will experience will be that of all good things, of well-being, not of existence itself.

At present, you aren't separated from God as you will be if you die in your sins. Here, on this planet, even those who aren't part of God's family still benefit from God's mercy, and goodness, and life-sustaining power. As the saying goes, however, "You don't know what you've got 'til its gone." This will be true - bitterly, horribly true - for those who find themselves eternally separated from their Maker.

Peace.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Garyzenuf. Since God does not force us, you will end up in whatever state, you choose. I don`t know what you will choose in later life, but Jesus died for all men and women. The choice is eternal life with God and your Christian brothers and sisters, or without God, and with others who have chosen like you. Jesus told us of a place in Outer Darkness, without God`s Love or His Light. Since hell is for Satan and his followers, I can only think of the place in Outer Darkness, where there can be heard loud wailing, and gnashing of teeth, Garyzenuf. If I might say so, with humility and love, yours is a very far-reaching decision to be made. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

If I could be so bold as to offer aperspective from Orthodox Christianity on this...

The purpose of the Christian life is to have communion with God. For we believe that God is love, and all things are possible through and from Him. This communion with Him begins on Earth, and continues throughout eternity in Heaven.

While on earth, every human has the opportunity to choose to be in communion with God. We believe it is a choice, as God gave us free will.

If one chooses throughout their entire lives to not be in communion with God, it is our belief that they will spend all of eternity outside the presence and communion of God in hell.

What does this mean? While the Bible refers to flames and worms and such, as another poster said, these are all analogies, and we're not sure of these details. What we are sure of is that it is an eternity without God's presence. That means it will be an eternity without love, without peace, without trust, without assuredness, as God is all these things.

God is the fulfillment of all of man's longings, all of his desires; the source and goal for all of humanity.

Without God, all one has is a void.

Hope this helps,

Maureen