How can God be ok with most people going to hell?

[Cygna]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

 

[trophy33]

There are basically three main views:
1. Unsaved people really go to literal hell and flame and suffer there for ever (I think this is neither biblical nor morally acceptable)
2. Unsaved people will die/cease to exist - hell is rather a place their life ends, instead of a place of torture
3. All people will be saved, in time - universalism

If you have an issue with the first view, you do not need to hold it.

 

[ozso]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

God gives us a choice between good and evil. The idea is those who choose evil would be miserable in Heaven. That they wouldn't go from hell into heaven if they were given the invitation. That the gates of hell are locked from the inside to shut out God.

 

[d taylor]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

-
​

So God came to man, became a human just like His creation. Preformed miracles that only God could do, so it was obvious that Jesus was The promised Messiah, but yet was rejected and killed.

Now God has made receiving His free gift of Eternal Life salvation, so simple and uncomplicated. That all God requires is belief in Jesus. Believing that Jesus is who He says He is: The Son of God/The Messiah, the resurrection and the life.

So what do you want God to do, give us your better plan. What is it, to force people to receive God's Eternal Life, so they can spend eternity with God whom they hate.

 

[Matt5]

How does one transition from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God? This is on Earth. Matthew 25 maps it out. Hell is just a part of the process.

1. The harvests (nuclear wars) come and wipe out most of the planet. Parable of the talents.
2. The mark. Parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
3. Jesus arrives.
4. People with the mark are destroyed via some kind of nuclear event(s).

Who is left after those things?

The harvests bring hell with weeping and gnashing. This is merely the effects of a fatal dose of radiation. The parable of the talents associates the harvests (nuclear wars) with hell. The suffering from radiation induces a pain level of 10 which lasts for days, but seems like forever.

What radiation does to the human body | HBO's Chernobyl - YouTube

The harvests take out the rich lands first. That is why the rich don't enter the kingdom of heaven. By rich I mean the West and friends.

If you don't understand Matthew 25, then you're just guessing.

 

[d taylor]

God gives us a choice between good and evil. The idea is those who choose evil would be miserable in Heaven. That they wouldn't go from hell into heaven if they were given the invitation. That the gates of hell are locked from the inside to shut out God.

-
​

Actually is God is giving people the opportunity to have Life or to have death in their future eternity.

Life is eternal existence with God and death is eternal separation from God

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

Welcome to CF.
There is also a view called "Universalism", where everyone is saved no matter who you are and what you have done including hating God. Would that be more palatable for you?
Ultimately, it is your choice.

Blessings.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

Theologically, and logically, speaking, part of what should go into an answer for your question here is the extent to which human beings can choose evil and, thereby, become evil. Today, we just don't believe people can become "evil."

I also think some of the complication in your question comes out of all of the counter-Christian arguments out there which hold us back from emotionally endorsing the Christian faith. In all of this, we have a difficult time conceptualizing evil, or even just sin. Because of this difficultly in conceptualization and since we have tendencies to perceive evil in ambiguous ways, we also fail to perceive how any person may be due some form of divine penalty, and we're left feeling the pinch of existential angst about fact that there are people who won't inherit eternal life.

From the context of what we read in the New Testament, "few" find the Narrow Path because----as difficult as it is to believe----few actually look for it or even want it, but we think to ourselves, ".... that just can't be the case."

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

One more thing: from what we read in the New Testament, it's not clear that God is "ok" with any person going to Hell.

However, even though God isn't "ok" with people going to Hell, this doesn't mean He's going to force them to become something they don't want to be.

 

[Andrewn]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

Welcome to the CF. When Julian of Norwich asked Jesus this question, he answered, "All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." In these words, I trust.

The following video attempts to address this common question:

 

[ozso]

-
​

Actually is God is giving people the opportunity to have Life or to have death in their future eternity.

Life is eternal existence with God and death is eternal separation from God

Do you believe if a person chooses to be evil they'll receive eternal life? Or are you saying that hell is annihilation of the soul?

 

[d taylor]

Do you believe if a person chooses to be evil they'll receive eternal life? Or are you saying that hell is annihilation of the soul?

-
​

There is more to it than people choosing to be evil. What about the church deacon, who never actually believed in Jesus. But thought it was serving God that gives a person Eternal Life, but after death finds out differently.

I do not believe in annihilation.

 

[ozso]

-
​

There is more to it than people choosing to be evil. What about the church deacon, who never actually believed in Jesus. But thought it was serving God that gives a person Eternal Life, but after death finds out differently.

Good point. That would also of course apply to those seeking to do good and serve God through false religions. This is making me rethink C.S. Lewis' premise.

I do not believe in annihilation.

Okay, I didn't think so.

 

[eleos1954]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

It's about love .... love can not be forced it must be a choice ... God created His intelligent creatures with choice.

We are not born cursed ... but we are born into a sinful world (cursed ground) and because of this we will choose to sin ... this is our natural state ... born into a sinful world.

Sin is transgression of the law ... they are laws of love ... if kept perfectly (only Jesus did) they produce love. This is why He is our Savior. Jesus (who is God) did indeed take on the responsibility of all of mankinds sin on Himself .... it is why we must go through Him .... He will impute His perfect righteousness unto us ... we can't earn it ... it is a gift and one either receives that gift ... or not ... it's up to each of us (a choice). Jesus (who is God) did in fact pay the price in full of all sin (transgression of the law) ever committed .... He took responsibility for all of mankind by giving His life for us and thereby created the way back to Him ... through Christ and believing in Him. Believing means choosing to live according to the teachings of Jesus .... we will mess up here and there but even so we are to pursue His righteousness. If we are believers in Him He will send the Holy Spirit to help us through our struggles in this sinful world and help us overcome sin (transgression of law/love) ... He goes through our struggles with us and provides comfort ... come what may.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous.

This is not correct teaching ... the bible teaches that hell is the grave .... an unconscious state of being described as a sleep (until the Lord returns). There is NOT an eternal burning place. God is not a torturous monster .... God is merciful (even to the wicked and disobedient) God IS Love. The "eternal fire" described in the book of Revelation is not fire that burns forever but rather fire that comes from the eternal heavens (from the eternal God) and yes .... in the very end God will destroy the sinful world and all those condemned to eternal death (His wrath). including satan and the fallen angels (not eternal torture). He will then create a new perfect world for His people and will dwell among them ... heaven on earth so to speak ... and this is life for eternity ... no sin. It is the temptation of satan that lures us into sin and since satan will be destroyed there will not be any temptation to sin in the new world.

Earthly death (the first death) is described as a sleep because one day ALL will be resurrected .... some to eternal life .... some to eternal death .... we are unaware of the actual numbers of the saved .... but even so ... there will be multitudes. We are mortal (subject to the death -2 deaths) .... we do not become immortal until Jesus returns. There is no such thing as a immortal conscious "spirit" that goes somewhere.

1 Corinthians 15:53-55 KJV​

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal (subject to death) 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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

IF there were to be a "eternal torturing" place then there is really no death and death is not defeated.

1 Corinthians 15:26
King James Bible
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

It's about eternal life or eternal death .... not eternal torture. "Eternal torture" would be a type of life .... a torturous one ... but none the less a life ... that teaching is contrary to scripture.

It's simple .... eternal life or eternal death and all make their choices in the matter ... and God gives people over to their choices ... even those choices that are against His will .... His will is that we will choose not to sin ... but rather choose to love Him and heed to His ways. God don't force Himself on anyone. God didn't create robots.

“The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” - Psalm 14:2

We should be seeking Him.

John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. The world in this verse is speaking of those who do not seek the Lord ... if one does not seek Him they can not know Him.

Love is also described as the fulfillment of the law in Romans 13:8-10. In this passage, Paul states that loving one's neighbor as oneself is the summary of all the law. Paul's point is that acts of love are not harmful, and that those who are in Christ are called to love their neighbors as they love themselves. (Love laws)

John 3:36
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

The wrath of God are those who choose eternal death ... not eternal torture.

Eternal life or eternal death ... don't be confused about it. Death is death ... life is life.

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing.

Because God is good and it's a good thing when He punishes evil. Don't you want God to punish evil?

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

1. Unsaved people really go to literal hell and flame and suffer there for ever (I think this is neither biblical nor morally acceptable)

Why is this unbiblical when Bible in several places states that hell is eternal and many will end there

. All people will be saved, in time - universalism

This is the view that's unbiblical

 

[Mark Quayle]

d taylor said:
-
Actually is God is giving people the opportunity to have Life or to have death in their future eternity.

Life is eternal existence with God and death is eternal separation from God

Do you believe if a person chooses to be evil they'll receive eternal life? Or are you saying that hell is annihilation of the soul?

@Cygna you may find some satisfaction in this speculation of mine, which the Bible may even teach, though so far I mostly find a kind of mathematical hint to the truth in it— that is, it may be a certain mad logic that goes here. The best use of this is just to consider what I say next as 'a way to look at things', and not to call it the truth:

Paul, talking to the Greeks in Athens about the Creator gets rather philosophical himself, and quotes their philosopher Epimenides to say, "In Him (the Creator) we live and move and have our being". Paul uses the statement as though it is true and supports what he is telling them about Jesus Christ. I am certain that there is some sense in which every detail of physical fact (and metaphysical, too, I think) is not only determined and consisted of something from God, and dependent on God, but that all that is good about any of us is from God. To my thinking, then, anything deserving of respect or of any intrinsic value about any of us, is not just from God, but is upheld/maintained by God himself in some way. We are not good of ourselves, but good by God's doing and use and purposes for us. That includes both the born-again and the reprobate.

One of the Reformed statements within TULIP, "Total Depravity", is commentary on the worthlessness and inability of fallen humanity apart from the work of God in them. I find it accurate, in the way I have tried to describe above; and there is where I find some mental relief concerning the question of eternal hell: When God has completely removed himself from the reprobate, there is nothing left but a husk, a shell, worthless, a wraith; all emotion and self-centeredness, bereft of virtue. Such a being would not very much resemble the person you thought you knew on earth. CS Lewis describes him as someone you would now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. In a parallel to the fact that we who are redeemed will in Heaven be above the angels (Hebrews 2; 1 Corinthians 6), I even speculate that the (erstwhile 'human') resident of hell and the lake of fire will be worse than demons, and not worth calling human, in the sense that we respect the living.

One more thing that helps me —equally mathematical if not more than the above— is the (again) human view of time vs timelessness of God. When I try to describe the idea of God being outside of time, I don't know how to do so without referring to temporal wording and concepts, though I try to do away with them. So don't take what I say here too seriously. But God is not like us, and I think in Heaven we will see the silliness of considering a temporal progression of events as "full reality" in the light of the reality of Heaven. Words like "forever" and "eternal" may have a more solid fact to them —perhaps something we would here describe as "intense"— rather than "very long time". I speculate, for example, that Christ suffered our very penalty for sin, not just physical death, but payment as we would have done in Hell, but that it was intensity rather than the "forever" we think we understand. Thus, he was able to 'come back' from what cannot undo God. So, if the reprobate are 'forever' in hell, our concept of suffering —time without end— may be a bit short of understanding.

 

[trophy33]

Why is this unbiblical when Bible in several places states that hell is eternal and many will end there

Biblical teaching about this is not systematic and is quite ambiguous, mixing various Jewish and Greek concepts. In some concepts its even contradictory, namely between the OT and NT.

One can find support for any view he wants.

 

[Richard T]

I apologize if this is considered adversarial, but I have not heard a satisfactory answer yet despite asking my whole life basically. The Bible says that the way to life is narrow, and few find it. I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

The first answer I heard was that it’s just inevitable, He’s sad, but He did everything He could by sending Jesus on the cross. This seems not very believable. An omnipotent God literally could not do more to save 99.9% of His creation? And even so, why would He allow this planet to persist knowing He could not save the billions of people going to hell?

The other answer I heard is just that He has a right to do whatever, we are naturally His enemies, so that’s just how it is. That like the Bible says, He is the potter and we are the clay, so we just have to accept that we will likely become objects of wrath unless we are both fortunate with special mercy and also extremely faithful which is difficult on a planet already having original sin.

Another answer is that it’s our fault we turn like this and it’s our rebellion. Honestly I would understand if Satan was considered at fault for rebellion considering one third of angels fell. I do not understand how we are at fault when we already have a curse just from being born, and 99.9% of us don’t make it. The odds are heavily against us, and saying “the soul that sins shall die” regardless seems extremely cruel and harsh.

It is made worse that hell is eternal and torturous. God literally decreed that hell should be this way, without anyone forcing Him to. He could’ve invented another system. I’ve concluded that existence is painful and doomed for creatures who were born into the wrong life, and God doesn’t care except for those very few who are humble, virtuous, and favored enough to make it and praise Him for His mercy to save them from a wrath that He Himself created. It really seems like all He cares about is His glory, and He can just ruin our eternal lives like it’s nothing

1 out of a 1000 seems well off and if God wanted to say that then he could have put it in the bible. Here is a teaching on the eye of the needle. The Rich Young Ruler — Bob Yandian Ministries
God bless!

 

[David Lamb]

I heard a prophecy that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven actually. So my question is, how is God ok with this? Why did He allow this planet, original sin’s curse, etc. to work out like this?

But was the prophecy true and biblical? What is important is what God says in His word, the bible. Does it say or even imply anywhere that only 1 of 1000 people make it to heaven? As far as am aware it doesn't. We need to be like the Bereans, of whom we are told:

“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily [to find out] whether these things were so.” (Ac 17:11 NKJV)