Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!lll-winken!sun-barr!newstop!sundc!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ta00est@unccvax.uncc.edu (elizabeth s tallant) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Hell and the Faithful Message-ID: Date: 14 Dec 90 09:28:36 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of NC at Charlotte Lines: 34 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , gbyrd@mcnc.org (Gregory T. Byrd) writes: > In article ta00est@unccvax.uncc.edu (elizabeth s tallant) writes: > > > >I'll answer you question with another quesition. Would God be merciful > >to the rest of us if he sent Adolp Hitler to Heaven? > > > > I'm sorry, but I believe that the fate of Hitler's soul is none > of my business. I can't see how condemning Hitler provides > "mercy" for anyone else. (His death, on the other hand, had > a real impact.) > Ok then. So much for that. We will forget about any particular person. How can God be merciful even if He allows people to go to hell? Very simple - God gives ALL of us a chance to get to heaven. Whether or not we accept His gift of salvation, which is the only gift that will get us to Heaven, is up to us. Therefore, God is merciful because He gives everyone a chance to get to Heaven. People, on the other hand, are not merciful upon themselves because they reject God's gift of salvation. I have used this illustration before. Suppose that you are starving, and I offer food to you. Because you are stubborn and haughty, you refuse to accept my gift of food. Well then, will you blame me if you starve to death? Will you tell me that I am unmerciful because you starved yourself to death? Therefore, God is merciful. It is people who are unmerciful upon themselves. God does not actually send anyone to hell. We get there all by ourselves. Elizabeth