Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: psburns@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (MAUREEN BURNS) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Re: hell... Message-ID: Date: 24 Dec 90 09:34:14 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center Lines: 28 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Tis true that God is a merciful, loving God. But he is also a perfectly just and righteous God who cannot tolerate any evil or sin in his presence. How often in the old Testament does one read about his anger burning against a group of people? God does get angry as well. Remember, Jesus even erupted in anger in the temple at the atrocities of how the people had turned the house of God into "a den of thieves." But being limited, imperfect creatures who have inherited a sinful nature from our first parents, Adam and Eve, we simply do not have sufficient good within us to satisfy God's demand for righteousness. When Lucifer fell from his position of glory in heaven, God banished him to that horrible existence we call hell, because, again, God would not tolerate that evil imperfection in his Holy presence. The same fate awaits those who choose to refuse Jesus's atoning death as payment to satisfy God's righteousness. God is indeed a loving God, and it is his will that not one of us perish, i.e, be subjected to an eternity without him. He will orchestrate all kinds of events in our lives to make us aware of his presence in our live, and to present us with the opportunity to choose to live our live for him. It is also my belief, based on my understanding of Scritpure, that once we accept Jesus into our hearts, and choose to live for him, that we are guaranteed eternal life in his presence in heaven, that assurance cannot be taken from us, and we are gifted with special measures of grace and power to live a life pleasing to him. Of course there is no guarantee that we will always be successful in that endeaovor. We will stumble, sin, fail and displease a Holy and righteous God. But because of Jesus' death on the cross, WE HAVE FORGIVENESS. AMEN AND AMEN!!