IGNORE! (Was "Where do the lost spend eternity?")

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Should I start a new poll, then?

LOL!

Maybe. In my experience the average Christian knows very little about eternity.

[Old Paths]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

When a saved person dies He enters into the presence of God, but not the throne room of God. He is in paradise, or what Jesus calles Abraham's bosom.
He awaits the final judgement when the living and dead will be judged. At that time he will hear "well done thou good and faithful servant. thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many". At that point he will enter into the Heaven of God.


When a lost person dies he goes to a place of torment called Hell. This is a temporary holding cell until the final judgement. At that time the wicked dead will be resurrected into judgement where Jesus will say "depart from me ye worker of iniquity, I never knew you". At that point He will be cast into the lake of fire where he will continue in a burning dying experience forever.

Again you are right on.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by ILG

Okay, that's what I thought you meant and what I have understood to be how it works as well. I do wonder though why there is a waiting period before the judgement.

Because God is just and merciful and because our works have an impact that ripples until judgement. There would be no way of accurately judging without waiting until the end of all things.

BTW, this is one reason predestination makes no sense. If God had predestined our actions why wait?

Why even have a judgement if you already know where you are going based on which "waiting room" you are in?

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Sheltiedad

Why even have a judgement if you already know where you are going based on which "waiting room" you are in?

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Because God is just and merciful and because our works have an impact that ripples until judgement. There would be no way of accurately judging without waiting until the end of all things.

BTW, this is one reason predestination makes no sense. If God had predestined our actions why wait?

Does this help?

[Nahum]

BTW, death is when our eternal destination is sealed. But our works are not finished until the final judgement. We never know what impact one murder wil have in the span of eternity. Jesus does and will show that impact at the judgement.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

BTW, death is when our eternal destination is sealed. But our works are not finished until the final judgement. We never know what impact one murder wil have in the span of eternity. Jesus does and will show that impact at the judgement.

So, does the severity of the punishment vary from one lost soul to another?

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Timmy

So, does the severity of the punishment vary from one lost soul to another?

That is a question for someone much more theologically sound that I.

I will say that there will be varying degrees of reward for the righteous. There is much evidence for that in the Word.

[MrsMcD]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Because God is just and merciful and because our works have an impact that ripples until judgement. There would be no way of accurately judging without waiting until the end of all things.

BTW, this is one reason predestination makes no sense. If God had predestined our actions why wait?

Thanks for writing this. I was just having a conversation with someone about predestination. I wish I could have thought of this myself. lol